Meaningful Use

Anita Samarth, President of Clinovations, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm that works with the government, providers, and other health IT stakeholders, talks about the scope of different policy issues facing industry leaders in 2013 and beyond. This is part 1 of a three-part series.

If anyone can provide an in-depth look at how CIOs are feeling about Stage 2 of meaningful use in anticipation of October, it’s Micky Tripathi, the President and CEO of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC). This is part 1 of a two-part podcast series, in which Tripathi talks with Healthcare Informatics Associate Editor Gabriel Perna about some the concerns that have been expressed by CIOs on Stage 2.

I often found myself impressed with the way Dr. Farzad Mostashari could bring the focus of conversations about e-health regulations or standards development back to the larger picture of improving care and patient engagement, and he did so in a way that seemed inspirational to those doing the heavy lifting in this field.

Four members of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) testified to federal officials last week, calling for a safe, orderly transition to Meaningful Use Stage 2 that leaves no one behind. In addition, testimony was given to the Senate Finance Committee by vendors and other stakeholders assessing progress and the path forward for Meaningful Use.

During a July 23 hearing held by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s (ONC) federal advisory committees, chief information officer and chief medical information officers shared their concerns about the challenges they see ahead in Stage 2 of meaningful use.