A Possible Reprieve for Behavioral Health EHR Vendors and Providers

A possible reprieve for healthcare providers and vendors has been announced that may approve an extension of the Meaningful Use timeline.  What does this mean to our mental health providers and vendors?  

The only vendors we support are those that have already passed Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification for 2014.  We are in full support of how this possible ruling will help our behavioral health providers and organizations.   We are also, once again, proud of our vendors that have already met 2014 requirements.  The Behavioral and Mental Health vendors we support have the funds (staying power) to meet exceedingly strict regulations without the need for this reprieve.  

This is yet another question to ask an EHR vendor.  Did they need the reprieve?  Have they passed MU2 already?  

Read the full article posted on Healthcare IT News here. 

Please note that this is a proposed rule.  This means that it is not final and must go through at least 60 days of public commenting, and then 2-4 months (or more) before it becomes a final rule and is enacted.  It is very likely it will not be a final rule until Q4 of this year.

The rule, in brief, proposes that the use of a 2014 certified product for meaningful use attestation this year is not required.  The full proposed rule can be found here.

As a purveyor of mental and behavioral health care you must adopt an EHR that is award winning and ahead of its competition, not lagging behind it.  Please review our checklist and watch out for EHR Demo Trickery before purchasing any behavioral health EHR.

If you are a behavioral and mental healthcare organization looking for guidance during the EHR selection process, please contact us.  

Kristin Sunanta Walker

CEO, everythingEHR

Host, Mental Health News Radio

Founder, Myles of Smiles, Inc.