What is "Meaningful Use" EMR, and Who Qualifies?

What is a “Meaningful Use” Electronic Medical/Health Record (EMR/EHR) and Who Qualifies for Funding of this Health Information Technology?
Overview:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has enabled the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide financial incentives for eligible provider professionals and hospitals who adopt “meaningful use” Electronic Health/Medical Record (EHR/EMR) technology. Incentive payments begin in 2011 and gradually decrease through 2014. Starting in 2015, providers are expected to have adopted and be actively utilizing a certified EHR in compliance with the “meaningful use” definition or they will be subject to penalties.

The focus on meaningful use EMR is a recognition that better health care does not come solely from the adoption of technology itself but through the exchange and use of health information to best inform clinical decisions at the point of care.

So who’s an “Eligible Provider Professional”?

"Eligible Provider Professional" is broken out in the following ways:

Medicare (CMS):
A physician as defined in section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act,which includes the following five types of professionals:
Doctor of medicine or osteopathy
Doctor of dental surgery or medicine
Doctor of podiatric medicine
Doctor of optometry
Chiropractor

…and for Medicaid:
Physicians, Dentists, Certified nurse-midwives, Nurse practitioners

Physician assistants (P.A.’s) who are practicing in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) or Community Health Centers (330’s) that incorporate by a physician assistant.

“Meaningful Use” Defined:

A final definition of “Meaningful Use” functionality for EMR/EHR is due out in Spring 2011, followed by a 60-day period for public comment and amendments.