Nearly 70% of health care providers expect to hire a professional services firm to help them achieve “meaningful use” of electronic health records, according to a new report from research firm KLAS, Healthcare IT News reports.
Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of EHRs will qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.
Report Findings
For the report, KLAS researchers interviewed 118 health care providers (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 5/18). They found that integrated delivery networks had the highest need for external expertise, with 90% reporting plans to collaborate with consulting firms (Guerra, InformationWeek, 5/20).
Trend Toward Specific Tasks
Researchers noted that many health care providers already have achieved some level of health IT adoption and now are seeking to hire smaller groups to complete specific tasks.
Mike Smith — report author and KLAS general manager of financial and services research — said many health care organizations hire consultants to help bolster physician adoption of clinical information systems (InformationWeek, 5/20).
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/report-tracks-demand-for-consultants-to-help-with-health-it-adoption/
Monday, May 31, 2010
HHS to study patient perceptions of EHRs
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is seeking patient perceptions of the delivery of healthcare through the use of an EHR.
“Health IT experts agree that HITECH stimulus funds are likely to improve how physicians practice medicine for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and, ultimately, for advancing patient-centered medical care for all Americans. However, there is an evidence gap about patients’ preferences and perceptions of delivery of health care services by providers who have adopted EHR systems in their practices,” the HHS’ May 14 notice in the Federal Register stated.
According to the notice, the goal of the proposed Patient Perceptions of EHR study is to help policymakers understand how primary care practices’ use of EHRs affects consumers’ satisfaction with:
* Their medical care,
* Communication with their doctor
* Coordination of care.
“The research questions for the proposed study are motivated by a concern that patients may have negative experiences as practices begin to use EHRs,” the agency wrote.
HHS plans to survey 840 patients about their opinion of their medical care when their primary care physicians use EHRs, according to the notice, which can be read here.
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/hhs-to-study-patient-perceptions-of-ehrs/
“Health IT experts agree that HITECH stimulus funds are likely to improve how physicians practice medicine for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and, ultimately, for advancing patient-centered medical care for all Americans. However, there is an evidence gap about patients’ preferences and perceptions of delivery of health care services by providers who have adopted EHR systems in their practices,” the HHS’ May 14 notice in the Federal Register stated.
According to the notice, the goal of the proposed Patient Perceptions of EHR study is to help policymakers understand how primary care practices’ use of EHRs affects consumers’ satisfaction with:
* Their medical care,
* Communication with their doctor
* Coordination of care.
“The research questions for the proposed study are motivated by a concern that patients may have negative experiences as practices begin to use EHRs,” the agency wrote.
HHS plans to survey 840 patients about their opinion of their medical care when their primary care physicians use EHRs, according to the notice, which can be read here.
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/hhs-to-study-patient-perceptions-of-ehrs/
The Right Medical Billing Software Can Make All of the Difference
When it comes to the practice of medical billing, precision is absolutely paramount to ensuring that payment from claims submitted to insurance companies, or respective administration entities, is received by the doctor or other licensed health care provider who provided the service. Most medical billing professionals are required to perform a myriad of duties that include managing healthcare billing as well as processing, altering and resubmitting claims while adhering to the most current regulations and policies in the industry. Even the most experienced and well-trained in the field are prone to the possibility of human error, which can end up being extremely costly to the healthcare provider. This is why the use of electronic medical billing has been rapidly gaining in popularity throughout the medical field.
By incorporating the use of software, those who work in medical billing can increase their precision in tracking a range of functions – from keeping tabs on patient demographics, appointments and diagnoses, to gathering and keeping track of billing information and insurance payments, scheduling, and generating reports. In addition to significantly reducing the chance for human error, the use of an electronic medical billing system generally offers substantial savings in time and money, as it makes sure that every patient bill is paid and all accounts received are kept up to date.
The majority of electronic billing systems for the medical industry require that the user sticks with the sections detailed in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which emphasize improved security standards, ANSI billing formats, etc. It has been found that the use of the correct electronic medical billing software within a company assists in and facilitates a smooth work flow. And, since the software gives employees better access to personal details and time schedules, it’s likely that customers and patients will be satisfied as well. Insurers also benefit, since they are able to receive payments at a faster rate – often in less than half the time it used to take.
When looking for electronic medical billing software, be sure to select the system that will work best for your particular organization. And don’t hesitate to ask for assistance from the vendor regarding features and which one will be best suited for the company. Also, you might want to inquire as to whether a sample account could be provided on a trial basis, and they may have a sample CD available for you to take. Once all of the questions have been answered to your satisfaction, you will be able to make an informed decision as to which one to choose.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/medical-billing-software-difference/
By incorporating the use of software, those who work in medical billing can increase their precision in tracking a range of functions – from keeping tabs on patient demographics, appointments and diagnoses, to gathering and keeping track of billing information and insurance payments, scheduling, and generating reports. In addition to significantly reducing the chance for human error, the use of an electronic medical billing system generally offers substantial savings in time and money, as it makes sure that every patient bill is paid and all accounts received are kept up to date.
The majority of electronic billing systems for the medical industry require that the user sticks with the sections detailed in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which emphasize improved security standards, ANSI billing formats, etc. It has been found that the use of the correct electronic medical billing software within a company assists in and facilitates a smooth work flow. And, since the software gives employees better access to personal details and time schedules, it’s likely that customers and patients will be satisfied as well. Insurers also benefit, since they are able to receive payments at a faster rate – often in less than half the time it used to take.
When looking for electronic medical billing software, be sure to select the system that will work best for your particular organization. And don’t hesitate to ask for assistance from the vendor regarding features and which one will be best suited for the company. Also, you might want to inquire as to whether a sample account could be provided on a trial basis, and they may have a sample CD available for you to take. Once all of the questions have been answered to your satisfaction, you will be able to make an informed decision as to which one to choose.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/medical-billing-software-difference/
Outsource Your Medical Billing with Care
Whenever a health care provider or a hospital plans to have a full fledged medical billing department with billing clerks, it is very essential to think twice and make sure to choose well experienced billing staff. Today fortunately, outsourcing the entire medical billing process is a cheaper option that is available.
Quite often there have been instances when the in-house billing staff does not have the sufficient experience and does not possess the sufficient in-depth knowledge about coding. This will result in loss because claims cannot be made properly and may require rebilling. Moreover, instances of many scandals in this area of health sector have been rampant. Considering the various risks it is a must to outsource the medical billing to a trustworthy and reliable professional billing company.
Before signing a contract for outsourcing of medical billing with a company a proper enquiry about the company and its history is essential. Also checkout the following information from the outsourcing company and see how good they are.
* Do they provide reports?
* What is their collection rate?
* What is their specialty?
* Do they use a HIPAA-compliant format?
* Are they well staffed?
* Do they code also? (not preferred)
* What percentages are accounts receivable?
* Do they follow up on delayed /denied claims?
* Have they had face to face meetings with clients?
Encounter forms are usually completed and sent to the billing company along with the insurance card, registration cards on a weekly or daily basis. Most of the medical billing companies have medical billing software to prepare the bill and then submit it for claims. Bills to Medicare and other bigger insurance companies are generally sent via a clearing house. Many companies use doctors to scan the encounter forms.
How much does medical billing service cost for a physician? Billing companies charge doctors a percentage of what they collect and the rate depends on the doctor’s specialty. Specialists are charged lesser than the primary doctors because specialists mean lesser claim and bigger amount.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/outsource-medical-billing-care/
Quite often there have been instances when the in-house billing staff does not have the sufficient experience and does not possess the sufficient in-depth knowledge about coding. This will result in loss because claims cannot be made properly and may require rebilling. Moreover, instances of many scandals in this area of health sector have been rampant. Considering the various risks it is a must to outsource the medical billing to a trustworthy and reliable professional billing company.
Before signing a contract for outsourcing of medical billing with a company a proper enquiry about the company and its history is essential. Also checkout the following information from the outsourcing company and see how good they are.
* Do they provide reports?
* What is their collection rate?
* What is their specialty?
* Do they use a HIPAA-compliant format?
* Are they well staffed?
* Do they code also? (not preferred)
* What percentages are accounts receivable?
* Do they follow up on delayed /denied claims?
* Have they had face to face meetings with clients?
Encounter forms are usually completed and sent to the billing company along with the insurance card, registration cards on a weekly or daily basis. Most of the medical billing companies have medical billing software to prepare the bill and then submit it for claims. Bills to Medicare and other bigger insurance companies are generally sent via a clearing house. Many companies use doctors to scan the encounter forms.
How much does medical billing service cost for a physician? Billing companies charge doctors a percentage of what they collect and the rate depends on the doctor’s specialty. Specialists are charged lesser than the primary doctors because specialists mean lesser claim and bigger amount.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/outsource-medical-billing-care/
Thursday, May 27, 2010
FDA oversight may extend throughout health IT
By Pamela Lewis Dolan,
The technology you adopt for your practice, including electronic medical record systems and smartphones, could become subject to Food and Drug Administration scrutiny. Experts are trying to discern what that level of examination might look like, and what specific technology would be affected.
So far, there’s no clear answer.
The FDA might get involved, experts say, because some kinds of health information technology could be considered medical devices — which the FDA regulates.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R, Iowa) started the high-level discussion about the FDA’s role in health IT in the context of meaningful use of EMRs and the push to get physicians to adopt technology. He sent a letter on Feb. 24 to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking what her agency intended to do to ensure the safety of EMRs, and the role the FDA should play in monitoring them.
The next day, an FDA director stated flatly: “Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, HIT software is a medical device.”
Jeffrey Shuren, MD, director of the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, made that statement as he reported that his agency had received 260 reports over the past two years of health IT-related malfunctions causing 44 injuries and six deaths. Dr. Shuren’s statement was made to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, an advisory panel under the auspices of the HHS Office of the National Coordinator, which oversees health technology.
Steve Nitenson, RN, PhD, an adjunct professor in the information technology management division at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, said the FDA has a history of stepping up scrutiny after problems occur. Many believe that the number of deaths and complications Dr. Shuren detailed in his testimony to the advisory committee was an indication that the FDA now feels it is necessary to exercise its authority.
The discussion of FDA oversight has prompted a debate over what is considered a medical device, and what should and shouldn’t fall under FDA regulation.
Experts generally divide health-related applications into three categories — those that clearly could be considered a medical device, those that clearly are not, and those that could go either way.
Nitenson said the FDA already monitors EMR functionalities that involve contact with patients, such as interpreting lab results, for example. Most experts agree that even smartphone applications that are an extension of those systems fall under the medical device category and are thus open to FDA scrutiny.
But when it comes to other uses of technology, “It’s more like the wild, wild West,” Nitenson said. This is the area that would include a combination of systems that would transmit data from one source to another, and the various devices used to store and transmit the data, including mobile devices such as smartphones.
Michael Zeinfeld, founder and president of Complemedia, a Chicago-based company that builds targeted media channels for branding purposes, said one reason the FDA is taking another look at many of these devices is that their mobile counterparts are making applications easier to adopt, and thus the mobile devices are used more widely.
Kyle Heppenstall is the managing director of CompassX Group, a life sciences management consulting firm in Irvine, Calif., that helps clients get systems validated with various federal agencies. His clients include corporations, health care firms, and biotech and pharmaceutical companies that are building technology systems for the consumer market. He advises them that those systems need to be validated, even when they are mobile extensions of existing systems that already are monitored by the government.
Heppenstall said the cost of developing a regulated system could be up to three times more expensive than developing systems that are not regulated. “That is an additional burden that would have to be [paid for] by the owner of the system,” he said.
Particularly with smartphone applications — many of which are inexpensive to develop and cost nothing to download — most experts agree that the cost of developing FDA-compliant applications and software would stifle innovation.
“Finally there’s a place where doctors can go, and health care professionals can go, to get these tools and resources, and you don’t want to make it more difficult for innovation to happen,” Zeinfeld said. “And you shouldn’t have to make it more difficult. Certainly, there’s got to be some middle ground.”
On the other hand, Nitenson, who has worked clinically in emergency and intensive care departments, said, “I would never use, nor would I recommend, [that] a physician use software technology that is specifically designed around a smartphone device that is not strong enough to endure both the HHS mandates and the FDA’s mandate of data security and integrity for medical devices.”
Most experts agree that full oversight of all health information systems likely never would happen. The cost would be too high, and the scope of regulation would be too vast.
But Dr. Shuren did lay out some possible scenarios, most of which would involve tracking problems after a device or software has hit the market. For example, there could be a database of adverse effects, or a registration list of devices. Another option might be a requirement that developers adhere to the FDA’s Quality Systems Regulation, a list of specific guidelines manufacturers must follow.
Nintenson thinks there must be consequences if FDA oversight is to have an impact.
“As long as there is no consequence, people who write software don’t necessarily do things in a more secure manner,” he said.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/fda-oversight-extend-health/
The technology you adopt for your practice, including electronic medical record systems and smartphones, could become subject to Food and Drug Administration scrutiny. Experts are trying to discern what that level of examination might look like, and what specific technology would be affected.
So far, there’s no clear answer.
The FDA might get involved, experts say, because some kinds of health information technology could be considered medical devices — which the FDA regulates.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R, Iowa) started the high-level discussion about the FDA’s role in health IT in the context of meaningful use of EMRs and the push to get physicians to adopt technology. He sent a letter on Feb. 24 to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking what her agency intended to do to ensure the safety of EMRs, and the role the FDA should play in monitoring them.
The next day, an FDA director stated flatly: “Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, HIT software is a medical device.”
Jeffrey Shuren, MD, director of the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, made that statement as he reported that his agency had received 260 reports over the past two years of health IT-related malfunctions causing 44 injuries and six deaths. Dr. Shuren’s statement was made to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, an advisory panel under the auspices of the HHS Office of the National Coordinator, which oversees health technology.
Steve Nitenson, RN, PhD, an adjunct professor in the information technology management division at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, said the FDA has a history of stepping up scrutiny after problems occur. Many believe that the number of deaths and complications Dr. Shuren detailed in his testimony to the advisory committee was an indication that the FDA now feels it is necessary to exercise its authority.
The discussion of FDA oversight has prompted a debate over what is considered a medical device, and what should and shouldn’t fall under FDA regulation.
Experts generally divide health-related applications into three categories — those that clearly could be considered a medical device, those that clearly are not, and those that could go either way.
Nitenson said the FDA already monitors EMR functionalities that involve contact with patients, such as interpreting lab results, for example. Most experts agree that even smartphone applications that are an extension of those systems fall under the medical device category and are thus open to FDA scrutiny.
But when it comes to other uses of technology, “It’s more like the wild, wild West,” Nitenson said. This is the area that would include a combination of systems that would transmit data from one source to another, and the various devices used to store and transmit the data, including mobile devices such as smartphones.
Michael Zeinfeld, founder and president of Complemedia, a Chicago-based company that builds targeted media channels for branding purposes, said one reason the FDA is taking another look at many of these devices is that their mobile counterparts are making applications easier to adopt, and thus the mobile devices are used more widely.
Kyle Heppenstall is the managing director of CompassX Group, a life sciences management consulting firm in Irvine, Calif., that helps clients get systems validated with various federal agencies. His clients include corporations, health care firms, and biotech and pharmaceutical companies that are building technology systems for the consumer market. He advises them that those systems need to be validated, even when they are mobile extensions of existing systems that already are monitored by the government.
Heppenstall said the cost of developing a regulated system could be up to three times more expensive than developing systems that are not regulated. “That is an additional burden that would have to be [paid for] by the owner of the system,” he said.
Particularly with smartphone applications — many of which are inexpensive to develop and cost nothing to download — most experts agree that the cost of developing FDA-compliant applications and software would stifle innovation.
“Finally there’s a place where doctors can go, and health care professionals can go, to get these tools and resources, and you don’t want to make it more difficult for innovation to happen,” Zeinfeld said. “And you shouldn’t have to make it more difficult. Certainly, there’s got to be some middle ground.”
On the other hand, Nitenson, who has worked clinically in emergency and intensive care departments, said, “I would never use, nor would I recommend, [that] a physician use software technology that is specifically designed around a smartphone device that is not strong enough to endure both the HHS mandates and the FDA’s mandate of data security and integrity for medical devices.”
Most experts agree that full oversight of all health information systems likely never would happen. The cost would be too high, and the scope of regulation would be too vast.
But Dr. Shuren did lay out some possible scenarios, most of which would involve tracking problems after a device or software has hit the market. For example, there could be a database of adverse effects, or a registration list of devices. Another option might be a requirement that developers adhere to the FDA’s Quality Systems Regulation, a list of specific guidelines manufacturers must follow.
Nintenson thinks there must be consequences if FDA oversight is to have an impact.
“As long as there is no consequence, people who write software don’t necessarily do things in a more secure manner,” he said.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/fda-oversight-extend-health/
Medical Mutual will offer incentives for e-prescribing
One of Ohio’s biggest health insurance companies is trying to convince doctors to forego their old-fashioned prescription pads more often.
Cleveland-based Medical Mutual of Ohio is teaming up with its pharmacy benefits manager, Medco Health Solutions, for a pilot program that gives select doctors financial incentives to prescribe medications electronically.
Medical Mutual is signing up 250 of its network physicians who order the highest volume of prescriptions for the health insurer’s enrollees but haven’t switched to electronic prescribing yet.
The practice of ”ePrescribing” enables doctors to send their prescription orders through a secure connection from their computers to the pharmacy’s computer.
”Since the prescription is being sent electronically to the pharmacy, the member can get his or her prescription more quickly,” said Ed Byers, spokesman for Medical Mutual, which has about 1.6 million enrollees.
By prescribing prescriptions electronically, doctors also can immediately see which drugs are covered and at what level for their patients.
As a result, patients save money and the health insurer saves money ”because they see higher returns on generic dispensing and formulary adherence,” said David Fidler, director of ePrescribing for Medco Health Solutions. ”Everybody’s interests are aligned when you start talking about e-prescribing.”
Dr. James Dom Dera, a physician with Ohio Family Practice Centers in Fairlawn, recently switched to electronic prescribing for many of his patients.
”It’s just much easier,” he said. ”I can click and prescribe much faster than I could ever hand-write or print or fax a prescription.”
Dom Dera said he also likes the fact that electronic prescribing eliminates the risk of errors from misreading handwriting or improperly transcribing an order.
Still, electronic prescriptions aren’t for everyone.
At least for now, federal law forbids doctors from prescribing controlled substances electronically.
And some patients who like to shop around for their medications still prefer to take a paper prescription with them, Dom Dera said.
Medical Mutual’s pilot program started in March and continues through September.
Medical Mutual and Medco declined to release details about the financial incentives they are providing to physicians who reach targets for number of prescriptions ordered electronically.
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/medical-mutual-offer-incentives-eprescribing/
Cleveland-based Medical Mutual of Ohio is teaming up with its pharmacy benefits manager, Medco Health Solutions, for a pilot program that gives select doctors financial incentives to prescribe medications electronically.
Medical Mutual is signing up 250 of its network physicians who order the highest volume of prescriptions for the health insurer’s enrollees but haven’t switched to electronic prescribing yet.
The practice of ”ePrescribing” enables doctors to send their prescription orders through a secure connection from their computers to the pharmacy’s computer.
”Since the prescription is being sent electronically to the pharmacy, the member can get his or her prescription more quickly,” said Ed Byers, spokesman for Medical Mutual, which has about 1.6 million enrollees.
By prescribing prescriptions electronically, doctors also can immediately see which drugs are covered and at what level for their patients.
As a result, patients save money and the health insurer saves money ”because they see higher returns on generic dispensing and formulary adherence,” said David Fidler, director of ePrescribing for Medco Health Solutions. ”Everybody’s interests are aligned when you start talking about e-prescribing.”
Dr. James Dom Dera, a physician with Ohio Family Practice Centers in Fairlawn, recently switched to electronic prescribing for many of his patients.
”It’s just much easier,” he said. ”I can click and prescribe much faster than I could ever hand-write or print or fax a prescription.”
Dom Dera said he also likes the fact that electronic prescribing eliminates the risk of errors from misreading handwriting or improperly transcribing an order.
Still, electronic prescriptions aren’t for everyone.
At least for now, federal law forbids doctors from prescribing controlled substances electronically.
And some patients who like to shop around for their medications still prefer to take a paper prescription with them, Dom Dera said.
Medical Mutual’s pilot program started in March and continues through September.
Medical Mutual and Medco declined to release details about the financial incentives they are providing to physicians who reach targets for number of prescriptions ordered electronically.
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/medical-mutual-offer-incentives-eprescribing/
Standards Organization Calls for ONC To Revisit EHR Certification Rule
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission has recommended a series of changes to the federal government’s proposed rule on electronic health record certification, Healthcare IT News reports.
EHNAC, a not-for-profit standards group, issued the recommendations in response to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on EHR certification.
ONC’s proposed rule calls for the establishment of a temporary EHR certification program, which eventually would be replaced by a permanent certification program. The temporary program would allow ONC-authorized certification bodies to test and certify EHRs and EHR modules.
Recommendations
EHNAC officials said the group is concerned that the current definition of ONC-authorized certification bodies would exclude EHNAC and other organizations from consideration as certifiers of health information exchanges.
The group said its recommendations would enable EHNAC to be named a health data exchange certifier without needing official designation as an EHR certifier.
In its recommendations, EHNAC called for ONC to:
* Allow certifiers to establish a “virtual” office for conducting certification tasks;
* Extend the deadline for organizations to develop certification programs to encourage more groups to apply for designation as temporary certifiers;
* Eliminate unscheduled site visits and provide organizations with sufficient time to prepare for planned visits; and
* Refrain from considering a certified testing program a necessary requirement for the certification of health IT products (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 5/25).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/standards-organization-calls-onc-revisit-ehr-certification-rule/
EHNAC, a not-for-profit standards group, issued the recommendations in response to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on EHR certification.
ONC’s proposed rule calls for the establishment of a temporary EHR certification program, which eventually would be replaced by a permanent certification program. The temporary program would allow ONC-authorized certification bodies to test and certify EHRs and EHR modules.
Recommendations
EHNAC officials said the group is concerned that the current definition of ONC-authorized certification bodies would exclude EHNAC and other organizations from consideration as certifiers of health information exchanges.
The group said its recommendations would enable EHNAC to be named a health data exchange certifier without needing official designation as an EHR certifier.
In its recommendations, EHNAC called for ONC to:
* Allow certifiers to establish a “virtual” office for conducting certification tasks;
* Extend the deadline for organizations to develop certification programs to encourage more groups to apply for designation as temporary certifiers;
* Eliminate unscheduled site visits and provide organizations with sufficient time to prepare for planned visits; and
* Refrain from considering a certified testing program a necessary requirement for the certification of health IT products (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 5/25).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/standards-organization-calls-onc-revisit-ehr-certification-rule/
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Blumenthal: NHIN, NHIN Direct Offer Paths to ‘Meaningful Use’
Last week, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal published an open letter touting the Nationwide Health Information Network as a model to help health care providers meet the “meaningful use” requirements of the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, Modern Healthcare reports.
Under the stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health records will qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments (Conn, Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Blumenthal wrote that NHIN is “not a network per se, but rather a set of standards, services, and policies that enable the Internet to be used for the secure exchange of health information to improve health and health care.”
NHIN Direct
He also acknowledged that some health care providers “may have simpler needs for information exchange, or perhaps less technically sophisticated capabilities.” He said such health care providers could benefit from NHIN Direct, which still is under development (Blumenthal letter, 5/14).
NHIN Direct is a basic version of NHIN that offers health care providers open-source software to develop a network for the electronic transmission of health information (Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Blumenthal wrote that NHIN Direct “is meant to enhance, not replace, the capabilities offered by other means of exchange.” He added that the model could “complement existing NHIN exchange capabilities and strengthen our efforts toward comprehensive interoperability across the nation” (Blumenthal letter, 5/14).
In addition, Blumenthal wrote that ONC is “on an aggressive timeline” to develop standards for NHIN Direct so health care providers can use the framework to qualify for incentive payments.
He also called for greater public participation in the NHIN Direct project through blogs and a community wiki, which are available on the project’s website (Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/blumenthal-nhin-nhin-direct-offer-paths-meaningful-use/
Under the stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health records will qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments (Conn, Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Blumenthal wrote that NHIN is “not a network per se, but rather a set of standards, services, and policies that enable the Internet to be used for the secure exchange of health information to improve health and health care.”
NHIN Direct
He also acknowledged that some health care providers “may have simpler needs for information exchange, or perhaps less technically sophisticated capabilities.” He said such health care providers could benefit from NHIN Direct, which still is under development (Blumenthal letter, 5/14).
NHIN Direct is a basic version of NHIN that offers health care providers open-source software to develop a network for the electronic transmission of health information (Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Blumenthal wrote that NHIN Direct “is meant to enhance, not replace, the capabilities offered by other means of exchange.” He added that the model could “complement existing NHIN exchange capabilities and strengthen our efforts toward comprehensive interoperability across the nation” (Blumenthal letter, 5/14).
In addition, Blumenthal wrote that ONC is “on an aggressive timeline” to develop standards for NHIN Direct so health care providers can use the framework to qualify for incentive payments.
He also called for greater public participation in the NHIN Direct project through blogs and a community wiki, which are available on the project’s website (Modern Healthcare, 5/17).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/blumenthal-nhin-nhin-direct-offer-paths-meaningful-use/
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Physician Billing Companies — the Best Option for Your Physician Practice
Deciding to incorporate medical financial services into your health practice’s workings isn’t a small action to take. It is a significant subject, considering that it comprises an extensive list of benefits, many of which will help your business to run better and increase your profit margin. Cut down on those worries and pressures and automatically ensure that your physician practice is meeting all of the government’s rules. If you’re still not convinced, let us tell you why you should utilize a reputable finance management company. The key advantage of working with this sort of service is the serious amount of time it will save you. Just think of all the time spent, every single week — consider the tracking, invoicing and handling and all of the related jobs that feature in a medical clinic’s organization. Sometimes it slows down the care of patients. Handing such responsibilities over to an experienced finance management service allows them to take care of all these concerns, not to mention several additional matters. For instance, data storage, collection and delivery services and copying. The provider’s duties may also go as far as setting up payment programs, or possibly handling compensation for workers. By choosing to hand off these requirements, you will allow your staff to focus on their key objective — taking care of clients in the most effective and efficient manner. All this could save you expense and take all that worry about those jobs off your mind. Medical professionals have better things to be concerned about and we should not require them to know about complex developments in billing industry regulations. Professional medical billing services will concentrate entirely on these specialist areas. They are the best people to consult with on concerns about any and all rules, technologies and procedures governing established medical financial matters. In addition to saving money, time and effort, it’ll reduce almost any risk of you confronting legal problems.
It is really essential to pay attention to detail when it comes to finance management work, and when you commission a professional company, you will benefit from peace of mind, knowing that measures are established to catch and resolve any unfortunate mistakes just as they occur. Commissioning dedicated businesses such as these is an intelligent financial investment for medical professionals such as doctors, dentists and GPs, and facilities like health centers and clinics. Although, just make sure you don’t make issues such as costing and size the main aspect of your choice — make sure you hire a business which can provide the best results for your billing requirements.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/physician-billing-companies-option-physician-practice/
It is really essential to pay attention to detail when it comes to finance management work, and when you commission a professional company, you will benefit from peace of mind, knowing that measures are established to catch and resolve any unfortunate mistakes just as they occur. Commissioning dedicated businesses such as these is an intelligent financial investment for medical professionals such as doctors, dentists and GPs, and facilities like health centers and clinics. Although, just make sure you don’t make issues such as costing and size the main aspect of your choice — make sure you hire a business which can provide the best results for your billing requirements.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/physician-billing-companies-option-physician-practice/
Monday, May 17, 2010
Study Shows E-Prescribing Significantly Reduces Prescription Errors
By Lebowitz & Mzhen
In a recent news that our Baltimore, Maryland Attorneys have been following, doctors are reportedly increasingly leaving behind paper when prescribing medications, and depending more and more on electronic prescriptions, or “e-prescriptions”—in an effort to avoid pharmacy misfills and medication errors, along with hard-to-read doctor handwriting, or even prescription fraud, as our attorneys reported on in our last blog.
E-prescribing immediately sends the prescriptions to the pharmacy in a digital format through a secured Internet network, from a handheld device or from their computers. The doctor simply selects the drug from a computerized list, with other symbols indicating the best drug option, different dosages, and either generic or name-brand medicine, instead of hand-writing the prescription, which can lead to medication error. Some e-prescribing programs give symbols in the form of colored or smiling faces, delineating between cheapest, preferred, or less desirable drug options.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of e-prescriptions almost tripled last year, from 68 million in the previous year, to 191 million in 2009. Surescripts, LLC, the company that handles the majority of the electronic communications in e-prescribing, reports that this represents 12% of the 1.63 billion original prescriptions, which excludes refills. The first three months of this year showed that one out of every five prescriptions is being filed electronically—a number that is rapidly growing, as nearly 25% of doctors based in offices already have the technology to e-prescribe.
In a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in February of this year, e-prescribing was found to reduce common hand-written prescriptions errors significantly, including pharmacy misfills containing the wrong dosage, or incorrect usage instructions that could lead to patient injury or even wrongful death.
The study, “Electronic Prescribing Improves Medication Safety In Community-Based Office Practices, showed that when practices started using e-prescribing for a year, they reduced their error rate from 42.5% to 6.6% on average. Medical practices with doctors who continued to hand write prescriptions on paper, rose from a 38% error rate to 39%.
E-prescribing can also contribute to prescription errors, for instance, if a doctor mistakenly presses the wrong key, or chooses the wrong form of the drug, like a pill form instead of liquid form for children. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices focuses on analyzing and reducing medication errors, and although they support electronic prescribing, they recommend that patients always ask for verbal clarification and guidance from their doctors, as well as printed out instructions before taking the medication, to avoid medication mistakes or personal injury.
At Lebowitz and Mzhen LLC, our attorneys strive to make sure that pharmacy misfill victims and their loved ones receive the personal injury compensation they deserve. Call us today at 1-800-654-1949.
More Doctors Are Prescribing Medicines Online, The Wall Street Journal, April 20, 1010
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/study-shows-eprescribing-significantly-reduces-prescription-errors/
In a recent news that our Baltimore, Maryland Attorneys have been following, doctors are reportedly increasingly leaving behind paper when prescribing medications, and depending more and more on electronic prescriptions, or “e-prescriptions”—in an effort to avoid pharmacy misfills and medication errors, along with hard-to-read doctor handwriting, or even prescription fraud, as our attorneys reported on in our last blog.
E-prescribing immediately sends the prescriptions to the pharmacy in a digital format through a secured Internet network, from a handheld device or from their computers. The doctor simply selects the drug from a computerized list, with other symbols indicating the best drug option, different dosages, and either generic or name-brand medicine, instead of hand-writing the prescription, which can lead to medication error. Some e-prescribing programs give symbols in the form of colored or smiling faces, delineating between cheapest, preferred, or less desirable drug options.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of e-prescriptions almost tripled last year, from 68 million in the previous year, to 191 million in 2009. Surescripts, LLC, the company that handles the majority of the electronic communications in e-prescribing, reports that this represents 12% of the 1.63 billion original prescriptions, which excludes refills. The first three months of this year showed that one out of every five prescriptions is being filed electronically—a number that is rapidly growing, as nearly 25% of doctors based in offices already have the technology to e-prescribe.
In a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in February of this year, e-prescribing was found to reduce common hand-written prescriptions errors significantly, including pharmacy misfills containing the wrong dosage, or incorrect usage instructions that could lead to patient injury or even wrongful death.
The study, “Electronic Prescribing Improves Medication Safety In Community-Based Office Practices, showed that when practices started using e-prescribing for a year, they reduced their error rate from 42.5% to 6.6% on average. Medical practices with doctors who continued to hand write prescriptions on paper, rose from a 38% error rate to 39%.
E-prescribing can also contribute to prescription errors, for instance, if a doctor mistakenly presses the wrong key, or chooses the wrong form of the drug, like a pill form instead of liquid form for children. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices focuses on analyzing and reducing medication errors, and although they support electronic prescribing, they recommend that patients always ask for verbal clarification and guidance from their doctors, as well as printed out instructions before taking the medication, to avoid medication mistakes or personal injury.
At Lebowitz and Mzhen LLC, our attorneys strive to make sure that pharmacy misfill victims and their loved ones receive the personal injury compensation they deserve. Call us today at 1-800-654-1949.
More Doctors Are Prescribing Medicines Online, The Wall Street Journal, April 20, 1010
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/study-shows-eprescribing-significantly-reduces-prescription-errors/
EMRs Top Priority For 58% Of Hospital CIOs
By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee
CIOs rank electronic medical records projects higher than IT managers and directors, who are focused on PC refreshes.
With $20 billion-plus worth of meaningful use bonuses from the government at stake for their organizations, E-medical records and electronic ordering systems are the top IT priorities for hospital CIOs over the next two years, according to a survey.
However, among hospital IT managers and directors, EMR projects ranked further down on the IT priority list, with only 25% naming those initiatives as “most important” for their organization over the next two years.
The survey of 178 respondents, including 36 CIOs and 142 IT directors and managers at hospitals with 200 or more beds, was commissioned by HP and conducted earlier this year by research firm NewGrowth Consulting.
The survey was designed to ask about hospital IT leaders’ IT priorities and plans, especially those initiatives involving PCs.
Among CIOs surveyed, 58% named EMR systems as their most important IT project over the next 24 months, while computerized physician order entry came in at a close second, named by 56%.
Respondents could choose more than one answer.
The CIO results are in synch with the biggest theme in healthcare IT today — the federal government’s push for hospitals and doctor practices to implement EMR, CPOE, and other e-health systems over the next several years.
Under the HITECH portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law in February 2009, the federal government plans to begin in 2011 rewarding healthcare providers with more than $20 billion over the next several years for their meaningful use of health IT systems such as EMR and CPOE.
Coming in third among top IT priorities of hospital CIOs was security initiatives, named by 47% of respondents, followed by database initiatives, with 42%. Other IT projects on the CIO priority list include bar-coded medication administration (36%); hospital expansion (33%); PC refresh (31%); and thin client/PC virtualization (31%).
However, further down the hospital IT leadership totem pole, IT management priorities — where PCs were involved — differed somewhat from those of CIOs.
Hospital IT managers and directors named PC refresh (51%); security initiatives (42%); and CPOE (37%) as their top IT projects for the next 24 months. That was followed by hospital expansion (34%); BCMA (33%); and database initiatives (30%).
Among hospital IT managers and directors surveyed, EMR ranked 7th, being named by 25% of the respondents. The survey also found that nearly two-thirds of hospital CIOs planned PC virtualization for some of their client hardware.
Also, nearly six in 10 hospital CIOs said their organizations did not have a telemedicine program, while 41% said their hospitals did have such initiatives underway. Most CIOs with telemedicine programs plan to expand those efforts in the next 24 months.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/emrs-top-priority-58-hospital-cios/
CIOs rank electronic medical records projects higher than IT managers and directors, who are focused on PC refreshes.
With $20 billion-plus worth of meaningful use bonuses from the government at stake for their organizations, E-medical records and electronic ordering systems are the top IT priorities for hospital CIOs over the next two years, according to a survey.
However, among hospital IT managers and directors, EMR projects ranked further down on the IT priority list, with only 25% naming those initiatives as “most important” for their organization over the next two years.
The survey of 178 respondents, including 36 CIOs and 142 IT directors and managers at hospitals with 200 or more beds, was commissioned by HP and conducted earlier this year by research firm NewGrowth Consulting.
The survey was designed to ask about hospital IT leaders’ IT priorities and plans, especially those initiatives involving PCs.
Among CIOs surveyed, 58% named EMR systems as their most important IT project over the next 24 months, while computerized physician order entry came in at a close second, named by 56%.
Respondents could choose more than one answer.
The CIO results are in synch with the biggest theme in healthcare IT today — the federal government’s push for hospitals and doctor practices to implement EMR, CPOE, and other e-health systems over the next several years.
Under the HITECH portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law in February 2009, the federal government plans to begin in 2011 rewarding healthcare providers with more than $20 billion over the next several years for their meaningful use of health IT systems such as EMR and CPOE.
Coming in third among top IT priorities of hospital CIOs was security initiatives, named by 47% of respondents, followed by database initiatives, with 42%. Other IT projects on the CIO priority list include bar-coded medication administration (36%); hospital expansion (33%); PC refresh (31%); and thin client/PC virtualization (31%).
However, further down the hospital IT leadership totem pole, IT management priorities — where PCs were involved — differed somewhat from those of CIOs.
Hospital IT managers and directors named PC refresh (51%); security initiatives (42%); and CPOE (37%) as their top IT projects for the next 24 months. That was followed by hospital expansion (34%); BCMA (33%); and database initiatives (30%).
Among hospital IT managers and directors surveyed, EMR ranked 7th, being named by 25% of the respondents. The survey also found that nearly two-thirds of hospital CIOs planned PC virtualization for some of their client hardware.
Also, nearly six in 10 hospital CIOs said their organizations did not have a telemedicine program, while 41% said their hospitals did have such initiatives underway. Most CIOs with telemedicine programs plan to expand those efforts in the next 24 months.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/emrs-top-priority-58-hospital-cios/
Thursday, May 13, 2010
CMS announces $9 million in funding for Medicaid IT
By Joseph Conn
The CMS has announced the awarding of a total of just over $9 million in matching funds to be used by four states to plan for their Medicaid programs to subsidize provider purchases and the use of electronic health-record systems under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus law.
The states and their grant amounts are: New Jersey, $4.93 million; Louisiana, $1.85 million; Maryland, $1.37 million; and Minnesota, $1.04 million.
Since November 2009, 39 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have shared nearly $67.6 million in planning grants, according to news release information on the CMS website.
The stimulus law provides a 90% federal match to cover the cost of state planning efforts for the Medicaid EHR subsidy programs. According to federal estimates, the government estimates it could spend as much as $27.3 billion on the EHR subsidies under Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs.
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/cms-announces-9-million-funding-medicaid/
The CMS has announced the awarding of a total of just over $9 million in matching funds to be used by four states to plan for their Medicaid programs to subsidize provider purchases and the use of electronic health-record systems under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus law.
The states and their grant amounts are: New Jersey, $4.93 million; Louisiana, $1.85 million; Maryland, $1.37 million; and Minnesota, $1.04 million.
Since November 2009, 39 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have shared nearly $67.6 million in planning grants, according to news release information on the CMS website.
The stimulus law provides a 90% federal match to cover the cost of state planning efforts for the Medicaid EHR subsidy programs. According to federal estimates, the government estimates it could spend as much as $27.3 billion on the EHR subsidies under Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs.
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/cms-announces-9-million-funding-medicaid/
Obama launches national campaign to sell health reform, health IT
By Chelsey Ledue
WASHINGTON – After signing the healthcare reform bill into law on March 23, President Barack Obama traveled to Iowa and Maine to promote his vision, which includes the role of healthcare IT in saving lives and cutting cost.
Obama visited Iowa City, Iowa on March 25 and Portland, Maine on April 1.
At the Maine rally, Obama said passage of the healthcare reform law is a reminder that the country has the power to shape its own destiny.
“It has reminded us that we, as a people, do not shrink from a challenge,” he said. “We overcome it.”
Obama has had a history of supporting healthcare IT advancement, which includes a call for every American to have an electronic health record by 2014. The president requested $110 million in his budget this year, to strengthen healthcare IT policy coordination and research activities.
Last year, the administration backed more than $20 billion over 10 years to advance healthcare IT adoption in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
At the president’s rally in Portland, Maine Gov. John Baldacci touted healthcare IT as the means for improving quality of care, noting that Maine has been an early leader in the adoption of medical technology.
Information technology “plays a huge role” in medical reform, Baldacci told Healthcare IT News. “A huge role. It’s going to be through medical information technology that you’re going to enhance the ability of the providers to give quality care but also do it in a way that will reduce costs. It’s a critical element that needs to be part of this.”
David Howes, a physician and CEO of Portland, Maine-based Martin’s Point Health Care, said the reform law is “an enormous step forward.”
“The bill builds support for primary care and EHRs,” Howes said. “It contains flexibility and support for new models of care and Medicare quality and effectiveness measures. It is an enormous step forward for the American people and businesses.”
“I think it’s an opportunity for the president to help market the good parts of the bill,” said Gordon H. Smith, executive vice president of the Maine Medical Association, prior to the president’s visit. “I think it’s a battle for the hearts and minds of the public.”
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/obama-launches-national-campaign-to-sell-health-reform-health-it/
WASHINGTON – After signing the healthcare reform bill into law on March 23, President Barack Obama traveled to Iowa and Maine to promote his vision, which includes the role of healthcare IT in saving lives and cutting cost.
Obama visited Iowa City, Iowa on March 25 and Portland, Maine on April 1.
At the Maine rally, Obama said passage of the healthcare reform law is a reminder that the country has the power to shape its own destiny.
“It has reminded us that we, as a people, do not shrink from a challenge,” he said. “We overcome it.”
Obama has had a history of supporting healthcare IT advancement, which includes a call for every American to have an electronic health record by 2014. The president requested $110 million in his budget this year, to strengthen healthcare IT policy coordination and research activities.
Last year, the administration backed more than $20 billion over 10 years to advance healthcare IT adoption in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
At the president’s rally in Portland, Maine Gov. John Baldacci touted healthcare IT as the means for improving quality of care, noting that Maine has been an early leader in the adoption of medical technology.
Information technology “plays a huge role” in medical reform, Baldacci told Healthcare IT News. “A huge role. It’s going to be through medical information technology that you’re going to enhance the ability of the providers to give quality care but also do it in a way that will reduce costs. It’s a critical element that needs to be part of this.”
David Howes, a physician and CEO of Portland, Maine-based Martin’s Point Health Care, said the reform law is “an enormous step forward.”
“The bill builds support for primary care and EHRs,” Howes said. “It contains flexibility and support for new models of care and Medicare quality and effectiveness measures. It is an enormous step forward for the American people and businesses.”
“I think it’s an opportunity for the president to help market the good parts of the bill,” said Gordon H. Smith, executive vice president of the Maine Medical Association, prior to the president’s visit. “I think it’s a battle for the hearts and minds of the public.”
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/obama-launches-national-campaign-to-sell-health-reform-health-it/
Monday, May 10, 2010
Covering Electronic Health Records
By Neil Versel
Electronic health records (EHRs) have been around in one form or another since the 1960s, but the notion of patient records being stored on computers is only beginning to seep into the public’s consciousness. While pretty much every other industry computerized years ago, the vast majority of Americans’ medical records remain on paper.
The goal of electronic health records (and health information technology in general) is to make health care safer and more efficient by providing health professionals and patients alike with information to inform decision-making, promote preventive care and reduce duplication.
It sounds simple enough, but health IT is a complex, frequently misunderstood topic. In this essay, I’ll provide some background on electronic health records and health information technology, a glossary of terms, and some story ideas, with the goal of helping you better cover this important health and business topic.
Ditching paper charts is not easy, nor is writing about the conversion. The central story is not the technology itself, but rather how health information technology will transform care. “It’s really a matter of change management rather than technology,” Dr. David Blumenthal, the Obama administration’s national coordinator for health IT, explained in November 2009.
Online health records for all – “in 10 years”
First, some background: in 2004, President George W. Bush called for “most Americans” to have electronic health records within 10 years and created the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology within the Department of Health and Human Services to help make it happen. One early project of the office was the attempted conversion of VistA, the EHR long in place at the Department of Veterans Affairs, for use in small medical practices. The EHR, which was difficult to install in most doctors’ offices, never made it past a beta version before federal officials dropped the project.
Health IT subsequently drifted in and out of the national spotlight over the next several years, but didn’t garner much coverage in the mainstream press unless there was a local angle, such as a hospital installing a system. As a longtime reporter on this beat, it has been a challenge to “sell” this story outside the trade press. But now that health information technology is a major story, with plenty of interesting national and local angles, I’ve noticed more reporters scrambling to grasp this difficult subject.
So what’s finally turning arcane health information technology into a mainstream news story? Two things: National health reform and the federal stimulus bill.
Health Reform: Can Better Health IT Lower Costs and Improve Care?
Now that health insurance reform legislation[NV1] has passed, I hope mainstream media will turn their attention to a major health information technology story: greater access to health care does not guarantee good care, so it won’t matter much whether government or private companies administer health plans for millions of new enrollees as long as fee-for-service remains the dominant payment model.
The perverse reality is that mistakes can be good for business. Medical errors and other complications lead to more hospitalizations and longer stays. Both the fear of being sued and the inability to access previous results cause doctors to order extra tests, without regard to medical prudence.
Health IT can help prevent errors by offering what’s known as clinical decision support — computerized alerts recommending best practices and warning against harmful actions, such as prescribing a medication to which a patient is allergic. EHRs, if properly connected to laboratory systems, make test results more readily available so there is less need to re-order procedures. A good EHR should keep a record of every instruction a doctor gives to a patient so there is no question what was or was not communicated, in case of a malpractice claim.
From the perspective of a health IT reporter, health reform started not with the bills President Obama signed in March 2010, but more than a year earlier with the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The 2009 legislation contains an estimated $25.8 billion for health IT, mostly in the form of incentives [NV2] for doctors and hospitals to adopt electronic health records. Those that have not ditched their paper charts by 2015 face lower Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
Insurers and employers that provide health benefits tend to reap the greatest financial rewards from EHRs, so there has been little incentive for the actual providers of health care – physicians and hospitals – to invest in technology. The stimulus is supposed to change the paradigm by rewarding providers that demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs beginning in October 2010 for hospitals and January 2011 for physician practices.
According to rules proposed at the end of 2009, EHRs should provide clinical decision support, doctors and nurses should enter orders electronically, patients should be able to get a copy of their medical records on demand and users should be able to share data between facilities and organizations. The requirements will get tougher in 2013 and again in 2015; providers eventually will have to prove that they follow nationally recognized standards of practice.
As electronic health records – and subsets of them like personal health records – become more of a hot topic for mainstream media, it’s important to learn the lingo and get your facts straight.
Know your acronyms: a cautionary tale
Here’s what can happen if you don’t: On Dec. 2, 2009, a website called eSecurity Planet published a story about a privacy watchdog organization publishing a pre-emptive strike against personal health records, a subset of EHRs that has virtually zero market traction to date.
The eSecurity Planet story confused consumer-oriented personal health records for “electronic medical records” and wrongly reported that the stimulus is paying for billions in “electronic personal health records (PHRs).” The stimulus is supporting EHRs, a much broader category. Additionally, the story, like far too many others I’ve read, referred to the much-hyped Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault platforms as market leaders. They are nothing more than early-stage products from big names in the consumer arena, not established health IT powerhouses.
Look past the hype, learn the terminology and talk to people on the front lines. Go to the chief information officer and nursing shift managers of a local hospital. Physicians in private practice should have plenty to say as well.
This subject is often tough to grasp, so don’t be afraid to ask seemingly simple questions. I’ve been covering health IT since 2001, and I still frequently need detailed explanations.
Story ideas for your community
As implementation of national health insurance reform begins and EHR money starts flowing from the stimulus bill, I hope you’ll consider these story ideas for your community.
1. Who owns your EHR[NV3] ? Should you be concerned about it being used as a source of information for pharmaceutical researchers or medical marketers?
2. What is your local hospital or large medical group doing to get stimulus money for EHR development? What differences might patients see as a result?
3. How will the physician office visit change as a result of computerization? Will patients be asked to complete medical history forms online rather than filling out the ubiquitous clipboard each time they go to the doctor? Will nurses and physician assistants be able to provide services once the exclusive domain of physicians because if they have access to more complete patient information?
4. How might patients get better preventive care if medical practices are able to generate, with the help of EHRs, automatic reminders for recommended screening based on age, gender and health risk factors?
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/covering-electronic-health-records/
Electronic health records (EHRs) have been around in one form or another since the 1960s, but the notion of patient records being stored on computers is only beginning to seep into the public’s consciousness. While pretty much every other industry computerized years ago, the vast majority of Americans’ medical records remain on paper.
The goal of electronic health records (and health information technology in general) is to make health care safer and more efficient by providing health professionals and patients alike with information to inform decision-making, promote preventive care and reduce duplication.
It sounds simple enough, but health IT is a complex, frequently misunderstood topic. In this essay, I’ll provide some background on electronic health records and health information technology, a glossary of terms, and some story ideas, with the goal of helping you better cover this important health and business topic.
Ditching paper charts is not easy, nor is writing about the conversion. The central story is not the technology itself, but rather how health information technology will transform care. “It’s really a matter of change management rather than technology,” Dr. David Blumenthal, the Obama administration’s national coordinator for health IT, explained in November 2009.
Online health records for all – “in 10 years”
First, some background: in 2004, President George W. Bush called for “most Americans” to have electronic health records within 10 years and created the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology within the Department of Health and Human Services to help make it happen. One early project of the office was the attempted conversion of VistA, the EHR long in place at the Department of Veterans Affairs, for use in small medical practices. The EHR, which was difficult to install in most doctors’ offices, never made it past a beta version before federal officials dropped the project.
Health IT subsequently drifted in and out of the national spotlight over the next several years, but didn’t garner much coverage in the mainstream press unless there was a local angle, such as a hospital installing a system. As a longtime reporter on this beat, it has been a challenge to “sell” this story outside the trade press. But now that health information technology is a major story, with plenty of interesting national and local angles, I’ve noticed more reporters scrambling to grasp this difficult subject.
So what’s finally turning arcane health information technology into a mainstream news story? Two things: National health reform and the federal stimulus bill.
Health Reform: Can Better Health IT Lower Costs and Improve Care?
Now that health insurance reform legislation[NV1] has passed, I hope mainstream media will turn their attention to a major health information technology story: greater access to health care does not guarantee good care, so it won’t matter much whether government or private companies administer health plans for millions of new enrollees as long as fee-for-service remains the dominant payment model.
The perverse reality is that mistakes can be good for business. Medical errors and other complications lead to more hospitalizations and longer stays. Both the fear of being sued and the inability to access previous results cause doctors to order extra tests, without regard to medical prudence.
Health IT can help prevent errors by offering what’s known as clinical decision support — computerized alerts recommending best practices and warning against harmful actions, such as prescribing a medication to which a patient is allergic. EHRs, if properly connected to laboratory systems, make test results more readily available so there is less need to re-order procedures. A good EHR should keep a record of every instruction a doctor gives to a patient so there is no question what was or was not communicated, in case of a malpractice claim.
From the perspective of a health IT reporter, health reform started not with the bills President Obama signed in March 2010, but more than a year earlier with the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The 2009 legislation contains an estimated $25.8 billion for health IT, mostly in the form of incentives [NV2] for doctors and hospitals to adopt electronic health records. Those that have not ditched their paper charts by 2015 face lower Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
Insurers and employers that provide health benefits tend to reap the greatest financial rewards from EHRs, so there has been little incentive for the actual providers of health care – physicians and hospitals – to invest in technology. The stimulus is supposed to change the paradigm by rewarding providers that demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs beginning in October 2010 for hospitals and January 2011 for physician practices.
According to rules proposed at the end of 2009, EHRs should provide clinical decision support, doctors and nurses should enter orders electronically, patients should be able to get a copy of their medical records on demand and users should be able to share data between facilities and organizations. The requirements will get tougher in 2013 and again in 2015; providers eventually will have to prove that they follow nationally recognized standards of practice.
As electronic health records – and subsets of them like personal health records – become more of a hot topic for mainstream media, it’s important to learn the lingo and get your facts straight.
Know your acronyms: a cautionary tale
Here’s what can happen if you don’t: On Dec. 2, 2009, a website called eSecurity Planet published a story about a privacy watchdog organization publishing a pre-emptive strike against personal health records, a subset of EHRs that has virtually zero market traction to date.
The eSecurity Planet story confused consumer-oriented personal health records for “electronic medical records” and wrongly reported that the stimulus is paying for billions in “electronic personal health records (PHRs).” The stimulus is supporting EHRs, a much broader category. Additionally, the story, like far too many others I’ve read, referred to the much-hyped Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault platforms as market leaders. They are nothing more than early-stage products from big names in the consumer arena, not established health IT powerhouses.
Look past the hype, learn the terminology and talk to people on the front lines. Go to the chief information officer and nursing shift managers of a local hospital. Physicians in private practice should have plenty to say as well.
This subject is often tough to grasp, so don’t be afraid to ask seemingly simple questions. I’ve been covering health IT since 2001, and I still frequently need detailed explanations.
Story ideas for your community
As implementation of national health insurance reform begins and EHR money starts flowing from the stimulus bill, I hope you’ll consider these story ideas for your community.
1. Who owns your EHR[NV3] ? Should you be concerned about it being used as a source of information for pharmaceutical researchers or medical marketers?
2. What is your local hospital or large medical group doing to get stimulus money for EHR development? What differences might patients see as a result?
3. How will the physician office visit change as a result of computerization? Will patients be asked to complete medical history forms online rather than filling out the ubiquitous clipboard each time they go to the doctor? Will nurses and physician assistants be able to provide services once the exclusive domain of physicians because if they have access to more complete patient information?
4. How might patients get better preventive care if medical practices are able to generate, with the help of EHRs, automatic reminders for recommended screening based on age, gender and health risk factors?
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/covering-electronic-health-records/
EMR Implementation in Small and Large Clinics
I always love to hear clinics talk about the challenges they face in implementing an EMR. For the most part, they are completely predictable. Especially when it comes to the small versus large clinic challenges.
For example, small clinics will complain that they don’t have the resources that large clinics have to implement an EMR. Large clinics will complain that they have too much bureaucracy, red tape and stakeholders that they have to get on board an EMR implementation. They wish they were like smaller clinics who could quickly make decisions and had a much more focused need.
Of course, the reality is that both of these point of views are accurate. It’s not news that small clinics can make decisions easier and that larger clinics have more resources at their disposal. Certainly a generalization, but the reason it’s a generalization is because it’s generally true.
Since both small clinics and large clinics both face major challenges of resources and red tape respectively, then how does any clinic get over them and implement an EMR? Let’s be honest, it’s really more a matter of the priority EMR is given than anything else. So far many doctors offices haven’t decided to make their EMR implementation a priority. Once a clinic makes EMR a priority, it’s really quite amazing to see what happens.
The good news is that for many clinics, the EMR stimulus money has changed this fact and bumped EMR adoption up on their priority list. Plus, in the 4+ years I’ve been writing about EMR software, EMR software has come a really long way. Sure, they still have a ways to go, but the EMR software of today is much improved and can provide some real value to a clinic if implemented correctly.
It’s time to address the excuses for why you can’t do an EMR and start focusing on the benefits you can receive from an EMR. Notice I didn’t say “ignore” or “hide” the excuses. We need to address the excuses people are giving and see what benefits you might be missing because you’re not using an EMR. I know very very few people who use an EMR and would ever want to go back to paper. There’s a reason for this.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/emr-implementation-small-large-clinics/
For example, small clinics will complain that they don’t have the resources that large clinics have to implement an EMR. Large clinics will complain that they have too much bureaucracy, red tape and stakeholders that they have to get on board an EMR implementation. They wish they were like smaller clinics who could quickly make decisions and had a much more focused need.
Of course, the reality is that both of these point of views are accurate. It’s not news that small clinics can make decisions easier and that larger clinics have more resources at their disposal. Certainly a generalization, but the reason it’s a generalization is because it’s generally true.
Since both small clinics and large clinics both face major challenges of resources and red tape respectively, then how does any clinic get over them and implement an EMR? Let’s be honest, it’s really more a matter of the priority EMR is given than anything else. So far many doctors offices haven’t decided to make their EMR implementation a priority. Once a clinic makes EMR a priority, it’s really quite amazing to see what happens.
The good news is that for many clinics, the EMR stimulus money has changed this fact and bumped EMR adoption up on their priority list. Plus, in the 4+ years I’ve been writing about EMR software, EMR software has come a really long way. Sure, they still have a ways to go, but the EMR software of today is much improved and can provide some real value to a clinic if implemented correctly.
It’s time to address the excuses for why you can’t do an EMR and start focusing on the benefits you can receive from an EMR. Notice I didn’t say “ignore” or “hide” the excuses. We need to address the excuses people are giving and see what benefits you might be missing because you’re not using an EMR. I know very very few people who use an EMR and would ever want to go back to paper. There’s a reason for this.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/emr-implementation-small-large-clinics/
Friday, May 7, 2010
E-prescribing growing, but most practices still don’t use it
By Pamela Lewis Dolan,
A new report finds a significant uptick in the number of physicians who prescribe electronically. But the e-prescribers still only account for about one in four physicians, or 26% of office-based doctors.
The numbers come from Surescripts, which operates the nation’s largest e-prescribing network. It released its annual e-prescribing progress report on March 2. The report found that although there was significant progress in adoption of electronic prescribing, there are still barriers to overcome.
The report found that the percentage of eligible prescriptions sent electronically increased from 6% to 18% from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009, as measured by tracking traffic through the Surescripts network. The 2009 total represented 190 million out of about 1.6 billion eligible prescriptions for an overall annual rate of 12%, according to the report, “Advancing Healthcare in America.”
“For e-prescription use to jump from 6% to 18% in one year indicates several things,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts, in a prepared statement. “First, that the federal government’s leadership and incentive structures are working. Second, that the benefits of e-prescribing — including increased safety, lower costs and increased efficiency — are widely understood. And last, that the nation’s experience with e-prescribing — in building the network and the ecosystem to support it — provides a definitive road map for how to drive adoption of a broader electronic health record for all Americans.”
The Surescripts report found that about 70% of physicians who do e-prescribe use an application on their EMRs. Company spokesman Rob Cronin said many EMRs might not have been certified in 2009 for e-prescribing under the rules that qualify physicians for incentives. Many of those systems are now becoming certified, and that accounted for a large chunk of the e-prescribing growth.
On the subject of electronic prescribing’s safety benefits, in February Weill Cornell Medical College in New York released the results of its study comparing the safety of e-prescribing with paper-based prescribing.
The authors found that nearly two of every five paper prescriptions contained an error. The authors reviewed 3,684 paper-based prescriptions at the start of the study, and 3,848 paper-based and electronic prescriptions written one year later. It found that after a year, the percentage of errors dropped from 43% to 7% for physicians and other prescribers using the electronic system.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services e-prescribing incentives, which started in January 2009, also were a motivator for adoption of electronic prescribing, according to Surescripts. And the incentives that will be made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to stimulate EMR growth are expected to motivate even more to adopt e-prescribing, experts said. E-prescribing is one criteria that must be met to qualify for EMR incentive money.
Also cited as drivers of e-prescribing adoption were numerous public and private efforts, including the American Medical Association’s June 2009 introduction of its Zero-In Rx e-prescribing learning center.
But some experts wonder if e-prescribing adoption rates would be higher if it weren’t for a Drug Enforcement Administration rule that requires all controlled substance prescriptions be written on paper.
David Hunt, MD, officer of provider adoption support for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, told a crowd of physicians and others gathered in March for the annual meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society that he himself doesn’t e-prescribe because of the DEA issue. Dr. Hunt, a surgeon, said a large percentage of his prescriptions are not eligible for electronic submission. Instead of running his practice with two workflows, to incorporate e-prescribing, he said he has stuck with his paper pad.
Other experts say physician resistance to e-prescribing is not as clear-cut.
In New Hampshire, for example, there was an aggressive campaign launched in 2007 aimed at getting 100% of physicians e-prescribing within one year. New Hampshire State Rep. Cindy Rosenwald, whose husband is a cardiologist, said that three years later, 50% of doctors in New Hampshire use some form of an EMR, but only 20% have e-prescribing capabilities.
“That’s going to be a huge challenge for us,” Rosenwald said at a public policy forum held during HIMSS, which met in early March in Atlanta.
Rosenwald said another contributing factor in New Hampshire could have been a state law that was passed, after the e-prescribing initiative was announced, giving patients the right to a paper prescription for the purpose of shopping around.
Other barriers mentioned by Surescripts in the report were the limited number of state Medicaid programs that can provide formulary and eligibility information to prescribers.
It also says prescriber and pharmacy directories need to be maintained actively to ensure that prescriptions that can be sent electronically are transmitted electronically as often as possible. Generally, a prescription that is sent electronically but comes to the pharmacy as a fax — because the pharmacy doesn’t have the technology to accept the transmission — is not considered e-prescribing.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
2007 2008 2009
Electronic prescriptions 29 million 68 million 190 million
New prescriptions 24 million 55 million 156 million
Renewal requests 5 million 13 million 35 million
Overall growth 131% 180%
Active e-prescribers 36,000 74,000 156,000
Connected pharmacies 41,000 46,000 53,000
Source by Surescripts
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/eprescribing-growing-practices/
A new report finds a significant uptick in the number of physicians who prescribe electronically. But the e-prescribers still only account for about one in four physicians, or 26% of office-based doctors.
The numbers come from Surescripts, which operates the nation’s largest e-prescribing network. It released its annual e-prescribing progress report on March 2. The report found that although there was significant progress in adoption of electronic prescribing, there are still barriers to overcome.
The report found that the percentage of eligible prescriptions sent electronically increased from 6% to 18% from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009, as measured by tracking traffic through the Surescripts network. The 2009 total represented 190 million out of about 1.6 billion eligible prescriptions for an overall annual rate of 12%, according to the report, “Advancing Healthcare in America.”
“For e-prescription use to jump from 6% to 18% in one year indicates several things,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts, in a prepared statement. “First, that the federal government’s leadership and incentive structures are working. Second, that the benefits of e-prescribing — including increased safety, lower costs and increased efficiency — are widely understood. And last, that the nation’s experience with e-prescribing — in building the network and the ecosystem to support it — provides a definitive road map for how to drive adoption of a broader electronic health record for all Americans.”
The Surescripts report found that about 70% of physicians who do e-prescribe use an application on their EMRs. Company spokesman Rob Cronin said many EMRs might not have been certified in 2009 for e-prescribing under the rules that qualify physicians for incentives. Many of those systems are now becoming certified, and that accounted for a large chunk of the e-prescribing growth.
On the subject of electronic prescribing’s safety benefits, in February Weill Cornell Medical College in New York released the results of its study comparing the safety of e-prescribing with paper-based prescribing.
The authors found that nearly two of every five paper prescriptions contained an error. The authors reviewed 3,684 paper-based prescriptions at the start of the study, and 3,848 paper-based and electronic prescriptions written one year later. It found that after a year, the percentage of errors dropped from 43% to 7% for physicians and other prescribers using the electronic system.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services e-prescribing incentives, which started in January 2009, also were a motivator for adoption of electronic prescribing, according to Surescripts. And the incentives that will be made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to stimulate EMR growth are expected to motivate even more to adopt e-prescribing, experts said. E-prescribing is one criteria that must be met to qualify for EMR incentive money.
Also cited as drivers of e-prescribing adoption were numerous public and private efforts, including the American Medical Association’s June 2009 introduction of its Zero-In Rx e-prescribing learning center.
But some experts wonder if e-prescribing adoption rates would be higher if it weren’t for a Drug Enforcement Administration rule that requires all controlled substance prescriptions be written on paper.
David Hunt, MD, officer of provider adoption support for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, told a crowd of physicians and others gathered in March for the annual meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society that he himself doesn’t e-prescribe because of the DEA issue. Dr. Hunt, a surgeon, said a large percentage of his prescriptions are not eligible for electronic submission. Instead of running his practice with two workflows, to incorporate e-prescribing, he said he has stuck with his paper pad.
Other experts say physician resistance to e-prescribing is not as clear-cut.
In New Hampshire, for example, there was an aggressive campaign launched in 2007 aimed at getting 100% of physicians e-prescribing within one year. New Hampshire State Rep. Cindy Rosenwald, whose husband is a cardiologist, said that three years later, 50% of doctors in New Hampshire use some form of an EMR, but only 20% have e-prescribing capabilities.
“That’s going to be a huge challenge for us,” Rosenwald said at a public policy forum held during HIMSS, which met in early March in Atlanta.
Rosenwald said another contributing factor in New Hampshire could have been a state law that was passed, after the e-prescribing initiative was announced, giving patients the right to a paper prescription for the purpose of shopping around.
Other barriers mentioned by Surescripts in the report were the limited number of state Medicaid programs that can provide formulary and eligibility information to prescribers.
It also says prescriber and pharmacy directories need to be maintained actively to ensure that prescriptions that can be sent electronically are transmitted electronically as often as possible. Generally, a prescription that is sent electronically but comes to the pharmacy as a fax — because the pharmacy doesn’t have the technology to accept the transmission — is not considered e-prescribing.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
2007 2008 2009
Electronic prescriptions 29 million 68 million 190 million
New prescriptions 24 million 55 million 156 million
Renewal requests 5 million 13 million 35 million
Overall growth 131% 180%
Active e-prescribers 36,000 74,000 156,000
Connected pharmacies 41,000 46,000 53,000
Source by Surescripts
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/eprescribing-growing-practices/
How To Evaluate Medical Billing Services
By, Chris Thorman
We recently penned a post, “Should You Outsource Your Medical Billing,” which compared outsourcing the revenue cycle management process to managing that function in-house with medical billing systems. Assuming you go for the former option – outsourcing – this post will help you make the right choice of medical billing service companies.
How can a provider tell the difference between a fly-by-night medical billing company and one to which they can hand overtheir patient’s medical information with confidence? If a physician knows what criteria by which to judge a medical billing service, they’ll be able to select a company that will significantly decrease their time spent on billing issues and increase their time spent on patient care.
To choose correctly, a provider will need to evaluate these five key criteria when choosing a medical billing company:
* Level of service;
* Industry experience;
* Use of technology;
* Pricing model; and,
* Capacity to take on new clients.
What Functions Will a Billing Service Perform?
Before getting into the selection details, let’s quickly review how a billing service fits into the medical billing process. A medical billing company will be able to take over most billing functions in a provider’s office.
To see a substantial benefit, a provider needs to select a medical billing service that performs at least these functions:
1. Claim generation and submission;
2. Carrier follow-up;
3. Payment posting and processing;
4. Patient invoicing and support; and,
5. Collection agency transfer services.
These functions are the “guts” of medical billing. Following up with insurance carriers and pursuing denied claims are two areas where medical billing services typically excel versus a provider’s in-house staff.
Other services that may be offered include credentialing, medical coding, transcription, insurance eligibility verification and appointment scheduling.
Naturally, as the number of services increases, fees will increase. A provider will want to strike the proper balance between cost and service by honestly evaluating their own capacity to perform these functions.
Criteria #1: Level of Service
In addition to the basics of medical billing mentioned above, there are more details a provider will want to be clear on before choosing a medical billing service. Here are some important functions that a provider and billing service should delineate before they enter into a partnership:
Function
Possible Issues
Pursuing denied claims Will the service pursue denied claims or will the provider have to? If they do pursue denied claims, a provider will want to know what procedures the company has in place to do so to ensure they aren’t being paid lip-service.
Billing follow up If a patient doesn’t pay their bill, who follows up? Many medical billing services will correspond with patients regarding billing issues, which for many providers is a necessary function to outsource.
Complying with regulations By handing over a patient’s medical information to a third-party, a provider becomes responsible for the third-party’s compliance with the Health Insurance Accountability and Portability Act (HIPAA). The billing service must protect patient privacy to the same degree that the provider does.
Reporting and analysis One of the other benefits of a medical billing service is that they’re going to have business insight that a provider doesn’t. Will the service provide feedback about how to improve the practice? Or just send a one-page financial statement each month?
It’s important that a provider and a billing service agree on the level of service before they get started. If the right level of service isn’t chosen, a provider won’t reap the full benefits of outsourcing their medical billing.
Criteria #2: Industry Experience
When a provider evaluates a medical billing service’s experience, they need to look beyond the number of years the company has been in business. Experience includes not only time but also familiarity with certain specialities. Billing certification plays a key role here as well.
Billing procedures will vary by medical speciality, so a provider will want to choose a billing service that is familiar with their specialty. Experience with billing to Medicare and Medicaid will be a huge plus, in any speciality.
Choosing a service with staff members that are certified by the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) is important as well. The AMBA offers a Medical Reimbursement Specialist certification designed to promote professional medical billing.
The certification implies that the recipient is knowledgeable in the areas of:
* ICD9, CPT4 and HCPCS Coding;
* Medical Terminology;
* Insurance claims and billing, appeals and denials, fraud and abuse;
* HIPAA and Office of Inspector General (OIG) Compliance;
* Information and web technology; and,
* Reimbursement.
Even with a certified staff, the proper procedures and technology will need to be employed to maximize benefits of the provider/billing service relationship.
Criteria #3: Use of Technology
Software for medical billing is allowing billing services to accomplish more with less. However, just because a company is using sophisticated billing software doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to do an efficient job. They need to have the proper procedures in place to take advantage of everything the billing company software offers.
Most importantly when it comes to technology, a provider will want to know about a company’s information sharing, data security, recovery procedures, data backup procedures.
Here are some potential technology issues in those realms that will need to be addressed:
* How will superbills and claims be shared?
* How does billing service fit with the provider’s electronic health record (EHR) strategy?
* Does the service have an integrated EHR?
* How does the service ensure data security?
* What are the disaster recovery procedures?
* Where and how is backup data stored?
* Will a provider need to install and maintain software or access the system online?
* Is the technology HIPAA compliant?
Choosing a medical billing service company that employs technology in a way that effortlessly bridges the gap between provider and biller can mean the difference between profit and loss. By choosing a medical billing service that integrates with a provider’s EHR (or provides their own EHR), that gap can be closed even more.
Criteria #4: Pricing Options
When dealing with practices whose revenue is in the millions of dollars, the cost savings between pricing models can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There are three pricing options offered by medical billing companies and we’ve broken them down in the table below:
Description
Pros
Cons
Percentage-based The service will charge a percentage of collections or they will charge a percentage of gross claims submitted or total collections. The success of the billing company is tied to the success of the practice. Small claims may not be pursued as aggressively due to lower payoff.
Fee-based With this model, the billing services charges a fixed dollar rate per claim submitted. This model is potentially more cost effective. Less incentive for the billing service to follow-up on denied claims.
Hybrid With this model, the billing service charges on a percentage basis for certain carriers or balances and charges a flat fee for others. This model is potentially more cost effective. Less incentive for the service to follow-up on certain claims.
Percentage-based models are most common on the market today. Fee-based models are the next most common option with the hybrid option appearing with less frequency. Many billing companies offer two or three of these options.
Criteria #5: Capacity to Take on New Clients
Finally, a provider will want to get into the nitty gritty of a medical billing company’s performance to evaluate whether the company has the capacity to take them on as a client. Remember, much of the payoff in hiring a billing service comes from the pursuit of denied claims and fee collection. A billing service that doesn’t have the capacity to effectively follow up with outstanding bills will provide minimal benefit.
Determining capacity involves collecting a number of metrics about the company’s performance, including:
* Years in the business;
* Number of employees and reporting structure;
* Number of clients by specialty;
* Gross number of billings; and,
* Number of claims processed annually.
Knowing this information will help a provider determine the level of service a billing company will be able to provide to their practice. Getting even more detailed, a provider will also want to delve into a number of “quality” metrics about billing companies. These include:
* Average number of days in A/R by specialty;
* Coding, submission and follow-up delay metrics;
* By what percentage they’ve been able to increase revenues for existing clients; and,
* By what percentage they’ve been able to reduce payment delays.
How a medical billing service performs on each of these metrics will significantly affect a provider’s bottom line.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/evaluate-medical-billing-services/
We recently penned a post, “Should You Outsource Your Medical Billing,” which compared outsourcing the revenue cycle management process to managing that function in-house with medical billing systems. Assuming you go for the former option – outsourcing – this post will help you make the right choice of medical billing service companies.
How can a provider tell the difference between a fly-by-night medical billing company and one to which they can hand overtheir patient’s medical information with confidence? If a physician knows what criteria by which to judge a medical billing service, they’ll be able to select a company that will significantly decrease their time spent on billing issues and increase their time spent on patient care.
To choose correctly, a provider will need to evaluate these five key criteria when choosing a medical billing company:
* Level of service;
* Industry experience;
* Use of technology;
* Pricing model; and,
* Capacity to take on new clients.
What Functions Will a Billing Service Perform?
Before getting into the selection details, let’s quickly review how a billing service fits into the medical billing process. A medical billing company will be able to take over most billing functions in a provider’s office.
To see a substantial benefit, a provider needs to select a medical billing service that performs at least these functions:
1. Claim generation and submission;
2. Carrier follow-up;
3. Payment posting and processing;
4. Patient invoicing and support; and,
5. Collection agency transfer services.
These functions are the “guts” of medical billing. Following up with insurance carriers and pursuing denied claims are two areas where medical billing services typically excel versus a provider’s in-house staff.
Other services that may be offered include credentialing, medical coding, transcription, insurance eligibility verification and appointment scheduling.
Naturally, as the number of services increases, fees will increase. A provider will want to strike the proper balance between cost and service by honestly evaluating their own capacity to perform these functions.
Criteria #1: Level of Service
In addition to the basics of medical billing mentioned above, there are more details a provider will want to be clear on before choosing a medical billing service. Here are some important functions that a provider and billing service should delineate before they enter into a partnership:
Function
Possible Issues
Pursuing denied claims Will the service pursue denied claims or will the provider have to? If they do pursue denied claims, a provider will want to know what procedures the company has in place to do so to ensure they aren’t being paid lip-service.
Billing follow up If a patient doesn’t pay their bill, who follows up? Many medical billing services will correspond with patients regarding billing issues, which for many providers is a necessary function to outsource.
Complying with regulations By handing over a patient’s medical information to a third-party, a provider becomes responsible for the third-party’s compliance with the Health Insurance Accountability and Portability Act (HIPAA). The billing service must protect patient privacy to the same degree that the provider does.
Reporting and analysis One of the other benefits of a medical billing service is that they’re going to have business insight that a provider doesn’t. Will the service provide feedback about how to improve the practice? Or just send a one-page financial statement each month?
It’s important that a provider and a billing service agree on the level of service before they get started. If the right level of service isn’t chosen, a provider won’t reap the full benefits of outsourcing their medical billing.
Criteria #2: Industry Experience
When a provider evaluates a medical billing service’s experience, they need to look beyond the number of years the company has been in business. Experience includes not only time but also familiarity with certain specialities. Billing certification plays a key role here as well.
Billing procedures will vary by medical speciality, so a provider will want to choose a billing service that is familiar with their specialty. Experience with billing to Medicare and Medicaid will be a huge plus, in any speciality.
Choosing a service with staff members that are certified by the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) is important as well. The AMBA offers a Medical Reimbursement Specialist certification designed to promote professional medical billing.
The certification implies that the recipient is knowledgeable in the areas of:
* ICD9, CPT4 and HCPCS Coding;
* Medical Terminology;
* Insurance claims and billing, appeals and denials, fraud and abuse;
* HIPAA and Office of Inspector General (OIG) Compliance;
* Information and web technology; and,
* Reimbursement.
Even with a certified staff, the proper procedures and technology will need to be employed to maximize benefits of the provider/billing service relationship.
Criteria #3: Use of Technology
Software for medical billing is allowing billing services to accomplish more with less. However, just because a company is using sophisticated billing software doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to do an efficient job. They need to have the proper procedures in place to take advantage of everything the billing company software offers.
Most importantly when it comes to technology, a provider will want to know about a company’s information sharing, data security, recovery procedures, data backup procedures.
Here are some potential technology issues in those realms that will need to be addressed:
* How will superbills and claims be shared?
* How does billing service fit with the provider’s electronic health record (EHR) strategy?
* Does the service have an integrated EHR?
* How does the service ensure data security?
* What are the disaster recovery procedures?
* Where and how is backup data stored?
* Will a provider need to install and maintain software or access the system online?
* Is the technology HIPAA compliant?
Choosing a medical billing service company that employs technology in a way that effortlessly bridges the gap between provider and biller can mean the difference between profit and loss. By choosing a medical billing service that integrates with a provider’s EHR (or provides their own EHR), that gap can be closed even more.
Criteria #4: Pricing Options
When dealing with practices whose revenue is in the millions of dollars, the cost savings between pricing models can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There are three pricing options offered by medical billing companies and we’ve broken them down in the table below:
Description
Pros
Cons
Percentage-based The service will charge a percentage of collections or they will charge a percentage of gross claims submitted or total collections. The success of the billing company is tied to the success of the practice. Small claims may not be pursued as aggressively due to lower payoff.
Fee-based With this model, the billing services charges a fixed dollar rate per claim submitted. This model is potentially more cost effective. Less incentive for the billing service to follow-up on denied claims.
Hybrid With this model, the billing service charges on a percentage basis for certain carriers or balances and charges a flat fee for others. This model is potentially more cost effective. Less incentive for the service to follow-up on certain claims.
Percentage-based models are most common on the market today. Fee-based models are the next most common option with the hybrid option appearing with less frequency. Many billing companies offer two or three of these options.
Criteria #5: Capacity to Take on New Clients
Finally, a provider will want to get into the nitty gritty of a medical billing company’s performance to evaluate whether the company has the capacity to take them on as a client. Remember, much of the payoff in hiring a billing service comes from the pursuit of denied claims and fee collection. A billing service that doesn’t have the capacity to effectively follow up with outstanding bills will provide minimal benefit.
Determining capacity involves collecting a number of metrics about the company’s performance, including:
* Years in the business;
* Number of employees and reporting structure;
* Number of clients by specialty;
* Gross number of billings; and,
* Number of claims processed annually.
Knowing this information will help a provider determine the level of service a billing company will be able to provide to their practice. Getting even more detailed, a provider will also want to delve into a number of “quality” metrics about billing companies. These include:
* Average number of days in A/R by specialty;
* Coding, submission and follow-up delay metrics;
* By what percentage they’ve been able to increase revenues for existing clients; and,
* By what percentage they’ve been able to reduce payment delays.
How a medical billing service performs on each of these metrics will significantly affect a provider’s bottom line.
Above article publish on http://www.mymedicalbillingoutsourcing.com/evaluate-medical-billing-services/
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Speakers at Boston Conference Highlight Health IT Opportunities
On Thursday, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal discussed national progress on health IT adoption during a speech at a conference hosted by the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium, Computerworld reports.
Blumenthal highlighted the grants his office is distributing for health IT education and training at regional extension centers. He said federal investment in health IT training could help create between 45,000 and 50,000 jobs over the next five years.
Blumenthal also discussed how federal officials plan to investigate safety issues associated with electronic health records. He said the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will prioritize patient safety goals as it works to promote EHR adoption nationwide.
According to Blumenthal, over the next year ONC will focus on:
* Finalizing “meaningful use” regulations for EHRs;
* Helping hospitals and health care providers adopt standards that align with the National Health Information Network; and
* Implementing the “beacon community” grant program to support regional health IT infrastructure and data exchanges (Mearian, Computerworld, 4/30).
Blumenthal said ONC will announce the awards for the beacon community program “very, very soon” (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 4/30).
Governor Discusses Massachusetts’ Experience
Also during the conference, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) discussed how health IT initiatives have played out in his state, which requires most residents to obtain a minimum level of health coverage (Computerworld, 4/30).
Patrick said that:
* 45% of Massachusetts physicians have adopted EHRs;
* 50% of state physicians use computerized physician order entry systems; and
* Massachusetts leads the country in electronic prescribing (Healthcare IT News, 4/30).
The governor also said that his state could face challenges in connecting health care providers through health information exchange networks (Computerworld, 4/30).
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/speakers-at-boston-conference-highlight-health-it-opportunities/
Blumenthal highlighted the grants his office is distributing for health IT education and training at regional extension centers. He said federal investment in health IT training could help create between 45,000 and 50,000 jobs over the next five years.
Blumenthal also discussed how federal officials plan to investigate safety issues associated with electronic health records. He said the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will prioritize patient safety goals as it works to promote EHR adoption nationwide.
According to Blumenthal, over the next year ONC will focus on:
* Finalizing “meaningful use” regulations for EHRs;
* Helping hospitals and health care providers adopt standards that align with the National Health Information Network; and
* Implementing the “beacon community” grant program to support regional health IT infrastructure and data exchanges (Mearian, Computerworld, 4/30).
Blumenthal said ONC will announce the awards for the beacon community program “very, very soon” (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 4/30).
Governor Discusses Massachusetts’ Experience
Also during the conference, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) discussed how health IT initiatives have played out in his state, which requires most residents to obtain a minimum level of health coverage (Computerworld, 4/30).
Patrick said that:
* 45% of Massachusetts physicians have adopted EHRs;
* 50% of state physicians use computerized physician order entry systems; and
* Massachusetts leads the country in electronic prescribing (Healthcare IT News, 4/30).
The governor also said that his state could face challenges in connecting health care providers through health information exchange networks (Computerworld, 4/30).
Above article publish on http://www.ehrexperts.us/speakers-at-boston-conference-highlight-health-it-opportunities/
Online Patient Portal – Another Innovation of Medical Technology
By Jonathan G Ponting
Latest technology has simplified our lives to a great extent. Internet is helping to simplify many complicated procedures and few examples of the same are exchanging messages, contacting people in distant places using chat and emails, online shopping, reading information of latest events and happenings across the world and collecting information required related to any topic.
One of the most benefited industries from internet is the field of medicine. The latest innovation of medical technology is online patient portals. It is designed to increase communication and relation between patient and health care providers.
Online patient portal helps in efficiently managing the available resources with the local physician or provider to reduce the cost of treatment for both patient and the provider that uses advanced technology. It also enables doctors and providers in transmission of everything that is related to treatment of the patients like medical images for diagnosis, reports, medical date related to patient etc. It is also helpful in educating local physicians online on preventing development of chronic diseases via video conferences.
Online portals are also helping physicians to easily schedule appointment with patients as there is increase in demand for health care services which helps patients in avoiding to stand in lengthy lines. Patient portal helps patients to have better understanding of the disease they are suffering from, with the help of information provided and can also request for renewal of prescriptions at these portals. Patients are also offered to join various groups where other members also suffer from similar chronic diseases which help in lifting of spirits.
Patient portals not only help patients to directly contact with physicians but also to have remote access to mobile tools. Online patient portals are helping to improve quality of health care in remote and rural areas.
Patient portals are best and easy way of contacting doctors for various ailments and getting them treated without waiting for long time. They are best sources of getting advanced treatment for patients’ condition at affordable prices. They are highly beneficial for both patient and the health care provider in offering and availing best of treatments irrespective of geographic location.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/online-patient-portal-innovation-medical-technology/
Latest technology has simplified our lives to a great extent. Internet is helping to simplify many complicated procedures and few examples of the same are exchanging messages, contacting people in distant places using chat and emails, online shopping, reading information of latest events and happenings across the world and collecting information required related to any topic.
One of the most benefited industries from internet is the field of medicine. The latest innovation of medical technology is online patient portals. It is designed to increase communication and relation between patient and health care providers.
Online patient portal helps in efficiently managing the available resources with the local physician or provider to reduce the cost of treatment for both patient and the provider that uses advanced technology. It also enables doctors and providers in transmission of everything that is related to treatment of the patients like medical images for diagnosis, reports, medical date related to patient etc. It is also helpful in educating local physicians online on preventing development of chronic diseases via video conferences.
Online portals are also helping physicians to easily schedule appointment with patients as there is increase in demand for health care services which helps patients in avoiding to stand in lengthy lines. Patient portal helps patients to have better understanding of the disease they are suffering from, with the help of information provided and can also request for renewal of prescriptions at these portals. Patients are also offered to join various groups where other members also suffer from similar chronic diseases which help in lifting of spirits.
Patient portals not only help patients to directly contact with physicians but also to have remote access to mobile tools. Online patient portals are helping to improve quality of health care in remote and rural areas.
Patient portals are best and easy way of contacting doctors for various ailments and getting them treated without waiting for long time. They are best sources of getting advanced treatment for patients’ condition at affordable prices. They are highly beneficial for both patient and the health care provider in offering and availing best of treatments irrespective of geographic location.
Above article publish on http://www.emrspecialists.com/2010/05/online-patient-portal-innovation-medical-technology/
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Transcription trade groups offer ethics guide
By Joseph Conn
The medical transcription industry, represented by its two trade groups, is preparing for what it sees as the possibility of heightened privacy, security and fraud enforcement by coming up with its own guidebook of ethics and best practices.
The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, an association of medical transcription practitioners, formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription, and the Medical Transcription Industry Association, the trade group for transcription service providers, have released their “Manual of Ethical Best Practices for the Healthcare Documentation Sector.”
The release of the full guideline is timed to coincide with the MTIA’s annual conference April 28th-May 1st in Daytona Beach, Fla., according to Peter Preziosi, CEO of the two organizations, which formed what they describe as “a strategic legal partnership” in 2007.
Scott Edelstein, a Washington, D.C., lawyer in the healthcare law practice at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, was the lead author of the manual for the MTIA and AHDI. Edelstein said that more stringent privacy and security protections in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—which include new breach notification provisions and empower state attorneys general to enforce HIPAA privacy laws—as well as the increased fraud-fighting sections of the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will likely yield more government enforcement activities going forward, Edelstein said.
And that prompted the two trade groups to take a pro-active approach in producing the manual. “I think just generally, the tone for this administration is going to be increased in enforcement, because there is increased sensitivity for privacy of information,” Edelstein said.
“Most of the companies in the medical transcription industry tend to be small mom-and-pop operations, but they’re handling such sensitive information,” he said. “The concern is that some of these companies may not have taken all the measures needed under HIPAA and fraud and compliance laws, and this manual was to provide guidance for them.”
Data on the medical transcription industry is somewhat sketchy. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics places the number of medical transcriptionists in the U.S. workforce at around 100,000, but the BLS figures don’t capture independent contractors, according to Preziosi, “and I’d say a good 50% are independent contractors.”
Add in small physician offices where the office manager might double for an MT and, all told, there may be as many as 250,000 to 300,000 medical transcriptions working full or part-time for 1,500 to 1,700 companies, mostly sole proprietorships, though there also are a handful of “giants,” he said.
The manual offers a best practices check list, copies of the codes of ethics of both organizations, guides on billing practices and the rules on hiring employees vs. independent contractors, roughly 170 pages devoted to compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy and security rules, a how-to section on establishing a HIPAA-compliant home-based office, and a “50-state data privacy survey,” according to a listing of the manual’s contents on the AHDI website.
Such guidance doesn’t come cheap. Copies of the manual cost $4,000 for non members of the two associations, with prices ranging between free to $750 for MTIA members and $750 or $950 for AHDI members.
Above article publish on http://www.medicaltranscriptionoutsource.com/transcription-trade-groups-offer-ethics-guide/
The medical transcription industry, represented by its two trade groups, is preparing for what it sees as the possibility of heightened privacy, security and fraud enforcement by coming up with its own guidebook of ethics and best practices.
The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, an association of medical transcription practitioners, formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription, and the Medical Transcription Industry Association, the trade group for transcription service providers, have released their “Manual of Ethical Best Practices for the Healthcare Documentation Sector.”
The release of the full guideline is timed to coincide with the MTIA’s annual conference April 28th-May 1st in Daytona Beach, Fla., according to Peter Preziosi, CEO of the two organizations, which formed what they describe as “a strategic legal partnership” in 2007.
Scott Edelstein, a Washington, D.C., lawyer in the healthcare law practice at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, was the lead author of the manual for the MTIA and AHDI. Edelstein said that more stringent privacy and security protections in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—which include new breach notification provisions and empower state attorneys general to enforce HIPAA privacy laws—as well as the increased fraud-fighting sections of the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will likely yield more government enforcement activities going forward, Edelstein said.
And that prompted the two trade groups to take a pro-active approach in producing the manual. “I think just generally, the tone for this administration is going to be increased in enforcement, because there is increased sensitivity for privacy of information,” Edelstein said.
“Most of the companies in the medical transcription industry tend to be small mom-and-pop operations, but they’re handling such sensitive information,” he said. “The concern is that some of these companies may not have taken all the measures needed under HIPAA and fraud and compliance laws, and this manual was to provide guidance for them.”
Data on the medical transcription industry is somewhat sketchy. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics places the number of medical transcriptionists in the U.S. workforce at around 100,000, but the BLS figures don’t capture independent contractors, according to Preziosi, “and I’d say a good 50% are independent contractors.”
Add in small physician offices where the office manager might double for an MT and, all told, there may be as many as 250,000 to 300,000 medical transcriptions working full or part-time for 1,500 to 1,700 companies, mostly sole proprietorships, though there also are a handful of “giants,” he said.
The manual offers a best practices check list, copies of the codes of ethics of both organizations, guides on billing practices and the rules on hiring employees vs. independent contractors, roughly 170 pages devoted to compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy and security rules, a how-to section on establishing a HIPAA-compliant home-based office, and a “50-state data privacy survey,” according to a listing of the manual’s contents on the AHDI website.
Such guidance doesn’t come cheap. Copies of the manual cost $4,000 for non members of the two associations, with prices ranging between free to $750 for MTIA members and $750 or $950 for AHDI members.
Above article publish on http://www.medicaltranscriptionoutsource.com/transcription-trade-groups-offer-ethics-guide/
CHIME Offers Input on Electronic Health Record Certification Plans
In a comment letter sent Friday, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives stressed the importance of ensuring that the electronic health record certification process can adequately handle the demand to certify EHR systems, Healthcare IT News reports (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 4/30).
CHIME also said EHR systems that receive certification under the temporary certification program being established this year should be able to have that certification carry over to the permanent program that will be established in 2012 (Goedert, Health Data Management, 4/30).
The comments are in response to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on EHR certification.
CHIME also recommended that ONC:
* Ensure that the certification program has the capacity to handle demand;
* Focus on EHR certification before expanding to other technologies (Healthcare IT News, 4/30);
* Provide details on how it will coordinate the EHR testing and certification process with the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
* Explain what constitutes a self-developed EHR;
* Require vendors to disclose what functions their products are certified to perform and any known compatibility issues; and
* Give vendors adequate time to recertify their products if a certifying body loses its authority to certify products (Health Data Management, 4/30).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/chime-offers-input-electronic-health-record-certification-plans/
CHIME also said EHR systems that receive certification under the temporary certification program being established this year should be able to have that certification carry over to the permanent program that will be established in 2012 (Goedert, Health Data Management, 4/30).
The comments are in response to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on EHR certification.
CHIME also recommended that ONC:
* Ensure that the certification program has the capacity to handle demand;
* Focus on EHR certification before expanding to other technologies (Healthcare IT News, 4/30);
* Provide details on how it will coordinate the EHR testing and certification process with the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
* Explain what constitutes a self-developed EHR;
* Require vendors to disclose what functions their products are certified to perform and any known compatibility issues; and
* Give vendors adequate time to recertify their products if a certifying body loses its authority to certify products (Health Data Management, 4/30).
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/chime-offers-input-electronic-health-record-certification-plans/
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Webinar: Leadership is crucial in e-prescribing initiatives
Leadership and vision are crucial for an e-prescribing initiative because effective leadership is necessary to build commitment across a team, according to Diane R. Jones, JD, vice president of policy and programs at e-Health Initiative during an informational webinar on the current and future states of e-prescribing.
“The staff needs to be open to change and appreciate the benefits of [e-prescribing], but the leadership is going to be crucial [as well as] what the team hopes to accomplish through e-prescribing and that vision should encompass an understanding of the functionality and the benefits offered by e-prescribing,” stated Jones.
The webinar, sponsored by health organization Open Health IT Exchange, sought to teach attendees about the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the HITECH Act and related facts surrounding incentives, penalties, timelines and qualified system definitions.
Jones, quoting a 2009 report from e-prescribing company Surescripts, stated that approximately 85 percent of community pharmacies in the U.S. are connected for prescription routing and the number of prescribers routing prescriptions electronically has grown from 74,000 to 156,000.
To give context and clarity, Jones defined e-prescribing as the transmission of electronic media of prescription or prescription related information between a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy benefit manager or health plan, either directly or through an intermediary including an e-prescribing network.
One challenge of deploying e-prescribing for Sidney Clinic in Sidney, Mont., is that the facilitiy’s e-prescribing application currently doesn’t have “cancelation” or “change in medication directions” options, said Pam McGlothilin, clinical information systems coordinator at Sidney Clinic. To provide a peer prespective, McGlothilin noted that their faciltiy, which serves a region of 5,000 people, currently has five providers using e-prescribing to order 50-75 prescriptions a day.
McGlothilin noted that most pharmacies in her region support e-prescribing and that within a 50 mile radius, 15 pharmacies will accept e-prescriptions. Anecdotally, McGlothilin said that e-prescribing has been helpful in that it is faster than faxing orders so providers are more prone to use the system, especially with electronic refill requests.
“Our practice has benefited by doing this earilier; once meaningful use comes out…we’ll be ahead of the curve,” said McGlothilin, who added that within the coming weeks, a cancelation button option will be added to the e-prescribing system.
In addition to assessing organizational readiness and defining practice needs, Jones stated that when following through with an e-prescribing initiative, the provider should also evaluate the costs and financing of a system and undergo a peer review or test a system before deploying it.
E-prescribing will be a key component of meaningful use requirements, according Michelle Allender-Smith, RN, nurse consultant/government task lead for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Any medical professional defined as “eligible” by CMS may participate to receive MIPPA incentives, Allender-Smith noted.
In July of 2008, Congress passed MIPPA in an effort to prevent mandated cuts in Medicare payment to physicians for approved services, stated Allender-Smith. In October of 2008, the five-year e-prescribing incentive program was implemented to provide eligible professionals with incentive payments each year, if they meet requirements for being a successful e-prescriber.
Allender-Smith stated that a qualified system should be able to:
* Generate a complete active medication list (with information from pharmacy benefit management organizations or pharmacies if available);
* Select medications, print prescriptions, transmit prescriptions electronically using the applicable standards, and warn the prescriber of possible undesirable or unsafe situations;
* Provide information on lower-cost, therapeutically-appropriate alternatives; and
* Provide information on formulary or tiered formulary medications, patient eligibility and authorization requirements received electronically from the patient’s drug plan.
Each incentive payment is based on the covered professional services furnished by an eligible professional during the reporting period (one year) which began in January 2009. The last reporting period will be in 2013, added Allender-Smith.
However, because eligible professionals cannot both receive Medicare and Medicaid HITECH Act incentive payments, beginning in 2011 providers must decide between MIPAA and HITECH Act incentives, according to Allender-Smith.
Those that choose not to adopt an e-prescribing system by the year 2012 will be subject to a payment differential, in which their fee schedule payments will be reduced for each year after, stated Allender-Smith.
Allender-Smith also noted that there is a current Interim Final Rule (IFR) published in the March 31 Federal Registar on providing a mechanism that supports e-prescribing on controlled substances. The IFR is currently in a 60-day public comment period but because it is a “major rule,” Allender-Smith it is subject to congressional review. Therefore, its effective date could be delayed.
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/webinar-leadership-crucial-eprescribing-initiatives/
“The staff needs to be open to change and appreciate the benefits of [e-prescribing], but the leadership is going to be crucial [as well as] what the team hopes to accomplish through e-prescribing and that vision should encompass an understanding of the functionality and the benefits offered by e-prescribing,” stated Jones.
The webinar, sponsored by health organization Open Health IT Exchange, sought to teach attendees about the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the HITECH Act and related facts surrounding incentives, penalties, timelines and qualified system definitions.
Jones, quoting a 2009 report from e-prescribing company Surescripts, stated that approximately 85 percent of community pharmacies in the U.S. are connected for prescription routing and the number of prescribers routing prescriptions electronically has grown from 74,000 to 156,000.
To give context and clarity, Jones defined e-prescribing as the transmission of electronic media of prescription or prescription related information between a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy benefit manager or health plan, either directly or through an intermediary including an e-prescribing network.
One challenge of deploying e-prescribing for Sidney Clinic in Sidney, Mont., is that the facilitiy’s e-prescribing application currently doesn’t have “cancelation” or “change in medication directions” options, said Pam McGlothilin, clinical information systems coordinator at Sidney Clinic. To provide a peer prespective, McGlothilin noted that their faciltiy, which serves a region of 5,000 people, currently has five providers using e-prescribing to order 50-75 prescriptions a day.
McGlothilin noted that most pharmacies in her region support e-prescribing and that within a 50 mile radius, 15 pharmacies will accept e-prescriptions. Anecdotally, McGlothilin said that e-prescribing has been helpful in that it is faster than faxing orders so providers are more prone to use the system, especially with electronic refill requests.
“Our practice has benefited by doing this earilier; once meaningful use comes out…we’ll be ahead of the curve,” said McGlothilin, who added that within the coming weeks, a cancelation button option will be added to the e-prescribing system.
In addition to assessing organizational readiness and defining practice needs, Jones stated that when following through with an e-prescribing initiative, the provider should also evaluate the costs and financing of a system and undergo a peer review or test a system before deploying it.
E-prescribing will be a key component of meaningful use requirements, according Michelle Allender-Smith, RN, nurse consultant/government task lead for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Any medical professional defined as “eligible” by CMS may participate to receive MIPPA incentives, Allender-Smith noted.
In July of 2008, Congress passed MIPPA in an effort to prevent mandated cuts in Medicare payment to physicians for approved services, stated Allender-Smith. In October of 2008, the five-year e-prescribing incentive program was implemented to provide eligible professionals with incentive payments each year, if they meet requirements for being a successful e-prescriber.
Allender-Smith stated that a qualified system should be able to:
* Generate a complete active medication list (with information from pharmacy benefit management organizations or pharmacies if available);
* Select medications, print prescriptions, transmit prescriptions electronically using the applicable standards, and warn the prescriber of possible undesirable or unsafe situations;
* Provide information on lower-cost, therapeutically-appropriate alternatives; and
* Provide information on formulary or tiered formulary medications, patient eligibility and authorization requirements received electronically from the patient’s drug plan.
Each incentive payment is based on the covered professional services furnished by an eligible professional during the reporting period (one year) which began in January 2009. The last reporting period will be in 2013, added Allender-Smith.
However, because eligible professionals cannot both receive Medicare and Medicaid HITECH Act incentive payments, beginning in 2011 providers must decide between MIPAA and HITECH Act incentives, according to Allender-Smith.
Those that choose not to adopt an e-prescribing system by the year 2012 will be subject to a payment differential, in which their fee schedule payments will be reduced for each year after, stated Allender-Smith.
Allender-Smith also noted that there is a current Interim Final Rule (IFR) published in the March 31 Federal Registar on providing a mechanism that supports e-prescribing on controlled substances. The IFR is currently in a 60-day public comment period but because it is a “major rule,” Allender-Smith it is subject to congressional review. Therefore, its effective date could be delayed.
Above article publish on http://www.eprescriptionservices.com/webinar-leadership-crucial-eprescribing-initiatives/
Monday, May 3, 2010
Medical records system benefits from stimulus funds
By Liv Osby
Stimulus money to the tune of $5.6 million was awarded to Health Sciences South Carolina with a goal of getting 1,000 primary care doctors in the state to adopt the new electronic medical records system.
The funds will be used to set up a regional program called the Center for Information Technology Implementation Assistance. HSSC worked with the state Department of Health and Human Services to develop a statewide strategy for forging ahead with EMR.
“CITIA-SC will play a key role in supporting medical professionals throughout the state as they adopt and expand health information technologies in their practices,” said DHHS Director Emma Forkner.
DHHS spokesman Jeff Stensland said the University of South Carolina estimates about 60 percent of physician practices and 42 percent of hospitals have fully-integrated EMRs.
DHHS recently got a $9 million grant for its statewide health information exchange, which gives hospitals, doctors, clinics and other health care providers access to medical records.
HSSC is a partnership between universities and hospitals in the state to foster economic growth and improve health.
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/medical-records-system-benefits-stimulus-funds/
Stimulus money to the tune of $5.6 million was awarded to Health Sciences South Carolina with a goal of getting 1,000 primary care doctors in the state to adopt the new electronic medical records system.
The funds will be used to set up a regional program called the Center for Information Technology Implementation Assistance. HSSC worked with the state Department of Health and Human Services to develop a statewide strategy for forging ahead with EMR.
“CITIA-SC will play a key role in supporting medical professionals throughout the state as they adopt and expand health information technologies in their practices,” said DHHS Director Emma Forkner.
DHHS spokesman Jeff Stensland said the University of South Carolina estimates about 60 percent of physician practices and 42 percent of hospitals have fully-integrated EMRs.
DHHS recently got a $9 million grant for its statewide health information exchange, which gives hospitals, doctors, clinics and other health care providers access to medical records.
HSSC is a partnership between universities and hospitals in the state to foster economic growth and improve health.
Above article publish on http://www.myemrstimulus.com/medical-records-system-benefits-stimulus-funds/
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