Department of Health > Health Information Technologies > Meaningful Use

Promoting Interoperability (PI) Programs

Previously known as Meaningful Use EHR Incentive Programs

With the Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program ending in program year 2021, CMS has changed the Medicare and Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Programs name to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program for eligible hospitals and CAHs.

Historically, the Promoting Interoperability Programs consisted of three stages (PDF):

Stage 1 set the foundation for the Promoting Interoperability Programs by establishing requirements for the electronic capture of clinical data, including providing patients with electronic copies of health information.
Stage 2 expanded upon the Stage 1 criteria with a focus on advancing clinical processes and ensuring that the meaningful use of EHRs supported the aims and priorities of the National Quality Strategy. Stage 2 criteria encouraged the use of CEHRT for continuous quality improvement at the point of care and the exchange of information in the most structured format possible.
In October 2015, CMS released a final rule that established Stage 3 in 2017 and beyond, which focused on using CEHRT to improve health outcomes. In addition, this rule modified Stage 2 to ease reporting requirements and align with other CMS programs.

Public Health Promoting Interoperability Reporting Requirements

Public Health (PI) Reporting Requirements (PDF)

The eligible hospital or CAH must attest YES to either the Public Health Registry Reporting measure by being in active engagement with a PHA to submit data to public health registries, OR to the Clinical Data Registry Reporting measure, to earn the bonus.
The EHR reporting period in 2022 for new and returning participants attesting to CMS is a minimum of any continuous 90-day period within the calendar year.
Eligible hospitals and CAHs are required to report on four measures under the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange objective: Immunization Registry Reporting, Syndromic Surveillance Reporting, Electronic Case Reporting, and Electronic Reportable Laboratory Reporting.

Available Registries for the State of Alaska

Eligible Hospitals and Eligible Providers	Stage 3 State System & Status	Acceptable Format	Alaska HIE Status
Immunization Registry	Alaska’s Ready for Stage 3: VacTrak is available to respond to bi-directional queries (QBP/RSP) and receive National Drug Codes (NDC)	HL7 Version 2.5.1	HL7 Version 2.5.1
Cancer Registry	Alaska’s Ready for Stage 3: Cancer Registry accepts HL7 CDA File Format and will process using CDN-PCR eMaRC Plus software.	HL7 CDA File Format	HL7 CDA File Format must be transmitted via a secure FTP site or the HIE’s Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) Solution.
Electronic Lab Results for reportable conditions	Alaska’s Ready for Stage 3: LIMS, commercial Labs and hospital labs transmit reportable lab results	HL7 Version 2.5.1	HIE acts as a pass-through
Electronic Case Reporting	Alaska’s Ready for Stage 3: Electronic Disease Surveillance system: NBS. Accepts HL7 CDA File Format.	HL7 CDA File Format	Not intended. eCR routes through the APHL AIMS hub.
Syndromic Surveillance	Ready for State 3: Accepts ADT feeds from emergency departments and urgent care facilities.	HL7 ADT feed	HIE acts as a pass-through

Public Health Measure Reporting Process

Modified Stage 2 and later stages.

To meet any measure, eligible hospitals (EH) or CAH must be actively engaged in the onboarding process, which can be demonstrated by:

Completing the Registration of Intent form (PDF)
Message testing and validation -OR- ongoing submission of production messages.

Option 1

If an EH or CAH is submitting production level messages to a Public Health registry a Registration of Intent form is not needed. The EH or CAH is required to continue to submit electronic, production level messages. In this case, if an EH or CAH is submitting an attestation to Medicare stating they are meeting a Public Health measure they will need to:

Upload a copy of the acknowledgement message that their EHR receives from either the HIE or a message directly from the Public Health registry indicating production level data is being submitted.

Option 2

If an EH or CAH is not submitting production level messages to a Public Health registry but has previously submitted a Registration of Intent form and has received notification, they are either in a queue or in a testing/validation process the EH or CAH will not be required to submit a new Registration of Intent form. The EH or CAH must remain in active contact with the Public Health and respond to requests from Public Health. In this case, if an EH or CAH is submitting an attestation to Medicare stating they are meeting a Public Health measure they will need to:

Upload a copy of the most recent test message that their EHR receives from either the HIE or a message directly from the Public Health registry indicating the EH or CAH is in testing/validation.

Onboarding Process for Public Health Measures

Registration of Intent Form

Eligible Hospitals that intend to submit data to the Division of Public Health to meet the public health objectives for the Promoting Interoperability program are required to register their intent within 60 days of the start of their reporting period. EH that have achieved ongoing submission prior to Stage 2 are not required to register. See current intent to register form

healtheConnect Alaska Health Information Exchange

healtheConnect Alaska Health Information Exchange (HIE) has been deployed statewide. The HIE is a secure electronic exchange of patient information, which allows health care providers a quick, secure, reliable access to patient health records. healtheConnect Alaska is a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors from across Alaska with representation from consumers, hospitals, physicians, businesses, and state government. These leaders are committed to always securing protected health information to ensure it is only accessed by authorized individuals for authorized use, by law, for treatment and payment.

To learn more about healtheConnect Alaska please visit their website at: healtheConnect Alaska.

healtheConnect Alaska is currently the routing/ initial connectivity point for establishing reporting via ELR and should be contacted and included regarding ELR onboarding inquiries.

Interoperability And Patient Access

The Interoperability and Patient Access (IPA) Project goal is to implement multiple rules required by the CMS in the Interoperability and Access final rule (CMS-9115-F). Which aims to put patients at the center of their health care by ensuring they have access to their health information.

This initiative is designed to improve the quality and accessibility of information that Alaskans need to make informed health care decisions, including data about health care prices and outcomes while minimizing reporting burdens on affected health care providers and payers.