The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) want to help you on your journey to becoming a meaningful user of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. Here are resources about meaningful use, Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, and the EHR certification process to help guide you:
Meaningful Use and Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
1) Meaningful Use Overview
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/01_Overview.asp
2) Path to Payment
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/10_PathtoPayment.asp
3) PowerPoint Presentation: Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Final Rule
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EHR_Incentive_Program_Agency_Training_v8-20.pdf
4) Timeline: Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EHRIncentProgtimeline508V1.pdf
5) Being a Meaningful User of Electronic Health Records
https://healthit.gov/policy/promoting-interoperability-programs/
6) Meaningful Use Specification Sheets
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EP-MU-TOC-Core-and-MenuSet-Objectives.pdf
7) Flow Chart – Determine Eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/downloads/eligibility_flow_chart.pdf
Certification
1) Certification Programs Overview
https://healthit.gov/certification-health-it/about-onc-health-it-certification-program/
2) Standards and Certification Criteria Final Rule Fact Sheet
https://healthit.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ONC_FS_EHR_Stage_2_Final_082312.pdf
3) HITECH Temporary Certification Program for EHR Technology
https://healthit.gov/interoperability/investments#past-investments
4) Temporary Certification Program Final Rule Frequently Asked Questions
https://healthit.gov/certification-health-it/
5) Permanent Certification Program
https://healthit.gov/certification-health-it/
6) Certified Health IT Product List
https://chpl.healthit.gov/
Privacy and Security
1) Advancing Privacy and Security in the Health Information Exchange
https://healthit.gov/privacy-security
2) Health Information Privacy and Information on HIPAA
https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/
For additional resources on certification and meaningful use check out ONC’s Meaningful Use resources:
https://healthit.gov/resources.
ONC has also funded 62 Regional Extension Centers, located across the country, to offer customized, on-the-ground assistance for providers who need help adopting and meaningfully using certified EHR technology.
You can also stay up to date on ONC and CMS activities by:
- Visiting CMS’ Spotlight and Upcoming Events at: https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/50_Spotlight.asp
What resources or tools from ONC, CMS, or other organizations have you or your practice used to help you become a meaningful user? What challenges have you faced on your road to meaningful use? We encourage you to start a dialogue and share your comments below.


