In a departure from other organizations' comments on the proposed rule for Meaningful Use Stage 3, the Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) has advocated for accelerated standards that advance the benefits of health technology, as well as enable healthcare transformation and payment reform.

Jonathan Leviss, MD, the institute’s chief medical officer, stated, “RIQI believes that creating value from EHRs requires a critical mass of function, market requirement and adoption. Patients and consumers need this benefit now. The more rapidly the [Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT] and CMS can accelerate these elements, the sooner the U.S. will benefit from health information technology—and the greater that benefit will be.”

Meaningful Use Stage 1 and Stage 2 requirements were respectful of the time and effort needed to implement EHRs, including planning time and skill development by organizations and the workforce involved. “With Stage 3,” said Leviss, “the time is right for a process that will more directly yield the promised benefits of health IT.” 

“RIQI appreciates the leadership of the ONC and the [Health Information Technology Policy Committee] in developing the Meaningful Use Stage 3 requirements,” RIQI's comment reads. “With these standards in place, providers and hospitals have direct financial incentives to continue to adopt EHRs, ultimately leading to improved healthcare delivery, lower healthcare costs and healthier people.”