EMR - Electronic Medical Record.
EHR - Electronic Health Record.

Whats the difference between an EHR vs. an EMR, besides the acronym? To the point. An EHR, is a Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT), which meets Meaningful Use (MACRA) standards for incentive-based programs administered by the CMS; EMR's do not meet these standards.

How do you know if you have an EMR or an EHR? Somewhere in your software you should have a "Meaningful Use/MACRA Dashboard". This dashboard should included all of the CQMS measurements which are required by CMS.gov.

The dashboard should look something like this:


Some government programs require a certified EHR in order to qualify. Depending on several factors, you may be penalized for having an EMR which is not certified.

So what's the point? To promoting interoperability, CMS.gov would say. Personally I feel interoperability is a good idea, however some of the measurements for which you have to qualify appear impractical. Such as "Receive Incorporate", which reads, "For more than 40 percent of transitions or referrals received and patient encounters in which the provider has never before encountered the patient, the EP incorporates into the patient's EHR an electronic summary of care document.".

What does that mean? It means you have to get a "CCDA" or "Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture" from another practice's EHR. There are not many practices that know they have this capability much less how to send or receive a CCDA. Forty percent is a stretch to meet this measurement.

At any rate. There are incentives you could be missing. Visit qpp.CMS.gov to see programs and incentives in which you may qualify. If you already have a EHR and don't know how to meet your measurements, contact your software provider or contact us.

#emr
#ehr

Author: Brent Luyet

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