Holtsclaw Medical Centre receives their Meaningful Use payment at a ceremony on May 25th. Left to right: Jared Linder, Medicaid Health Information Technology Coordinator; Jeff Holtsclaw; Michael Nissenbaum, President/CEO Aprima, Dr. Lisa Holtslaw, Andrew Va
Dallas, TX (June 21, 2011) — Aprima announced today that its Electronic Health Records (EHR) customers across the country have been among the first physician practices in their states to receive payments under the federal ARRA “Meaningful Use” stimulus program. And even more Aprima EHR customers are receiving notices that their payments have been approved and are on the way.
San Antonio physician Alexander Mora of Southwest Clinic was the first Texan to receive payment—$21,250—as an individual Medicaid provider. Holtsclaw Medical Centre in Indiana was the first practice in that state to receive payment in a ceremony on May 25th. Coastal Pediatrics in Conway, South Carolina has also been among the first in their state to receive the incentive payments. Guntersville Family Practice Clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, has been told their payment is on the way and more practices are being added to the list daily.
Aprima Chief Medical Officer Jeffrey Hyman said, “Although some providers have been skeptical about achieving Meaningful Use successfully and receiving the incentive bonus, we are happy to see some of our customers able to take advantage of such a monumental opportunity. Aprima users have benefited from technology that delivers improved quality of care, improved patient satisfaction, improved quality of life for providers, and an improved bottom line for the practice, even without stimulus payments. Even so, the stimulus money is an important addition to the bottom line of our practices.”
Jeff Holtsclaw, practice administrator of Holtsclaw Medical Centre, said, “Aprima EHR made the Meaningful Use attestation for 2010 data very easy.
What we really appreciate, though, is the way Aprima improves patient care, efficiency, and the patient experience. Instead of keeping them waiting while we pull charts and look for information, we can spend that time face-to-face with people.”
Through the ARRA program, which is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), physicians can qualify for up to $63,750 over six years through the Medicaid incentive program, or up to $44,000 over five years for Medicare providers. To qualify, physicians must use a qualifying EHR and meet a variety of requirements involving disease management, clinical decision support, error prevention, and electronic communication with patients and other providers. More information about ARRA incentives is available at www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms.
About Aprima Medical Software, Inc.
Aprima Medical Software, Inc., founded as iMedica in 1998, develops innovative electronic health record and practice management solutions for medical practices. The Aprima EHR+PM is an integrated electronic health record and practice management system built on a single database, which can be implemented either separately or together. Aprima uses a fast, flexible design that adapts automatically to a physician’s workflow and sets the benchmark for ease of use, speed, and flexibility. For more information, contact Aprima at 866-960-6890, option 7, or at info@aprima.com.