Harmony Healthcare IT Blog

EHR Meaningful Use for The Medical Manager Practice Management Software

radams — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:52:22 +0000

Looking for an electronic health record solution that will allow you to KEEP your Medical Manager practice management software? Look no further. Join Harmony Healthcare IT for a webinar on Thur., 2/16/12 at 11am EST for a 30-min. overview on how to achieve EHR meaningful use using The Medical Manager software.

WEBINAR: EHR for Medical Manager

This session is for office managers who want to implement an EHR that works with their Medical Manager practice management software.

We’ll cover off on the basics of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs established through the Recovery Act/HITECH Act of 2009.

We’ll provide an overview of what it will take for your practice to achieve “meaningful use.”

We’ll show you a web-based EHR solution that works right alongside your existing Medical Manager system.

The session will be highly interactive so you get the information you need.

Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/644068850

Duration: 30 minutes + Q&A

MGMA to HHS: 5010 Causing Payment Issues for Medical Practices

radams — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:28:59 +0000

MGMA sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, regarding the major payment disruptions medical practices are experiencing as a result of the transition to the HIPAA Version 5010 electronic transactions standard on Jan. 1.

Along with examples of problems practices have been having with Version 5010, the Association recommended steps for the government to take to solve them.

In the letter, president and CEO Susan Turney warned, “should the government not take the necessary steps, many practices face significantly delayed revenue, operational difficulties, a reduced ability to treat patients, staff layoffs, or even the prospect of closing their practices.”

Is your practice experiencing payment issues from payers due to 5010? If so, the problem could be stemming from the payer or from your clearinghouse. Contact Harmony Healthcare IT to help troubleshoot the issues so you can get a straight answer. Harmony provides technology support for medical practices.

Ohio to Invest $1M in Patient-Centered Care

radams — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:47:24 +0000

Ohio will reportedly spend $1 million to help 50 of its primary care facilities transition into patient-centered medical homes, a new care model that encourages the family doctor to better coordinate with specialists and others to improve a patient’s health. These facilities will also serve as a training ground for medical and nursing students who want to learn how to deliver care in the new model.

Under the approach, primary care providers would coordinate patients’ care so that there aren’t duplicative tests or unnecessary hospital or emergency room visits, among other issues. Students also would be eligible for scholarships to a program that allows them to learn alongside staff at the state-selected 50 medical practices.

The $1 million will be spent to train roughly 1,000 to 1,500 doctors, nurses and others to better handle electronic medical records, create disease registries and more efficiently schedule patients so there’s enough time for emergency visits or follow-up appointments. The approach also encourages primary care providers to be more proactive in reaching out to patients in new ways — whether that’s through their email or cell phones.

Backers of the approach say it leads to better health outcomes and reduces costs to individuals and taxpayers.

A state law signed in 2010 helped pave the way for 44 sites, but state lawmakers at the time did not provide any money to support the practices’ transition to medical homes. This spend will fully funds training at those sites and opens up the door for six more medical homes, officials said.

Training could start at the facilities as soon as April. The training would occur over two years.

The state will give priority for the additional six sites to practices that serve underserved or minority populations. At least 15 percent of every practice that receives training dollars must support either uninsured or Medicaid-eligible Ohioans.

The $1 million investment comes from the governor’s newly created Office of Health Transformation, which had been allotted $8 million in federal bonus money through the state budget for office operations, consulting and other projects.

Patient-centered medical homes started in the late 1960s to help children with complex medical problems. The concept took off in primary care a few years ago, as insurers and doctors looked for alternatives to a system with soaring costs.

Need Skilled, Affordable IT Personnel? Outsource it.

radams — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:25:56 +0000

If 2012 promises anything for physicians, it’s a year full of IT challenges. Whether it’s Version 5010 compliance, the achievement of EHR meaningful use or the sharing of data with HIEs and ACOs; there will be some work to do on the technology front. The problem is that many physicians don’t employ a full-time resource dedicated to researching, selecting and implementing technology solutions.

Outsource IT Services

Studies report that, due in part to rapid growth in the industry, the demand for technology consultants is at a high. Toronto-based Millennium Research Group predicts the EHR software market will grow at an annual rate of more than 12 percent through 2016, hitting $8.3 billion that year. A recent survey by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) predicts that IT staffing shortages will put projects at risk and negatively impact the successful implmentation of electronic health records.

So what’s a doctor to do?! Outsource your IT services. Find a firm that specializes in health IT. With all that’s going on in the industry, that market expertise gets you further ahead than if you partner with a general busines IT shop. IT consultants should be able to help with everything from 5010 compliance to HL7 interfaces to EHR selection and meaningful use attestation processes. If it plugs in at your medical practice, a godd health IT firm should be able to support it or refer you to someone who can!

Contact Harmony Healthcare IT for the virtual IT needs at your medical practice.

EHR Meaningful Use Registration Stats Updated by CMS

radams — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:17:52 +0000

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 18,619 eligible professionals registered for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs last month. That brings total registrations during 2011 to 124,089 EPs for Medicare meaningful use and 39,503 EPs for Medicaid meaningful use. For 2011, over $2.5 billion was paid out in meaningful use incentives. You can find the CMS “Active Registrations” report here.

Where does your practice stand in terms of adoption of electronic health records? If you require assistance in

registering and attesting for meaningful use
selecting an electronic medical record
learning more about your options technically-speaking

then read the Harmony Healthcare IT EHR Page and then contact us to get started.

EHR Meaningful Use to “The Cloud”

radams — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:52:47 +0000

Fierce Health IT has published a couple of articles about the movement of healthcare providers to cloud computing. The articles were spurred by a recent report from KLAS Research. Here is an excerpt from their editor’s corner:

In a survey that ran the gamut from small clinics to 1,000-bed hospitals, KLAS found that 55 percent of the respondents already had something in the cloud, whether it was clinical applications, storage, e-mail, or picture archiving and communication systems. Nearly a quarter of this group used remotely served electronic health records.

Another group of respondents–58 percent of the total–said they planned to adopt cloud computing. But only 35 percent of that group actually had solid plans to use cloud-based applications, and many were hesitant to place mission-critical applications in the cloud.

KLAS detected a bifurcation between physician practices and hospitals in this area. The clinics were much more open than hospitals to having their EHRs and billing systems hosted in the cloud.

One reason is that small practices, in particular, lack the IT resources of hospitals, KLAS Senior Research Director Erik Westerlind told FierceHealthIT. Whereas a good-sized hospital typically has a data center and an IT staff, most physician practices don’t. “So they perceive that going to a cloud offering for their EHR is a good move because it extends their IT capabilities,” he said.

Meaningful Use is a motivator for both practices and hospitals to go to the cloud, he noted. For clinics, cloud-based EHRs are less expensive and have smaller upfront costs than onsite systems do. Smaller hospitals are also lured by the cost advantage, and the shorter implementation time for remotely served applications is attractive when hospitals are trying to meet the Meaningful Use deadlines. Westerlind cited one community hospital that got its EHR up and running within a year of signing a vendor contract.

On the other hand, many hospitals are hesitant to move clinical and administrative systems to the cloud, the KLAS study found. KLAS attributed this cautiousness, in large part, to doubts about the reliability and security of cloud computing.

The reliability concern is especially prevalent in rural areas, where broadband connectivity is not as good as it is in metropolitan regions, Westerlind noted.

Major urban and suburban hospitals don’t have that problem, but they’re worried about HIPAA compliance, Westerlind said. That explains why two-thirds of hospitals interested in cloud computing prefer “private clouds” that segregate their data from that of other entities, according to the KLAS report.

Looking over the changes occurring in the market, it appears likely that cloud computing will become the norm in healthcare once some of the technology and security issues are sorted out. It seems probable that the growth of community health information exchanges and accountable care organizations will accelerate the overall trend toward cloud computing.
Read more: Cloud computing in healthcare: the question is not if, but when - FierceHealthIT http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/cloud-computing-healthcare-question-not-if-when/2012-01-09?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal#ixzz1j1VELv3h

Version 5010: CMS 90-Day Enforcement Discretion Period

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:48:22 +0000

The Version 5010 (ASC X12 Version 5010) deadline was 1/1/12, but, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not initiate enforcement action until 4/1/12. CMS made this decision based on industry feedback that many organizations and their trading partners were not yet ready to finalize system upgrades to be compliant.

CMS is encouraging providers to continue internal testing as well as external testing of Version 5010 transactions to ensure compliance for Version 5010. Although enforcement action will not be taken prior to April 1, 2012, it is important that Version 5010 requirements are met as soon as possible.

Time is running out. Become compliant or risk non-payment. We can help you get there. Learn how by calling Jim at Harmony Healthcare IT at 1-800-781-1044.

Need more information? Consult the new CMS fact sheet: Version 5010: How Health Care Providers Can Ensure a Smooth Transition.

Upgrading to Version 5010 is a critical first step for the nationwide transition to ICD-10 that will take place on October 1, 2013. It is important that you finish this process, so that you can continue to prepare your organization for the ICD-10 transition.

Enter to Win $100 in Office Supplies for Your Medical Practice

radams — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:43:08 +0000

We are hosting a sweepstakes on Facebook!

Enter and you may win $100 in office supplies for your medical practice. Invite your fellow Facebook Physicians or Office Managers to enter and increase YOUR chances of winning. If THEY win, YOU win too!

Winners will receive a $100 gift card from OfficeMax that is redeemable online, in the store or over the phone.

Check it out at www.facebook.com/HarmonyHealthcareIT

Don’t delay! Enter today. Sweepstakes winners will be chosen and announced on 1/25/2012.

Sign Up for Automated Backups by 12/31/11 at a Discounted Rate

radams — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:40:22 +0000

Still running your system backup to tapes?

Now, there’s a quicker, more secure way to safeguard your data.

The new process is tapeless. We compress, encrypt and secure your data each night. No more tapes. No more waiting.

Streamline your backup routine. Harmony Healthcare IT can educate you on this newer technology. Call Brian at 800-781-1044, ext 120, to sign up before 12/31/11 and receive a discounted rate.

A New Face for the CMS Website

radams — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:49:27 +0000

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded and enhanced its online presence by debuting a new look and feel for CMS.gov, and launching a brand-new site for the Medicaid program, Medicaid.gov. CMS says these changes come in response to what users have said they wanted to be able to do on the site.

Here’s what you’ll find on the new CMS and Medicaid sites:

A significantly improved search engine that gets you to the information you’re looking for, fast.
More in-depth information about what CMS is doing to implement the Affordable Care Act and other new initiatives, and details about how you can apply for new programs.
Up-to-date, real-time updates that reflect important developments and initiatives happening with CMS programs.
Medicaid program information that’s readily available, easy to find, and easy to use.
Easy-to-access links to Healthcare.gov, which will continue to be the primary site for consumer information.

While CMS has moved content around to make it easier to find, you shouldn’t lose access to any of the current Medicare and Medicaid information you rely on now. They’re launching an archive version of each of the websites so that historic information can remain online without adding clutter to their primary sites.

Check it out at CMS.gov and Medicaid.gov.

Radiologists and ‘Meaningful Use’, A KLAS Report

radams — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:26:07 +0000

A new report that surveyed over 200 radiologists about the meaningful use of electronic health records has recently been released from vendor research firm KLAS Enterprises. KLAS partnered with the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) to survey over 200 radiologists.

Here are some hi-level findings from the survey respondents:

60% plan to or are considering achieving meaningful use
25% are actively making decisions regarding meaningful use
06% consider themselves educated about meaningful use
25% don’t believe their RIS/PACs vendors are prepared to help them become meaningful users

The report, “Radiologists’ Take on Meaningful Use,” is available at klasresearch.com/reports.

CMS Meaningful Use Eligibility Widget

radams — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:58:35 +0000

CMS has developed a web tool to help providers determine in which EHR Incentive Program they are eligible to participate. The tool can be found on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms. Check it out.

Here are some basics:

Incentive payments for eligible professionals are based on individual practitioners.
If you are part of a practice, each eligible professional may qualify for an incentive payment if each eligible professional successfully demonstrates meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
Each eligible professional is only eligible for one incentive payment per year, regardless of how many practices or locations at which he or she provide services.

Hospital-based eligible professionals are not eligible for incentive payments. An eligible professional is considered hospital-based if 90% or more of his or her services are performed in a hospital inpatient (Place Of Service code 21) or emergency room (Place Of Service code 23) setting.

Who is an Eligible Professional under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program? Eligible professionals under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program include:

Doctor of medicine or osteopathy
Doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine
Doctor of podiatry
Doctor of optometry
Chiropractor

Who is an Eligible Professional under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program? Eligible professionals under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program include:

Physicians (primarily doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy)
Nurse practitioner
Certified nurse-midwife
Dentist
Physician assistant who furnishes services in a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Clinic that is led by a physician assistant.

To qualify for an incentive payment under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, an eligible professional must meet one of the following criteria:

Have a minimum 30% Medicaid patient volume*
Have a minimum 20% Medicaid patient volume, and is a pediatrician*
Practice predominantly in a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Center and have a minimum 30% patient volume attributable to needy individuals.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients do not count toward the Medicaid patient volume criteria.

Eligible for Both Programs? Eligible professionals eligible for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs must choose which incentive program they wish to participate in when they register. Before 2015, an eligible professional may switch programs only once after the first incentive payment is initiated. Most eligible professionals will maximize their incentive payments by participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.

For the most updated eligibility information, go to http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/15_Eligibility.asp#TopOfPage

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Sage Gets Bought and Re-Named to Vitera. Will Medical Manager Users be 5010 Ready?

radams — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:36:36 +0000

Where do Medical Manager users stand for 5010 readiness in light of (yet another) corporate sale?

Vista Equity Partners today announced it has completed its acquisition of the Sage Healthcare Division from The Sage Group plc in an agreement that was announced on September 22, 2011.

The new company will be called Vitera Healthcare Solutions (Vitera).
As part of the closing of the transaction Betty Otter-Nickerson, former President of Sage Healthcare Division, has been replaced by a newly appointed CEO.

This re-branding and change of leadership comes right before the impending 5010 deadline.

By 1/1/12, Vitera will be challenged to ensure that it can ready its reportedly 400,000 healthcare professionals, including 80,000 physicians, for the mandated 5010 transition. Included in these numbers are tens of thousands of Medical Manager users who may or may not be “in the queue” for a software upgrade or patch.

If you’re a Medical Manager user that needs to become 5010 compliant, contact Harmony Healthcare IT at (800)-781-1044. Join our community of Medical Manager users who are already sending and receiving 5010 files today by using an alternative clearinghouse solution.

With only 35 business days left to ensure compliance with 5010 and Sage/Vitera dealing with a corporate state of flux — the time to take action is NOW. Take your 5010 compliance into your own hands. Call us today to learn about an alternative solution.

Join our community of Medical Manager users at www.medicalmanagerusers.com

WebChart EHR Manages Military Physicals and Maritime Medicine Worldwide

radams — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Harmony Healthcare IT corporate partner Medical Informatics Engineering (MIE), based in Fort Wayne, IN, recently announced that The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (GW-MFA) is utilizing its WebChart EHR to collect, track and manage medical information gathered from field physicals in the Middle East.

The project gives physicians the ability to collect medical data in the field even when they have limited internet access, and then automatically synchronize the information with WebChart when internet access is available. In addition, MIE is creating an electronic telemedicine application in support of Maritime Medical Access – the flagship telemedicine service provided by The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates. The Web-based telemedicine application will assist GW-MFA Emergency Physicians when responding to and treating ill crew members at sea. These patient encounters will be kept within WebChart and HIPAA-compliant information will be forwarded to the ship’s company to inform them of the treatment and follow up protocols.

As part of the application, MIE and The GW-MFA will also create a personal health record (PHR) for the patient and automatically transfer the information into the patient’s account. Crew members will also have the option of setting up their own NoMoreClipboard PHR prior to deployment to allow the ship’s medical officer and the clinical staff, greater access to their full medical history.

To learn more about this project, visit the MIE website or contact Harmony Healthcare IT at 1-800-781-1044.

Online Community for Medical Manager Users

radams — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:55:19 +0000

Will your practice keep or replace Medical Manager to comply with 5010/ICD-10 and to achieve EHR Meaningful Use? Either option works. We know because we’ve helped thousands of other Medical Manager users nationwide make the decision.

See our Medical Manager User Community Welcome Video

Join our ever-growing community of Sage Medical Manager users that has turned to our trusted, un-biased technical guidance.

Visit our website at http://www.medicalmanagerusers.com. Contribute to our forum at http://www.medicalmanagerusers.com/forums/forum.php.

Contact Harmony Healthcare IT if you’re ready to discuss options for Medical Manager.

EHR Meaningful Use Payments Increasing Steadily

radams — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:13:29 +0000

Attestations and payments for Meaningful Use of electronic health records, while off to a slow start, are starting to increase in volume. Year-to-date, under the Meaningful Use program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services payouts are just under $400 million. A recent article in Fierce EMR breaks down the number of registrations and payouts by Medicare and Medicaid. It also explains why more providers have received payments under Medicaid than under Medicare. Check it out.

Still Time to Get EHR Meaningful Use Stage 1 Dollars

radams — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:39:19 +0000

With less than 90 days until the end of 2011, providers who are eligible for stimulus funding from the CMS EHR Incentive Program should already be in the midst of their attestation period. To qualify for meaningful use funds in 2011, you must report stage 1 meaningful use compliance for a consecutive 90-day period.

Haven’t started reporting yet? No worries.

You can still comply with stage 1 on meaningful use requirements and qualify for the maximum stimulus reimbursement if you report for 90 days in 2012. If you’re a Medicare-eligible provider, that reimbursement is $18,000 if you meet meaningful use stage 1 requirements in 2011 or 2012.

That amount starts dropping in 2013, so, the time to act is now.

If you need assistance with EHR selection, meaningful use preparation or attestation reporting, contact Harmony Healthcare IT for guidance.

eRx Incentive Program Deadline to Request a Hardship Exemption is 11/1/11

radams — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:37:23 +0000

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is reminding eligible professionals and group practices that the deadline to request a hardship exemption for the 2012 Medicare Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program adjustment is November 1, 2011.

Providers should determine if they are subject to the 2012 eRx payment adjustment by reviewing the MLN Article SE1107. If you believe that you may be subject to the 2012 eRx payment adjustment, you should determine if you meet any of the hardship exemption categories specified by CMS in the 2011 Medicare Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Final Rule.

For additional information, contact Jim Boehm at Harmony Healthcare IT. Or, visit the eRx page on the CMS website, and see the new FAQ. You can also make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates.

Health Record Retention from Legacy Practice Management Systems

radams — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:13:23 +0000

All data has a lifecycle. Protected healthcare information also comes with some rigid retention requirements. That means that when your medical practice moves from one practice management system to another, legacy health records must be retained in their full integrity.

Is your medical practice at risk? Have you been so focused on “moving forward” to achieve the meaningful use of electronic health records that you’ve neglected “looking back” to properly archive volumes of historical data? It’s rare that a system-wide data conversion occurs with the implementation of a new EHR/PM system. So, that creates some exposure.

Harmony Healthcare IT can help. We specialize in decommissioning legacy healthcare software applications and securely archiving the data inside it. That results in compliance with state and federal health record retention requirements as well as reduced information technology costs.

To learn more about health record retention from a legacy practice management system in your medical practice, contact us.

CMS Medicare EHR Incentive Program Deadlines

radams — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:35:59 +0000

It’s time to check in on the CMS Medicare EHR Meaningful Use Incentive Program timetable:

October 3, 2011. The last day for eligible professionals to begin their 90-day reporting period for calendar year 2011 for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program is 10/3/11.
December 31, 2011. The reporting year for eligible professionals ends on 12/31/11.
February 29, 2012. If the October 3rd deadline is missed then eligible professionals have until 02/29/12 to register and attest to receive an Incentive Payment for calendar year 2011.

For more detail on the program deadlines, follow this link to the CMS website, or, contact a Harmony Healthcare IT consultant to discuss your EHR meaningful use strategy.