Meaningful Use (MU) is the process of using electronic health record (EHR) technology in a manner that is meaningful. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid defines MU as “the use of certified electronic health record technology that involves patients and families with health care, improves care coordination, improves population and public health, improves quality, safety, efficiency, and reduces health disparities all the while maintaining privacy and security” (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2010, p. 2). This paper describes a synopsis of the Meaningful Use program and an exploration of the consequences for nurses, nursing, national health policy, patient outcomes, and population health connected with the collection and use of Meaningful
…show more content…
In order to be compliant with MU most of the responsibility will rely on nurses who do the majority of the required documentation. Nurses will have to be educated and competent in EHR since nurses do the majority of documentation. Nurses obtain and document patient’s allergies, current medications, vital signs, past and current medical, surgical and social history, during triage or an admission assessment these are many of the required core objectives in the MU core criteria. Nurses will ultimately be the deciding factor for compliance to MU and the incentives that can be …show more content…
Nurses are innovators, educators, researchers, advocators, observers, critical thinkers and so much more than just someone who provides care to patients. It is baffling that nurses were not included as eligible providers in the Meaningful Use criteria. Nurses provide important documentation on the delieveru of care yet the use of nursing clinical data for measurement of quality care nor the importance of nursing clinical decision suppor were taken into account for MU criteria (Scherb et al., 2013, p. 94). HITECH will benefit US healthcare however in regards to MU nursing data may be compromised. Many Clinical information system (CIS) software systems do not include recognized standardized nursing nomenclatures or standardized nursing
In order to be compliant with MU most of the responsibility will rely on nurses who do the majority of the required documentation. Nurses will have to be educated and competent in EHR since nurses do the majority of documentation. Nurses obtain and document patient’s allergies, current medications, vital signs, past and current medical, surgical and social history, during triage or an admission assessment these are many of the required core objectives in the MU core criteria. Nurses will ultimately be the deciding factor for compliance to MU and the incentives that can be …show more content…
Nurses are innovators, educators, researchers, advocators, observers, critical thinkers and so much more than just someone who provides care to patients. It is baffling that nurses were not included as eligible providers in the Meaningful Use criteria. Nurses provide important documentation on the delieveru of care yet the use of nursing clinical data for measurement of quality care nor the importance of nursing clinical decision suppor were taken into account for MU criteria (Scherb et al., 2013, p. 94). HITECH will benefit US healthcare however in regards to MU nursing data may be compromised. Many Clinical information system (CIS) software systems do not include recognized standardized nursing nomenclatures or standardized nursing