The public comment period for sending opinions on stage two of meaningful use requirements has been over for the last month, as the final day for filing comments ended on May 6.

Along with meaningful use stage two, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published the 2014 Edition of Standards and Certification and released this document for public comment during the same period. Both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and ONC will announce final rules later this summer.

National health IT coordinator Dr. Farzad Mostashari told Healthcare IT News that the proposed meaningful use requirements illustrate certain solutions on the best ways to utilize EHR systems. Research shows that EHR technology is capable of offering medical professionals the solutions necessary to improve quality of care and reduce costs, according to Mostashari.

He explained that with stage two of meaningful use requirements, there is a fair amount of overlap from stage one because it takes plenty of time for providers and vendors to learn to utilize EHR systems in a meaningful way.

"Some providers were effectively using EHRs, while others viewed meaningful use requirements as a checklist just to qualify for incentive payments," The news source reported. "For example, EHRs may collect data on smoking status, but then the provider has to open a separate form to collect smoking status the meaningful use way in order to qualify for the incentives."

According to a specialist from the CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services, meaningful use stage two may include clinical quality reporting measures with other programs such as the accountable care organization (ACO).

Chiropractors who are looking to meet stage two of meaningful use requirements and gain monetary incentives may need to speak to a trusted vendor of chiropractic EHR systems.