CO-REC Helps Fort Collins Practice to Achieve 'Meaningful Use'

Date: June 22nd, 2011Category: CORHIO e-NewsletterTopics: Meaningful Use, Regional Extension Center

Rocky Mountain Family Physicians Meets Goals for EHR Incentive Program

Rocky Mountain Family Physicians has been in practice nearly 25 years and was one of the first practices in Fort Collins to implement an electronic health record (EHR) in 2004. However, in order to achieve Meaningful Use and meet the requirements to receive Medicare reimbursement, they enlisted the aid of the Colorado Regional Extension Center (CO-REC).

"The free services CO-REC provides are priceless. They gave us the guidance we needed to obtain Meaningful Use," said Kari Betterman, assistant practice administrator of Rocky Mountain Family Physicians. "Without CO-REC's help, we would have been overwhelmed by the process and we would not have been able to attest this year."

Kari explains that CO-REC sat down with their practice and went through a detailed checklist to evaluate their progress and determined measures to take in order to meet their Meaningful Use goals. They also directed them to various seminars and events in the state that were applicable to their needs at the time.

Embracing the Purpose of Meaningful Use: Improving Patient Care & Outcomes

"The professionals at Rocky Mountain Family Physicians believe in implementing the programs, processes and technology required to help them provide the best care and preventive services for their patients," said Ellen Batchelor, project manager with the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, a CO-REC partner. "It has been a pleasure working with Kari, Mac McMullen, Dr. Flora Brewington and others at the practice as they look to understand and meet not just Meaningful Use requirements, but to improve their care in as many ways possible to support their entire patient population from newborns to geriatric patients."

CO-REC is a CORHIO initiative with five other organizations, which assists primary care providers to adopt, implement and become meaningful users of EHRs. Through federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding, CO-REC services are designed to help more than 2,200 eligible primary care providers qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments now through 2012.

Practice is 'Excited' About Meaningful Use

"By working with Ellen and CO-REC, we have achieved a comfort level where we can honestly say that we're excited about Meaningful Use and we're happy about where we are as a practice," said Richard (Mac) McMullen, Rocky Mountain Family Physician's practice administrator. "I would definitely recommend that other providers explore using CO-REC's services. Even for a small project, there is a lot to be gained."

Since July 2010, CO-REC has signed up 2,000 providers, which is nearly 90 percent of its goal. Primary care providers interested in using CO-REC's free services can check their eligibility online at www.co-rec.org or may contact Robyn Leone, director of CO-REC, at (720) 285-3245, or via email at rleone@corhio.org. Enrollment in the program is limited to 2,295 eligible providers and CO-REC is projecting that it will reach its maximum capacity for participants by the end of July 2011.