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MediTouch EHR Software is in the process of a wave certification with the Drummond Group for Meaningful Use Stage-2(2014). The AOA's strategic partner, HealthFusion, is pleased to announce that they have passed the first wave of testing that included the majority of the measures required to be certified as a Meaningful Use Stage-2 2014 Complete EHR. On May 2nd of 2013 less than 20 companies had an ambulatory (office practice) product that has achieved any type of certification for Stage 2 Meaningful Use per the ONC CHPL site.
This wave one certification is evidence of HealthFusion's continuing commitment to the Meaningful Use program. The Stage 2 Meaningful Use program is technically more complex than the first stage. HealthFusion is taking a leadership role with regard to early certification because they believe that EHRs that certify early will have the benefit of a longer lead time to prepare their users for immediate success in Stage 2.
"We would like to thank our technical team for their continuing hard work on Meaningful Use Stage 2 and I am confident we are in the process of creating the industry's best Stage 2 EHR user experience." - Sol Lizerbram, DO
Take a look at this one-stop-link for all things MU stage 2 from HealthIT.gov. It includes new files on attestation, tipsheets, FAQs and links to tools and regs from both CMS and ONC.
The AmericanEHR Partners eNewsletter, Vol. 3 - #9
Top Articles:
Measuring EHR Impact | EHR Offers Hope | What Do MD's Want? | Stage 2 MU Toolkit
CMS eRx Program Exemptions Open
In an effort to encourage physicians to adopt e-prescribing in their practices, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created an incentive and penalty program called the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program. If you have not started successfully e-prescribing, your practice may be penalized 2% on Medicare Part B claims. However, you may be able to claim a hardship exemption. Visit the AOA’s webpage on e-prescribing to learn more about the CMS eRx incentive program, the hardship exemptions and other helpful tips. Visit the CMS eRx incentive program website to submit a hardship exemption request between March 1 – June 30, 2013.
New Interactive Resource on Stage 2 and the 2014 CQMs
CMS recently posted a new resource to help eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) prepare for Stage 2 of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.
Available on the Educational Resources page of the EHR Incentive Programs website, the interactive Stage 2 Toolkit includes materials on Stage 2 and the 2014 clinical quality measure (CQM) requirements.
The toolkit is divided into three main sections:
- Basics
- Resources for EPs
- Resources for eligible hospitals and CAHs
Providers who use the toolkit will find the following information:
- An overview of Stage 2
- Stage 2 FAQs
- How the Stage 2 provisions affect Stage 1 requirements
- Comparison tables of Stage 1 and Stage 2 criteria
- Details about payment adjustment and hardship exemptions
- 2014 CQMs, including descriptions, technical release notes, and the recommended core sets for EPs and eligible hospitals
Reminder: The earliest that the criteria for Stage 2 will be effective is the first day of fiscal year 2014 (October 1, 2013) for eligible hospitals and CAHs, or calendar year 2014 (January 1, 2014) for EPs. All providers must achieve meaningful use under the Stage 1 criteria before moving to Stage 2.
Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?
Make sure to visit the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.
eHealth Resources Available on CMS Website
Last week CMS launched its eHealth initiative at the 13th annual HIMSS conference in New Orleans. To help providers and vendors learn more about the initiative, CMS developed new resources about eHealth and how it will improve health care delivery.
Visit the new CMS eHealth website to view the resources, including:
- eHealth Fact Sheet – Explains the goal of eHealth, and how the initiative will affect the future of health care.
- eHealth Roadmap – Provides a visual overview of how eHealth will improve quality of care, create better health outcomes, and reduce costs.
CMS also encourages you to read the blog posts about eHealth on the CMS blog, where you can find updates on eHealth and important program milestones.
Media Resources
Also available to health care publications is an eHealth drop-in article, which allows editors to print and post the content of the document in their publications and websites.
Join the Twitter Conversation!
CMS is tweeting about the EHR Incentive Programs and other eHealth initiatives. Join the conversation by using #CMSeHealth and following the @CMSGov Twitter handle.
Note: Make sure to add cmslists@subscriptions.cms.hhs.gov to your approved senders list so that eHealth listserv messages do not get caught in your spam folder.
Want to find out more about eHealth?
Visit the CMS eHealth website for the latest news and updates on CMS' eHealth initiatives.
CCHIT Responds with Public Comment
Earlier this month, CCHIT offered public comment on two recent ONC plans:
ONC’s HIT Patient Safety Action and Surveillance Plan
ONC’s 2014 Edition Draft Test Scenarios
Senate Hearing on HIE Implementation
On Feb. 14, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing, "Health Insurance Exchanges: Progress Report," to examine the status of CMS efforts to implement both the state-based and federally operated health insurance exchanges (HIEs). Established in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for consumers to purchase insurance coverage, HIEs are set to begin open-enrollment in October. Senators expressed concern that significant challenges remain in HIE implementation, that premiums will go up in 2014, and that states need more guidance. To support AOA affiliate organizations on HIEs and Medicaid expansion initiatives, the AOA has prepared a new toolkit, the "State ACA Implementation: Improving Access through HIE Implementation and Medicaid Expansion."
New practice models may help save primary care
Why PCMH and team-based models could rescue and transform healthcare delivery
An Oversight Framework for Assuring Patient Safety in Health Information Technology
Bipartisan Policy Center Health Innovation Initiative
Need Assistance Meeting Meaningful Use or Selecting and Implementing an Electronic Health Record System?
The national network of Regional Extension Centers (RECs) provides education, vendor support and technical assistance to help you implement an EHR and achieve Meaningful Use. Access a list of RECs by State and region. Click here to locate the REC in your area and visit the AOA HIT webpage for additional information on EMR system purchase, implementation and help meeting Meaningful Use.
Web Marketing 101: Tools for busy DOs who don't 'like' technology
Physicians are often quick to adopt the latest tools when it comes to treating patients, but they don't always see a need to update technology in other areas of practice management, such as marketing.
Today's physicians can't afford to ignore the potential impact of Web and social media engagement on their business, said Amanda Kanaan, the president of WhiteCoat Designs, a medical marketing agency that caters to physicians. Eighty percent of Internet users have searched online for health information, according to 2011 Pew Internet research. Web-shy physicians are missing chances to gain new patients, she said.
In the AOAMI session, Marketing Your Practice on the Web, at OMED2012, Kanaan gave tips to physicians on creating or revamping a website, driving traffic to it and using social media.
View the complete article on The DO > >
Telemedicine may be the next great medical frontier, DO says
In 2012, the list of industries radically transformed by technology is exhaustive. There's shipping, retail, printing and journalism. Is health care delivery next? Telemedicine is poised to rapidly change the direction of this field, said Darren Sommer, DO, MPH, in the AOAMI session, Telemedicine Grows Up, at OMED on October 9th.
View the complete article on The DO > >
Paul Martin, DO, an osteopathic physician from Dayton, OH shares his views on what to expect when implementing an EHR and the role of health IT in the patient-centered medical home and accountable care. The interview is made available by Doctors Helping Doctors Transform Healthcare.
Buy-in, culture of change keys to achieving 'meaningful use' certification
With federal incentive programs in place for physicians who make "meaningful use" of electronic health records, more and more DOs are implementing or upgrading EHR systems, or are thinking about doing so, to meet certification requirements.
View the complete article on The DO > >
Meaningful Use Stage 2 Final Rule Released – Reporting Period Reduced
CMS recently released the Final Rule for Meaningful Use Stage 2. With regard to timing most of the Stage 2 Rule is what we expected and planned upon, such as the delay of Stage 2 until 2014. However, there was one element of the final rule that pleasantly surprised even us, and should do the same for our MediTouch users.
Meaningful Use Stage 2 Timeline Delay
The Final Rule for Meaningful Use Stage 2 states that there will be a delay in the implementation of the onset of Stage 2 criteria until 2014. According to CMS, "In the Stage 1 final rule, we established that any provider who first attested to Stage 1 criteria in 2011 would begin using Stage 2 criteria in 2013. This final rule delays the onset of those Stage 2 criteria until 2014, which we believe provides the needed time for vendors to develop CEHRT." As we've previously posited, based on CMS' proposed Meaningful Use Stage 2 Rule and public comments, 2013 was simply an unrealistic goal given the lack of Stage 1 progress at that time and the sheer number of programs already set to be implemented in 2013. CMS heeded the public's comments and their own proposal, so Meaningful Use Stage 2 will be delayed until 2014 as expected.
The pleasant surprise to come out of CMS' Meaningful Use Stage 2 Final Rule is that doctors will only be required to attest for 3 months of Meaningful Use for the first year of Stage 2, rather than the expected year-long attestation process. The Final Rule of Meaningful Use Stage 2 states:
"We are also introducing a special 3-month EHR reporting period, rather than a full year of reporting for providers attesting to either Stage 1 of Stage 2 in 2014 in order to allow time for providers to implement newly certified CEHRT. In future years, providers who are not in their initial year of demonstrating meaningful use must meet criteria for 12-month reporting periods. The 3-month reporting period allows providers flexibility in their first year of meeting Stage 2 without warranting any delay for Stage 3. This policy is consistent with CMS' commitment to ensure that Stage 3 occurs on schedule (implemented 2016)."
The 3 month attestation window, affords providers the ability to acclimate themselves to their EHR/EMR platform, learn the ropes, and get used to charting and conducting their daily routine through their new, computerized system, prior to being required to attest to Meaningful Use. The shortened attestation period also means that there has never been a better time to adopt an EHR/EMR system. After 2014, the year-long Meaningful Use attestation period becomes mandatory, in anticipation of Meaningful Use Stage 3.
Be Prepared for Meaningful Use Stage 2 with MediTouch EHR®
If you've been waiting for the Meaningful Use Stage 2 final Rule, or simply procrastinating, there is no better time to adopt the all-in-one MediTouch EHR. HealthFusion® has even created a Meaningful Use Fast Track program to help providers expedite MediTouch EHR implementation and earn their full Meaningful Use incentive payment, but time is running out! Contact HealthFusion today, and experience the multitude of MediTouch features for yourself, during a free, personal demonstration with one of our award-winning MediTouch representatives, and get on the fast track to Meaningful Use.
"Health IT For You" Video
The ONC is encouraging health care providers to share this newly released animated video that explains how greater adoption of health IT is moving the health care system into the 21st century.
Research and Recommendations for Improving e-Prescribing in Ohio
The Ohio Health Information Partnership convened the e-Prescribe Task Force in December, 2010. The purpose was to create a multi-disciplinary group to study issues of e-Prescribing in the State of Ohio. Initially, the group met to discuss current barriers to e-Prescribing and how to accelerate its adoption in Ohio.
The e-Prescribe Task Force consisted of representatives from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the Ohio Board of Pharmacy (OBOP), the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA), the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA), the Ohio Osteopathic Association (OOA), the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA), Surescripts, Express Scripts, Pfizer, individual and hospital pharmacists, hospital CIOs, the CIO of Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians, other physician representatives, a representative from an Ohio school of pharmacy and a representative from AARP. As the project expanded, other members joined, such as HealthBridge, the Cincinnati-based HIE and Regional Extension Center and other professional licensing boards, all focused on how the process of e-Prescribing of controlled substances could be encouraged.
For its work, the task force defined e-Prescribing (e-Rx) as the computer-based electronic generation, transmission and filling of a medical prescription. This means that an e-prescription is a prescription transmitted electronically directly to a pharmacy, taking the place of hand-written and faxed prescriptions. Electronic prescriptions travel through a private, secure, and closed network from a healthcare provider's computer to the pharmacy's computer.
This white paper is the product of a year's work of analyzing the acceptance of e-Prescribing in Ohio from both the pharmacist's and the physician's perspective.
Recouping EMR startup fees through meaningful use
from CliniSync
One health record to go please: How electronic health records are improving patient care
from CliniSync
Emphasizing the Patient in a Patient-Centered Medical Home
Internal medicine specialist Christopher Beal, DO, is a patient engagement champion. He travels around the country, advocating the use of patient engagement portals and talking with audiences about how it's a vital part of a provider's patient-centered medical home(PCMH).
Those who have heard Beal talk about patient engagement will have likely heard about his success rate, and how in just under eight weeks, 28 percent of his patient population was actively using the patient portal he implemented from Kryptiq. They may also hear about how his patient phone calls have been reduced by 30 percent since the portal and how it's freed up more time to actively care for patients. Read the complete article from Healthcare Informatics >>
Dr. Beal is also a featured speaker for the AOAMI at OMED 2012. His presentation is just a part of the 3 days of AOA Category 1A CME that the AOAMI is offering. Register now to attend the osteopathic medical profession's premier event of the year! When registering, please be sure to indicate Medical Informatics (MI) under the Practice Groups - Section 1 on the registration form.
Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
Proposed Rule for Stage 2 Meaningful Use Requirements >>
Doctors slow to engage patients with IT
A new study by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions indicates physicians are not using IT broadly to engage patients. No more than 20 percent of doctors are providing online scheduling or test results for their patients and just 6 percent are using social media to communicate with them, according to Deloitte. The report, "Physician Perspectives on Health Information Technology," shows that measured against the IT goals and deadlines prescribed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, only 25 percent of physicians are "on target" to meet the meaningful use incentives. MORE
New AOA Resource To Assist Physicians In EMR Vendor Contracting
A new annotated online resource, Negotiating EMR Contracts, is available for osteopathic physicians to assist them in understanding and negotiating an HIT-EMR contract. This resource is timely as we approach 2012, the last year to receive the greatest share of the CMS EMR Medicare incentive. Staff worked closely with an attorney who has extensive expertise in healthcare regulation. The article interprets and translates the EMR license agreement 'legalize' into understandable layman language and flags the terms and conditions that physicians should pay close attention to. Also included is a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Milestone Timeline
Eligible Professional (EP) Health Information Technology (HIT) Planner
CMS' Office of E-Health Standards and Services Announces 90-Day Period of Enforcement Discretion for Compliance with New HIPAA Transaction Standards
Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation (esMD) Pilot Project
CMS is working to lessen the burden on physicians by giving them a new way to submit medical documentation- through their Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation (esMD) Pilot Project in response to claims review requests.
CMS employs claim review contractors to find improper payments by selecting a small sample of claims, requesting the necessary medical documentation from the provider, and reviewing claims against the documentation provided to determine if the provider complied with Medicare program rules. This is a time-consuming and cumbersome task for both reviewers and providers. Most medical documentation is currently received by mail or fax.
Under the esMD Pilot Project, physicians that want to electronically submit documentation must either build their own gateway or procure gateway services from a Health Information Handler (HIH). Examples of HIHs include: a health information exchange (HIE), a Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO), an E HR Vendor, a Claim Clearinghouse, or a Health Internet Service Provider (HISP). Health Information Handlers that are participating in this program are required to attend bi-weekly calls with CMS, build a gateway that is compatible with the CONNECT portal, test their system with the CMS gateway contractor, and recruit providers to join this project. CMS anticipates that many providers will obtain services for their own gateway by entering into an agreement with a HIH.
The esMD program is voluntary. For providers that wish to send information electronically, they must access a CONNECT compatible gateway. The esMD project will allow for submission of files in a PDF format. Providers who have paper records and wish to participate in the esMD program may do so as long as there is a way to scan paper records into a PDF file.
Note: The Office of the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC) is working with CMS on this project. The formal launch of the first phase of the project will occur at the Standards and Interoperability Framework Face to Face Meeting on October 18. It is anticipated that Phase 2 of the esMD project will launch in October 2012. During the second phase, CMS claim reviewers will electronically send documentation requests to providers when their claims are selected for review.
Additional information is at www.cms.gov/esMD
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