One of the major issues facing healthcare executives is Meaningful Use and its requirements that have resulted from the HITECH ACT components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The...

One of the major issues facing healthcare executives is Meaningful Use and its requirements that have resulted from the HITECH ACT components of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The provisions of these Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs provide financial incentives for the "meaningful use" of certified EHR technology to improve patient care. The requirements are divided into three stages, with penalties being levied beginning in 2015 for organizations that do not fully comply.
This assignment is to write a paper that covers the following points:
•    Background of Meaningful Use (MU)
•    Summary of the requirements of MU
•    The effects of meeting / not meeting the MU requriements on healthcare organizations.
•    Issues facing healthcare organizations and their possible resolutions. Include why some organizations are choosing not to meet the requirements and just bear the resultant penalties.