The Importance of the MU Framework and Meeting the Requirements
Meaningful use provided a standardized way of handling and exchanging data between different healthcare professionals, from providers and other clinical staff to insurance companies and the patients themselves. The program was a core initiative that laid the foundation for current objectives in healthcare that focus on providing safe, secure access to medical information.
The Transition of the MIPS Concept
Over time as more providers adopted authorized EHRs, the program was incorporated into MIPS, or the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, after the introduction of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
The MIPS concept is one of the two participation tracks within the Quality Payment Program (QPP), designed to improve service delivery for Medicaid and Medicare patients. With MIPS, providers can receive financial compensation for compiling reports utilizing data collected in EHRs. And without the initial focus on meaningful use standards and universal adoption of EHRs, MIPS reporting may not be as simple and straightforward as it is today.