Category: Healthcare Industry News
Regional Extension Centers – Essential On-The-Ground Support for EHR Adoption
Date: April 12th, 2016Source: Health IT BuzzTopics: Meaningful Use, Regional Extension CenterToday the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is releasing a comprehensive evaluation of the Regional Extension Center (REC) program and we’re excited to announce that our efforts have already made a major impact.
Read MoreREC Impact on Successful Meaningful Use Attestations
Date: April 12th, 2016Source: EHR IntelligenceTopics: Meaningful Use, Regional Extension CenterRegional extension centers (RECs) played a significant role in boosting meaningful use success, according to a recent report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
Read More1 in 4 Readmissions Avoidable, Researchers Say
Date: April 11th, 2016Source: Health Leaders MediaTopics: HIE, Health IT, Care Coordination, Emergency ServicesMore than half (52%) of readmissions identified as preventable could have been avoided "with efforts made during the initial admission," according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Read MoreNew CMS payment model largest multi-payer initiative to date, could include 20K doctors
Date: April 11th, 2016Source: Healthcare DiveTopics: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Value-Based Care, Medical Home Model, Primary Care, Accountable CareThis morning, CMS announced its largest-ever initiative to change primary care delivery and payment in the U.S. The effort, the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, will be rolled out in up to 20 regions and can accommodate up to 5,000 practices, encompassing more than 20,000 providers.
Read MoreBreaking Down the Basics of Population Health Management
Date: April 8th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: HIE, EHRs, Health IT, Population Health, Accountable CareWhat do healthcare providers need to know about population health management before starting to engage in accountable care? Population health management may be one of the trendiest terms to hit the healthcare scene as the industry works through its myriad reform efforts, but it’s also one of the most elusive.
Read MoreValue-Based Insurance Program Raises Compliance
Date: April 7th, 2016Source: MedPage TodayTopics: Patient Engagement, Value-Based Care, Accountable Care, Patient CareGiving patients economic incentives to participate in health screenings and take their prescribed medications resulted in decreased hospitalizations and increased medication adherence, a small study has found.
Read MoreMental Health Top Priority for Population Health Management
Date: April 7th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: Population Health, Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Accountable CarePopulation health management aims to provide patient-centered and value-based care to improve the patient outcomes of a particular group. But could population health management goals be undermined if healthcare providers do not have access to behavioral and socio-economic data?
Read MoreWhat Might We Expect in the MACRA Proposed Rule?
Date: April 6th, 2016Source: The Healthcare BlogTopics: MACRA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)Nearly a year ago President Obama signed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) into law. MACRA, among other things, repeals the 1997 Balanced Budget Act’s Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for calculating annual updates to Medicare Part B physician and other eligible professionals’ payment rates.1 The proposed rule, expected to be published in the next few weeks, is highly anticipated because the rewards and penalties under either MIPS and APMs can be significant.
Read MoreHow to Participate in the Physician Quality Reporting System
Date: April 5th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: PQRS, Quality ImprovementSuccessfully attesting to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) in 2016 will help eligible providers avoid major Medicare reimbursement problems in 2018.
Read MoreFee-For-Service to Value-Based Care: The Future is Now
Date: March 31st, 2016Source: RCM AnswersTopics: Value-Based Care, Accountable CareSeveral forward-looking organizations have leapt into the breach and embraced the change. Although there have been bumps along the way, a few have successfully made the transition and offer both a preview into life in the new reimbursement model world and examples of what you need to do as a provider organization to be successful. Here are three examples.
Read MoreCMS Launches New Effort to Improve Care for Nursing Facility Residents
Date: March 24th, 2016Source: CMSTopics: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Long-Term Care, Accountable CareThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced it will test whether a new payment model for nursing facilities and practitioners will further reduce avoidable hospitalizations, lower combined Medicare and Medicaid spending, and improve the quality of care received by nursing facility residents.
Read MoreHow EHRs Help Make Successful Accountable Care Organizations
Date: March 21st, 2016Source: EHR IntelligenceTopics: EHRs, Care Coordination, Accountable CareEHRs are an invaluable tool for accountable care organizations, offering a system upon which providers can store and reference important patient information and then easily disseminate that information to other care team members.
Read More4 Steps for Ensuring a Successful EHR Optimization Project
Date: March 17th, 2016Source: EHR IntelligenceTopics: EHRs, Transformation Support ServicesWith EHR adoption widespread across the healthcare industry, providers are now looking for opportunities for EHR optimization to make up for inefficiencies and other problems ailing their technology use.
Read MoreColorado SIM chooses first cohort of primary care practices
Date: March 4th, 2016Source: COPreventTopics: Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Accountable CareThe Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) Office announces the first cohort of primary care practices selected to participate in practice transformation activities through the SIM initiative.
Read MoreHow is Population Health Management Supported by Health IT?
Date: March 4th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: HIE, EHRs, Health IT, Care Coordination, Population HealthConducted by HIMSS Media on behalf of Royal Philips, this survey shows how healthcare professionals are using connected health technology in the context of population health management. In doing so, the researchers found that population health management comes with several different challenges.
Read MoreInteroperable EHRs Coming to More Care Facilities, CMS Says
Date: March 3rd, 2016Source: EHR IntelligenceTopics: EHRs, Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Long-Term Care, Behavioral HealthThis CMS project will expand interoperable EHR access to long-term care, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment facilities. Health technology and interoperable EHRs are about to reach even more patients, according to a recent announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Read MoreCMS backs interoperability for long-term care facilities, behavioral health
Date: March 2nd, 2016Source: Healthcare IT NewsTopics: HIE, Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday said it will permit states to request 90 percent enhanced matching funds to help other healthcare providers such as long-term care facilities, behavioral health providers and substance abuse treatment centers purchase interoperable technology.
Read MoreHHS analyst highlights crucial role of HIEs in value-based care
Date: March 1st, 2016Source: HIEWatchTopics: HIE, Health IT, Value-Based Care, Accountable CareImproving healthcare through better data sharing is a critical element in the transition to value-based payment models, keynote speaker Alex Baker of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told attendees at HIMSS16 in Las Vegas on Monday.
Read MoreCMS expands scope of HITECH matching funds to help providers meet Meaningful Use
Date: March 1st, 2016Source: FierceEMRTopics: HIE, Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is updating guidance on the 90 percent matching rate for state expenditures related to promotion of health information exchange.
Read MoreHIEs play crucial role in change to value-based reimbursement, HHS analyst says
Date: February 29th, 2016Source: Healthcare IT NewsTopics: HIE, Value-Based Care, Accountable CareHealth information exchange is an essential tool to support the transition to value-based payment models, according to Alex Baker of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who gave an overview of federal initiatives and how states, hospitals and physicians can benefit from the innovations, during HIMSS16 in Las Vegas.
Read MoreInteroperability and Health Information Exchange
Date: February 29th, 2016Source: University AllianceTopics: HIE, InteroperabilityWhile it is true the words interoperability and health information exchange go together, a common misconception about interoperability is that it means health information exchange (HIE). In an ideal scenario, one does not exist without the other, but it is important to underline the fact the two terms do not refer to the same thing.
Read MoreMeaningful-use hardship exemption deadline extended
Date: February 26th, 2016Source: Modern HealthcareTopics: Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesThe CMS has extended the deadline for hospitals, physicians and other eligible professionals to file applications for so-called “hardship” exemptions from the meaningful use requirements of the EHR incentive payment program. The new deadline for hospitals, critical access hospitals, physicians and other EPs is now July 1, 2016, a brief statement from the CMS said. The previous deadlines were March 15, 2016 for physicians and other EPs and April 1, 2016 for hospitals and CAHs.
Read MoreUnderstanding the Basics of the Patient-Centered Medical Home
Date: February 26th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: Medical Home ModelThe patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is one of healthcare’s most popular designations, serving as a way for primary care organizations to codify and implement population health management programs, care coordination tactics, and the principles of comprehensive, data-driven, accessible care.
Read MoreHow Team-Based Care Management Improves Cardiovascular Health
Date: February 24th, 2016Source: HealthIT AnalyticsTopics: Transformation Support Services, Care Coordination, Value-Based Care, Transitions of CareA team-based care management approach can help to coordinate services, ensure speedy access to treatments, and cut preventable admissions. Coordinated, team-based care management strategies are making a major impact on the way patients receive treatment for cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure and pulmonary embolisms (PE), according to several recent case studies.
Read MoreCMS Extends EHR Incentive Program Attestation Deadline
Date: February 15th, 2016Source: Hitech AnswersTopics: Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services extended the attestation deadline for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs to Friday, March 11, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET, from the original deadline of Monday, February 29.
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