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Mon, Sep 21 2009 1:05 PM EST
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mean·ing·ful, adj., having a meaning or purpose; full of meaning; significant; having an assigned function
use, noun, the act or practice of employing something; habitual or customary usage; the privilege or benefit of using something; the ability or power to use something
--Selected definitions selected from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
The term ‘meaningful use’ is interesting, if not downright amazing, at least from the perspective of language. When it comes to stimulus funding for information technology, it appears to mean significant employment of HIT to accomplish quality, safety and cost efficiency goals for health care. Read this way, the term implicitly carries the assumption that greater use of HIT is better use.
Another reasonable definition for this term is ‘purposeful use.’ Read this way, the term implies a studied, guided approach, with intent to use—and at times not to use—HIT for overall improvement of the health care system and the health of the nation.
The actual regulatory definition of ‘meaningful use’ is, of course, a matter of public policy and not linguistics. The definition is in the formal rulemaking process. Expect to see a proposed rule sometime in December, followed by a comment period. It’s likely that there won’t be final rule until the end of spring 2010.
There is some direction for policymakers inherent in the very language chosen to serve as the basis for the measurement of HIT effectiveness. The definition should incorporate concepts of the quality of use, not solely focus on the quantity of systems deployed, the number of alerts transmitted or the number of physicians and patients using electronic health records.
What’s meaningful is that the health of our nation grows, that quality improves and that costs decrease.
What’s meaningful is that physicians embrace these technologies.
What’s meaningful is that patients re-engage in their own health care.
In this sense, another potential definition of ‘meaningful use’ is spot on: employing something with an assigned function. In other words, it does what it’s supposed to do. Nothing more. Nothing less.
What makes HIT meaningful?
Using it.
Alden Solovy is executive editor of Hospitals & Health Networks and associate publisher for the Journals of the American Hospital Association.
Posted at www.whatismeaningful.com
