US - EMR Funding - Physicians Advised not to Delay Planning  |  February 25, 2009  

Just as is taking place in Canada, US physicians are being advised to begin their early planning for EMR adoption and use. In an article, published in Health Data Management, US physicians are advised to begin planning for their incentive program funding by the 3rd quarter of 2009.


"Health Data Management: February 23, 2009 - Physicians without an electronic health records system should start work soon to get one so they can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments under the economic stimulus law, says Michael Mytych, principal at Health Information Consulting LLC, Menomonee Falls, Wis. Those incentives start in 2011 and waiting too long means running out of time and not getting all the available incentives, he adds. "They probably should start by the end of the third quarter of this year or they won't be ready." The new law will enable physician practices to receive at up to $44,000 per physician in incentive payments over five years, according to the legislation. Physicians meeting certain criteria, such as serving an underserved rural region and having a certain case mix of patients, could get more than $60,000. Many physicians have no idea how long it takes to select, implement and start using an EHR, or to rollout the functions needed to meet the "meaningful use" requirements for incentive payments." Click here to read the full article

Alan Brookstone
Canadian EMR