Give doc practices latitude in meeting MACRA demands

“Physician practices need more than just an EHR, they need an infrastructure that will allow them to analyze data and use it to improve.” (“Doctors argue for more flexibility on MACRA changes,” ModernHealthcare.com, April 19). Amen!

While some organizations have the resources to support providers toward compliance with the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), many others do not, especially smaller practices and those in rural settings with weak supporting infrastructure. Having an electronic health record is only a starting point, and in my experience two practices with the same EHR do not necessarily have the same capabilities—because it’s not all about the EHR. There’s much more to it. This point is spot on: “Time and money will be necessary to make changes while continuing to serve patients. ‘Don’t put us out of business while we’re trying to make it work.’ ”

Patrick Casey Meaningful use and QA specialist North Texas Regional Extension Center Irving