The Lack of Meaningful Use Awareness in small practices is very prevalent. One may ask why there is such a gap in MU Awareness amongst small and large practices. The answer is quite the same across the board for small practices, “Cost”. This misfortune has resulted in many small practice physicians and staff being objective to the adoption of an electronic health record system. They are indifferent about the penalties that will be enforced soon, if they do not follow suite with the guidelines mandated by the ARRA. Essentially, this thesis will provide statistical data on the adoption rate of small practices and financial options for financing EHR systems prior to incentive payment. It will shed light on small practices prospective of Meaningful Use, address their concerns with adoption, and provide guidance on seeking loans and technical assistance from local Regional Extension Centers
