The final definition of the “meaningful use” of electronic health records that will be used to determine eligibility for incentive payments under the economic stimulus program will not be available until the middle or end of spring 2010. That’s the prediction of David Blumenthal, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology, who held a press conference Aug. 20.

The preliminary definition of meaningful use requirements will be issued by the end of this year, followed by a 60 day comment period, Blumenthal said.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, hospitals and physicians can receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for making meaningful use of certified electronic health records systems.

A certification workgroup of the federal HIT Policy Committee recently recommended that multiple EHR certification bodies be created. Blumenthal, however, stressed that it’s premature to conclude that the final federal EHR certification rules will, in fact, include multiple certification entities.