Patients to get more access to records

Stage 2 of the Electronic Health Record Incentive programs involve new standards for online access for patients to their records, a U.S. health official said. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, healthcare professionals and hospitals could qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments when they adopt certified electronic health record technology and use it in a meaningful way. Sebelius said what is considered "meaningful use" has evolved in three stages: -- Stage 1 (which began in 2011 and the starting point for all providers): meaningful use consists of transferring data to electronic health records and being able to share information, including electronic copies and visit summaries for patients. -- Stage 2 (to be implemented in 2014 under the proposed rule): meaningful use includes new standards for online access for patient records. -- Stage 3 (expected to be implemented in 2016): meaningful use includes demonstrating that the quality of healthcare has been improved. "We know that broader adoption of electronic health records can save our health care system money, save time for doctors and hospitals, and save lives," Sebelius said in a statement. Since the program began, 43,000 providers received $3.1 billion to help make the transition to electronic health records, said Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicaid & Medicaid Services.