• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Behavioral Health
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Patient Engagement
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
    • Social Determinants of Health
  • Digital Health
    • AI
    • Blockchain
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • M&A
  • Value-based Care
    • Accountable Care (ACOs)
    • Medicare Advantage
  • Life Sciences
  • Research

17 Senators Identify 3 Key Problems with Stage 2 Meaningful Use Timeline

by Jasmine Pennic 09/25/2013 3 Comments

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

In a letter addressed to Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, 17 senators lead by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) pushing for a one year extension to the Stage 2 meaningful use timeline for providers.

3 Areas of Concern

In the letter, the senators identified three key problems with the current timeline for Stage 2 Meaningful Use:

1. Regulatory structure of the program has created significant time pressure in 2014 and progressing to Stage 2 may not be feasible for all participants. In just one year, over 500k hospitals and physicians are required to meet meaningful use by the end of 2014 to be eligible for incentive payments. The time pressure raises questions about whether such a short period for Stage 2 is in the best long-term interest of the program.

2. The onset of Stage 2 may further widen the digital divide for small and rural providers who lack resources of large practices and may not be vendors’ top priorities. Simply receiving the software update does not help MU requirements for providers; however, they also need assistance learning how to use the technology and time to address achieving new standards of meaningful use.

3. Artificially aggressive Stage 2 timeline may have serious unintended consequences such as stifling innovation and increasing medical errors. Innovation in HIT could be stifled since vendors do not have the time to introduce flexibility into their EHRs. This can cause medical errors to increase due to rushing through upgrades that could cause errors or patient safety problems.

The senators did preface that they are not suggesting a delay of Stage 2 and urges providers who are ready to transition to Stage 2 should do so to receive incentive payments in 2014 and 2015 with current policy. However, providers that are not ready should have a one year extension before they attest for Stage 2 meaningful use.

The senators have requested a response from HHS Secretary Sebelius by October 8, 2013.

Click here to read the letter.

Featured image credit: marsmet521 via cc

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Tap Native

Get in-depth healthcare technology analysis and commentary delivered straight to your email weekly

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to HIT Consultant

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly.

Submit a Tip or Pitch

Featured Insights

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

Featured Interview

Kinetik CEO Sufian Chowdhury on Fighting NEMT Fraud & Waste

Most-Read

2019 MedTech Breakthrough Award Category Winners Announced

MedTech Breakthrough Announces 2025 MedTech Breakthrough Award Winners

WeightWatchers Files for Bankruptcy to Eliminate $1.15B in Debt

WeightWatchers Files for Bankruptcy to Eliminate $1.15B in Debt

KLAS: Epic Dominates 2024 EHR Market Share Amid Focus on Vendor Partnership; Oracle Health Sees Losses Despite Tech Advances

KLAS: Epic Dominates 2024 EHR Market Share Amid Focus on Vendor Partnership; Oracle Health Sees Losses Despite Tech Advances

'Cranky Index' Reveals EHR Alert Frustration Peaks Midweek, Highest Among Admin Staff

‘Cranky Index’ Reveals EHR Alert Frustration Peaks Midweek, Highest Among Admin Staff

Madison Dearborn Partners to Acquire Significant Stake in NextGen Healthcare

Madison Dearborn Partners to Acquire Significant Stake in NextGen Healthcare

Wandercraft Begins Clinical Trials for Physical AI-Powered Personal Exoskeleton

Wandercraft Begins Clinical Trials for Physical AI-Powered Personal Exoskeleton

Chipiron Secures $17M to Transform MRI Access with Portable Scanner

Chipiron Secures $17M to Transform MRI Access with Portable Scanner

Abbott to Integrate FreeStyle Libre Glucose Data with Epic EHR

Abbott to Integrate FreeStyle Libre Glucose Data with Epic EHR

5 Ways New Trump Administration Tariffs Are Impacting U.S. Healthcare Now

5 Ways Trump Administration Tariffs Are Impacting U.S. Healthcare Now

iCAD, GE HealthCare Integrate to Advance Breast Cancer Detection with AI

RadNet to Acquire iCAD for $103M in All-Stock Transaction

Secondary Sidebar

Footer

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Submit An Op-Ed
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Editorial Coverage

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Digital Health
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Blockchain Tech
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • Value-Based Care
    • Accountable Care
    • Medicare Advantage

Connect

Subscribe to HIT Consultant Media

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly

Copyright © 2025. HIT Consultant Media. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy |