While the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and its Center for Health IT supports the goals of the new meaningful use regulations announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the organization stated that the regulations, as proposed, pose hurdles that challenge small- and medium-size medical practices’ ability to achieve all that is required to receive the incentive payments.

According to Leawood, Kan.-based AAFP, the meaningful uses of EHR technology described in the regulations and advocated by the AAFP include e-prescribing, clinical decision support at the point of care, analysis and reporting of evidence-based measures of quality and performance and the sharing of health information and educational resources with patients.

The academy also has strongly supported the interoperable computerized exchange of health data. The AAFP said it will provide "constructive feedback for improvement" in its formal response to HHS before the deadline at the end of February.