Getting a Grip on Meaningful Use

Want to get a grip on meaningful use? Today’s post is offering an easy but great suggestion.

Get a grip. When complaints seem petty in comparison to the accomplishment, you want the complainer to get a grip, forget it and move on. While their concern might be valid, they seem to have lost perspective. On the other hand, when suggestions are solid and help solve a challenge, they truly help you get a grip on the situation. 

We are looking to you, dear reader, for both suggestions on topics to explore as well as your thoughts on the following situation posed for comment. What are some of the tools and tips or hints that are helping you or your organization to get a grip in meeting Meaningful Use stage 1? 

One Suggestion

The approach and planning to meet Meaningful Use is taking on many forms; tracking sheets, share points, or contract language for terms and conditions, just to name a few. Most are not waiting for the final rule to get organized.

One of the best and simplest tools I’ve seen (credit here goes to Ed Marx of Texas Health Resources) is a spreadsheet that lists the criteria. What’s different about this spreadsheet is that it incorporates information such as the action plan, responsible party, risk/dependencies and related objectives/measures. 

Obviously you can go to the CMS source and Table 2 for Stage 1 Criteria for MU for the official list of criteria and create yours from scratch. But the bottom line is, using MU criteria specifics, tailor a spreadsheet that fits your organization and its tracking needs. 

That’s one suggestion I’ve run across, do you have one?