Posts Tagged ‘Health IT’
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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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2 Surescripts and e-prescribing for 2011
Jan 6, 2011. Companies in Action.
The New Year brings even more responsibility to Surescripts e-prescription network. For those who aren’t aware of the expanse of their operations, Surescripts is the nation’s largest e-prescription data routing network—connecting pharmacies, physicians and insurance payers.
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0 Ingenix CareTracker Certification Helps Physicians Qualify for Health IT Incentives
Dec 27, 2010. Press Releases.EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) has certified that the Ingenix CareTracker™ electronic health records (EHR) system is a Complete EHR in accordance with the applicable Eligible Provider certification criteria adopted by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“The more than 10,000 medical professionals who use Ingenix CareTracker software can be assured that their system supports their efforts to demonstrate meaningful use. As meaningful use requirements continue to evolve, our cloud-based system will enable Ingenix to provide system updates automatically for all users.”
The certification means that Ingenix CareTracker EHR technology meets the 2011/2012 criteria set forth by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures that eligible providers must meet to qualify for funding as prescribed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). CCHIT is an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ATCB).
“Ingenix’s commitment to helping physicians improve care coordination, quality and safety through the use of health IT is reflected in the certification that CareTracker software supports requirements for meaningful use,” said Steve Tolle, senior vice president of physician solutions at Ingenix. “The more than 10,000 medical professionals who use Ingenix CareTracker software can be assured that their system supports their efforts to demonstrate meaningful use. As meaningful use requirements continue to evolve, our cloud-based system will enable Ingenix to provide system updates automatically for all users.”
“It is important that demonstrating meaningful use does not add to the administrative burden on physicians in small practices, even as federal incentives encourage and facilitate the purchase of health IT systems to improve quality and efficiency in patient care,” said Dr. Joseph Heyman, chairman of the Ingenix Physician Advisory Board. “It is my hope that the certification program will ensure that the technology itself will accomplish all required recording, calculating and reporting – with minimal intervention by the physician – and that all physicians and their patients will enjoy the potential benefits of this technology.”
Ingenix CareTracker version 7 received certification on December 7, 2010. The certification number is CC-1112-183916-2. The clinical quality measures to which Ingenix CareTracker version 7 has been certified include NQF 0013 (Hypertension: Blood Pressure Measurement), NQF 0024 (Weight Assessment and Counseling for Children and Adolescents), NQF 0028 (Preventive Care and Screening Measure Pair: a. Tobaccos Use Assessment, b. Tobacco Cessation Intervention), NQF 0031 (Breast Cancer Screening), NQF 0032 (Cervical Cancer Screening), NQF 0034 (Colorectal Cancer Screening), NQF 0038 (Childhood Immunization Status), NQF 0041 (Preventive Care and Screening: Influenza Immunization for Patients ≥ 50 Years Old) and NQF 0421 (Adult Weight Screening and Follow-Up). Additional software used in testing, included SureScripts prescription routing, medication history and drug formulary; Ingenix HealthTracker patient portal technology; and Wolters Kluwer Medi-Span drug information and drug interactions databases.
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 for either eligible provider or hospital technology. 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.
About Ingenix CareTracker
The Ingenix CareTracker solution includes a CCHIT Certified 2011 Ambulatory EHR system that saves physicians time and money by helping them access important clinical knowledge and patient medical information at the point of care. The solution enables clinicians to enter, retrieve and correlate patient information at the point of care, and features connections to thousands of labs, hospitals, pharmacies and commercial and government health plans. The Ingenix CareTracker solution fully integrates all of the operational functions of a physician practice, simplifying administrative tasks such as billing, scheduling and documentation.
Ingenix provides a package of interest-free financing and meaningful use guarantees that eliminate the up-front costs of implementing an EHR system. Because the Ingenix CareTracker EHR solution costs less than $5,000 per year per physician, federal stimulus funding may cover most or all of the subscription costs for the service through the end of the ARRA reimbursement period, depending on the composition of a physician’s patient mix.
For more information about Ingenix CareTracker solutions, visit www.ingenix.com/ehr.
About CCHIT
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the public mission of accelerating the adoption of robust, interoperable health information technology. The Commission has been certifying electronic health record technology since 2006, and is an ONC-ATCB by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information on CCHIT, CCHIT Certified® products and ONC-ATCB certified electronic health record technology is available at http://cchit.org.
“CCHIT®” and “CCHIT Certified®” are registered trademarks of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.
About Ingenix
Ingenix is a leading provider of health information, technology and consulting services. Organizations, institutions, businesses and government agencies that comprise the health care system depend on Ingenix solutions and insights to improve their performance. Visit www.ingenix.com for more information.
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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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0 ONC Committee Work-groups and Tiger Team Want Your Input
Oct 29, 2010. Government Initiatives, Implementation, Opinion.Most viewers of EHR Scope are physicians and medical office managers, many of whom are becoming educated about the necessity of EHR implementation, and may not be completely up to date with some of the technical progress of the National Health Information Network (NHIN) since HITECH. While the meaningful use final rules are shaping elements of incentive qualifications and penalty enforcement; when all is said and done, HIT work roles and workflows will be significantly changed as well. Defined roles and qualifications for those required to handle personal health information (PHI) will be formed by the security requirements embedded in the National Health Information Network. While these issues are more technical in nature, perhaps there are some of you out there with the ability to contribute to the public discussion while the ONC is listening.
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0 Practice Fusion’s Free, Web-based EHR Receives ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certification
Oct 29, 2010. Press Releases.Small and mid-sized medical practices across the country have a free option for achieving Meaningful Use
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ — Practice Fusion, the fastest growing Electronic Health Record (EHR) community in the country, announced today that it is ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 compliant and is certified as an EHR Module in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 Meaningful Use measures required to qualify eligible providers for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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0 ifa EMR for Ophthalmology is ONC-ATCB Certified by Drummond Group
Oct 7, 2010. News, Press Releases.ifa united i-tech, Inc. announces that the ifa EMR Version 6 software has been tested and certified.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ — ifa united i-tech, Inc. announces that the ifa EMR Version 6 software has been tested and certified under Drummond Group’s Electronic Health Records ONC-ATCB program (Certification number: ONC-ATCB EHR.09222010-2627-1).
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0 PARADIGM(R) EHR Is ONC-ATCB Certified and Ready for Providers to Meaningfully Use
Oct 1, 2010. Companies in Action, Government Initiatives, Health Information Technology, Implementation, News, Press Releases.KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ — PARADIGM(R) EHR by QRS has earned the distinction of receiving ONC-ATCB certification. QRS is at the forefront of the effort to help providers across the US to become “meaningful users” of EHR and qualify for $44,000 to $63,750 in federal stimulus dollars. The eligible professionals and hospitals can use this certified EHR technology as part of their criteria to qualify for Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) incentive payments.
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2 InfoGard Laboratories Approved to Certify EHR
Sep 20, 2010. Government Initiatives, Health Information Technology, Implementation, News, Politics and HIT, Press Releases, Today.September 20, 2010, San Luis Obispo, California. InfoGard Laboratories, the nation’s first accredited IT security testing laboratory, is approved by the Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT as an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) for the certification of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules for both ambulatory and inpatient settings. Eligible professionals and hospitals may collect incentive payments through meaningful use of EHR technology capable of meeting the criteria to support meaningful use under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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0 Full attention given to patients thanks to Digital Pen and Paper
Jun 22, 2010. Companies in Action, Health Information Technology, Implementation, Insight, PHR, Spotlight.
“The new system reduces the time required to review and document each visit allowing more time to focus on patient care”, says Dr. George Brick, at Brandon Health Care.
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