A Review of the Process of Meaningful Use Program and its Challenges in the Electronic Health Record Roadmap

Meaningful use program indicates that health care organizations make meaningful use of an accredited electronic health record system. The objective of this study was to investigate the process of “meaningful use” program and the related challenges for the development of electronic health record.

This review study was conducted in 2020. The PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google scholar databases were searched from 2010 to October 2019 using “Meaningful Use Program” and “Electronic Health Record” as keywords. After applying the inclusion criteria, 20 articles were reviewed.

Based on the studies, the measures related to “Meaningful Use” program included 15 main measures, 5 selected sub-measures, and 6 qualitative clinical measures. The program includes three steps: data recording and sharing, advanced clinical processes, and improving health outcomes. The primary criteria for receiving the incentive amount of “Meaningful Use” program included computerized physician order entry, investigation of drug interactions, creation of electronic prescriptions, and registration of demographic characteristics. The challenges of this program included the time-consuming nature of the program, the lack of control over infrastructure development, unusable technologies of electronic health records, and the all-or-nothing approach to certification.

The use of new programs and solutions like “Meaningful Use” program can lead to the development of electronic health record and enables more secure exchange of information.