The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program State 2 Final Rule, and in it created a new hardship exemption to temporarily allow anesthesiologists to escape EHR requirements, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Prior to the rule's release, ASA had asked CMS to consider anesthesiology and adopt a broader definition of anesthesiologists to be excluded from the requirements.
CMS explained its reasoning by stating that anesthesiologists do not interact with patients in a manner conducive to collecting information for meaningful use. They also listed anesthesiology with radiology and pathology as lacking face-to-face patient interaction and needing to follow up frequently with patients.
The exemption is subject to annual renewal, and ASA will continue to work with CMS to come up with a more permanent fix as it begins to address Stage 3.
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Prior to the rule's release, ASA had asked CMS to consider anesthesiology and adopt a broader definition of anesthesiologists to be excluded from the requirements.
CMS explained its reasoning by stating that anesthesiologists do not interact with patients in a manner conducive to collecting information for meaningful use. They also listed anesthesiology with radiology and pathology as lacking face-to-face patient interaction and needing to follow up frequently with patients.
The exemption is subject to annual renewal, and ASA will continue to work with CMS to come up with a more permanent fix as it begins to address Stage 3.
More Articles on Anesthesia:
AcelRx Begins Final Phase of Testing for Patient-Controlled Analgesia System
Dr. Timothy Starck Elected New Vice President of Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists
NorthStar Anesthesia in Texas to Add Three Physicians to National Team