Implications of the CMS final meaningful use information technology rule.

The importance of Health Information Technology and the Electronic Medical Record were discussed in the October issue of Clinical Nuclear Medicine (Henkin and Harolds, Clin Nucl Med. 2010;35). Since that article was written the Final Rule has been issued on what constitutes the meaningful use of certain information technology, such that it would qualify for an incentive payment. Since billions of dollars will be used for such payments, the issuance of the Final Rule has been eagerly anticipated.