Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (“Meaningful Use”)

“Meaningful Use” Submissions of Reportable Laboratory Results

Included in the strategies for demonstrating “meaningful use” of the EHR systems is the submission of electronic data on reportable laboratory results to public health agencies.

Laboratory reporting is required for conditions which present a significant health risk to the community and for which there are measures available to control the spread or progression of disease. When public health receives reportable findings, these may lead to implementing disease control measures to stop an outbreak, vaccinating or treating close contacts of a patient, identification of contaminated foods or products, identification of industrial practices that cause toxic exposures.

The electronic reporting of laboratory results fulfils Georgia’s notifiable disease reporting requirements. Messaging from hospitals laboratories meets the meaning use objective.

Data submission is coordinated from the state health department. Your submissions to this central point are disseminated to the appropriate health district personnel within public health using centralized data systems with role based access.

Sending information to GDPH electronically does not by itself satisfy the Meaningful Use criteria. The information must be sent in specific formats that have been developed to send health-related information between healthcare information systems. GDPH is currently establishing its submission format for ELR, the links below for more details on the specifications will be available soon.

Frequently Asked Questions (coming soon)

Standards and Requirements (coming soon)