News Releases

More EMR Groups Defend Meaningful Use Program

In response to a white paper released by six U.S. republican senators advocating for a “reboot” of the EMR meaningful use program, several physician and EMR associations have published their support of the program. The HIMSS Electronic Health Association (EHRA) is one of the latest groups to say, “Not so fast.”

“Although nationwide exchange of health information has not yet been fully achieved, Stages 1 and 2 of the EHR Incentive Program and ongoing industry efforts have made significant advances toward broad interoperability,” the EHRA stated in a letter. “In fact, interoperability among health IT systems exists widely today within healthcare organizations.”

The EHRA also refuted claims that EMRs lead to fraudulent billing. “EHRs may allow documentation of services that were not easily documented in a paper world, but this capability allows for more accurate documentation and payment for the care that is delivered.” Further, “Misuse of documentation can as easily occur in a paper environment as an electronic one. It is important not to undermine the ability of EHRs to make documentation more structured and efficient, nor their potential to lay the framework for a reformed delivery system.”

HHS recently announced that EMR adoption has reached the tipping point. Over half of office-based physicians have received meaningful use incentives, as well as 80 percent of hospitals. EMR use is higher than it ever was before. The country is rapidly moving toward country-wide EMR use that has been envisioned for so long.

For more on EHRA’s comments on the meaningful use program, see EHR Intelligence.

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Since 1994, ChartLogic has helped thousands of practices make the transition from paper to digital medical offices. Guaranteed to meet meaningful use requirements, ChartLogic offers revenue cycle management assistance as well as the most powerful electronic health record suite on the market, which includes electronic medical records, superior billing software, and patient portal. ChartLogic helps physicians provide better patient care through better technology. For further information, visit www.chartlogic.com.

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Date: May 24, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

Over Half of Physicians Have Been Paid for Using Electronic Medical Records

The healthcare community has reached an important milestone: 55 percent of doctors and 80 percent of hospitals have been paid through one of the electronic medical record (EMR) incentive programs, more commonly referred to as meaningful use. “We have reached a tipping point in adoption of electronic health records,” said Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Electronic medical records “are critical to modernizing our health care system,” Sebelius added.

Through the end of April, 191,305 eligible physicians had received an EMR incentive payment from Medicare, with 88,903 collecting from Medicaid. Another 99,144 physicians have registered for one of the programs but have not yet been paid. In total, eligible professionals (EPs) have received just over $5.9 billion for demonstrating meaningful use of electronic medical records. Hospitals have also received a sizeable chunk of the incentives; through April, 3,880 hospitals had received over $8.7 billion. Combined, the government has paid out $14.6 billion to eligible physicians and hospitals.

In 2008, just 17 percent of physicians used an electronic medical records system, but today over 70 percent use an EMR. “In four years, they’ve made more progress than in the previous 20 years,” said Dr. Farzad Mostashari, national coordinator for health IT. Most EMR users have received incentive payments to help offset the cost of implementation.

The progress physicians have experienced with regards to electronic medical records the past year is further evidence that health IT is not a handy tool for the future; it’s alive and well today.

Sources: Modern Healthcare and USA Today.

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Date: May 23, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

CMS Adds Two FAQs to Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Page

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently added two new FAQs to its electronic health record (EHR) incentives page. Questions and answers are below.

Question: When providing the clinical summary as part of an office visit to meet the measure “Clinical summaries provided to patients or patient-authorized representatives within 1 business day for more than 50 percent of office visits,” can a provider determine whether to include information that was not changed or addressed during the visit?

Answer: Yes. Most of the elements listed in the regulation have text associated with them that are meant to provide additional context such as “for or of the office visit,” “current,” “pending,” “during the visit,” “if applicable to the visit,” “recent” and “future.” Some elements listed do not have these qualifiers because we believed the context was implicit. For the complete answer, click here.

Question: When creating a clinical summary as part of an office visit to meet the measure “Clinical summaries provided to patients or patient-authorized representatives within 1 business day for more than 50 of office visits,” do all of the information elements specified by CMS for a clinical summary need to be individually listed?

Answer: No. The Stage 2 final rule did not include any requirements on the design of the clinical summary. For example, the information about future appointments, provider referrals, scheduled tests, and clinical instructions could be included in a section of the summary called “Next steps.” If all of these information elements were empty, then “next steps” could just be “none” and all the information elements that feed this section would be covered.” Click here for the rest of the answer.

For more on electronic health records, meaningful use, or other health IT initiatives, see cms.gov.

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Date: May 22, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

Why Meaningful Use Stage 3 Shouldn’t Be Delayed

Six Republication senators are questioning the value of the meaningful use program and assert that the program should be “redone.” The coalition sees little evidence of improvements in quality, interoperability, and other areas that meaningful use promised to improve.

However, consumer groups disagree. Meaningful use is “just starting to pay off,” says the Consumer Partnership for eHealth (CPeH), and stopping the momentum now would be a mistake. The consumer group, which includes the American Association on Health and Disability, the Caregiver Action Network, and the National Partnership for Women and Families, argues that any delay will stifle innovation and slow progress toward interoperability, EHR Intelligence reports.

“Both lawmakers and their constituents on both sides of the aisle agree that despite the best efforts of deeply caring health professionals, our healthcare system is simply too expensive in both financial and human terms, for patients and providers alike,” CPeH said in a letter to the senators advocating for a revamp of meaningful use. “We cannot transform the entire nation’s health information backbone on a dime. Through the EHR Incentive Program, Congress provided the nation with the necessary tools to transform American healthcare from the current fee-for-service model to one that rewards outcomes and quality care. These goals cannot and should not be compromised with delays or distractions.”

Meaningful use played a huge role in increasing EHR adoption throughout the country, as well as increasing patient engagement and improving interoperability. “Meaningful use is working,” CPeH continued in its letter. “It is imperative that we keep Stage 2 implementation and Stage 3 rulemaking on their intended trajectory and implement the lessons learned in order to ensure that the outlay of public funds through this program results in a healthier population, better care, and more affordable healthcare costs.”

Click here for more on CPeH’s comments regarding a possible meaningful use stage 3 delay.
Click here for more on the senators’ arguments against meaningful use.

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Date: May 21, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

EHRs Need Not Come Between Doctors and Patients, AMA Says

A resounding argument against electronic health records (EHRs) is that they are a distraction in the doctor’s office. A study done in 2010 concluded that “patients of many clinicians using EHRs believe the presence of a computer in the exam room to have a negative effect on their interpersonal communication with their physician.”

However, the American Medical Association (AMA) disagrees. AMA studied the effect electronic devices have on doctor-communication and found that patient satisfaction is not consistently affected by the doctor’s use of computers, tablets, etc. in the exam room. Patients do, however, pick up on how the physician uses electronic devices. The more positive physicians are about the devices and software they use, the more likely patients are to prefer them in the exam room.

In short, physician interaction is possible regardless of whether physicians use paper or computers. In fact, the computer can actually improve the patient experience because it allows doctors to share patient education materials right from the computer screen.

The trick to proper communication lies in the EHR training. “Most people starting out with EHRs get very little training on how to use them in terms of the doctor-patient relationship,” said William Ventres, a family physician in Oregon. “The computer is put down in front of them and they’re told to use it. And there are many different ways of using it, but people don’t get that education.”

Ventres encourages physicians to maintain eye contact as much as possible and to tell patients what they’re doing as they’re doing it. EHRs that are point-and-click oriented make it more difficult to maintain a genuine doctor-patient connection, but voice-driven EHRs are much more conducive to capturing the patient’s story.

For more on AMA’s findings, see InformationWeek Healthcare.

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Date: May 20, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

AHA: EHR Donation Protections Should Be Permanent

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published a proposed rule that would extend EHR donor protections to December 31, 2016. Currently, EHR donation protections are set to end December 31 of this year. The American Hospital Association (AHA) is advocating that these protections be made permanent.

The EHR donation protections were created to protect physicians from the Stark and anti-kickback laws in 2006 to encourage more physicians to adopt electronic health records, Fierce EMR reports. The “donation programs” cover up to 85 percent of the cost of the EHR.

In a letter to CMS, AHA stated that the protections are “of critical importance to the nation’s efforts to adopt and expand operation of a robust national health IT infrastructure.” The EHR Incentive Programs offer providers some financial assistance, but they don’t cover all providers, and incentive funds won’t last forever. CMS has already distributed about half of the funds set aside for meaningful use incentives.

In the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 10, CMS also suggested that interoperability requirements be aligned with ONC’s EHR certification program and to eliminate the electronic prescribing requirement.

The commenting period for the proposed rule is currently still open. CMS will accept comments until June 10.

For more, see Fierce EMR.

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About ChartLogic, Inc.

Electronic health records . . . better patient care since 1994. ChartLogic has helped thousands of practices make the transition from paper to digital medical offices. Guaranteed to meet meaningful use requirements, ChartLogic offers revenue cycle management assistance as well as the most powerful electronic health record suite on the market, which includes electronic medical records, superior billing software, and patient portal. ChartLogic helps physicians provide better patient care through better technology. For further information, visit www.chartlogic.com.

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Date: May 17, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

Marilyn Tavenner Appointed as CMS Administrator

Marilyn Tavenner has served as acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) since Donald Berwick stepped down in late 2011. Tavenner was nominated for the full administrator position by President Obama in February and was supported by a large majority of the Senate. A 91–7 vote officially named Tavenner the first permanent CMS administrator since 2006.

“We need a confirmed administrator with all the work that she has to do, especially implementing the Affordable Care Act,” said Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mon), chairman of the Finance Committee. Some of the work CMS is spearheading is implementing the rest of the ACA, which includes enrolling all 50 states in health insurance exchanges and expanding Medicaid enrollment.

Before working for CMS, Tavenner was the secretary of health and human services in Virginia. “Marilyn’s experience, her focus on patients from her background as a nurse, her spectacular success at smart cost cutting, but especially her proven capacity to be creative and innovative reaching results merit our support for her,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who hired Tavenner when he was governor of Virginia.

Tavenner is well respected by the physician community as well. “As acting administrator, Marilyn has demonstrated her willingness to listen to, learn from and work in partnership with the nation’s healthcare providers,” said Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA). “She has worked to reduce red tape and regulatory burden to ensure that more providers’ time and resources are spent on caring for patients.”

For more, see Modern Healthcare.

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Date: May 16, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

ONC Provides Tips on Meeting EMR Transition of Care Measure

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has released a new brief to help eligible professionals (EPs) and hospitals meet the transitions of care measures for stage 2 meaningful use.

There are three measures that refer to transitions of care (TOC).

The EP that transitions/refers their patient to another setting of care must provide a summary of care record for more than 50 percent of TOCs and referrals.
Of the patients transitioned/referred to another setting of care, at least 10 percent of the summary of care documents provided must be sent electronically using a certified EMR. Or, the recipient must receive the summary of care record via exchange facilitated by an organization that is an eHealth Exchange participant.
The summary of care document must be successfully shared electronically at least once.

“The brief lays out the various ways HISPs and HIOs can support eligible providers and hospitals for Stage 2 Transition of Care exchange, and will assist HISPs and HIOs as they build their strategic and operational roadmaps for the next few years,” Lee Stevens policy director of the State HIE Program, said. “The brief also provides best practice recommendations to ensure the CMS EMR Incentive Program audit measures can be achieved by eligible providers.”

Click here to access the TOC brief.

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Date: May 14, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

The Role of Telemedicine in EHRs, Meaningful Use

The subject of telemedicine and EHRs, meaningful use, and accountable care organizations (ACOs) got a lot of attention last week at the American Telemedicine Association’s annual meeting. Ryan Spaulding, director of telemedicine and telehealth at the University of Kansas Medical Center, proposed that telemedicine get its own meaningful use program. Telemedicine is being used by more physicians and patients every day, but there are no standards regulating reimbursement and how telemedicine is being integrated with electronic health records.

Spaulding doesn’t want to just add telehealth to the meaningful use program; he wants to create a separate meaningful use program for telehealth. He proposed doing this by establishing a national coordinator for telemedicine and creating a standards and policy panel, similar to what we already have for EHR meaningful use. He also suggested setting up 12 regional telehealth resource centers, which would be similar to the regional extension centers (RECs) designed to help doctors meet meaningful use requirements.

Rashid Bashshur, director of telemedicine at the University of Michigan Health System, also argued for further integration of telemedicine, specifically in ACOs. “If properly constructed, a full-service telemedicine network would provide the foundation for a successful ACO,” he wrote in an editorial published in Telemedicine and eHealth. “It would introduce the necessary organizational change in the delivery process rather than simply making the old system operate electronically.”

“Telemedicine” is broadly defined as a doctor visit that is not face to face. Health IT allows doctors and patients to communicate in a more convenient way. In addition, many patients are also using mobile health apps to help monitor their health. While telemedicine cannot replace the doctor visit in every situation, it can be a huge help in providing preventive care and patient education. “You don’t have to bring everybody in for small problems,” Bashshur said. “You can sort them out before they come in.”

For more on the telemedicine discussion, see FierceHealth IT and InformationWeek Healthcare.

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Date: May 13, 2013 Categories: News Blog0 comments.

News Releases

New Report: 91% of U.S. Doctors Using Electronic Medical Records

Most reports put U.S. electronic medical record (EMR) adoption at about 70 percent. However, a new report from Accenture that surveyed 3,700 physicians in eight countries concluded that in 2012, 91 percent of U.S. doctors were actively using electronic medical records.

Accenture polled physicians from the U.S., Canada, England, France, Germany, Spain, Singapore, and Australia. Nearly half of the doctors polled reported that they use some sort of health information technology. Sixty percent of U.S. doctors reported using electronic medical records in their own clinic, with 42 percent regularly accessing records outside the clinic.

Health information exchange (HIE) use is also growing among U.S. doctors. According to the survey, HIE use jumped from 35 percent in 2011 to 42 percent in 2012. E-prescribing increased as well as well.

The Accenture study confirms that doctors are using electronic medical records at its highest rate ever, but it also points out that using health IT to communicate with patients is something most doctors still don’t take advantage of. However, this will likely change in the future. “Although the maturity levels of healthcare IT adoption vary across the eight countries surveyed, there is one common denominator: doctors today believe in the benefits of healthcare IT, and therefore will continue to make it part of their practice.”