Menu Measure 5
Patient Electronic Access
Objective:
Provide patients with timely electronic access to their health information (including lab results, problem list, medication lists, and allergies) within 4 business days of the information being available to the eligible professional.
Measure:
At least 10 percent of all unique patients seen by the eligible professional are provided timely (available to the patient within four business days of being updated in the certified EHR technology) electronic access to their health information subject to the eligible professional's discretion to withhold certain information.
Clinical Importance
Patient’s access to key aspects of their EHR can improve his/her active involvement, improving care and increasing responsibility in their own health decisions. This access also affords family members or other health care providers information regarding medication refills, scheduling appointments, and patient education. Activating all members of the healthcare team, including family, improves care and safety.
CMS Resources
The following resource is available to help you meet the Patient Electronic Access meaningful use menu measure:
- EHR Meaningful Use Specification Sheet for Eligible Professionals – Menu Measure 5 of 10 [PDF - 130k]
Related CMS EHR Incentive Program Frequently Asked Questions
National Learning Consortium Resources
The following resources are examples of tools that are used in the field today to provide patient electronic access. These tools have been recommended by "boots-on-the-ground" professionals for use by others who have made the commitment to implement or upgrade to certified EHR systems.
Learn more about The National Learning Consortium.
Reference in this web site to any specific resources, tools, products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
| National Learning Consortium Resources | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resource Name | Description | Source |
|
Safety-Net Providers Bringing Patients Online: Lessons from Early Adopters [PDF - 609kb] |
Report that includes patient portal case study examples and lessons from early adopters. |
California Healthcare Foundation |
|
Sending Follow Up Instructions (HIE scenario, workflow, and specifications) [DOCX - 1.1 MB] |
A series of health information exchange (HIE) scenarios intended to provide a straightforward view into the standards, services and policies behind HIE solutions related to this Meaningful Use Measure. |
ONC Office of Science and Technology |
|
FAQs about the Patient Portal (for Patients) [DOCX - 739 KB] |
A patient-facing FAQ document on patient portals provides information on several frequently asked questions from patients including what is a patient portal, why is it important, what can it be used for, and how to get access. |
Health Information Technology Resource Center (HITRC) |
|
Using Patient Portals in Ambulatory Care Settings Fact Sheet [DOCX - 754 KB] |
A fact sheet on patient portals provides background information, Meaningful Use requirements, common concerns, and tips for launching the portal. |
Health Information Technology Resource Center (HITRC) |
Related CMS EHR Incentive Program Frequently Asked Questions
- #3307 - How does an EP determine whether a patient has been "seen by the EP" in cases where the service rendered does not result in an actual interaction between the patient and the EP, but minimal consultative services such as just reading an EKG? Is a patient seen via telemedicine included in the denominator for measures that include patients "seen by the EP"?
- #3309 - When a patient is only seen by a member of the EP's clinical staff during the EHR reporting period and not by the EP themselves, do those patients count in the EP's denominator?
- #2813 - What do the numerators and denominators mean in measures that are required to demonstrate meaningful use?
- #2765 - For EPs who see patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and where certified EHR technology is available at each location, should these EPs base their denominators for meaningful use objectives on the number of unique patients in only the outpatient setting or on the total number of unique patients from both settings?
- #2883 - If an EP is unable to meet the measure of a meaningful use objective because it is outside of the scope of his or her practice, will the EP be excluded from meeting the measure of that objective?
- #3065 - Should patient encounters in an ambulatory surgical center be included in the denominator for calculating that at least 50 percent or more of an EP's patient encounters during the reporting period occurred at practices/locations equipped with certified EHR technology?
- #3077 - If an EP sees a patient in a setting that does not have certified EHR technology but enters all of the patient’s information into certified EHR technology at another practice location, can the patient be counted in the numerators and denominators of meaningful use measures?
- #2903 - How should EPs select menu objectives?
For additional questions around meaningful use, visit the CMS EHR Incentive Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).