Category: Electronic Medical Records

Meaningful use rules win positive reactions from EMR, healthcare providers

July 14, 2010 by MassDevice staff

New regulations governing how healthcare providers can prove meaningful use of electronic medical records technology, a hallmark of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law, are winning praise from both EMR and healthcare providers.

To tap into the $27 billion being made available over the next decade to promote EMR adoption, healthcare providers must demonstrate meaningful use of an EMR system. Exactly what that entailed, however, wasn't clear until the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services issued MU regulations yesterday.

HHS issues meaningful use regs

July 13, 2010 by MassDevice staff

The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services issued long-anticipated rules governing "meaningful use" of electronic medical records systems, aiming to make it easier for healthcare providers to tap into $27 billion in federal incentives.

Doctors and hospitals hoping to pull in that cash must be able to prove "meaningful use" of EMR technology, but it wasn't clear until now exactly what that meant.

Athenahealth wins certification for its newest web-based EHR service

July 9, 2010 by MassDevice staff

Athenahealth Inc. (NSDQ:ATHN) won a preliminary "Interim Final Rule Stage 1" nod from the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology for its web-based electronic medical records system.

The EHR service, AthenaClinicalsSM version 10.6, met 24 of 24 requirements for eligible healthcare providers as published by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services in the IFR publication. The IFR certification is related to the HITECH Act, part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

Report: CIOs worried about meeting meaningful use requirements

July 1, 2010 by MassDevice staff

Chief information officers at healthcare providers and insurance firms are worried that their organizations won't be able to win so-called "meaningful use" designation for electronic health records systems in time to take advantage of government subsidies, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In a survey of 120 CIOs, the consulting firm found that 80 percent are "concerned with the ability to meet MU requirements within the specified time frame."

EClinicalWorks expands Westborough headquarters

June 15, 2010 by MassDevice staff

EClinicalWorks purchased a 100,000-square-foot facility to expand its headquarters in Westborough, Mass.

The electronic medical records and medical practice management company said the new offices, slated for completion in early 2011, will allow it to add staff.

The company has the "largest Software as a Service (SaaS) network in the industry," and "the building will permit immediate and future growth," said EClinicalWorks CEO Girish Kumar Navani in prepared remarks.