The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) supports efforts to promote the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). ASGE believes EHRs have the capability to increase patient safety by reducing medical errors and to improve physician and practice workflow efficiency, including care coordination.
ASGE endorses legislation that directs payments to physicians for use of EHRs in an effort to reduce the financial burden of software adoption and maintenance. However, ASGE believes that payers, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, should limit physician penalties for failure to adopt EHRs that comply with meaningful use criteria until there is sufficient interoperability to ensure seamless sharing of patient-level data between care providers.
ASGE emphasizes the importance of informing members about certified software products, in order to maximize adherence to EHR standards and interoperability. In so doing, ASGE can assist members in providing the highest quality of care available as the health care industry transitions to a paperless existence.
Approved November 2012