CMS Issues More Answers to EHR Incentive Program Questions

Question: If an eligible hospital or critical access hospital  (CAH) does not have any reportable lab results during the EHR reporting period (for example, the eligible hospital or CAH outsources all lab testing to a commercial lab or does not perform any lab tests for conditions that are reportable in their jurisdiction) can they be excluded from the requirement in the EHR Incentive programs to submit reportable lab results to a public health agency?

Answer: If an EH or CAH does not perform lab testing for conditions that are reportable, per the reporting requirements in their jurisdiction, they would not be able to submit reportable data during their normal course of their operations. Performing a test with the public health agency for Stage 1 meaningful use or attempting to establish ongoing submission for Stage 2 meaningful use would not benefit the EH/CAH or the public health agency. Read the complete answer.

Question: If a hospital operates in a jurisdiction where a public health agency has the ability to accept certain reportable laboratory results electronically and in the required standards, but the hospital does not generate those particular reportable laboratory results, how must the hospital attest to the core measure for Electronic Reportable Laboratory Results?

Answer: If laboratory results generated by a hospital do not align with those that are defined as reportable by the PHAs with jurisdiction over the hospital, either because the laboratory results are not reportable or because the PHA does not support electronic submission of those particular results or both, the hospital can attest to the exclusion to this measure. Read the complete answer.

Question: Am I permitted to count a patient in the numerator of the “record demographics” objective and measure if the preferred language I record for the patient is outside of the minimum required by the standard for Certified EHR Technology?

Answer: Yes, similar to the collection of race and ethnicity demographic data, we appreciate that providers may need to collect more precise information about preferred language to manage their patient population. If a patient’s preferred language is not included in the standard required for EHR technology certification, you may count that patient in the numerator of the measure as long as the preferred language is recorded as structured data, as required by the measure. Read the complete answer.

See more CMS FAQs published on next pages.