Today, Indiana is celebrating the first Medicaid EHR payment being made.

A Fort Wayne physician was recognized today by Indiana Medicaid as the first provider in Indiana to comply with federal requirements aimed at streamlining the adoption of electronic recordkeeping. With the recognition comes an Electronic Health Record (EHR) incentive payment of $21,250 to Dr. Lisa Holtsclaw of Holtsclaw Medical Centre.

“Our initial interest in electronic recordkeeping stemmed from a desire to eliminate paper and become more environmentally friendly. There were no financial incentives to switch over to electronic recordkeeping five years ago,” Jeff Holtsclaw, the practice administrator explained. “Since then, technology has advanced to where its use has the ability to impact patient care in meaningful ways.”

The electronic component adds value to patients. For example, if a drug is recalled the medical practice can immediately identify the patients who have been prescribed that drug and then alert them electronically. Electronic records are expected to reduce medical errors, especially as handwritten prescriptions are replaced by electronic ones.

Holtsclaw Medical Centre was guided through stage one of the certification process by the Indiana Health Information Technology Extension Center (I-HITEC), which is a Purdue University-managed center serving the State of Indiana.

“Holtsclaw Medical Centre began planning this paper-to-digital transition back in 2006, and the positive impact on their practice is a testament to other providers who are ready to start the certification process,” said I-HITEC Director Monica Arrowsmith. “We assist providers in selecting systems that meet their needs while offering the necessary technological capability, functionality and security that providers and patients expect.”

After registering and successfully adopting, implementing or upgrading to certified EHR technology, Eligible Providers (EPs) are able to receive Medicaid EHR incentive payments of up to $63,750 over six years and eligible hospitals can receive payments that begin with a $2 million base payment. Over the next three years total incentives to EPs and eligible hospitals are anticipated to comprise of more than $150 million to offset the cost of implementation.

“I am pleased that Indiana is now one of the first 15 states to open the Medicaid EHR incentive program for registration to EPs and eligible hospitals,” stated Pat Casanova. “By using certified EHR technology providers and patients can be confident that the electronic health information technology products and systems they use are secure, maintain confidentiality, and share information with other systems.”

Information about the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is available online at http://provider.indianamedicaid.com/general-provider-services/ehr-incentive-program.aspx.