To assist our members in preparing to meet the requirements, KHA has planned a Meaningful Use Summit to include topics such as new meaningful use objectives and quality requirements, incentives payments structure and processes, privacy and security, Kansas Medicaid HIT planning, Kansas health information exchange activity and evaluating electronic health records. We have invited representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Health Policy Authority, along with other experts in the field.
The Summit will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, September 9 at the Hilton Wichita Airport. Click here for registration materials.
Health Information Technology
Many hospitals and health systems have been pioneers in harnessing the opportunity of information technology (IT) to improve patient care and quality. We are now challenged to extend the use of IT and integrate it into routine care processes in hospitals and physicians' offices across Kansas.
On July 13, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a final regulation that defines "meaningful use" of electronic health records. This regulation sets EHR adoption requirements that hospitals and physicians must meet to qualify for additional Medicare and Medicaid payments beginning in 2011 and avoid significant Medicare payment penalties beginning in 2015.
Kansas Initiatives
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment; the state designee for health information technology, is facilitating the creation of strategic and operational plans for a statewide infrastructure for health information exchange. These plans will act as a blue print to a contemplated not-for-profit organization responsible for the deployment and operation of the Kansas HIE. To guide the planning and implementation process, KDHE has convened the e-Health Advisory Council to provide broad based stakeholders representation from 33 plus health care organizations.
Other Resources
If you have questions or need additional information regarding heath information technology, please contact Melissa Hungerford at or Sally Perkins at (785) 233-7436.
Electronic Health Record Planning Guide Booklets
Click to view.
