Introduction

This Meaningful Use Stage 2 Roadmap is intended to be used as a guide for SOAPware users when implementing documentation plans to achieve Meaningful Use requirements. The following lessons within this manual will guide users through each measure's requirements in detailed step-by-step workflows in SOAPware. These outlined workflows are necessary to fulfilling each of these measures and must be followed exactly as described.

Many of the objectives for Stage 2 should be familiar from Stage 1 objectives. Some that were listed as a menu set objective have now been moved as a core set measure for Stage 2 and now required for all providers. Some objectives may have higher thresholds to achieve in order to successfully demonstrate meaningful use now for Stage 2.

Registration and Attestation

In order for an eligible provider (EP) to receive the Medicare EHR incentive payment during Stage 2, the provider must:

  1. Determine eligibility to participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.
  2. Prepare for registration. (CMS Registration Checklist)
  3. Register for the Meaningful Use incentive program.
  4. Request the "CMS EHR Certification ID" for SOAPware.
  5. Meet Meaningful Use criteria using SOAPware 2014.
  6. Attest to Meaningful Use with CMS.
  7. Keep supporting documentation in case of an audit. For more information, please see:  Keeping Supporting Documentation.

Continue to report on Meaningful Use each year to avoid Medicare payment adjustments.

Important Dates for 2014

Important Dates for 2014

EHR Participation Timeline

EHR Participation Timeline

The table displayed above shows the progression of Meaningful Use stages that an eligible Medicare provider would complete based upon their first year of MU attestation. Notice that all providers will complete, at minimum, two years of Stage 1 criteria before beginning Stage 2 criteria regardless of the year that they first begin attestation.

In a providers first year of participation, they must complete meaningful use requirements for a 90-day EHR reporting period. In all subsequent years, eligible providers will complete meaningful use requirements for a full calendar year, except in 2014.

In 2014, all eligible providers, regardless of their stage of Meaningful Use, will only be required to demonstrate Meaningful Use for a 3 month reporting period. Medicare providers will demonstrate Meaningful Use over a 3 month reporting period that is fixed to the calendar year quarter in order to align with existing CMS quality measurement programs. The 3 month reporting period will not be fixed to the calendar year for Medicaid eligible providers that are only eligible to receive Medicaid EHR incentives.

Core and Menu Objectives

To meet the 2014 Stage 2 Meaningful Use criteria, eligible providers must meet 17 core objectives and 3 menu objectives that they select from a total list of 6, or a total of 20 core objectives.

These core and menu set objectives are listed below. For more information on these measures, please see the CMS Stage 2 Eligible Professional Meaningful Use Core and Menu Measures Table of Contents.

Core Set Objectives

The first set of 17 requirements presented in this roadmap are all required for Meaningful Use Stage 2.

  1. CPOE for Medication, Laboratory and Radiology Orders
  2. ePrescribing (eRx)
  3. Record Demographics
  4. Record Vital Signs
  5. Record Smoking Status
  6. Clinical Decision Support Rule
  7. Patient Electronic Access
  8. Clinical Summaries
  9. Protect Electronic Health Information
  10. Clinical Lab Test Results
  11. Patient Lists
  12. Preventive Care
  13. Patient-Specific Education Resources
  14. Medication Reconciliation
  15. Summary of Care
  16. Immunization Registries Data Submission
  17. Use Secure Electronic Messaging

The second set of 6 requirements presented in this roadmap allow you to choose 3 (three) out of the 6 (six) requirements.

  1. Syndromic Surveillance Data Submission
  2. Electronic Notes
  3. Imaging Results
  4. Family Health History
  5. Report Cancer Cases
  6. Report Specific Cases

Clinical Quality Measures

Eligible professionals are required to report on clinical quality measures (CQMs) during each year of participation in order to receive an incentive. Visit the CMS Clinical Quality Measures Basics page to learn more about the options for CQM submission in 2014. Visit the SOAPware Clinical Quality Measure Roadmap for information on documentation requirements and workflows.

Version Recommendations

SOAPware version 7.0.2 and later are the only versions of SOAPware that are certified for Meaningful Use 2014 requirements. Versions prior to this cannot be used to qualify for Meaningful Use 2014.

IMPORTANT: It is always recommended that the latest version of SOAPware be utilized. This will ensure that the requirements for specific Meaningful Use capabilities are met, and will also provide access to feature updates as well as fixes to known issues.

Disclaimer

SOAPware, Inc. cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information presented herein. Independent research and verification of all information is necessary to ensure compliance with all Meaningful Use requirements.

For more information on Meaningful Use Stage 2, please visit CMS.gov.