HIMSS publishes 'meaningful use' definitions

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has published two definitions of "meaningful use" as it applies to certified electronic health record technologies and hospital's use. HIMSS officials announced the definitions Tuesday as the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics Executive Subcommittee began hearings to define "meaningful use."

According to HIMSS officials, EHR technology is "meaningful" when it has capabilities including e-prescribing, exchanging electronic health information to improve the quality of care, having the capacity to provide clinical decision support to support practitioner order entry and submitting clinical quality measures - and other measures - as selected by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. HIMSS officials believe the mature definition of "meaningful use of certified EHR technology" includes at least four attributes:

1) A functional EHR certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT);

2) Electronic exchange of standardized patient data with clinical and administrative stakeholders using the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel's (HITSP) interoperability specifications and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise's (IHE) frameworks;

3) Clinical decision support providing clinicians with clinical knowledge and intelligently-filtered patient information to enhance patient care; and

4) Capabilities to support process and care measurement that drive improvements in patient safety, quality outcomes and cost reductions.