The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid is giving the healthcare industry the chance to comment on a proposed change to MU patient engagement requirements that have sent shockwaves through the industry. If accepted, instead of requiring providers to get 5 percent of their patients to view, download and transmit their health data, the proposed rule change would allow providers to meet the requirement by demonstrating that only one patient has electronically engaged with their health data.
This proposed change was met with a significant amount of blowback in the industry. Robin Wiener, president and co-founder of Get Real Health, said in a statement, “When you are committed to patient engagement like our clients, 5 percent is a reasonable bar. Our clients have well exceeded those numbers using our patient engagement platform, InstantPHR. The industry’s goals should be making a difference in patients’ lives not just checking a box for financial gain. A rule allowing organizations to meet VDT requirements with a single patient view does not encourage them to make patient engagement a part of their normal process, but instead encourages them to pass the test with one person and forgo rolling out meaningful patient engagement. Get Real Health will continue our mission to put the patient at the center of their own healthcare.”
At HIMSS, Get Real Health interviewed Farzad Mostashari, MD, former National Coordinator for Health IT, CEO of Aledade and a member of Get Real Health’s Board of Directors, asking his response to the proposed rule change, as well as Jason McNamara, Senior Technical Director, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. You can view their responses here:
Dr. Farzad Mostashari
At HIMSS15, Dr. Mostashari speaks out against proposed leniency on patient engagement requirements for Meaningful Use.
Jason McNamara
Mr. McNamara explains how the rule change is an attempt to streamline MU processes and lighten the burden on providers.
Join the conversation! Submit your comments to CMS: regulations.gov