Our vendor has suggested that if the electronic system contains documentation of data elements in non-discrete places on the EHR (such as free text on a discharge summary), that an abstractor places an answer to a data element in a flow sheet row so it will be picked up in the electronic report. This would more accurately reflect what is documented on the record, but not picked up because of the nature of the documentation. An example of this would be that the physician put a reason for not prescribing a statin for at stroke patient in the narrative of the discharge summary. An abstractor can review this information, answer on a flow sheet imbedded in the EHR that there was a reason for not prescribing, noting the original source. When the meaningful use report is run, the case would be included as passing a numerator. Is this an acceptable practice for meaningful use, as this would normally be done after the patient is discharged from the hospital and the chart is closed?