Several changes have been suggested to the Stage 1measures in the CMS Notice of Proposed-Rulemaking (NPRM) released Feb. 23rd, 2012. These measures, which would be optional for providers to achieve in Stage 1, but required by the start of Stage 2 in 2014.

The Recovery Act specifies three main components of Meaningful Use:

• The use of a certified EHR in a meaningful manner (e.g.: e-Prescribing).
• The use of certified EHR technology for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of healthcare.
• The use of certified EHR technology to submit clinical quality and other measures.

The definition of meaningful use harmonizes criteria across Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) programs and coordinates with existing CMS quality initiatives. It also closely links to the certification standards criteria by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and provides a platform for a staged implementation over time.

Below are the measures required for Stage One:

*From CMS website: https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/30_Meaningful_Use.asp