Step 5: Achieve Meaningful Use
The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs provide a financial incentive for achieving "meaningful use," which is the use of certified EHR technology to achieve health and efficiency goals. This section provides an overview of the Stage 1 EHR meaningful use core and menu objectives for eligible professionals (EPs) as outlined by CMS – which are intended to set a baseline for electronic data capture and information sharing.
Meaningful Use Stage 2
CMS recently released the final rule for meaningful use Stage 2 which intends to increase health information exchange between providers and promote patient engagement by giving patients secure online access to their health information. Learn more about the CMS Stage 2 final rule [PDF - 680 KB].
The Stage 1 meaningful use objectives are grouped into five patient-driven domains that relate to health outcomes policy priorities. As depicted in the dashboard below, each core and menu objective is aligned to one of the following domains:
- Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency
- Engage Patients & Families
- Improve Care Coordination
- Improve Public and Population Health
- Ensure Privacy and Security for Personal Health Information
To aid providers and professionals with the implementation of the Stage 1 meaningful use objectives, the National Learning Consortium presents lessons learned and resources used in the field by the Regional Extension Centers and providers nationwide.
Navigate to a specific objective below for more information:
Legend by domain:
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D1
Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency
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D2
Engage Patients & Families
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D3
Improve Care Coordination
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D4
Improve Public & Population Health
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D5
Ensure Privacy & Security for Personal Health Information