Finally! That seems to be the most common reaction to the proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) that would let providers use the 2011 Edition CEHRT or a combination of 2011 and 2014 Edition CEHRT for the Meaningful Use reporting period in 2014. 

But, many are asking what took so long. During the HIMSS14 annual conference in February, CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner chastened providers for dragging their feet on ICD-10 implementation and provided cursory sympathy regarding the MU timeline. What a difference a few months can make.

First the expanded hardship exemption, then came the news that just four hospitals have successfully attested to Stage 2. It will be interesting to see what impact these moves have on providers.

Our AMDIS Connection author this month, Larry Ozeran, MD, offers the idea of considering an alternative to MU altogether. What do you think?

With health IT advances coming fast and furious, we hear much about how physicians are using the tools but not so much about nurses. And let’s face it, they use EHRs and other tools just as much if not more. This issue’s cover story explores the growing role nurses are taking in designing EHR systems as well as innovating new tools and processes. More and more nurses are getting formal clinical informatics training and sitting at the table to design implementations, workflows and optimization. Read more.

Speaking of optimization, ONC Chief Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, stated earlier this year that the U.S. healthcare system is at a pivot—going from implementation of EHRs to optimization. That’s how to get real value out of this major investment, according to the experts we talked to for an article on EHR 2.0.

This issue also includes articles on clinical quality measures, the use of care coordinators to drive accountable care success, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation and more. Hopefully, you will get a chance to sit back and enjoy the lazy days of summer but I’m betting those opportunities will be few and far between with all the demanding projects on your docket. Take advantage when you can and we will see you again in September.