The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, which represents more than 1,400 CIOs across the country, also issued a statement.

"Following today’s announcement from CMS on shifting MU timelines, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives has confirmed with HHS officials that the proposed meaningful use Stage 2 extension / Stage 3 delay does not change front-end requirements for meaningful use in 2014 and does not afford much needed flexibility to providers working to install and upgrade new technology," it read.

Both HIMSS and CHIME commented on Dec. 6. The next day, HIMSS added to its statement:

"After further analysis of the government’s decision to extend Meaningful Use Stage 2 through 2016, we believe our Call For Action to extend Year 1 of the Meaningful Use Stage 2 attestation period still needs to be addressed," the organization said in a statement. "Given the challenges some providers, hospitals, and vendors are experiencing upgrading to the 2014 certification, we call on the government to address the timeline and allow at least 18 months in which Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Eligible Providers (EPs) can attest to Meaningful Use requirements for one quarter."
 
"The latest data from the more than 5,400 hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics database indicate clear challenges for eligible hospitals and tethered ambulatory care facilities preparing for Meaningful Use Stage 2," the statement continues.

These data show that up to 72 percent of eligible hospitals and 44 percent of tethered ambulatory facilities have purchased the necessary software to attest to the 2014 Certification requirements. 

"We continue to monitor the important issue of upgrades to the correct certified version," the HIMSS statement read, "but are still concerned that many may still be waiting for the necessary upgrade to the certified version."

HIMSS shared its position on extending the deadline for Meaningful Use Stage 2 attestation in an Aug. 15 letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner; and then-National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD.

As of October 2013, 85 percent of eligible hospitals and more than 60 percent of eligible providers had received EHR incentive payments. Moreover, nine in 10 eligible hospitals and eight in 10 eligible professionals had taken the initial step of registering for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs as of October 2013, according to CMS.

This story was amended on Dec. 8 to add additional comments from HIMSS.