Abstract
We present an ontology of meaningful use of healthcare information systems (MUHIS), and an analysis of its requirements and practices using the ontology. We map (a) the Stages 1 and 2 meaningful use requirements set by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) for Electronic Health Records (EHR), and (b) the current literature on meaningful use, to derive the ontological map of the two respectively. Both maps are fragmented and incomplete. We highlight the gaps (a) in the requirements, (b) in practices, and (c) between requirements and practices, and highlight the bright, light, blank, and blind spots in MUHIS. We discuss why these gaps should be (a) bridged if they are important, (b) ignored if they are unimportant, or (c) reconsidered if they have been overlooked. Thus ontological analysis can provide systemic feedback for continuous improvement of MUHIS though systematic changes in policies and practice.