Definition
Meaningful Use is a concept used in the healthcare sector indicating the use of electronic health records (EHR) to improve quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care. It was introduced through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. The aim is to promote the spread of EHR to enhance healthcare coordination, maintain patients’ privacy and security, and involve patients more in their own healthcare.
Phonetic
The phonetics of the keyword “Meaningful Use” is : /ˈmiːnɪŋfʊl juːs/
Key Takeaways
<ol> <li>Meaningful Use is a government initiative aimed at improving the provision and quality of healthcare and health information through the promotion and regulation of the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs).</li> <li>Providers who demonstrate Meaningful Use of EHRs are eligible for incentives under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), encouraging healthcare providers to transition from paper to digital records.</li> <li>To qualify for Meaningful Use, healthcare providers must meet specific objectives and measures, such as improving quality, safety, efficiency and reducing health disparities, engaging patients and families in their health care, improving care coordination, population and public health, while maintaining the privacy and security of patient health information.</li></ol>
Importance
Meaningful Use is an important term in healthcare technology because it refers to the use of electronic health record (EHR) systems by healthcare providers in a way that positively impacts patient care. The concept was introduced under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 to incentivize healthcare providers to implement and effectively use EHRs. Under the Meaningful Use program, providers need to demonstrate that they are using their EHRs in significant and measurable ways, such as improving patient care, enhancing care coordination, maintaining privacy and security of patient health information, and engaging patients and their families in their health. By doing so, they become eligible for financial incentives from the federal government. Hence, Meaningful Use is essential for promoting the widespread adoption and optimal use of EHRs, leading to improved patient health outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
Explanation
The primary purpose of Meaningful Use is to represent a set of standards used by healthcare providers for the optimal use of Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology. This concept was introduced to incentivize healthcare providers with financial rewards when they demonstrate the “meaningful use” of EHRs to improve patient care. The criteria underlining this scheme focus on improving quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery while also emphasizing privacy and security of patients’ health information. Meaningful Use is deployed with the ultimate goal to achieve significant improvement in patient care by advancing the healthcare system. This includes facilitating care coordination and patient engagement, improving public health outcomes, maintaining patient privacy and security, and ultimately, transforming the quality of healthcare system. Notably, under Meaningful Use, the eligible providers and hospitals must show they’re using certified EHR technology ways that can be measured quantitatively and contribute positively to health outcomes.
Examples
Meaningful Use is a key term related to health information technology, particularly, it refers to the standards set by the U.S. government for healthcare providers to adopt Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and promote their meaningful use in order to improve patient care and health outcomes. Here are three real-world examples:1. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): CHOP effectively used EHRs in compliance with Meaningful Use standards to improve patient care, reduce paperwork, and efficiently track patient data over time. By adherively using EHRs, CHOP was able to meet several Meaningful Use objectives and measures, including measures for prescribing medications through electronic orders efficiently and checking for drug interactions electronically.2. The Cleveland Clinic: The Cleveland Clinic is among the healthcare institutions that have integrated Meaningful Use of EHRs in their day-to-day operations. They’ve implemented EHRs across all of their practices to improve the quality of patient care. For instance, they’ve transitioned from paper prescriptions to E-Prescribing which is a Meaningful Use standard, improving safety by reducing medication errors associated with handwriting.3. Kaiser Permanente: As one of the largest managed care organizations in the U.S, Kaiser Permanente took meaningful steps toward Meaningful Use by utilizing EHRs to not only streamline paperwork but also empower patients with better access to their personal medical records. This approach was in line with Meaningful Use objectives for enhancing patient engagement and improving the overall patient experience.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
**Q: What is Meaningful Use?**A: Meaningful Use is a set of standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Incentive Programs to regulate the use of electronic health records (EHR). The main goal is to improve healthcare through enhanced clinical outcomes.**Q: What are the key components of Meaningful Use?**A: Key components include using certified EHR technology (CEHRT), capturing health information in a standardized electronic format, improving care coordination, maintaining the privacy and security of patient health information, and submitting clinical quality measures digitally to CMS or the States.**Q: Who does Meaningful Use apply to?**A: Meaningful Use applies to healthcare providers, hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) that want to participate in EHR Incentive Programs and receive an incentive payment.**Q: How are providers measured for Meaningful Use?**A: Providers are measured through a series of objectives and measures, which are divided into stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3. Each stage has a specific set of goals and criteria to meet.**Q: What are the benefits of Meaningful Use?**A: The principle benefits are improved patient care, increased engagement of patient and families, improved care coordination, public health, and maintaining privacy and security of patient health information.**Q: Is Meaningful Use mandatory?**A: While Meaningful Use is not directly mandatory, there are financial incentives for eligible providers and hospitals that demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Penalties may also be imposed on those who fail to meet the requirements.**Q: How often do the Meaningful Use requirements change?**A: Meaningful Use requirements have evolved over time as healthcare changes and technology advances. It’s important to refer to the CMS guidelines for the most current set of requirements. **Q: What is the relationship between Meaningful Use and Electronic Health Records (EHRs)?**A: Meaningful Use is a set of standards that regulate the use of EHRs. Using EHRs meaningfully as per these standards helps ensure that health information is shared and exchanged effectively to improve healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency.
Related Tech Terms
- EHR Certification
- Patient Engagement
- Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs)
- Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- Protected Health Information (PHI)
Sources for More Information
- HealthIT.gov: https://www.healthit.gov/topic/meaningful-use-and-macra/meaningful-use
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms
- Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS): https://www.himss.org/library/ehr/meaningfuluse
- American Medical Association: https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital/ehr-incentive-program-meaningful-use
