Re: Are PT Practices required to institute EHR's since PTs aren't eligible for Stimulus money

[Guest guest]

Great question!

There are no direct incentives for PTs to adopt electronic health records (EHR)

through the ARRA " meaningful use " program. Also, there currently are no

requirements or future penalties for PTs that do not adopt EHR in the

legislation or related regulations.

That said, this legislation will push many other healthcare providers to adopt

EHRs to allow them to communicate directly with one another. PTs may find that

other healthcare providers expect interoperability with their systems.

On a related note, PTs can qualify for Medicare's Physician Quality Reporting

System (PQRS, formerly known as PQRI) bonus by reporting EHR use.

Given the push toward use of EHR among other providers and quality reporting

options through PQRS, PT practices are encouraged to consider whether adoption

of an EHR would enhance their business potential.

APTA has resources under the Practice page (Practice Administration,

Documentation) of the web site to help get you started.

Thanks.

Dianne Jewell, PT, DPT, PhD, CCS

Assistant Professor - VCU Physical Therapy

Director, APTA Board of Directors

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> I had a physical therapy practice owner asking me about the stimulus money

> and I advised him it was not available to PTs, however I was unsure whether

> PT practices are being required to institute an electronic medical records

> by a certain time frame. Can anyone share their knowledge on this subject?

> I went back through the listserv to be sure I had advised him correctly on

> the stimulus money and found that I had but did not find anything on whether

> it was required for PTs or not and if so when it was required by.

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> Thanks for any input.

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> Becky A. Sewell, MRC, CRC

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> Rehab Net of AR/ArPTA

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> P.O. Box 202

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> Conway, AR 72033

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> ph/fax

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