Incentive Program for EHR Implementation

Incentive Program for EHR implementation
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Incentive Program for EHR implementation
The inception of meaningful use in the year 2011 came with the objective of improving the efficiency of healthcare service provision, concerning speed, accuracy, and interoperability among others. Incentives were then established that would see the enforcement of meaningful use amongst healthcare providers and eligible professionals. The efficiency of the incentive program can be readily assessed by following its progress through the years. This paper highlights the benefits and advantages of the EHR implementation incentive program.
The incentive program played a significant role in jump-starting the initial adoption of EHR amongst healthcare providers with massive success which could not have been achieved any other way. It marked the starting point of what was initially a vision. The enforcement of these initiatives opened an avenue for other related developments by providing the chance to experience the practical part of the EHRs. According to the American Medical Association (2018), the implementation program paved way to the placement of the requirement to use certified EHR technology and to improve the design of the technology is such a way that enhances its usability. ‘The program pioneered the addition of user-centered design (UCD) in the development of EHR products. Hence, one could say that the implementation incentives opened up EHR for scrutiny and constructive criticism, which all served to enhance the efficiency of the technology, especially in usability, privacy and security.

The implementation incentive program also offered a clear guideline which obliged all practitioners to enroll for the program. The program was well planned in such a way that the enrollee would not view it only as a burden, but also as a prize to win. The program thus serves as a motivation for eligible professionals to keep using EHR. Moreover, the program creates a sense of duty or responsibility on the health care providers’ side thereby keeping the use of EHR on-going. The final rule of the program is based on the use of received incentives for innovative and transformational strategies or processes that ultimately transform the health care system, therefore, trickling the benefits back to society (American Medical Association, 2018).
In conclusion, every success of meaningful use originates from the incentive program for its implementation which draws out a starting point that shapes its path and opens up ideas for improvement of the EHR technology.

Reference
American Medical Association. (2018). Electronic Health Record Incentive & Penalty Programs | AMA. Retrieved from https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/meaningful-use-electronic-health-record-ehr-incentive-programs