Survey: Most won't meet meaningful use right away, but full payments possible

Another week, another report raising questions about readiness for meaningful use, though this time there are some reasons to be optimistic.

A new Beacon Partners survey of executives from 168 provider organizations finds that only about one-third fully expect to meet the first deadline for achieving meaningful use of EMRs, which comes at the beginning of federal fiscal year 2011. However, nearly 40 percent of respondents said it was "likely" but not a sure thing that they would qualify as soon as the federal incentive program starts. Still, most organizations surveyed are taking steps to ensure that they receive full federal EMR bonus payments by demonstrating meaningful use for 90 consecutive days before the end of fiscal year 2012, as the proposed regulations currently require.

The most common barrier to EMR adoption is a shortage of internal resources, both financial and human, as cited by two-thirds of executives. About 45 percent say their own organizations lack such resources, and two in three plan to hire more people or outsource IT work to make up for internal shortcomings.

For more statistics:
- download the Beacon Partners report (.pdf)
- see this Health Data Management story

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