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The implementation of ICD-10 is looming and according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), there will be no extension to the October 1, 2015 deadline. 

There seems to be no letup in the barrage of healthcare reforms that providers are facing in the US today. Leading the charge is the CMS and the ONC, both working tirelessly to capture and demonstrate the valuable part information technology can and should play in the healthcare sector.

Although most experts predict that the long-term benefits of the structure provided by the Meaningful Use program will be obvious, the guidelines have not been introduced without creating some significant challenges for healthcare providers, especially with regards to patient engagement.

It is anticipated that Stage 3 requirements of patient engagement will dramatically raise the benchmark to 25%. Raising participation to 25% is a significant challenge, especially given that most providers are still struggling to meet the current 5% participation required to qualify for Stage 2 incentives.

The major stumbling block for Stage 2 has been the patient engagement requirement. A certain percentage of patients were required to engage in their health care by logging into the patient portal of the EHR provided by the practice.