DR Systems announced that its cloud-based ambulatory EHR for radiologists – the e|HR Meaningful Use for Medical Imaging solution — is now commercially available after successfully completing beta testing.
The radiology-based EHR launch was timed so that radiologists can meet the approaching deadline for complying with meaningful use requirements. Radiologists and their practices can receive federal bonus payments of up to $44,000 per radiologist by implementing a complete, certified ambulatory EHR such as DR System’s e|HR. To receive the full incentive payment, however, meaningful use compliance – not just acquisition – must be achieved by October 3, 2012.
“Many radiology practices are concerned about the staff workflow burden of an EHR,” said Chuck Scudelari, COO of Pueblo Radiology Medical Group (Santa Barbara, Calif.), a beta test facility for DR System’s e|HR. “But there is no substantive staff workflow burden with the EHR from DR Systems. It provides excellent value for the federal bonus payments and the workflow fits nicely within the existing registration process. Plus, we’re seeing that it provides other benefits for our radiology practice in addition to satisfying meaningful use.”
An estimated 90% of radiologists are eligible for radiology incentive payments from the CMS, according to the American College of Radiology. Radiologists will have to qualify before this October to earn the full $44,000, as the total incentive payment goes down each year. Failure to comply with meaningful use requirements will eventually subject radiologists and others to financial penalties.
“Radiologists come out way ahead by deploying a system such as ours,” said radiologist Murray Reicher, M.D., F.A.C.R., DR Systems co-founder and chairman. “First, they earn a substantial, five-figure incentive payment that far exceeds the cost of the system. Second, they actually improve patient care and the efficiency of their radiology workflow, including the collection of patient information and integration of that information with the EHR.”
Dr. Reicher is a recognized authority on meaningful use and was author of an article on the subject that was published in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
