Mary Ellen Schneider

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Starting April 18, physicians can begin sending data to the federal government to qualify for thousands of dollars in bonus payments under the new Medicare electronic health record incentive program.

The program officially began on Jan. 3, but this is the first day that physicians and other eligible providers can submit data on their "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). In order to qualify for Medicare incentive payments for 2011, physicians must report on at least 90 days of meaningful use occurring during this calendar year. Oct. 1, 2011, is the last day that physician can begin their 90-day reporting period to receive a 2011 incentive payment. The first checks for the Medicare incentive program are expected to go out in May, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The incentive program, which was authorized under the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, offers payments to physicians who use health information technology to improve patient care. Federal regulations governing the program spell out how physicians and hospitals can meet standards for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Physicians that meet the criteria are eligible to receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare program. Physicians can still receive bonuses if they begin their meaningful use of the technology later, but they must qualify for the program before the end of 2012 to get all the available incentives.

A similar program is in place under the Medicaid program, with physicians eligible to receive up to $64,000 over 6 years for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology.

As part of the attestation process, physicians and other eligible providers must go online to report data on a number of meaningful use and quality measures established by CMS. Through the online portal, physicians can report the numerator, denominator, and any potential exclusions for the objectives.

They can also attest that they have successfully met the program requirements. For example, the meaningful use regulations require that providers maintain an up-to-date accounting of current and active diagnoses. To be eligible for incentives, providers must report that more than 80% of all unique patients seen by the provider have at least one entry, or an indicator that no problems are known for the patients. The data must be recorded in a structured format.

"There is a great deal of interest in the meaningful use program," said William Underwood, a senior associate in the division of medical practice, professionalism, and quality at the American College of Physicians.

But while interest is high, that doesn’t mean physicians will be clamoring to report on meaningful use immediately. Right now, physicians in both small and large practices are struggling with logistical hurdles, Mr. Underwood said. For example, there is currently not a process in place to allow practice administrators to submit meaningful use data to CMS on behalf of large physician practices. The current set-up requires a physician to report the information. While CMS officials plan to address this, it hasn’t happened yet, Mr. Underwood said. Some small practices are having difficulty meeting meaningful use thresholds because other entities aren’t exchanging information with them regarding labs and referrals. And practices of all sizes are waiting for vendors to finish rolling out updates that show they’re in compliance with meaningful use certification, he said.

Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians, agreed that while some physicians will submit data immediately, a large portion are still trying to figure out what they need to do to meet meaningful use requirements and ensure that their EHR system is certified. It may take until at least October to get a real sense of how many physicians plan to participate, he said.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

Drug-related adverse events were reported in 1.9 million hospital stays in 2008, a 52% increase in 5 years, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The vast majority of hospital stays associated with drug-related injuries and illnesses, nearly 93%, were attributed to allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. A total of 7% of hospital stays were related to medication poisonings caused by accidental drug overdose or taking the wrong drug.

The data include adverse reactions that originated both in and out of the hospital but resulted in a hospital stay. Researchers aimed to exclude stays resulting from illegal drug use or cases where there was evidence that patients were trying to harm themselves.

Corticosteroids topped the list of drugs causing adverse events in 2008. AHRQ data showed that corticosteroids accounted for more than 283,000 events during inpatient stays in 2008. Corticosteroids were linked to 11.8% of drug-related adverse events in 2004, but that figure rose to 13.2% in 2008. Opiates, anticoagulants, and antineoplastic and immunosuppressive drugs were also high on the list in 2008.

Drug-related adverse events also carried a hefty price tag: In 2008, the average hospital stay for cases with any drug-related adverse outcome was $13,600, compared with an average of $9,200 for all stays.

Inpatient drug-related adverse events disproportionately affected older patients. In 2008, about 53% of drug-related adverse outcomes in the hospital were among patients aged 65 years and older. About 30% of adverse outcomes occurred among patients aged 45-64 years, about 14% were among patients aged 18-44, and 3% were among children under age 18.

The AHRQ figures are based on data from the 2008 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationwide database of community hospital stays in the United States.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.

The Affordable Care Act includes $11 billion in new funding to significantly expand the reach of federally qualified health centers, known as community health centers. The bulk of the funding – $9.5 billion – will be used to fund new health centers and to expand patient capacity at existing centers. Over the next 5 years, that funding is expected to double community health center capacity to about 40 million patients. The first $1 billion in funding is being distributed this year.

Dr. Gary Wiltz, who runs a network of community health centers in rural Louisiana, explains how the new funding and other provisions of the ACA will impact primary care in underserved areas.

QUESTION: The ACA would help expand services to an additional 20 million patients. Will that begin to address the need for primary care services in underserved areas?

Dr. Wiltz: I think it most definitely will. The community health center network has long been advocating for expansion to try to meet the needs of about 60 million people whom we consider disenfranchised because they don’t have a regular source of medical care or a medical home. This funding, if it’s fully implemented, will help us to get close to 40 million patients by 2015. We’ll have the largest network of primary care providers in the nation. Along with that funding, there is a tripling of funding for the National Health Service Corps, which also will help to address the shortage of primary care providers. But we’re certainly not going to solve all of the nation’s ills. I think if we continue to invest in building capacity and getting folks good primary, comprehensive preventive care where they live, we can solve some of these problems by getting them out of the emergency department.

QUESTION: Where are the greatest unmet needs?

Dr. Wiltz: One of the things we see a lot in our practice is that people go without care because they don’t have insurance. They come in for just acute, episodic care and they do it in the emergency department. They’ll seek care in that setting, which is the most expensive care they can get. If you don’t have a payer source, it’s very difficult to navigate the system. Even if you have insurance, a lot of people don’t know how to navigate the system. That’s why we want to be their medical home. What we attempt to do is provide a wide array of services in one place.

QUESTION: The ACA also includes funding to develop medical residency programs at community health centers. What is the advantage of offering training through health centers?

Dr. Wiltz: A few years ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) came up with the idea of "growing our own." I’m an internist, and when I was a resident, there was a lot of the emphasis placed on hospital-based medicine. Outpatient primary care clinics were an afterthought. It wasn’t until I got into a community health center setting that I recognized that that’s really where you can make a difference. If residents train in our community health centers, then they will have the skill sets to do what we do: provide primary care in a setting with lots of uninsured patients who lack resources. So we came up with the idea of NACHC U. We started with a dental school. Now it’s spread to a medical school model. The natural progression was to offer a residency training program. So in the ACA, lawmakers included a provision that’s specific to teaching in community health centers. In the last round of funding, several centers received funds. The hope is that we will spread that as time goes on. This introduces residents to primary care where the needs are the greatest. But most importantly, it increases the number of primary care residencies.

QUESTION: Community health centers have been touted as models for providing high-quality, low-cost primary care. What lessons can physicians outside of that system apply to their own practice?

Dr. Wiltz: There’s no one magic bullet, so the private sector and the public sector have to work together. Wherever we can collaborate, we want to collaborate. Concerned physicians can get involved in the community to promote good health. For example, they can work with local food stores to make sure patients have healthy choices or improve the places where people go to exercise. But we have the advantage in community health centers because we have resources to bring to bear that you wouldn’t have ordinarily in a private practice. We can provide services in one place and offer discounted prices for medications. I have a lot of colleagues who want to be a part of this solution. But the ultimate step will be if those uninsured people have a payer source; then they can be seen by for primary care.