2018 Promoting Interoperability (Meaningful Use) Information

The EHR Meaningful Use Objective reporting period for all participants is a minimum of any continuous 90 days from January 1 through December 31, 2018.

The Clinical Quality Measures are expected to be reported electronically under the following reporting periods:
—First-time Meaningful Users – Any continuous 90 days in 2018
—Returning Meaningful Users – 2018 Full Calendar Year

Starting in January 2018, health care providers are required to electronically report clinical quality measures (eCQMs), which use data from EHRs and/or health information technology systems to measure health care quality. To report eCQMs successfully, health care providers must adhere to the requirements identified by the CMS quality program in which they intend to participate. Contact your vendor for instructions on how to save your Clinical Quality Measures in a QRDAIII file.

You have the choice in attesting to:

• Modified Stage 2: Providers may attest to objectives and measures using EHR technology certified to the 2014 Edition, 2015 Edition, or a combination of the two.
  OR
  
• Stage 3: Providers may attest to objectives and measures using EHR technology using a combination of 2014 and 2015 Edition or 2015 Edition.

Preparing for 2019 Stage 3

• Stage 3 measures require a 2015 CEHRT system. Begin looking at migrating to a 2015 CEHRT now.
• Work with your vendor to ensure all components of the EHR that are required for successful submission are 2015 certified
• Receive vendor training for staff/providers on changes to workflow and additional system capabilities
• Develop a timeline for conversion to the new CEHRT edition
• Complete Security Risk Assessment after installation
• Educate patients on new portal changes if applicable

2019 Proposed Rule Changes

On July 12, 2018 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule that suggests changes to the 2019 Promoting Interoperability (Meaningful Use) EP Objectives listed below:

• Objective 6 – Coordination of Care through Patient Engagement
  Proposed to amend §495.24(d)(6)(i) such that the thresholds for Measure 1 (View, Download, or Transmit) and Measure 2 (Secure Electronic Messaging) of Meaningful Use Stage 3 EP Objective 6 (Coordination of care through patient engagement) would remain 5 percent for 2019 and subsequent years.
• Objective 8 – Public Health and Clinical Data Registry Reporting
  Proposed to amend §495.24(d)(8)(i)(B)(2), EP Objective 8 (Public health and clinical data registry reporting), Measure 2 (Syndromic surveillance reporting measure), to amend the language restricting the use of syndromic surveillance reporting for meaningful use only to EPs practicing in an urgent care setting. CMS proposes to include any EP defined by the state or local public health agency as a provider who can submit syndromic surveillance data.
• Clinical Quality Measures (CQM)
  Proposed that for 2019 the Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program would adopt the MIPS requirement that EPs report on at least one outcome measure (or, if an applicable outcome measure is not available or relevant, one other high priority measure).

Please see the proposed rule for how to submit comments by the close of the 60-day comment period at 5 p.m. on September 10, 2018. You can find the instructions for submitting comments on the proposed rule. FAX transmissions are not accepted. You may use one of the following ways to officially submit your comments: electronically through Regulations.gov; regular mail; express or overnight mail; hand or courier delivery.

Contact the expert advisors at Kentucky REC for all your Promoting Interoperability (Meaningful Use) questions at 859-323-3090. We’re here to help.