Meaningful Use Stage 3 (MU3) Objective 6

1. Introduction 

• Purpose: This guide provides comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on how to achieve compliance and obtain credit for Objective 6: Coordination of Care under the Meaningful Use Stage 3 (MU3) framework. 

• Key Features: Patient engagement through electronic health records (EHR), secure messaging, and the integration of patient-generated health data. 

2. MU3 Objective 6: Coordination of Care 

Overview 

Objective 6 focuses on enhancing patient-provider interactions and care coordination through three measures. Providers must attest to all three measures but only need to meet the thresholds for two of them to receive credit. 

3. Measure 1: Patient Engagement with Electronic Health Record (EHR) 

Requirements 

• More than 5% of all unique patients seen by the provider must actively engage with their EHR. 

• Engagement activities include:  

• Viewing, downloading, or transmitting health information to a third party. 

• Accessing health information through an API. 

• A combination of both. 

Exclusion Criteria 

• No office visits during the reporting period. 

• Conducting 50% or more of patient encounters in counties where 50% or more housing units lack 4 Mbps broadband availability. 

Steps to Facilitate Patient Engagement 

1. Access the Patient Registration Page:  

• Click on Register and search for the patient. 

2. Set Up Patient Portal Credentials:  

• Click Patient Portal Password. 

• Use the default password or create a custom one. 

• Click Save. 

3. Provide Login Information:  

• Click Print Self. 

• A new browser tab will open with the patient’s login details (URL, Clinic ID, User ID, Password). 

• Print and give the document to the patient. 

4. Patient Login:  

• Patients navigate to the provided URL. 

• Enter Clinic ID, User ID, and Password. 

• Click Sign In to engage with the portal. 

4. Measure 2: Secure Messaging with Patients 

Requirements 

• More than 5% of all unique patients seen by the provider must:  

• Receive a secure message from the provider OR 

• Respond to a secure message sent via the EHR. 

Exclusion Criteria 

• No office visits during the reporting period. 

• Conducting 50% or more patient encounters in counties where 50% or more housing units lack 4 Mbps broadband availability. 

Sending Secure Messages 

1. From an Office Visit:  

• Click Follow-Up Action. 

• Check the box “Send Message to Patient Portal.” 

• Enter a Subject or select from the dropdown. 

• Choose a Follow-Up Date. 

• Assign the follow-up to the provider. 

• Type notes or select a template from the dropdown. 

• Click Save. 

Responding to Secure Messages 

1. Access Follow-Up Messages:  

• Go to Follow-Up. 

• Locate messages labeled as Patient Portal. 

2. Read and Respond:  

• Click the Subject (enabled link). 

• A Follow-Up Action box will appear. 

• Read the message under Follow-Up Action History. 

• Type the response in the Notes Section. 

• Change the status to Finished if applicable. 

• Click Save. 

5. Measure 3: Patient-Generated Health Data 

Requirements 

• At least 5% of all unique patients must upload health data generated by them or from non-clinical settings. 

Exclusion Criteria 

• No office visits during the reporting period. 

• Conducting 50% or more patient encounters in counties where 50% or more housing units lack 4 Mbps broadband availability. 

Steps to Receive Patient-Generated Health Data 

1. Enable Data Submission: 

• Go to Settings > Patient Portal > General. 

• Locate “Allow Patient to Send Vital Signs to Doctor”. 

• Select Yes. 

• Click Save. 

2. Patient Submission via Patient Portal: 

• Log into the patient portal. 

• Click Create Vital Sign under Manual Data Input. 

• Enter data in the provided fields. 

• Click Save. 

3. Reviewing Patient-Generated Data: 

• Go to Medical History from the office visit or patient home. 

• Click Vital Signs History. 

• Select Patient-Generated Vital Signs. 

• Choose the relevant data and click Retrieve Selected Records to Vital Sign History. 

4. Submission via VIP Health App: 

• Sending Messages:  

• Click Message Section. 

• Select a provider. 

• Type the message and click Send. 

• Uploading Health Data:  

• Click My Monitor. 

• Input data manually or via an Omron Bluetooth Device. 

• Review data using the same steps as for patient portal submissions. 

6. Troubleshooting Tips 

• Portal Access Issues: 

• Verify login credentials. 

• Confirm patient instruction for portal access. 

• Ensure the URL provided is correct. 

• Secure Messaging Problems: 

• Ensure the message is assigned correctly. 

• Check for proper follow-up settings. 

• Confirm messages are saved after composing. 

• Data Submission Errors: 

• Confirm patient portal settings allow data submission. 

• Refresh the browser if data is not appearing. 

• For Bluetooth device issues, check device compatibility. 

7. Support Guidelines 

• In-App Support: Use iClinic’s help feature for immediate troubleshooting. 

• Compliance Officer: Consult for regulatory guidance. 

• Technical Support: Contact IT for technical issues related to patient portals, messaging, or data uploads. 

Thank you for following the MU3 compliance process. This guide ensures regulatory compliance while enhancing patient engagement and care coordination.