From the January/February 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

Determining the financial impact of this program on your imaging practice requires some additional information. To start, you will need to take into account the number of radiologists in your group, your projected enrollment date and whether or not you practice in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

Enrollment begins as early as October 2011. The later your practice enrolls and demonstrates meaningful use, the less the incentive payment. Maximum incentives top out at $44,000 per EP; assuming your group enrolls, and successfully demonstrates meaningful use of certified EHR technology by 2012 and meets the minimum annual Medicare revenue of $24,000 per EP. After 2015, those monetary enticements turn into penalties that have the potential to increase annually until meaningful use is achieved.


As for HPSA, if you practice medicine in one of over 6,000 federally identified shortage areas you are eligible to receive an additional 10 percent in incentive payments.

Taking advantage of exclusions
Satisfying the requirements of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program is determined by compliance with stage one meaningful use objectives. All EPs are required to measure and report on 15 “Core Set” and 10 “Menu Set” objectives except when exclusion criteria are met. While variability exists based on practice scenario and patient mix, most radiologists will be excluded from measuring the following core objectives:

- CPOE for medication orders directly entered by any licensed healthcare. professional who can enter orders into the medical record per state, local and professional guideline.

- Record and chart changes in vital signs including: height, weight and blood pressure, calculate and display BM, plot and display growth charts for children 2-20 years, including BMI.

-Generate and transmit permissible prescriptions electronically (eRx).

Most radiologists will also be excluded from measuring the following menu objectives:

-The EP who receives a patient from another setting of care or provider of care or believes an encounter is relevant should perform medication reconciliation.

-Capability to submit electronic data to immunization registries or information systems and actual submission in accordance with applicable law and practice.

-The EP who transitions their patient to another setting of care or provider of care or refers their patient to another provider of care should provide a summary of care record for each transition of care or referral.

January/February 2011 Magazine

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