Dive Brief:
- The American Medical Association has chosen a new president-elect who has been recognized for his involvement with health IT.
- Steven Stack, MD, an emergency physician currently practicing in Lexington, Kentucky, will begin his role as AMA president starting June 2015.
- Stack, who has been critical of several aspects of the Meaningful Use program, has served as chair of the AMA's Health Information Technology Advisory Group, as well as serving on federal advisory groups for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
Dive Insight:
It appears that with Dr. Stack as AMA president, doctors will have a voice articulating their frustrations with EMRs. Stack, who has called EMR encounter documentation "pure torment," has called on CMS and ONC to make Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements more flexible for doctors. He's also described EMR incentive programs, which mandate that doctors implement EMRs while facing the threat of a financial fine, as a "Catch-22." Perhaps having Dr. Stack in place will bring doctors' concerns with EMRs to the forefront of industry concerns.