Panel endorses delay of stage 2 meaningful use to 2014

A panel developing clinical and process measures for meaningful use endorsed the delay of stage 2 for one year until 2014. As a result, providers will have three years through 2013 in which to verify that they have met stage 1 meaningful use requirements. The delay is designed to avoid the train wreck that probably would result from the publication of the final rule for stage 2 requirements just several months before the provider reporting period would begin. The timing revision will only affect those providers who have attested to stage 1 in 2011. The delay is among the stage 2 recommendations that the Health IT Policy Committee approved at its meeting June 8 by an overwhelming vote of 12 to 5. The original 2013 timeframe does not give vendors enough time to design, develop, and test new functionality and providers to deploy it and report measures for one year, said Dr. Paul Tang, vice chair of the Health IT Policy Committee and chair of its meaningful use work group.