White House Declares National Health IT Week

Celebrate National Health IT Week by Making EHRs Part of Your Practice

In a proclamation on Monday, President Obama declared the week of September 11 – 17 as National Health Information Technology Week.

In his proclamation, President Obama spoke about how health IT connects doctors and patients to more complete and accurate health records and how tools like EHRs and electronic prescriptions help patients and providers make safer, smarter decisions about health care. By providing financial incentives to those providers who successfully meet meaningful use of certified EHRs, CMS hopes to encourage providers and hospitals to adopt this technology.

Providers are already beginning to see the benefits of using EHRs. Recently, CMS interviewed providers at a Delaware Meaningful Use Recognition Ceremony on how EHRs are positively affecting their practices. Dr. Jerome Abrams, a doctor of Family Medicine from Delaware, whose practice successfully attested to meeting meaningful use, said that EHRs have allowed his practice “to capture information on patients a lot more efficiently and a lot more completely.”

Over 90,000 providers and hospitals have registered for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, and over $652 million has been paid to providers and hospitals that have successfully demonstrated meaningful use.

If you are interested in learning more about the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs or would like to find resources to help you register and attest to meeting meaningful use, visit the CMS EHR website.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?Make sure to visit the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs websitefor the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.