Answer :
Final answer:
Meaningful Use is a program under the HITECH Act that encourages the use of Electronic Health Records. Patient Portals are indeed part of the MU criteria starting at Stage 2, not Stage 3, allowing for improved patient access to their own health information.
Explanation:
The question implies a discussion about the integration of Patient Portals within the Meaningful Use (MU) incentive programs which are part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Under the HITECH Act, Meaningful Use was established as a program to encourage health care providers to show 'meaningful use' of Electronic Health Records (EHR) by meeting certain criteria. MU is divided into stages: Stage 1 focuses on data capture and sharing, Stage 2 includes advanced clinical processes, and in Stage 3 the focus is on improved outcomes. Patient Portals become a part of the criteria in Stage 2, contradicting the notion that they are not introduced until Stage 3. These portals must allow patients to view, download, and transmit their health information.
