AMA response to Sen. Lamar Alexander's call for a Meaningful Use delay

"The American Medical Association strongly agrees with Sen. Lamar Alexander that the meaningful use program should be paused given the urgent need to improve the usability and interoperability of electronic health record systems. The comments by the Senate's health committee chairman are consistent with AMA requests for a temporary period of reassessment that is needed to help the meaningful use program succeed. There is growing bipartisan recognition that the meaningful use program needs adjustments to achieve its goals. Proper reassessment of the program before implementing the final stage of regulations will help avoid problematic software that physicians and patients will be burdened with for years to come."