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The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are hosting several upcoming informational sessions on HITECH and meaningful use. The following announcements all came from emails sent out by the ONC.

HIT Policy Committee’s Meaningful Use Workgroup, Hearings on Criteria
The Meaningful Use Workgroup will hold two final hearings on the meaningful use criteria (Population Health and Care Coordination). All are invited to attend or listen in.

On Thursday, July 29th, the MU WG will hold a hearing on Population Health, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m./Eastern. The meeting will be held at the OMNI Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC. (Dial in information below).

Presenters included persons from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local public health officials, and experts in information infrastructure in public health. The focus of their testimony revolves around two primary questions:

• What population health effects should public health agencies expect as the nation moves toward meaningful use (MU) of certified EHRs?
• How can governmental public health agencies leverage these MU efforts and investments and the goals of a learning health system to improve population health?

Dial in instructions:

Web:
At least 10 minutes prior to the meeting start time, please go to: http://altarum.adobeconnect.com/MU
(If for any reason the link does not work, simply copy and paste the URL into your browser's address bar)
Select "enter as a guest"
Type your first and last name into the field
Click "enter room"

Audio:
You may listen in via computer or telephone.
US toll free: 1-877-705-2976
International Direct: 1-201-689-8798

The Meaningful Use Workgroup will hold its final hearing on criteria, on Care Coordination, on Thursday, August 5, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m./Eastern at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, DC. Testimony from this hearing will help the Meaningful Workgroup formulate recommendations to the HIT Policy Committee and the National Coordinator on the specified functionalities beginning in Stage 1 of Meaningful Use, which involves electronically capturing health information, and communicating that information for the coordination of care.

Dial in instructions:

Web:
At least 10 minutes prior to the meeting start time, please go to: http://altarum.adobeconnect.com/MU
(If for any reason the link does not work, simply copy and paste the URL into your browser's address bar)
Select "enter as a guest"
Type your first and last name into the field
Click "enter room"

Audio:
You may listen in via computer or telephone.
US toll free: 1-877-705-2976
International Direct: 1-201-689-8798

Agendas, Materials for the Testimony Hearings are available on the ONC Website: healthit.hhs.gov

CMS Education Series for Providers on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites you to join us for a series of national provider calls addressing the specifics of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs for hospitals and individual practitioners. Learn the specifics on what you need to participate in the these incentive programs –

• who is eligible,
• how much are the incentives and how are they calculated,
• what you need to do to get started,
• when the program begins and other major milestones regarding participation and payment,
• how to report on Meaningful Use measures
• where to find helpful resources and more.

Hear from the experts who wrote the rules! Ask your questions!

EHR Incentive Programs for Eligible Professionals:
A session just for individual practitioners on the specifics about the Medicare & Medicaid EHR incentive program
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
2:00-3:30 pm EST

EHR Incentive Programs for Hospitals:
A session just for hospitals on the specifics about the Medicare & Medicaid EHR incentive program
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
2:00-3:30 pm EST

EHR Questions and Answers for Hospitals and Individual Practitioners:
Have questions? Join this session to have an opportunity to ask a question and hear answers by our panel of experts on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
2:00-3:30 pm EST

Save the dates! Information on how to register for these calls is forthcoming.

Materials will be made available prior to each training at the following web address: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/05_Spotlight_and_Upcoming_Events.asp

Cannot attend? A transcript and MP3 file of the call will be available approximately 3 weeks after the call at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/05_Spotlight_and_Upcoming_Events.asp on the CMS website.

Be sure to visit CMS’ web section on the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs at: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/ to get the latest information. Visit often!

Visit the Medicare Learning Network ~ it’s free!

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