Which agency instituted the incentive program to promote meaningful use of electronic health records?

• A. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
• B. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• C. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Answer: (A)

Promoting the meaningful use of electronic health records is an initiative created and run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS administers Medicare and Medicaid and established the EHR Incentive Programs under the HITECH Act to encourage clinicians and hospitals to adopt certified EHR technology and to demonstrate meaningful use. The aim is to improve quality, safety, and efficiency in patient care through better health IT. The other agencies have different roles: FDA regulates safety and effectiveness of medical devices and drugs, NIH funds biomedical research, and CDC focuses on public health surveillance and disease prevention. None of them administer incentive programs for EHR adoption, so CMS is the correct choice.