Medical Group Praises "Meaningful Use" Rule, Warns Of Challenges In EMR Compliance.

American Medical News (8/2, Silva) reports that the American Medical Association praised the final rule on "meaningful use" of electronic medical records, but warned that some challenges still remain.

"The AMA says physicians still face several challenges in becoming compliant in time. There is no EMR system on the market now that offers the capabilities needed for physicians to become meaningful users. Federal officials expect such systems to become available this fall, which would give practices only a few months to install and test the technology before the Jan. 1, 2011, start date of the incentive program." Also, "Physicians who already have invested in EMRs now must upgrade their systems to meet certification criteria."