The Chesapeake Regional Information System for Our Patients (CRISP), a regional extension center for health information technology (REC) in Maryland, announced that the first of its enrolled primary care providers achieved meaningful users of a certified electronic health records (EHR) system.
This is a significant step in securing a share of more than $20 billion in federal incentives for the adoption of health IT. Physicians across the state are looking at transitioning to EHRs by 2015, according to CRISP officials.
The number of primary care providers who enrolled in Maryland's REC program for receiving subsidized direct assistance support for the transition is 1,200. More than 20 percent of these providers have gone live with their EHR and are on the road to becoming meaningful users of the technology.
"Wavelength is extremely pleased of our role in facilitating the adoption of EHRs throughout the state of Maryland," said Murray Oltman, president of Wavelength Information Services, the state-designated management services organization whose clients attested for Meaningful Use.
"The federal and state financial incentives available to assist the individual physicians with this clinical transformation are a significant driver of change, and we anticipate thousands of Maryland providers to benefit from these incentives over the next year," Oltman added.
EHRs increase the quality of patient care within the community of caregivers and will help reduce costs in the health care system.
"Implementation of electronic health record technology has greatly benefited our practice," said Sean Holmes of Desai and Holmes, one of the physicians who attested for the meaningful use incentives to date, in a statement.
Recently, president Obama declared September 11-16, 2011 as the National Health Information Technology Week that will be used to highlight the importance of efficient information systems.
Earlier this year, IDC Health Insights study predicted that EMR/EHR software spending by all types of providers was approximately $2 billion in 2009 and is expected to grow to approximately $3.8 billion in 2015. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for total EMR/EHR software spending between 2009 and 2015 is expected to be 11.5 percent.
Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.
