I wasn't the most popular person around the office printer late yesterday afternoon. It was right after HHS and CMS finally released the proposed rule for Stage 2 of the EHR Meaningful Use Incentive Program.

1. Stage 2 Meaningful Use Debuts in Las Vegas
(Finally!)
I wasn't the most popular person around the office printer late yesterday afternoon. It was right after HHS and CMS
finally released the proposed rule for Stage 2 of the EHR Meaningful Use Incentive Program. Earlier in the week, rumors
regarding the release of the 445-page document swirled around the HIMSS12 Conference. Perhaps because it was in Las
Vegas, Stage 2 seemed to take on its own celebrity status. HIMSS participants arrived early for the 8:30AM "Achieving
Meaningful Use Symposium" and almost immediately began texting and tweeting their disappointment that there would
be a delay in the release of Stage 2 details and the amendments to the Stage 1. Tuesday came with reports of Stage 2
"sightings" and ended with more disappointment. Bookmakers puts the odds at 3:2 that the information would be
disclosed before Dr.Farzad Mostashari, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology delivered the
Thursday morning keynote. Wrong again. Dr. Mostashari was able to speak to the highlights of the new proposed rule, but
could only commit that full public disclosure would follow "soon." Then Elvis, I mean Dr. Mostashari, left the building.
Enter Stage 2's publicity "people." The press was told that the proposed rule would be posted to the Federal Register next
week due to "formatting problems." But then, perhaps through Presidential Executive Order or an Act of Steve Wynn,
the document was suddenly made available just after 5PM Eastern. And to prove not everything that happens in Vegas
stays in Vegas, here's a link where you can get your very own copy of the proposed rule. http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/
OFRData/2012-04443_PI.pdf
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