PhysBizTech reports, "Rule links meaningful use with medical licensure":
Starting in 2015, doctors in Massachusetts will have to show health IT meaningful use proficiency as a condition for medical licensing.MA State Senator Richard Moore gives the government rationale:
By the medical society’s estimate, [Massachusetts Medical Society President Ronald]Dunlap said, "probably 70 or 80 percent of physicians in the state using computers are probably adept, yet at least more than half of them would not meet the meaningful use standard."
My feeling is that every physician and nurse practitioner and others who are primary care providers need to be involved in and utilizing health information technology, and if they’re not, then I don’t think they're practicing safe medicine.In other words, another government mandate rammed down the throats of practicing physicians in the name of "safety". Of course over time, mandated electronic records will be used to ensure that doctors are practicing according to government guidelines -- which may or may not be what's in the best interests of the patient.
(Via @MedEconomics.)
