CMS plans move away from Meaningful Use to focus on outcomes, tech innovation

SAN FRANCISCO — Since 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Meaningful Use Program has pushed for the use of electronic health records. But comments from the agency’s acting administrator, Andy Slavitt, at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference earlier this week suggest that Meaningful Use will soon be a thing of the past as the agency moves toward a system that will focus more on outcomes providers deliver. 

 

“The Meaningful Use program as it has existed, will now be effectively over and replaced with something better,” Slavitt said. “Since late last year we have been working side by side with physician organizations across many communities … and have listened to the needs and concerns of many.”

 

Slavitt said that the Meaningful Use replacement will feature rewards for providers that focus on outcomes rather than technology adoption, allowing providers to customize goals around which tech companies can build solutions and requiring open APIs to allow for connected apps and analytics tools to freely and securely move EHR data. Additionally, Slavitt noted that interoperability will be a priority for the replacement program in the hope of closing referral loops and getting consumers engaged in their care. 

 

HealthLoop, a patient engagement technology provider, noted Thursday that the healthcare technology sector is looking forward to innovation growth as a result of the open API and the need for patient engagement, and HealthLoop’s CEO sees it as a welcome move. 

 

This is exactly the kind of leadership needed to move an industry into the 21st century aggressively,” said Todd Johnson, CEO of HealthLoop. “It’s an incredible step forward. The details of the program will be the underpinnings of our Information Technology infrastructure, and will be integral to the achievement of the triple aim: better outcomes, lower costs and enhanced patient satisfaction. Hopefully, they’ll also help us achieve the fourth aim: Physician satisfaction.”