Health IT Incentives Out Of Reach?

Health information technology advocates say new federal requirements for hospitals to become eligible to receive electronic health record incentives set the bar too high. Many hospitals are only about half-way toward meeting the criteria for acceptable use of health IT to qualify for federal incentive payments by 2011, according to a new survey from CSC, a technology vendor that sells health IT systems. "Many hospitals report they have the required capabilities but they are not in active use," state the findings that were released this week. "Readiness is highest in the areas of privacy and security protection." Meanwhile, some physicians who have analyzed most of the 556-page proposal say the timeframe for the government's goals is probably unrealistic.