The "guarantees" of meaningful use being put forth by so many vendors are little more than a marketing ploy. Sure, some vendors have offered refunds if their systems don't help customers achieve meaningful use, but the point is that meaningful use is, at its core, about use. As in, you have to use the technology properly to earn the bonuses.

Likewise, having a certified EMR doesn't get you to meaningful use. It's merely one of many requirements, and the onus is, again, on the user.

Over on the EMR and EHR blog, guest poster David Lee of health IT consulting firm eRecords offers a much-needed reminder in a two-part series in which he shatters some myths about meaningful use. "Don't be fooled by any vendor claiming that they are certified or promising they will be certified. Although some EHR vendors are better prepared to meet the certification when available, not a single vendor today is certified for the EHR incentive payment program. More importantly, you cannot meet the requirements of 'meaningful use' by simply implementing a certified EHR," he writes.

To learn more:
- peruse part one of Lee's guest post on the EMR and EHR blog
- see part two, in which Lee notes that CCHIT certification is rather meaningless at the moment

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