Practices Buried Under MU 'Avalanche'

'2015 will be an extremely challenging year for medical practices on the IT and compliance side'

"I've never seen this level of frustration in our membership, as I have in the past six to eight months or so," says MGMA Senior Policy Advisor Robert Tennant. "It's not just meaningful use. But that is certainly one of the catalysts."

Indeed, a slew of recent edicts out of Washington – rules and revisions to rules, deadlines and extensions of deadlines – have proven to be a lot for even the most dedicated follower of health IT policy to keep track of – let alone a small physician practice trying to plan investments and strategies around federal timelines.

"It's an avalanche of regulations and requirements, mandates and other programs that are being thrust upon them," says Tennant. "Meaningful use has been one of the most challenging because it constantly changes. As soon as you think you've got a handle on what you need to do, the regulations require you to take different steps."...