Providers who demonstrate meaningful use of an EHR can realize advantages that extend far beyond incentive payments. Not only do participating providers encourage and participate in a smooth exchange of health information, but they also enable the delivery of higher quality patient care, leading to better outcomes at a lower cost. This is real value for the entire care community.

The benefits of Meaningful Use are far-reaching, and include:

• Complete and accurate information: Care givers have access to the information they need at their fingertips, to diagnose problems and provide the best possible care.
• Improved coordination of care: Information can be shared instantly across care communities, including physician offices, hospitals and health systems, leading to better care coordination.
• Patient engagement: With the ability to receive their medical information electronically and share it securely over the Internet, patients can take a more active role in their health care and that of their families.
• Improved patient safety: Instant electronic access to information about medications, allergies, conditions and treatment history can greatly reduce the risk of medical errors.
• Healthier patient populations and communities: Crucial data about diseases and outcomes captured at the point of care becomes available to other health professionals locally, regionally and nationwide.

Good news for care providers—and their patients

Though the Meaningful Use program consists of measures, requirements and timelines, it exists to satisfy a valuable pair of goals: Smooth, accurate data-sharing among care givers and a higher quality of care for all patients. Of all the benefits of Meaningful Use, the overall value of the program is that it fosters a safer, more efficient way to practice medicine. Making it possible: a complete, fully-certified EHR, and a technology partner with the advanced processes, resources, experience and services to assist care givers in successfully achieving Meaningful Use.