In a new FAQ, CMS has indicated that providers that contribute information to a shared patient portal can count applicable patients (those seen or discharged during the reporting period) in their numerator even if these patients do not access the specific information the provider posted to the portal. This FAQ has particular implications for providers that seek to utilize shared portals for their ambulatory and inpatient populations, and those that share a community portal through an HIE. Below find the complete FAQ text.
This answer is relevant to the following meaningful use measure:
For Eligible Professionals (EPs): “More than 5 percent of all unique patients seen by the EP during the EHR reporting period (or their authorized representatives) view, download or transmit to a third party their health information.”
For Eligible Hospital and Critical Access Hospital: “More than 5 percent of all unique patients (or their authorized representatives) who are discharged from the inpatient or emergency department (Place of Service 21 or 23) of an eligible hospital or CAH view, download or transmit to a third party their information during the EHR reporting period.”
If the patient was seen by an EP or discharged from a hospital during the EHR reporting period, the patient would be counted in the numerator for this measure if the patient (or his/her authorized representatives) views online, downloads, or transmits to a third party any of the health information from the shared portal or online PHR. This is regardless of whether the EP or hospital contributed the particular information that was viewed, downloaded, or transmitted by the patient. However, the EP or hospital must have contributed at least some of the information identified in the Stage 2 final rule to the shared portal or online PHR for the patient.
Last updated 2/28/2013
(FAQ7735)
