What is a primary goal of meaningful use in EHR implementation?

The primary goal of meaningful use in EHR (Electronic Health Record) implementation is to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery. This initiative was introduced to encourage healthcare providers to use EHRs effectively, thereby improving patient care and outcomes. By focusing on quality, meaningful use aims to ensure that providers are using electronic records to support better decision-making, enable preventive care, and facilitate clearer communication among healthcare professionals.

This focus on quality is intended to lead to improved health outcomes for patients, as providers are required to demonstrate the meaningful use of EHR technology by meeting specific criteria that directly link to enhancing the quality of care. These criteria emphasize aspects such as patient engagement, care coordination, clinical quality measures, and population health management.

While increasing patient data entry might seem beneficial, the core of meaningful use is more about how that data is used to improve care quality rather than just increasing volume. Limiting patient access to their records would be counterproductive to the principles of transparency and patient empowerment that meaningful use promotes. Focusing solely on administrative efficiency overlooks the critical aspect of improving the actual care provided to patients. Therefore, the aim of enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery encapsulates the overarching goals of meaningful use effectively.