Executive Summary
2011 is an unprecedented time in the history of healthcare computer technology, with federal incentives of $44,000 for most physicians who successfully implement electronic health record systems. SOAPware is a proven, affordable and popular system which has been implemented in over 10,000 sites, spanning all 50 states, with over 30,000 individual users. STAT Solutions delivers a complete solution by putting SOAPware together with high-quality computer hardware and providing comprehensive implementation support to help you attain meaningful use. Meaningful users can achieve financial benefits of over $100,000 over a five-year period. Achieving these benefits requires the firm resolve of the practice owners to “stay the course”, since significant practice changes and costs are necessary to attain these benefits.
Federal Incentives for Meaningful Use of Electronic Records
In order to transform the U.S. health system to improve quality, reduce errors and cut costs, the federal government is offering physicians unprecedented incentive payments to implement electronic health records. The physicians must purchase a system that is “certified” to provide necessary functionality, and further, the physician must attest that he or she must be a “meaningful user”.
Most physicians will utilize the Medicare incentives, which offer a 5-year payment schedule for physicians who meet the “meaningful use” definition:
Clinicians who treat a high volume of Medicaid patients may be eligible for higher incentive payments.
The “meaningful use” regulations require that in Stage 1 (that is, the first and second year) physicians must meet 20 objectives, each with a specific measurement method. Over the upcoming 3 years, more requirements, as of yet not defined, must be met.
After 3 months of full meaningful use, the physician completes an electronic attestation that all 20 objectives have been met, and specifies specific results that were attained. Within 6 weeks, the first check for $18,000 will be sent. Many physicians have already received their $18,000 payment.
SOAPware 
