AAFP cautiously supports EHR rules

The president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians said he was cautiously optimistic about the final rules for the "meaningful use" of an electronic health record (EHR).

In July, Roland Goertz, MD, testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. In part, the act awards physicians up to $44,000 over five years if they prove "meaningful use" of EHRs. The incentive's rules were finalized in July.

"We believe the recently issued rules will be achievable, but they do require significant effort by physicians and their practices," Goertz said. "We ask your committee to help make sure that [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] delivers on the execution of this program," he told the committee. "If the first rounds of reporting and incentives do not go smoothly, many physicians will turn away from this program."