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AMA, ACP file comments on Stage 3 meaningful use
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The AMA and the American College of Physicians are both calling for changes to the current meaningful use program to better align with the needs of physicians and patients.
In separate letters directed to Andrew M. Slavitt, acting administrator for CMS, Peter Basch, MD, MACP, chair of the medical informatics committee for ACP, and James L. Madara, MD, executive vice president and CEO of AMA, outlined their recommendations for improving the system after CMS asked for a second round of comments.
Basch pushed for a quality- and value-focused program in the transition to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), as well as the elimination of electronic health record functional-use measure thresholds, the development of health information technology-enabled care, a more practical approach to the exchange of data and the implementation of flexible patient engagement measures.
“ACP’s members are very frustrated and dissatisfied with the current meaningful use program,” Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, ACP president, said in a press release. “Even those who can meet the requirements feel that it is a distraction and inconvenience from taking care of our patients. We look forward to working collaboratively with CMS to address its shortcomings.”
The AMA stressed program flexibility in its revised vision of the Stage 3 meaningful use, focusing on how the system can “encourage all participants to exchange data and improve technology” instead of creating “barriers in moving to the new [MIPS] and alternative payment models.”
In his letter, Madara urged that the program ensure functionality of patient engagement measures and health information exchange, develop standards for transmitting data between EHRs and clinical data registries and improve reporting for meaningful outcomes-oriented measures.
“Doctors want to spend their time with patients, not measuring the number of clicks,” Steven J. Stack, MD, AMA president, said in a release. “We want a successful transition to digital health records, and we also want the new Medicare law to succeed. It will take thoughtful changes in the regulations to support physicians as they treat patients through new models of care.”
Disclosures: Basch, Madara and Riley report no relevant financial disclosures.