Remember the $19 billion that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act set aside for healthcare technology? Access to those funds just got closer. The Health Information Technology Policy Committee recently met to begin defining “meaningful use” of electronic health records. “The work of the policy committee is a first step toward assuring that [the electronic health record] is used in a meaningful way to provide better patient care,” said David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Why does this matter? Because to receive the incentive payments, providers must demonstrate “meaningful use” of a certified electronic health record.
