Meaningful Use Stage Two: The Advisory Board Company Helps Hospitals Set Strategy

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior analysts from The Advisory Board Company's Health Care IT membership programs are on-site in Las Vegas preparing to provide an immediate analysis of the upcoming Meaningful Use regulations at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's HIMSS12 Annual Conference and Exhibition, which opens on Monday, February 20. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110802/PH45999LOGO )

By Monday, the proposed Stage Two rules for Meaningful Use are expected to be released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  The new rules for CMS's Electronic Health Records incentive program will impact health systems' information technology strategy, particularly technology investments and workflow changes.  Health care IT leaders attending HIMSS12 can visit The Advisory Board Company's conference booth No. 7310, where analysts will be available to outline how the new proposed regulations differ from the Stage One regulations, as well as the implications for health systems, other providers, and their vendors. 

On Wednesday, February 22, Research Director Robin Raiford will release an update to one of the most downloaded resources on meaningful use, her "Meaningful Use, The White Board Story" poster that summarizes the objectives and measures outlined in the regulations.  The updated version will be on display at the firm's booth and available for download from http://www.advisory.com/Topics/IT. 

Of key interest in the Stage Two regulations is the government's solution to the timing glitch uncovered in the Advisory Board research note, "Not So Fast—Why It Pays to Wait Until FY 2012 on Meaningful Use."  The note explains that providers attesting to Stage One in 2011 would need to achieve Stage Two by October 1, 2012, mere months after the Stage Two final regulations are published and much less time than vendors will need to respond to the new rule. 

In the Stage Two regulations, CMS is expected to give providers that first attested to meaningful use in fiscal year 2011 the ability to reach Stage Two meaningful use in 2013 instead of 2012.  This would allow these providers to collect three annual incentive payments with Stage One reporting.

"The Stage 2 proposed rule will likely be about boiling the ocean:  Everything that CMS can possibly think of for Stage 2 is liable to appear in the proposed rule," said Raiford, who has more than 17 years of experience in health care informatics.  "Beyond the timing question, hospitals and physicians will face the challenge of gauging which provisions are likely to be included in the final rule so that they can begin to make progress now with 'no regrets' initiatives." 

HIMSS12 will showcase further insights from The Advisory Board Company through a series of presentations:  

• Executive Director Dave Garets will present "An IT Blueprint for Accountable Care," with Senior Consultant Rob Lazerow on Monday, February 20 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm PST in Murano 3303 at the Venetian Sands Expo Center.  
• Mr. Garets will deliver a keynote session on the "State of the Health Care IT Union," at the Community for Connected Health Summit on Tuesday, February 21 from 1:00 to 1:45 pm PST in Bellini Room 2005 (Level 2) in the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center. 
• Senior Research Director Peter Kilbridge, MD, will present "Guiding Clinicians toward Accountability with Clinical Decision Support," on Wednesday, February 22 from 2:15 to 3:15 pm PST in the Venetian Showroom at the Venetian Sands Expo Center.  
• Mr. Garets will hold a "Meet the Experts" session on Wednesday, February 22 from 10:45 to 11:15 am PST at Hall D, Booth 6466 in the Expert Area at the Venetian Sands Expo Center. 

About The Advisory Board Company's IT Research and Advisory Services

Health care providers have been major technology users for over forty years, but few are fully prepared for the massive industry transformation underway.  New business models are forcing CIOs to adapt to a changing market with new strategies and tactics.  The Advisory Board Company has continued to expand the knowledge base of its IT membership program to support members with ICD-10, meaningful use, privacy, interoperability, vendor behavior, and other pressing concerns.  For more information, visit the health care IT homepage (http://www.advisory.com/Topics/IT) on The Advisory Board Company's new website or visit our booth No. 7310 at HIMSS12.

About The Advisory Board Company

The Advisory Board Company is a global research, consulting, and technology firm partnering with 125,000 leaders in 3,200 organizations across health care and higher education. Through its innovative membership model, the firm collaborates with executives and their teams to elevate performance and solve their most pressing challenges.  The company provides strategic guidance, actionable insights, web-based software solutions, and comprehensive implementation and management services. For more information, visit the firm's new website, http://www.advisory.com.

SOURCE The Advisory Board Company

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED