How EHR and meaningful use has transformed healthcare

In 2009, the U.S. government launched the Meaningful Use program as part of the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. The goal was to promote a more comprehensive adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), or specifically the "meaningful use" of certified EHRs

The meaningful use program consisted of three stages which involved incrementally more advanced requirements. As an incentive for achieving each stage of EHR meaningful use providers who met the law’s requirements received incentive payments.

Fast-forward to 2018, the EHR Incentive Programs were renamed to the Promoting Interoperability Programs by CMS. This shift signaled a move beyond the initial requirements of meaningful use towards a new phase of EHR measurement with enhanced patient access to health information

Policymakers reasoned with the passage of HITECH that the widespread adoption of EHRs would provide the impetus to firstly modernize how the U.S. healthcare system managed and shared clinical and administrative information. With this modernization, it was reasoned that gains in quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care could  be achieved

After over a decade have EHRs and the meaningful use program transformed healthcare?

What impact has meaningful use had on healthcare?

The main achievement of the federal government’s meaningful use program has been the successful stimulation of EHR adoption by medical providers. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology reports that nearly 9 in 10 office-based physicians and 96 percent of all non-federal acute care hospitals now possess certified health IT. The rate of hospital adoption varies by size, with small, rural, and critical access hospitals at 93%, and 99% of large hospitals having a certified EHR.

How has this impacted EHR and transformed healthcare?

The meaningful use program has indeed brought about benefits. Surveys show that 88% of doctors believe their EHR produces clinical benefits, and 75% of providers report that their EHR enables them to deliver improved patient care. EHRs have been shown to reduce the risk of medical errors and improve the efficiency of care delivery by streamlining administrative resources required to manage clinical data.

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In contrast, a 2019 report by Kaiser Health painted a different picture showing that the path of EHR adoption and development into clinical practice may be placing patients at risk of medical errors. 

More recently, among the top patient safety concerns in 2023 were medication data errors, poor care coordination, and clinician burnout, all of which can be exacerbated by problematic EHR systems.

Conclusion

Reflecting on the past decade, it's clear that the Meaningful Use Program boosted EHR adoption, a crucial transformation marker. However, the program's impact on healthcare transformation regarding cost savings, quality enhancement, and productivity remains uncertain.

Moving forward, it's crucial to keep track of how EHR and meaningful use are evolving and impacting healthcare. Despite the challenges and unanswered questions, the push for a digital, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare system persists.