CMS launches long-promised repository for public health, clinical data registry info
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has created a centralized repository for public health agency and clinical data registry reporting to provide an additional, centralized source of information for eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals.
This will help organizations seeking to comply with Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements. In the Stage 2 of Meaningful Use final rule, released in 2012, CMS stated it would develop this repository.
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The CMS Centralized Repository is not the authoritative source of all reporting options currently available, CMS said. The information within the repository was collected in September and October 2016. Participation in the repository by public health agencies, clinical data registries and specialized registries is voluntary.
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For the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, the absence of an entry on the CMS Centralized Repository is not sufficient documentation for claiming an exclusion and does not prevent a provider from attesting to reporting to a registry, CMS said. Providers must still check with jurisdictional public health agencies or specialty societies to which they belong and document that information to satisfy Medicare or Medicaid reporting.
Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com
