Question: For Eligible Professionals (EP) in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program using the group proxy method of calculating patient volume, how should the EPs calculate patient volume using the “12 months preceding the EP’s attestation” approach, as not all of the EPs in the group practice may use the same 90-day period.
Answer: In the Stage 2 final rule, CMS adopted a final policy that allows states the option for their providers to calculate patient volume in any representative, continuous 90-day period in the 12 months preceding the eligible professional’s (EP) attestation (see 77 FR 54121, 42 CFR 495.306(b)). This option is in addition to the method of calculating patient volume in any representative, continuous 90-day period in the calendar year preceding the payment year for which the EP is attesting. Read the complete answer.
Question: Can a hospital count a patient toward the measures of the “Patient Electronic Access” objective in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs if the patient accessed his/her information before they were discharged?
Answer: The 2nd measure of the “Patient Electronic Access” core objective for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAH) requires that more than 5 percent of the unique patients who are discharged during the EHR reporting period access an online patient portal to view, download or transmit to a third party their information about their hospital admission. The intent is to encourage patients to use online access to their health information for the active management of their care. Read the complete answer.
Question: When demonstrating Stage 2 meaningful use in the EHR Incentive programs, would an eligible professional (EP) be required to report on the “Electronic Notes” objective even if he or she did not see patients during their reporting period?
Answer: The intent of the Stage 2 Electronic Notes menu objective is to encourage documentation that assists in communicating individual patient circumstances and coordination with previous documentation of patient observations, treatments and/or results in the electronic health record. Read the complete answer.
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