Recently the American Medical Association (AMA) released a letter to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Karen B. DeSalvo and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Marilyn B. Tavenner. The 30 page letter states, “After three-and-a-half years of provider participation, we are at a critical crossroad where we believe it is important and necessary to pause and fully assess what is working and what needs improvement before moving ahead to Stage 3 of the program.”  They have released a blueprint to improve the Meaningful Use program giving 4 steps they feel need to be considered:

• Adopt a more flexible approach for meeting Meaningful Use
• Expand hardship extension for all MU stages
• Improve quality reporting
• Address physician EMR usability challenges

The AMA further states that while over 78% of office-based physicians are using an EHR,