New Website Offers Hospitals Guidance on the Meaningful Use Incentive Audits and Appeal

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Oct. 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Jim Tate, President of EMR Advocate, Inc., and leading expert on the CMS EHR Incentive programs, has announced expanded services to Eligible Hospitals (EH) who are facing meaningful use audits. As of August 2013, more than 4,000 hospitals have received $9 billion dollars from the Federal Government for the adoption and use of electronic health records technology. Five-to-ten percent of those hospitals will be audited and if they fail to fully document meeting the requirements for the “meaningful use of certified technology”, their entire EHR incentive payment will be recouped.

The new website, MeaningfulUseAudits.com (http://www.meaningfuluseaudits.com), includes a full range of resources for those hospitals either currently undergoing an audit or concerned about their ability to be prepared should one occur.

Tate, who is an author, speaker, and Subject Matter Expert on meaningful use to the federally-funded Regional Extension Centers, led the first appeal challenge in the nation for a client hospital that had received a negative audit determination. That appeal was decided in favor of the hospital. He has also been successful in leading the effort to reverse a failed appeal, even after the hospital had received notification of the failure with the statement, “This decision is final and not subject to further appeal”.  That “final” decision was reversed in less than a week.

“Over the past year I have been contacted by a growing number of hospitals who are either in the meaningful use audit process or have already received a negative audit determination and are not sure what options they might pursue”, states Tate. “The new website provides a starting point for hospitals looking to understand how they might avoid being audited and what to do if they are audited. Based on our background and experience, we have been able to assist these hospitals by assuming a leadership role to develop a sound strategy, author the appeal documents, and guide them through the process.”

Tate has earned kudos for hospitals that have brought him onboard to address this critical new threat that can have significant financial implications to a hospital. Two recent engagements brought recommendations from hospital CEOs:

"Recently we were selected to undergo an audit of our Stage 1 meaningful use attestation. I immediately contacted Jim Tate. His knowledge and comprehensive study of the requirements set forth by CMS were instrumental in helping us achieve a favorable outcome in the audit."

“I would recommend the services of Mr. Tate and EMR Advocate in the event your facility is notified that it will be subject to a Meaningful Use audit or your facility is audited, or you have an adverse outcome and need to file an appeal."

For further information visit the website at www.MeaningfulUseAudits.com or email: audits@emradvocate.com.

About Jim Tate

Jim Tate is known as the most experienced authority on the CMS Meaningful Use (MU) audit and appeal process. His unique combination of skills has brought successful outcomes to hospitals at risk of having their CMS EHR incentives recouped. Tate’s background includes working directly with over 200 EHR vendors on their EHR certification projects, authoring the first manual on the CMS EHR incentives (The Incentive Roadmap), and consulting as a Subject Matter Expert to the federally funded Regional Extension Centers on EHR Adoption and Implementation.

About MeaningfulUseAudits.com

MeaningfulUseAudits.com (http://www.meaningfuluseaudits.com) is led by Jim Tate, nationally recognized expert on the CMS EHR incentives and the “meaningful use of certified technology”. Jim and his team bring a unique combination of skills to successfully address the complex and changing issues surrounding the CMS EHR Incentive Program including the audits and appeals process.