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- The MetroHealth System Develops IT Strategy and Tactical Plan
- Fairview Leverages Seasoned Project Managers to Ensure Successful EMR Rollouts
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- ITxM Develops IT Direction and Leverages Interim Leader to Implement the Recommendation
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- Virtua Implements Single Sign-On to improve Clinical System Access, Satisfaction, and Security
- East Jefferson General Hospital Refines IT Direction to Save $25 Million and Defines its Roadmap for Meaningful Use Criteria
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- Longmont United Hospital Evaluates Future IT Direction
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- Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Assesses IT Strategic Plan
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- University Hospitals Prepares for Meaningful Use Attestation
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University Hospitals Prepares for Meaningful Use Attestation
University Hospitals (UH) serves northeast Ohio by performing more than 4.5 million outpatient procedures and nearly 63,000 inpatient discharges annually. More than 24,000 physicians and employees are part of the UH team, ranking it northeast Ohio's second largest private sector employer. University Hospitals’ largest inpatient facility is its 1,032 bed tertiary medical center, the primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University. Inpatient care is also provided at seven community hospitals. University Hospitals Case Medical Center and three other UH hospitals ranked prominently in Cleveland in U.S. News & World Report's first-ever Best Hospitals metro area rankings published in 2011, and UH Case Medical Center also earned a spot on the 2011 Thomson Reuters Top 100 hospitals rankings for the sixth consecutive year.
University Hospitals
Mary Alice Annecharico, CIO
“Because of the variation in interpretation of the Meaningful Use criteria and the substantial incentives associated, we asked Aspen Advisors to help us prepare for our upcoming Meaningful Use attestation. They reviewed our progress, provided recommendations on gaps, and are helping to facilitate the remaining tactical planning and preparation processes.”
THE CHALLENGE
On July 28, 2010 the final rule for Stage 1 Meaningful Use (MU) criteria was published in the Federal Register and became effective 60 days later on September 26, 2010. For eligible hospitals, Meaningful Use incentive payments will be made on the federal fiscal year cycle starting in fiscal year 2011 (i.e., October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011). The first year’s reporting for a hospital for Stage 1 is through attestation, and the reporting period is 90 days (subsequent years will require reporting for the entire year). University Hospitals sought the services of an objective consulting firm to review and assess its progress toward Meaningful Use, determine gaps between current capabilities and MU requirements, help manage the remaining preparation process, and determine the data necessary to support the attestation.
THE SOLUTION
Aspen Advisors was engaged to help University Hospitals prepare for Meaningful Use attestation. Engagement objectives included:
- Determining progress toward each core objective and toward UH’s selected menu set objectives including reviewing and providing analysis to assure proper functions were included in the Eclipsys version 5.5 upgrade project necessary for UH to achieve Meaningful Use criteria;
- Providing recommendations on gaps including the requisite effort needed to address them;
- Facilitating tactical planning and developing a roadmap inclusive of timeline, costs, and resource requirements;
- Creating a dashboard reporting tool to facilitate monitoring and reporting progress toward MU objectives;
- Designing a Meaningful Use program structure with defined roles and responsibilities for the critical positions needed to ensure success;
- Providing experienced advice and interpretation of the federal and state MU requirements; and
- Helping coordinate the attestation preparation process.
THE RESULTS
As a result of the engagement, University Hospitals had a common understanding of the current state of Stage 1 Meaningful Use readiness and the gaps between current capabilities and Meaningful Use requirements. Through dashboard reporting tools and a defined program structure, University Hospitals was able to fully understand the challenges and issues leading to attestation and had a roadmap and tactical plan for completing the remaining steps necessary.
