Market research firm HIMSS Analytics is now monitoring how well U.S. hospitals are adopting the elements of "meaningful use" utilization of electronic health records as mandated by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Starting in May 2010, HIMSS Analytics added questions about meaningful use adoption to its annual survey collecting data from more than 5,000 nonfederal government hospitals used to analyze healthcare information technology implementation.
The Chicago-based nonprofit organization announced on November 15 that it is compiling ongoing quarterly reports on meaningful use compliance by U.S. hospitals from data that it says is statistically significant at a 99% confidence level and a 5% margin of error.
HIMSS Analytics reported that out of the 687 hospitals that have responded to questions about meaningful use, 22% have the capability to achieve 10 or more of the 14 core measures required for stage 1, and 40% have the capability to meet five or more of the eight required "menu" items of optional procedures.
The current data sample is reflective of the types and sizes of hospitals in the U.S., according to Michelle Glenn, senior director of product management. It includes 422 general and community hospitals, 177 critical care hospitals, 56 academic hospitals, 11 pediatric hospitals, and 21 "other."
Sixty percent of the sample represents hospitals with less than 200 beds. Large hospitals with more than 500 beds represent 10%, 400- to 500-bed hospitals represent 8%, and 300- to 400-bed hospitals represent 12%.
Academic hospitals are currently in the lead with respect to overall adoption and readiness to meet stage 1 deadlines for achieving meaningful use and receiving financial incentive stimulus payments, according to John Hoyt, executive vice president of HIMSS.
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| Images courtesy of HIMSS Analytics. |
Currently, 31% of the hospital sample has met the CMS core requirement for utilization of computerized physician order-entry (CPOE) systems to order prescription drugs. CMS mandates that at least 30% of a hospital's patients have one or more prescribed medications ordered using a certified CPOE system.
However, the 31% may or may not include CPOE utilization with an officially certified system because testing agencies were not announced until August 31, 2010.
Because the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) requires that certified CPOE systems include the ability to also order laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging examinations, hospitals that are using certified systems could also initiate CPOE for radiology exams as well.
By Cynthia E. Keen
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
November 16, 2010
Related Reading
ONC clarifies 'meaningful use' certification rules, September 30, 2010
CHIME: Meaningful use goals seem achievable in 2011-12 ... maybe, September 20, 2010
Meaningful use: Comply and get paid ... but how? August 23, 2010
HIMSS launches HIMSS Analytics Europe, June 24, 2010
Hospitals need to scramble on stimulus fund goals, March 3, 2010
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