Journal of Healthcare Management - July/August 2014 - (Page 285)

H O S P ITA L C HARACTER IST ICS A SSOC I ATE D W ITH A CHIEVE MENT PRACTITIONER OF M EANINGFUL U SE APPLICATION Rick Schooler, FACHE, LFCHIME, FHIMSS, CHCIO, vice president and chief information ofﬁcer, Orlando Health, Forida O ver the past several years, many of our industry's thought leaders have stumped the halls and ofﬁces of federal and state lawmakers to bring attention to the need for increased information technology (IT) adoption. I believe meaningful use (MU) requirements to be an outcome of those efforts, even though many continue to debate the program's overall net cost and value, fairness, timing, and ultimate purpose. As of this writing, the program is well into its Stage 2 attestation period, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continuing to offer ﬁnancial incentives to those that comply and planning to impose reimbursement penalties for those that do not. Most observers acknowledge that compliance with the program equips providers with an array of IT capabilities that can drive a meaningful and measurable improvement in the quality, efﬁciency, and convenience of healthcare delivery. However, Stage 2 compliance (compared to Stage 1) is proving to be a signiﬁcant challenge. The possibility of missing just one of several demanding criteria has many providers on edge. Over the past two decades, the procurement of IT in healthcare has increased dramatically. And although the automation of ﬁnancial reporting, billing, and other corporate functions have historically received the majority of investment, in recent years, electronic health records and other solutions, such as decision support, patient/physician portals, and information exchange technologies, have become important priorities. Yet healthcare overall still lags other industries in the valuedriven use of IT. Much to the frustration and disappointment of many, this lag has impeded realization of the efﬁciencies, quality-of-care enhancements, and decisionmaking improvements enabled by automation while also preventing critical-mass exchange and portability of patient information. However, parallel to MU, reimbursement reform and the pursuit of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim have introduced new pressures for improved outcomes at reduced cost, driving providers to new levels of IT adoption. In and of itself, the MU program should probably not be considered the sustainable catalyst for increased healthcare IT adoption, but rather one very important aspect of an overall industry transformation. To its credit, the program has proven for some providers to be effective in jump-starting their IT journey. And, as of April 2014, CMS reports that 90% of eligible hospitals (including critical access facilities) have received some level of incentive payment totaling more than $14 billion. Yet for some, the program (Stage 2 in particular) remains an investment versus return decision, compelling them to incur penalties in the short term rather than enduring the cost and overall impact of compliance within the government's time frame. Expanded incentives might help, but the cost of IT and the effort to implement and 285

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - July/August 2014

Journal of Healthcare Management - July/August 2014
Contents
Interview With Charles R. Evans, FACHE, President of the International Health Services Group and Senior Advisor at Jackson Healthcare
The Most Effective Leadership Style for the New Landscape of Healthcare
Exploring Obstacles to Success for Early Careerists in Healthcare Leadership
Decisions Through Data: Analytics in Healthcare
Sustainable Competitive Advantage for Accountable Care Organizations
Hospital Characteristics Associated With Achievement of Meaningful Use
The Effect of Professional Culture on Intrinsic Motivation Among Physicians in an Academic Medical Center
Abstract from the Academy of Management

Journal of Healthcare Management - July/August 2014