Posts Tagged ‘cms’
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0 What is EHR Scope’s Ready4EHR Program?
Jan 18, 2011. News.
One of the core consultation services that EHR Scope, LLC provides is Ready4EHR; a parallel service to EMR Consultant. Although they may seem to be the same, and are, the different solutions are directed toward full practice implementations as opposed to the individual physicians and practitioners which EMR Consultant serves. The targeted surveys give feedback, based on the current preparedness of your operations, for implementation of an EHR.
Creating the best solutions and scenarios for these implementations is necessary for the overall success of such actions. So check out Ready4EHR at Ready4EHR.net and at Ready4EHR.com
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0 Accountable Care and the ACO will be “Glued Together With Technology”
Jan 13, 2011. Insight, News.
After the recent election, there is a certain buzz around Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and their projected impact upon Healthcare Reform. The establishment of ACOs is part of the Affordable Care Act’s long and varied history. The ideas behind the development of ACOS are drawn from the need to significantly reduce Healthcare costs, increase quality of outcomes and offset rising prices. The proposed means of attaining these goals include incentive programs and meaningful technological integration. These provider organizations, which are community-centric and operate heavily within the depleting government Healthcare programs, are seen as the most viable candidates to become ACOs. ACOs are becoming defined as any one large organization, existing system or cluster of smaller organizations partnering as a networked, technology-driven care system with competitive and incentivized markets. ACOs will be created around quality, cost control and tracking care outcomes. These outcomes will be monitored and maintained by EHRs.
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0 ONC Issues Final Rule for Permanent Certification Program for Health Information Technology
Jan 3, 2011. Press Releases.Steps to create permanent health IT certification program underway
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today issued a final rule to establish the permanent certification program for health information technology. The permanent certification program provides new features that will enhance the certification of health information technology, including increasing the comprehensiveness, transparency, reliability, and efficiency of the current processes used for the certification of electronic health record (EHR) technology. Meaningful use of “Certified EHR Technology” is a core requirement for eligible health care providers who seek to qualify to receive incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs as authorized by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
“This final rule completes the two-phased approach ONC began with the proposed rule issued in Spring 2010 and includes several important improvements to our certification processes,” said David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., national coordinator for health information technology. “Our goal is to make the transition to the permanent certification program as seamless as possible.”
The temporary certification program, established through a final rule published on June 24, 2010, will continue to be in effect until it sunsets on December 31, 2011, or at a later date when the processes necessary for the permanent certification program to operate are completed. ONC expects to stand-up the programmatic activities necessary to implement the permanent certification program throughout 2011.
Features of the permanent certification program include:
Organizations must first be accredited in order to test and/or certify health information technology;
Certification bodies authorized by the National Coordinator (ONC-Authorized Certification Bodies or ONC-ACBs) are required to conduct post-certification surveillance; and
ONC-ACBs are permitted to perform “gap certification.”As proposed, ONC will request that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) through its National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) develop a laboratory accreditation program for organizations to be accredited to test health information technology for purposes of the permanent certification program. Based on NIST’s technical expertise and the strong relationship formed between ONC and NIST during the successful implementation of the temporary certification program, the use of NVLAP is expected to enhance testing under the permanent certification program and its objectivity overall.
This final rule is issued under the authority provided to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology in section 3001(c)(5) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.
For more information about the permanent certification program and the final rule, please visit http://healthit.hhs.gov/certification.For more information about the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, please visit http://healthit.hhs.gov.
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0 Electronic health records incentives registration starts Jan. 3, 2011
Dec 22, 2010. News, Press Releases.CMS, ONC Outline Resources to Assist Eligible Providers
Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced the availability of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs. CMS and ONC encouraged broad participation and outlined online and in-person resources that are in place to assist eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate.
Beginning Jan. 3, 2011, registration will be available for eligible health care professionals and eligible hospitals who wish to participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program. On January 3, registration in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program will also be available in Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In February, registration will open in California, Missouri, and North Dakota. Other states likely will launch their Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs during the spring and summer of 2011.
“With the start of registration, these landmark programs get underway, and patients, providers, and the nation can begin to enjoy the benefits of widespread adoption of electronic health records,” said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD. “CMS has many resources available to help providers register and participate, and we look forward to working with eligible professionals and eligible hospitals to facilitate the process, beginning on January 3rd and going forward.”
“It’s time to get connected,” said David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “ONC and CMS have worked together over many months to prepare for the startup on January 3rd. ONC’s Certified HIT Product List includes more than 130 certified EHR systems or modules and is updated frequently. ONC also has hands-on assistance available across the country through 62 Regional Extension Centers
We look forward to continuing to work with CMS to assist eligible providers in 2011 and future years.”Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals must register in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. They can do so, starting Jan. 3, 2011, at a registration site maintained by CMS.
To prepare for registration, interested providers should first familiarize themselves with the incentive programs’ requirements by visiting CMS’ Official Web Site for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. The site provides general and detailed information on the programs, including tabs on the path to payment, eligibility, meaningful use, certified EHR technology, and frequently asked questions.
CMS announced the following key dates for the Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs’ first year:
• Jan. 3, 2011 – Registration for the Medicare EHR incentive program begins.
• Jan. 3, 2011 –States that are ready may launch their incentive programs for Medicaid providers.
• January 2011 – Some state agencies begin issuing Medicaid EHR incentive payments.
• April 2011 – Attestation for the Medicare EHR incentive program begins.
• May 2011 – Issuing of Medicare EHR incentive payments expected to begin.
• July 3, 2011 – Last day for eligible hospitals to begin their 90-day reporting period to demonstrate meaningful use for the Medicare EHR incentive program for federal FY 2011.
• Sept. 30, 2011 – Federal FY 2011 payment year ends at midnight for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs).
• Oct. 3, 2011 – Last day for eligible professionals to begin their 90-day reporting period for calendar year 2011 to demonstrate meaningful use for the Medicare EHR incentive program.
• Nov. 30, 2011 – Last day for eligible hospitals and CAHs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for federal fiscal year 2011.
• Dec. 31, 2011 – Calendar 2011 payment year ends for eligible professionals.Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments will be available to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) when they adopt certified EHR technology and successfully demonstrate “meaningful use” of the technology in ways that improve quality, safety, and effectiveness of patient-centered care.
Professionals who meet the eligibility requirements for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs must select which program they wish to participate in when they register. They cannot participate in both programs; however, after receiving payment, they may change their program selection once before 2015. Hospitals that are eligible for both programs can receive payments from both Medicare and Medicaid.
Some states will launch their Medicaid EHR incentive programs beginning Jan. 3, 2011, but most will launch their programs during the spring and summer. Eligible providers with questions about their state’s launch date should contact their state Medicaid agency. Eligible providers seeking to participate in the Medicaid programs must initiate registration at CMS’ registration site but must complete the process through an eligibility verification site maintained by their state Medicaid agency.
Under the EHR incentive programs, eligible professionals can receive as much as $44,000 over a five-year period through Medicare. For Medicaid, eligible professionals can receive as much as $63,750 over six years. Under both Medicare and Medicaid, eligible hospitals may receive millions of dollars for implementing and meaningfully using certified EHR technology.
“The benefits of EHRs are widely recognized, and support for the incentive programs is strong in the health care field and among policymakers,” Dr. Berwick said. “The changeover from paper to electronic records will be challenging for clinicians and hospitals, but CMS and ONC have taken steps to ease the transition. We’ve provided flexibility in meeting the meaningful use requirements, both agencies have conducted extensive outreach, and we have the resources in place to help providers acquire certified EHR technology and meet the programs’ requirements. Immediate registration is not required, but we encourage eligible providers to sign up as soon as they have certified EHR technology and are prepared to participate. We are ready to help.”
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1 ***Dec. 14th and 15th: Live 2010 ONC Update
Dec 14, 2010. Government Initiatives, News.Big day for Healthcare reform, The ONC, CMS and HHS…
The update will cover some of the most current issues in Medicare and Medicaid incentives, HITECH act and Health Information exchange. There will probably be some announcements that will steer the discussions in 2011.
Go To: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/hhs/101214/default.cfm?test=0&live=1&type=flv
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0 HHS on ACOs: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
Nov 30, 2010. Health Information Technology.The following is a piece of an upcoming review we will be releasing on Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). It deserves a expidited mention in that it is slightly overdue…
The HHS is also taking cues from industry thought leadership. The CMS is moving to take an additional and different approach to solving some of the quandaries currently extant in Healthcare. The most recent step in CMS’ involvement in reform is the establishment of The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations (CMMI). This specific organization will be undertaking research and workgroups focused on “patient outcomes” and “community care models.” They are even taking public comments at the moment. This center will perpetuate new efforts toward the development of ACOs in addition to finding ways to approach Medicaid and Medicare from new directions and analysis. There is an expressed interest in the speed and pace of the solutions development as an underlying layer of the CMMI strategy.
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0 Introducing the CMS Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation – and innovations.cms.gov
Nov 17, 2010. Press Releases.By Don Berwick, M.D., Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
We have been given a great opportunity – under the historic Affordable Care Act – to create the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
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0 DocPatientNetwork’s Doctations Receives ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certification
Oct 14, 2010. News, Press Releases.GARDEN CITY, N.Y., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ — DocPatientNetwork.com, Inc. announced today that Doctations, Version 2.0 is 2011/2012 compliant and is certified as a Complete EHR by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable Eligible Provider certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The ARRA allows for a series of bonus payments for providers and hospitals for “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology. Beginning in 2011, healthcare users of a meaningful use EMR system can receive a total of $44,000 under Medicare or $64,000 under Medicaid. These amounts more than cover the costs of the Doctations service multiple times over.
Hundreds of companies in the health IT industry have expressed strong interest in meaningful use certification. DocPatientNetwork.com spent several years developing and perfecting Doctations, its award winning EHR product that offers doctors an integrated system for efficiently managing their practice. The company is one of only 28 EHR providers in the country to have their technology certified as a Complete EHR by CCHIT, providing evidence that there are no market entry barriers for smaller companies to receive certification.
A recent Thomson Reuters report states the healthcare industry can realize $3.6 trillion in savings over the next 10 years through improved efficiencies and best practices. Doctations is designed to help practices realize substantial time and monetary gains through improved competitive pricing and technology efficiencies in EHR management. The product’s pricing model is available online and completely transparent, and the basic pricing tier provides free scheduling, messaging, tasking, videoconferencing and other functions. Doctations’ state of the art product is also available as a free version which creates an integrated network for doctors and patients. Use of Doctations enables an instant network between doctor, patient, and participating healthcare centers.
“We believe in CCHIT, and we believe in Meaningful Use because both promote better, more integrated healthcare,” stated Dr. Louis Cornacchia III, Founder and CEO of DocPatientNetwork.com, Inc. “Since 2001, we have not wavered from our original mission of ‘Better Health through Technology.’ We built the DPN health network from the ground up to connect doctors, patients and any other healthcare entity FOR FREE while providing premium DPN services like the Doctations Cloud EMR and the iBillWell Cloud medical billing as premium services at a fraction of the cost of office-based EMR systems with twice the power. Our amazing rate of growth and adoption by the industry is a testament to the quality of our product and its ability to create a real network. We feel our bulletproof software, very affordable pricing, and transparency make us the best-in-class player in the EHR marketplace,” said Dr. Cornacchia.
Doctors and patients each have their own iPhone/iPad apps to access the DPN Healthcare Cloud. Soon DPN will be accessible from Android, Windows7 and BlackBerry smartphones. The DPN cloud platform means everyone can connect, interoperate and exchange information securely JUST BY REGISTERING ONLINE and LOGGING IN. You pay only for premium services.
The ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tests and certifies that Complete EHRs meet all of the 2011/2012 criteria and EHR Modules meet one or more – but not all – of the criteria approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) for either eligible provider or hospital technology.
“We believe our product’s certification is further proof that a company of our small size can thrive amongst larger, less nimble competitors. As a practicing neurosurgeon, I have personal perspective on using EHR services and I believe our product is fully integrated and much less expensive to use than competitive offerings. I strongly feel our company can singlehandedly change healthcare based on our efficient technology, allowing us to trim $1 trillion per year in national health care waste while preserving the dignity of the doctor-patient relationship and the medical profession,” continued Dr. Cornacchia.
“CCHIT is pleased to be testing and certifying products so that companies are now able to offer these products to providers who wish to purchase and implement certified EHR technology and achieve meaningful use in time for the 2011-2012 incentives,” said Karen M. Bell, M.D., M.S.S., Chair, CCHIT.
The Doctations 2.0 certification number is CC-1112-371480-1. ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification conferred by CCHIT does not represent an endorsement of the certified EHR technology by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nor does it guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.
The clinical quality measures to which Doctations 2.0 has been certified include:
Body Mass Index (BMI) Screening and Follow-Up, Blood Pressure Measurement, Inquiry Regarding Tobacco Use, Influenza Immunization for Patients > 50 Years Old, Body Mass Index (BMI) 2 through 18 years of age, Childhood Immunization Status, Hemoglobin A1c Poor Control in Diabetes Mellitus, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL–C) Control in Diabetes Mellitus, and High Blood Pressure Control in Diabetes Mellitus.
The additional software that Doctations 2.0 relied upon to demonstrate compliance includes iMedicalhome 2.0. imedicalHome is a complete patient health information system available for free to all patients simply by registering.
About DocPatientNetwork
DocPatientNetwork is an innovative, internet-enhanced means of transacting healthcare. Doctors simply login to www.doctations.com to register, and for about the price of a cell phone subscription, they are given all of the tools needed to run an efficient, state-of-the-art medical practice. We leverage the internet to make healthcare more accessible to patients and to substantially improve the processes of healthcare such as generating medical documentation, medical billing and denial management. DocPatientNetwork and its Doctations product bring physicians the benefit of the first true internet EMR and PMS without the burden or expense of difficult-to-use software. The company’s technology is updated monthly to accommodate new users and new ideas from our member physicians, other healthcare providers and patients.
For more information, please visit www.doctations.com or call 1-877-Doc-Patient.
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0 Justin Barnes Meaningful Use Statement
Jul 14, 2010. Government Initiatives, News, Opinion.Statement by Justin Barnes, chairman emeritus of the Electronic Health Record Association and vice president of marketing, corporate development and government affairs at Greenway Medical Technologies, on the issuance of the CMS/ONC Meaningful Use Final Rules.
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0 Final Rules on Meaningful Use Announced
Jul 13, 2010. Government Initiatives, News.Today, CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid) and the ONC (Office of the National Coordinator for Health (IT) finally issued the final rules on Meaningful Use!
These final rules are the regulations that must be followed by eligible professionals during the first two years (2011 and 2012) of the incentive program.
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