Heart Safe news: Our weekly update on what’s happening in the world of heart safety and noninvasive cardiology

Electronic health records: The meaning of “meaningful use” could change

A federal advisory committee is suggesting more flexibility in the proposed criteria requiring physicians and hospitals to show that they are making meaningful use of electronic health records in order to receive federal incentive payments. The current government proposal would require compliance with all EHR criteria before providers are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid incentive money.

The Health Information Technology Policy Committee is suggesting that some criteria be dropped to a lower priority and that providers be allowed to defer compliance with those criteria. This EHR article in Government Health IT estimates that providers would still be required to meet 80 percent of the original meaningful use standards. In addition, the committee has proposed additional criteria to be added.

While flexibility would be added, none of the current requirements would be removed, according to Dr. Paul Tang, vice chair of the committee. Tang is the CIO of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

Details about the workgroup recommendations appear in Health Data Management and InformationWeek.com.

Louisiana AED donation: Foundation gives 10 defibrillators to Livingston Parish schools

A.J. and Nancy Barcia donate 10 AEDs to the Livingston Parish public schools (photo: Livingston Parish Schools)

Ten years ago, 17-year-old Chad Barcia died from sudden cardiac arrest while playing rugby. Today, a foundation created by his parents, A.J. and Nancy Barcia, donates automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to school athletic programs.

Last month ten schools in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, received AEDs provided by the Chad Barcia Athlete Awareness Foundation of Metairie. The schools’ nursing coordinator, Jennifer Wilkinson, had approached them about a donation.

“We have numerous students with heart conditions and staff that are at increased risk for cardiac arrest.  Having AEDs on site could mean the difference between life and death,” Wilkinson said.

Roger Mattei of Cardiac Science demonstrates use of the Powerheart AED G3 (photo: Livingston Parish Schools)

Roger Mattei, Certified AED Specialist for Lower Louisiana and Houston, Texas, demonstrated the Powerheart AED G3 at the recent school board meeting at which the foundation made the gift to the schools. He showed how the AED provides audio and visual instructions to the persons using it, and how the device ensures that it administers the appropriate level of shock.
…
…
…
…

Related Products

• Powerheart AED G3 Plus
• Powerheart AED G3 Fully Automatic and Semi-automatic
• Powerheart AED G3 Pro
• Powerheart AED G3 Trainer
• AED Program Management

Last 5 posts

• Cardiac Science AEDs in Spain [VIDEO] - April 4th, 2011
• Cardiac Science wins first major public access defibrillation program in Europe - March 30th, 2011
• Georgia Park saves 5 lives with AEDs - March 24th, 2011
• Sad stories, avoidable deaths? - March 23rd, 2011
• Texas school's AED saves 6-year-old's life - March 22nd, 2011

Be Sociable, Share!

•