Mostashari Backs Stage 2 Delay to 2014

Dr. Farzad Moshashari, the national health IT coordinator, said that he agreed with the conclusions of the Health IT Policy Committee for delaying until 2014 the start of stage 2 of meaningful use, essentially signaling to the industry that federal policymakers will follow the advisory group’s recommendation.

He cited the committee’s reasoning that widespread deployment of the next set of electronic health record (EHR) functionality and updating systems in less than six months -- the time between the final rule that details the required measures and the start of stage 2 -- may be “infeasible, and therefore could have a detrimental effect on keeping providers on the meaningful use escalator.”

Providers who attest to meaningful use at the earliest possible time in 2011 should be rewarded, Mostashari said at the July 6 policy committee meeting. Delaying the onset of stage 2 may encourage more providers to attest in 2011.