With some providers still dipping toes, CMS has opened up its health it program's more challenging deep end with stage 2

摘要

SINK OR SWIM. These are the two choices participants of the "meaningful use" EHR Incentive Program will soon face now that the federal government has opened up the program's deeper, more complex second stage.Though physician and hospital involvement in the program has increased dramatically since stage 1 was implemented in 2011, graduating to the more advanced stage 2 could cause some providers and their health IT systems to struggle in more challenging waters, according to Brent Holman, the director of consulting for Health Management Solutions (HMS) who has worked with large and small providers on meaningful use. "Stage 1 is the physician dipping their toe in the water and taking the temperature," Holman says. "In stage 2, they get kicked in."