Changes in the quality of care during progress from stage 1 to stage 2 of Meaningful Use

Background: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) canceled Meaningful Use (MU), replacing it with Advancing Care Information, which preserves many MU elements. Therefore, transitioning from MU stage 1 to MU stage 2 has important implications for the new policy, yet the quality of care provided by physicians transitioning from MU1 to MU2 is unknown. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal evaluation of the quality of care delivered by outpatient physicians at an academic medical center in the transition between MU1 and MU2. Results: Between MU1 and MU2, 4 measures improved: hypertension control (35% vs 40%), influenza immunization (63% vs 68%), tobacco use assessment/counseling (86% vs 96%), and diabetes control (93% vs 96%; P all <.01). One worsened: senior weight screening/follow-up (54% vs 49%; P<.01). Two were unchanged: chlamydia screening and adult weight screening/follow-up. Conclusion: In this single-site study, when clinicians progressed from MU1 to MU2, 4 quality measures improved, 2 were unchanged, and 1 worsened. Analysis of national data should guide policy decisions about the content of MU's successor.