MDNews - Central New York

+++++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ +MEANINGFUL USE U +++ +++++++++++++++++++++++ Engaging Patients via Portals — Major Focus of Meaningful Use in 2014 By John Netti S INCE ITS INCEPTION, meaning- ful use has focused primarily on the provider community. Beginning in 2014, however, it will begin to directly involve patients through portal technology. All participants in the program — regardless of which stage they are in — will need to implement a patient portal in 2014. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, the architect of meaningful use, intended it to ultimately improve the quality and coordination of health care. Engaging patients in their own care by providing access to health information and communication with their providers 6 | Central New York MD NEWS I MDNEWS.COM is the cornerstone for accomplishing this goal. Portal technology will change the way patients interact with their physicians and will require an investment of time and money to implement. Yet it holds substantial promise for greater practice efficiency and improved patient satisfaction. The meaningful use measure to "provide patients electronic access" will be a new core measure in Stage 2 of the program. It will also be required of Stage 1 participants and will be in effect for both stages beginning in 2014. The measure states that eligible providers (EP) must "provide patients the ability to view online, download and transmit their health information." EP must provide 50% of all unique patients seen within a reporting period "access" within four business days of when the information is available to them. Additionally, EP in Stage 2 must have 5% of all unique patients actually "view, download, or transmit" their health information. This aspect of the rule puts much more responsibility on the practice to achieve adoption by its patients. "Access" is defined as patients possessing all the "necessary information" to view, download or transmit their information. "Necessary information" can include instructions on how to access or register for the portal as well as information such as usernames and passwords. The amount of information that must be available to patients electronically is substantial. The following are the data elements that must be included: "patient name, provider's name and office contact information, current and past problem list, procedures, laboratory test results, current medication list and medication history, current medication allergy list and medication allergy history, vital signs (height, weight, blood pressure, BMI, growth charts), smoking status, demographic information (preferred language, sex, race, ethnicity, date of birth), care plan, including goals and instructions, and any known care team members, including the primary care provider of record … ." In 2014, the patient portal will replace two Stage 1 measures — the requirement to provide patients an electronic copy of their health information upon request and the menu set measure to provide patients timely access to their health information within four business days. The portal will also offer an alternative delivery method for other measures, such as providing a

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