HITPC Meaningful Use Workgroup Offers First Draft of HITECH Stage 2 & 3 Objectives

At the December 13 meeting of the HITPC (Health IT Policy Committee), the MU (Meaningful Use) Workgroup proposed a first draft of HITECH Stage 2 and 3 objectives.

A full list of objectives for Stages 1, 2 & 3 is available in the PowerPoint presented to HITPC.

The proposed objectives contain a mix of items that are:

• Unchanged from Stage 1
• Similar MU criteria with higher implementation goals, e.g.,
  • Stage 1: CPOE for Rx orders 30%
  • Stage 2: CPOE for 60% of Rx, lab and radiology orders entered by licensed professionals
• Clarifications or more detailed specifications
• Discretionary objectives moved to core set
• New items

Here’s a list of proposed new objectives for Stage 2 MU:

Improving Quality, Safety, Efficiency & Reducing Health Disparities

• 30% of visits have at least one electronic EP note
• 30% of EH patient days have at least one electronic note by a physician, NP, or PA
• 30% of EH medication orders automatically tracked via electronic medication administration recording

Engage Patients and Families in Their Care

• 80% of patients offered the ability to view and download, within 36 hours of discharge, relevant information contained in the record about EH inpatient encounters. Data are available in a uniformly human-readable form (HITSC to define; e.g., use of PDF or text).
• EPs: 20% of patients use a personal health record (includes patient portal) to access their information (for an encounter or for the longitudinal record) at least once. Exclusions: patients without ability to access the Internet.
• EPs:30% offered secure patient messaging online 
• Patient preferences for communication medium recorded for 20% of patients

Improve Care Coordination

• List of care team members available for 10% of patients in EHR
• Record a longitudinal care plan for 20% of patients with high priority health conditions

Improving Quality, Safety, Efficiency & Reducing Health Disparities

• 30% of visits have at least one electronic EP note
• 30% of EH patient days have at least one electronic note by a physician, NP, or PA
• 30% of EH medication orders automatically tracked via electronic medication administration recording

Here’s the latest timeline:

Dec, 2010: refine draft MU criteria, prepare for RFC
Jan, 2011: release draft MU criteria RFC
Feb, 2011: collect RFC submissions
Mar, 2011: analyze RFC submissions and revise MU draft criteria
April, 2011: present revised draft MU criteria to HITPC
2Q11: CMS report on initial MU submissions
3Q11: Final HITPC recommendations on stage 2 MU
~4Q11: CMS MU NPRM

Read more at:

Work Group Suggests Ambitious Stage 2 MU Goals
Healthcare Informatics; December 14, 2010