ONC: We Agree to Stage 2 Meaningful Use Delay
Farzad Mostashari, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology, has announced his support for delaying Stage 2 of electronic health records meaningful use by one year to 2014 for providers who attest to Stage 1 in 2011.
Farzad Mostashari, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology, has announced his support for delaying Stage 2 of electronic health records meaningful use by one year to 2014 for providers who attest to Stage 1 in 2011.
The HIT Policy Committee, which advises ONC, recently recommended the delay. The rationale is that Stage 1 pioneers who attest in 2011 should not be penalized by tight timeframes next summer for getting ready for Stage 2, which starts in fiscal 2013 on Oct. 1, 2012 (see story).
"We agree with the logic of delaying the start of Stage 2 for a period of one year for those attesting in 2011," Mostashari told the policy committee during its July 6 meeting in Washington. The delay, he added, would give adequate time after early attesters complete Stage 1 to prepare for a more "robust" set of Stage 2 criteria.
The HIT Policy Committee, which advises ONC, recently recommended the delay. The rationale is that Stage 1 pioneers who attest in 2011 should not be penalized by tight timeframes next summer for getting ready for Stage 2, which starts in fiscal 2013 on Oct. 1, 2012 (see story).
"We agree with the logic of delaying the start of Stage 2 for a period of one year for those attesting in 2011," Mostashari told the policy committee during its July 6 meeting in Washington. The delay, he added, would give adequate time after early attesters complete Stage 1 to prepare for a more "robust" set of Stage 2 criteria.