Understanding Meaningful Use Core Measure 14 for Eligible Professionals

11-23-2011
Meaningful Use Core Measure 14 for EPs evaluates whether a provider's electronic health record (EHR) system can exchange key clinical information electronically with other health care providers.
 
Here is how the objective is stated:
”Capability to exchange key clinical information (for example: problem list, medication list, medication allergies, and diagnostic test results) among providers of care and patient authorized entities electronically.”
 
What satisfies this requirement?
There are many ways to exchange key clinical information and acceptable forms of transmission are not specified in the Meaningful Use final rules. As a result there are many questions about which forms of transmission will satisfy this measure. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued three FAQs that address these questions. Here are the highlights.
 
 
Acceptable * transmission methods
  • Secure e-mail
  • Point-to-point interfaces
  • Web portals
  • Large organizations using batch transfer over secure connections
  • Health information exchanges (HIEs)
  • Health information service providers (HISP) for secure email services
  • The Nationwide Health Information Network Exchange (NwHIN)

 

Unacceptable transmission methods

  • Compact Disc
  • USB Drive
  • Fax
  • Phone

 

Related core measures

It is easy to confuse acceptable transmission methods for Core Measure 14 with acceptable transmission methods for Core Measures 12 and 13. The required mode of transmitting the clinical information plays a key role in understanding the acceptable transmission methods for each of these core measures.

  • Core Measure 14 for Eligible Professionals (EPs) is: Capability to electronically exchange clinical Information;
  • Core Measure 12 for EPs is: Providing patients with an electronic copy of their health information;
  • Core Measure 13 for EPs is: Providing patients with clinical summaries.

 

* but not limited to

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