In “Finding the Meaning in Meaningful Use,” Classen & Bates (2011) discuss the concept of “meaningful use” as it is applied to electronic health records (EHRs). In essence, the stipulations of the HITECH Act that note that providers should adopt EHRs as well as “use them in ways that would improve quality, safety, and efficiency” are not being adopted as effectively as they could be (p. 855). While HIT has the ability to meet the requirements of meaningful use, it must also be tempered with the proper experience and expertise to utilize HIT effectively. The authors recommend that provides have to “go beyond making sure they qualify for the incentives” and actually provide the proper tools to improve “efficiency, quality, and safety” (p. 858). After HITECH measures are implemented, testing has to occur in order to make sure that the clinical information systems used are safe and effective; also, research support on the federal level must occur to continue developing more meaningful and safe EHR systems.
In my experience, the tenets of the HITECH Act have had quite a positive effect on the way nurses use and receive technology in my organization. Given the higher standards that are put in place for EHR technology and accountability, nurses have to work harder to keep their records up to date, and stay well-trained on the interface systems needed to create these records. This added pressure to maintain rigor in our work creates a much more effective and streamlined system for the adoption of HIT, and the conducting of actual medical practice due to the availability of safe and effectively created EHRs. The addition of evaluation and self-assessment tools in our practice has ensured further efficiency and rigor.
References
Classen, D.C. & Bates, D.W. (2011). Finding the meaning in meaningful use. New England
