On February 18, the American Society of Anesthesiologists submitted a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the implementation of HITECH Act, the Electronic Health Records (HER) Incentive Program and its potential impact on anesthesiologists and the patients for whom anesthesiologists provide high quality and safe care. 

Currently, a majority of anesthesiologists are deemed eligible for the incentive, but are unable to successfully satisfy the meaningful use criteria due to the nature of anesthesiology practices and the ways in which anesthesiologists use EHR systems. ASA provided a comprehensive chart that requests CMS and ONC revise the Stage 1 meaningful use requirements to ensure that the majority of anesthesiologists eligible for the incentive program have relevant and applicable criteria for which they can demonstrate compliance.  ASA believes that substantive adjustments to the meaningful use rules and certification requirements outlined in the chart provided could enable millions of patients to have their critical perioperative data collected by anesthesiologists using certified AIMS technology.                            

ASA believes that the vast majority of anesthesiologists are eligible for the $44,000 incentive, but it will be challenging for most to meet the current meaningful use requirements.  In 2015, physicians failing to meet the current meaningful use requirements will be subject to reductions in Medicare payment rates. 

Click here to read the letter ASA sent.
Click here to view the comprehensive chart.