CSC Report Looks Ahead to Stage 2 Meaningful Use

A new report from Computer Sciences Corp. examines the lessons learned from attesters during Stage 1 of the electronic health records meaningful use program, and looks at criteria changes that could be in Stage 2.


A new report from Computer Sciences Corp. examines the lessons learned from attesters during Stage 1 of the electronic health records meaningful use program, and looks at criteria changes that could be in Stage 2.

The report includes a summary of Stage 1 criteria side-by-side with Stage 2 criteria proposed by the HIT Policy Committee, which advises the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS expects to soon publish a proposed rule for Stage 2.

The report, “Moving Ahead with Stage 2 of Meaningful Use,” also examines menu, or optional, Stage 1 requirements that large majorities of attesting providers deferred using. For hospitals, the highly-deferred menu requirements were reconciling medications, submitting syndromic surveillance data and reportable lab results to public health, and electronically transmitting summary records at transitions in care. Like hospitals, eligible professionals commonly deferred reconciling medications, submitting syndromic data and transmitting summary records. Almost two-thirds also deferred giving patients access to their electronic information.

Stage 2 requirements will be more stringent, with Stage 1 menu criteria expected to become required criteria. Some of those criteria will remain challenging in Stage 2, according to CSC. These include electronic physician notes, enabling patients to view and download electronic information, and transmitting care summaries during transitions. The report is available here.