Information Technology Outsourcing

Words of advice to help embrace technology prior to EMR installation.....

2011-11-07T08:35:00.002-05:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

10 technologies to embrace before EMRs

By Michelle McNickle, Web Content Producer

Created 10/31/2011

It's no secret EMRs can be complex and confusing, and despite the buzz surrounding their implementation, health IT expert Shahid Shah believes some organizations are better off taking things slow.

"Although most people who are new to healthcare IT always point to EMRs as the most important application, there are many different healthcare IT applications that make up the 'industry' as a whole," said Shah. "When you’re dealing with healthcare IT, EMRs might be a good entry point for some folks, but it’s actually more likely that EMRs aren’t your first place to start your automation journey."

So to help with deciding where your first point of entry into healthcare IT should be, Shah gave us his top 10 technologies to embrace before jumping into an EMR:

1. ePrescribing. According to Shah, ePrescribing is a great way to begin automation since it’s a fast way to see how much slower the digital process is at capturing clinical data. “If ePrescribing alone makes you slower in your job, EMRs will likely affect you even more,” he said. “If you’re productive with ePrescribing, then EMRs, in general, will make you more productive too.”
2. Email. “Internal office messaging and email is a great place to start,” said Shah. “If you haven’t started your office automation journey here, you should.” But, beware of HIPAA, he added. Although it doesn’t prohibit the use of email for sending electronic PHI records, its Security Rule specifies standards for making transmission of PHI via email secure. Regulations include standards for access control, integrity and transmission security.
[See also: EMR links Montana centers.]
3. Microsoft Office 365 and Google apps. When it comes to scheduling and document sharing, “Google and Microsoft have some very nice online tools for managing contacts, or patients, and scheduling appointments,” said Shah. In addition, both tools have “dirt simple” documentation management, he said, which allows everyone in the office to be on the same page. “Before you jump into full-fledged EMRs, see if these basic, free tools can do the job for you."
4. Clinical groupware. This new category of software is an evolving model for the development and deployment of HIT platforms and applications. Shah said the technology helps streamline work and prioritize according to patient. “This is a new category of software that allows you to collaborate with colleagues on your most time-consuming or most needy patients and leave the remainder of them as is,” he said. “By automating what’s taking the most of your time, you don’t worry about the majority of patients who aren’t.”
5. Patient registry and CCR bulletin board. “If you’re just looking for basic patient population management and not detailed office automation, then patient registries and CCR databases are a great start,” said Shah. Although they don’t necessarily help with workflow, they do manage patient summaries. In fact, patient registries have been proven to improve chronic disease care. An article published by the AAFP explains how, although an EMR manages chronic diseases in a proactive and organized fashion, a commercially available spreadsheet program offers the same benefits. “For example, using a spreadsheet program, [such as Microsoft Excel or a database program, like Microsoft Access] you can easily create a list (or registry) of your practice’s patients with a given chronic disease and then use that list to track key measures and remind you and your staff automatically when patients need certain labs and preventive services,” according to the article.
Continued on the next page.
6. Document imaging. “Scanning and storing your paper documents is something that affects everyone,” said Shah. “All scanners come with some basic imaging software that you can use for free.” And once you’re good at scanning and paper digitalization, he said, you can move to “medical grade” document management that can improve productivity even more.
[See also: EMR improves rural healthcare.]
7. Clinical content repository (CMS). Open source systems, like Drupal and Joomla, do a great job of content management, said Shah. “And they can be adapted to do clinical content management.” Both Joomla and Drupal offer users flexibility to change and manage content on their own. And, not to mention, a clinical content repository allows for easy searching, cross-correlation, and simple updates. One success story includes Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which implemented a clinical content repository to collaborate with other research facilities and create a database that included information from a significant number of trials, as well as numerical data from blood and tissue analyses.
8. Electronic lab reporting (ELR). “If labs are taking up most of your time, you can automate them pretty easily with web-based lab reporting systems,” said Shah. ELR has many benefits, including timeliness, reduction of manual data entry errors, and more complete reports. It’s been promoted as a public health priority for the past several years, and since it’s a meaningful use objective, its adoption is being accelerated.
9. Electronic transcribing. On the flip side, if clinical note taking is eating up most of your time, consider automating it by using electronic transcribing, suggested Shah. Additionally, electronic transcribing will help on your journey to adopting an EMR by maintaining an optimal, popular dictation interface, creating a document-sharing system among multiple locations, and reducing transcription expenditures by reducing the number of lines transcribed.
10. Speech recognition. Shah said speech recognition is another “point solution” to helping with capturing clinical notes. “You can get a system up and running for under $250,” he said. And today’s speech recognition software can be do more than pure dictation. Most systems can be used to manage email as well as speed up information turnaround and protect employees from repetitive stress injuries. Additionally, the software can be integrated with most EMRs.
Follow Michelle McNickle on Twitter at @Michelle_writes

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/10-technologies-embrace-emrs

Links:
[1] http://healthcareitnews.com/news/10-things-you-hate-about-your-emr
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emr-links-montana-centers
[3] http://www.aafp.org/fpm/2006/0400/p47.html%22%20%5Cl%20%22fpm20060400p47-bt1
[4] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emr-improves-rural-healthcare
[5] http://www.marklogic.com/pdfs/Cedars.pdf

Please excuse our abscence.....

2011-11-02T08:55:00.000-04:00

Good morning faithful MSO Solutions, LLC blogger fans!!! Please excuse our abscence in the next few weeks as we are VERY busy with a large Practice Management/EHR implemenation projects. While we may not have time to post updates, we do have time for any existing or new customers.

Please visit our website, MSO Solutions, LLC to view our services and see how we can help you improve your IT infrastructure!!!

~Jennifer

EHR Incentive Progam Update....

2011-10-24T08:31:00.000-04:00

CMS is Holding a Second Webinar on the CQMs and the EHR Incentive Programs for Small-Practice Providers

Overview
     What: Webinar- The CMS EHR Incentive Programs: Small-Practice Providers and Clinical Quality      Measures (CQMs)
     When: October 25 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. EDT
    Why: To help small-practice providers successfully report CQMs
     How: Register online

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is holding a second webinar on CQMs and their importance in attesting to meaningful use for the EHR Incentive Programs. CMS hopes to help small-practice and rural providers become more knowledgeable in the topics below:
An overview of the CQMs

How to report CQMs during attestation

Why CQMs are included in the EHR Incentive Programs
Answers to many FAQs on the CQMs and the EHR Incentive Programs
Although, small-practice providers are the intended audience of this webinar, anyone is welcome to join.
The webinar presentation, a document with over 300 questions and answers from the webinar held on August 30, and an informational CQM fact sheet will be provided to participants before the webinar as downloadable handouts.

Additionally, registrants will be given an opportunity to submit questions through the registration site before the webinar that will be answered by CMS subject matter experts and posted to the CMS EHR website a few weeks after the webinar has been completed.

Registration

Individuals can register online for the webinar. After successfully registering, they will be sent a confirmation message with a link to the webinar site. Space is limited, so interested participants should register now to secure their place.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

EHR Incentive News.....

2011-10-20T08:57:00.000-04:00

Updated Message on Important Information on Registration for the EHR Incentive Programs

This message is an updated version of the registration listserv message that was sent by CMS on October 4. This version of the message provides updated language to help providers understand the difference in registration and attestation dates for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.

CMS wants to remind eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) of the key registration and attestation dates for the EHR Incentive Programs, and provide information to help them successfully register and start their path to payment for 2011.

Important Registration Details for Medicare and Medicaid

Medicare - November 30, 2011, is the last day for Medicare eligible hospitals and CAHs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for Federal fiscal year 2011.

Medicare - February 29, 2012, is the last day for Medicare EPs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for calendar year 2011.

Medicaid - Each state may have different attestation deadlines. Please check with your State Medicaid agency to find out the last day you can attest.

When Should Providers Register?

CMS encourages providers to register for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program(s) as soon as possible to avoid payment delays. Please note that not all states have launched a Medicaid EHR Incentive Program yet. EPs will not be able to complete their registration for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program until their state's program has launched and that state's site has opened. Eligible professionals should check their state's status.

Note: Providers can register before they have a certified EHR and can also register if they do not have an enrollment record in PECOS.

Registration Resources

CMS has a number of resources to help providers successfully register for the EHR Incentive Programs:

Step-by-step registration guides, available on CMS' Registration page.

A number of FAQs about registration on the EHR Incentive Programs website.

Webinars on YouTube to help guide providers through the registration .process– one for EPs, and one for hospitals.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Physician Based Social Networks

2011-10-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

Published on FierceHealthIT (http://www.fiercehealthit.com)

6 physician social networks at a glance

By danb

Created Jul 11 2011 - 12:04pm

Like it or not, social media is having, and will continue to have, a large impact on the state of healthcare in the U.S. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn all serve as a means to connect physicians to one another. But medical professionals are looking for increasingly secure and flexible options that allow for more than simple fraternization. Conversations dealing directly with patient cases that can take place anywhere and at anytime are highly sought after.
To that end, FierceHealthIT takes a look at six sites relevant to the social networking discussion in healthcare today. While some are just getting started (e.g., Doximity, PeerCase), others have had to change their initial plans due to the ever-shifting health IT landscape (e.g., iMedExchange, Ozmosis).
This list is by no means comprehensive; there are several other sites not included that perform similar functions for healthcare professionals (e.g., Medscape's Physician Connect [1]). It simply provides a starting point for anyone interested in learning more about physician social networking.
To learn more, click on the links below.

Sermo [2]

Doximity [3]

iMedExchange [4]

Ozmosis [5]

PeerCase [6]

OrthoMind [7]

Links:
[1] http://www.medscape.com/connect
[2] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-sermo/2011-07-11
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-doximity/2011-07-11
[4] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-imedexchange/2011-07-11
[5] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-ozmosis/2011-07-11
[6] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-peercase/2011-07-10
[7] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/6-physician-social-networks-glance-orthomind/2011-07-10

ePrescribing....

2011-10-13T09:13:00.002-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Successful eRx requires 'three-phased approach'

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 10/06/2011

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – A new study profiling how five physician practices successfully overcame their e-prescribing challenges has determined that the common thread among them was that each had carefully moved through three phrases: planning, implementation and use of the systems.
The research was led by Jesse Crosson at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and identified key techniques in the implementation and use of electronic prescribing.
"ARRA gives physicians an incentive to move toward electronic health records. More important, successful e-prescribing can increase medication safety for patients," said Crosson, an assistant professor in the department of Family Medicine and Community Health’s research division and principal investigator of the study. “E-prescribing also allows physicians to discuss medication options and the costs of drugs with patients at the point-of-care, having the potential to reduce healthcare costs and increase a patient’s compliance with the recommended treatment.”
Crosson’s research team looked at five practices of different sizes and organizational structures and how they planned, implemented and used the new systems.
The planning phase provided a review of workflow within the practice, established standard operating procedures and was inclusive to all team members, including those outside of the office such as local pharmacists.
Implementing e-prescribing required ongoing, easily accessible technical support that provided real-time solutions, training of all staff members in both hardware and software systems, and the training of “super users” who could provide support following the implementation, when IT personnel may not always be readily available.
“Creation of super users within the physician practices was an essential component for successful e-prescribing,” said Crosson. “They bridged the role between the staff and IT, preventing frustration and possible interruptions to workflow.”
Use of the systems presented challenges that successful practices needed to continually address. Some challenges were within the systems, such as the need to create shortcuts or templates to establish a more efficient process. But for many practices the biggest obstacle to overcome was the need to redesign procedures when exchange of information with patients' electronic health records, pharmacies or databases containing drug information wasn’t possible.
The lessons learned from the study resulted in key recommendations that practices wishing to implement -- and successfully maintain -- e-prescribing should consider:

A practice should have a leader who will advocate the benefits of e-prescribing within the process of delivering clinical care to patients.
Develop strategies to communicate with and include patients and pharmacies in the process.
Have readily accessible technical support, particularly during implementation, to reduce user frustration.
Be flexible and willing to transform traditional work processes of all staff members to effectively incorporate e-prescribing.

In one of two editorials that accompanied the published study, Carlos Roberto Jaen, MD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, wrote that "the article by Crosson et al provides us with lessons learned from the successful implementation of electronic prescribing in five diverse exemplary practices. These lessons share a common pathway for success:

extensive efforts to redesign workflow with a deep understanding of the function that they are trying to deliver
willingness and sufficient trust to design protocols to allow non-clinician members of the team to safely deliver prescription-related work,
physician champions,
ongoing training for team members,
readily available technical support,
targeted communication to stakeholders outside the practice (patients and pharmacists), and
a commitment to continuing improvement.

Each of these steps requires substantial transformation of the mental models and processes that are often present in primary care practices."
The study “Meaningful Use of Electronic Prescribing in 5 Exemplar Primary Care Practices,” appeared in the September 2011 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine and can be found here.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/successful-erx-requires-three-phased-approach

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/e-prescribing-emerges-hot-issue
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/e-prescribing-guide-clinicians-aims-aid-adoption
[3] http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/abstract/9/5/392.

Text Messaging For Seniors to Remind Them To Take Their Medications

2011-10-13T09:09:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

'Minding our Meds' initiative to aid seniors via text message

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 10/11/2011

BURBANK, CA – A project that aims to increase medication adherence in seniors via text message reminders has been awarded a $77,150 mobile health grant.
The grant was awarded by the Center for Technology and Aging to the Front Porch Center for Technology Innovation and Wellbeing for its “Minding Our Meds: Demonstrating Senior Medication Adherence with Cell Phone Texting Reminders” project.
The project addresses medication adherence among active, independent older adults using a cell phone texting service, and focuses on 150 adults, over the age of 50, living across Front Porch communities and neighboring senior centers.
“This project is about keeping seniors healthy, independent and connected. To the extent that a simple and widely available communication tool can help accomplish this makes it that much more powerful,” said Davis Park, director of the Front Porch Center.

The goals of “Minding Our Meds” are to demonstrate that mobile alerts and monitoring lead to improved medication adherence in chronic disease management and to create a replicable and sustainable model for using an mHealth technology solution for medication adherence.
To improve medication adherence, “Minding Our Meds” will deploy CareSpeak Communication’s mHealth platform, a two-way SMS-based medication reminder service that is available on virtually any cell phone or smartphone device with a texting plan, and conduct pre- and post-intervention surveys to collect data to track medication adherence, user satisfaction with the technology and overall health and well-being.
"With the aging population trend in the USA, it is important to create simple, affordable, yet effective tools to help seniors and their circle-of-care manage the seniors' health and wellness better,” said Srdjan (Serge) Loncar, CareSpeak’s founding president and CEO. “Medication therapy compliance, monitoring of biometrics, patient education play a significant part in improving health and quality of life for seniors, and CareSpeak's mobile health platform helps seniors achieve that. CareSpeak's platform, using a ubiquitous, inexpensive technology, helps keep people out of the hospital, connected to their circle-of-care and living independently."

“Minding Our Meds” will also develop a replicable model that combines education, training and Web-based resources with lessons and techniques that can improve medication adherence.
The project will work with, One Economy's Digital Connectors program, which identifies talented young people, immerses them in technology training, and helps them build their leadership and workplace skills to enter the 21st century economy, as part of its community service projects to provide training in showing older adults how to set up and access CareSpeak accounts through its Web-based dashboard.
“This initiative just scratches the surface of the power of the 21st century technology as well as the role that mobile applications will have in improving health,” said Kelly Dunne, president and CEO of One Economy Corporation. “One Economy believes it is important to meet people where they are in terms of technology, and that includes engaging seniors. Developing mobile applications with a purpose helps us meet the needs of a growing population who rely on mobile phones to access information.”

“Given that 91 percent of persons age 57 to 85 take at least one medication weekly, we understand the importance of finding widely available and affordable solutions that can be tailored to meet seniors’ needs,” added Kari Olson, president of the Front Porch Center for Technology Innovation and Wellbeing.
“Working with great partners like CareSpeak Communications, UCSF, Sprint, One Economy and the Front Porch family, we are excited about adapting the use of everyday mobile technologies like cell phone text reminders to support the medication management needs of active, on-the-go seniors," said Olson. "This is what the Front Porch Center for Technology Innovation and Wellbeing is all about – finding ways to creatively apply technology as a tool to help individuals live life their way."

The Front Porch Center for Technology Innovation and Wellbeing will work with Brooke Hollister, an assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco’s Institute for Health and Aging, to develop an evaluation plan that will measure the outcomes of the project.

"Poor prescription drug adherence can lead to unnecessary illnesses, disabilities, premature deaths and estimated healthcare costs of $290 billion per year,” said Hollister. "The 'Minding Our Meds' project is an opportunity for researchers to work together with the Front Porch Center and the seniors they serve to potentially improve prescription drug adherence through the use of an innovative new technology. Should this study find drug adherence improved, the implications for the lives of those struggling with adhering to prescription drug regimens is great."

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/minding-our-meds-initiative-aid-seniors-text-message

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hhs-text4health-mhealth-initiatives-focus-smoking-cessation
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/doctor-will-text-you-now

CNYMGMA

2011-10-12T08:09:00.000-04:00

The day has arrived!! I hope to see you at the CNYMGMA meeting today!! There are vendors from Inforia EMR, SUNY Oswego Metro Center, Healthy Advice and if course- MSO Solutions!!! The morning is packed with presentations on marketing your medical practice, retirement plans and EHR implementation- one of our specialties!!

Stop by our booth for great information on how we can assist you with your EHR implementation, as well as, hardware and software needs.

Meaningful Use a Higher Priority to Medical Practices Than Privacy and Security

2011-10-11T09:05:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Privacy, security not as high-priority as meeting meaningful use

By Patty Enrado, Special Projects Editor

Created 10/07/2011

SAN FRANCISCO – Eighty percent of respondents to a March 2011 Healthcare IT News survey of hospital and health system IT professionals cited compliance as the highest expectation of achieving meaningful use. Only 38 percent, however, are in the process of enterprise-wide adoption of secure EHRs.
The survey results confirm what Oracle and Deloitte, who commissioned the survey, are seeing in the marketplace, attendees were told at a healthcare session at Oracle OpenWorld Conference on Wednesday.
While meaningful use is very important, privacy and security are down on the priority list, partly as a result of limited resources and competing requirements, said Russell Jones, partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP, in the session “Secure EHRs: Achieving ‘Meaningful Use’ Compliance and Preventing Data Theft and Fraud.”
[See also: Privacy concerns accompany push for EMRs.]
With the Department of Health and Human Services "serious about enforcement" – HHS has engaged a Big 4 auditor to conduct up to 150 HIPAA security and privacy audits between now and the end of 2012 – Jones says hospitals and health systems need to deploy a set of controls that are robust and at the same time flexible and don’t impede physician workflow.
Jones recommended healthcare organizations take a framework approach to securing EHRs. Kaiser, Baylor Health Systems and a number of other healthcare organizations came together in a collaboration with HITRUST and developed the CSF for the healthcare industry a couple of years ago. Hospitals and health systems need to protect electronic personal health information (PHI) and PHI outside the EHR, said Jones. Finding a solution that can be implemented and tested once that can satisfy many requirements is ideal, he said.
“Meaningful use should not be a siloed approach,” said Jones. Security should be a line item in the meaningful use initiative. “Being compliant doesn’t mean you’re secure,” he added. “You’re going to need technology solutions that are data centric.”
[See also: Meaningful use top priority for healthcare executives.]
Reid Oakes, senior director of healthcare technology for Oracle, noted that technology solutions should look across the entire enterprise within the integrated framework approach. Once hospitals and health systems determine what they are trying to secure and where it is, they need to build, from the top down, a data map that encompasses business and clinical processes, and then deploy the technology.
Oakes took a deep dive into the various types of solutions for protecting data, including database security, identity management and information rights management to the data. An information rights management solution, for example, should be able to provide document-level access control, as well as provide control on the policy level to be able to de-identify the data, he said.
“You have to secure data in the right places and dynamically manage access,” Oakes said. “You have to look at security as a constant iterative process.”

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/privacy-security-not-high-priority-meeting-meaningful-use

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/privacy-concerns-accompany-push-emrs
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/meaningful-use-top-priority-healthcare-executives

Local Company to Showcase in Dusseldorf, Germany

2011-10-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Welch Allyn to showcase high-performance healthcare technology

By Industry News Release

Created 10/10/2011

SKANEATELES FALLS, N.Y. – Welch Allyn, a leading global provider of medical diagnostic devices headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, NY, will showcase its newest generation of connected solutions designed to address the needs of busy medical practices next month at the 2011 Medica International Trade Fair and Congress in Dusseldorf, Germany. Designed to swiftly gather accurate patient data and transmit it to an electronic medical record (EMR), the new platform-based devices will be on display in hall 9, booth E15.

“The solutions we will feature next month at Medica allow providers to quickly and efficiently collect and record patients’ vital signs, which is important in fast-paced hospital settings,” said Gand. “We have a commitment to fostering high-performance healthcare environments, and our platform-based devices help reduce the chance of transcription errors and the time required to collect patient data—as well as providing all caregivers near-instant access to the most recent patient status.”

According to Pascal Gand, vice president, Global Strategic Marketing at Welch Allyn, the high-performance healthcare solutions Welch Allyn will feature at Medica are a direct result of the growing demand for connected and configurable solutions that anticipate and respond to unique healthcare provider needs around the world. The products offer easy-to-use features and options that provide clinicians with access to information they need to provide the best possible patient care.

The company will formally introduce a configurable system that integrates nearly 100 years of innovation into one unit including traditional Welch Allyn physical assessment instruments and twenty-first century vital signs documentation technology that electronically captures and transmits patient data to an EMR, enabling improvements in patient safety and clinical decision making and reducing risk to facilities—providing clinicians in non-critical care settings with immediate access to accurate vital signs anytime, anywhere.

“Scalability is having a profound impact on the way we develop our products,” added Gand. “Accuracy, workflow and patient safety are primary concerns in hospitals around the world, and the products we’ll have on display at Medica address each of these issues. We will showcase platform-based solutions that offer greater efficiency and more configurability options to help shape the future of healthcare delivery beyond traditional approaches to connect, manage, and share patient information—and improve patient care in the process.”

About Welch Allyn

Founded in 1915 and headquartered in Skaneateles Falls, NY (USA), Welch Allyn is a leading global provider of medical diagnostic equipment and a complete range of digital and connected solutions. With 2,750 employees working in 26 different countries, Welch Allyn is a family-owned business that specializes in helping doctors, nurses, and other frontline practitioners across the globe provide the best patient care by developing innovative products, breakthrough technologies, and cutting-edge solutions that help them see more patients, detect more conditions, and improve more lives. More information about Welch Allyn and its complete line of connected products and solutions may be found at http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welchallyn.com&esheet=50019537&lan=en-US&anchor=www.welchallyn.com&index=3&md5=e13e56805cdbacfc90deedefefaea690.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/press-release/welch-allyn-showcase-high-performance-healthcare-technology

Links:
[1] http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welchallyn.com%2Fdefault.htm&esheet=50019537&lan=en-US&anchor=Welch+Allyn&index=1&md5=32c26fa1df9523171e3cac213f847e35
[2] http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medica-tradefair.com%2F&esheet=50019537&lan=en-US&anchor=2011+Medica+International+Trade+Fair+and+Congress&index=2&md5=708265a55448344a423693da6baea57c
[3] http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welchallyn.com&esheet=50019537&lan=en-US&anchor=www.welchallyn.com&index=3&md5=e13e56805cdbacfc90deedefefaea690

iPhone 4S To Make Healthcare Customizations

2011-10-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Researchers don't wait for iPhone 4S to make healthcare customizations

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 10/10/2011

SAN JOSE, CA – The iPhone 4S will be available on October 14, and one expert says Apple's new release "certainly boosts its suitability for healthcare applications." But one team of UC Davis researchers didn't need an upgrade to transform their iPhones into medical-quality imaging and chemical detection devices.
Sheridan Nye (pictured at right), a senior analyst in the Enterprise Verticals practice of London-based Informa Telecoms & Media, told Healthcare IT News how several aspects of the 4S may make it a more valuable tool for healthcare professionals:

Exceptionally high quality optics, dual-core processing and HSPA+ interface at 14.4Mbps make medical imaging feasible for the first time on a smart phone. As sophisticated apps become available, the smartphone could become a viable diagnostics tool.
The Siri built-in voice assistant will be useful for patients with limited mobility, for personalized medication and appointment reminders, and for professionals needing a hands-free dictation device, among other uses.
Bluetooth 4.0 is now standard on new Apple releases. Optimized for low-data-rate, low-power applications, this latest evolution is ideal for connecting battery powered medical devices and sensors.
The combination of GSM/UMTS and CDMA EV-DO modes allows patients to take their medical applications and devices with them when they travel (roaming fees notwithstanding).

Although these new features could make the iPhone more practical to healthcare professionals, a team of researchers from the University of California, Davis, didn’t wait for Apple to customize their iPhones. Instead they used a 1-millimeter-diameter ball lens that costs $30-$40 to turn them into medical-quality imaging and chemical detection devices.
The team will present their findings on Oct. 19 at the Optical Society's (OSA) Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics (FiO) 2011, taking place in San Jose, Calif.
Researchers say the enhanced iPhones could help doctors and nurses diagnose blood diseases in developing nations where many hospitals and rural clinics have limited or no access to laboratory equipment. In addition to bringing new sensing capabilities where they are needed most, the modified phones are also able transmit the real-time data to colleagues around the globe for further analysis and diagnosis.
"Field workers could put a blood sample on a slide, take a picture, and send it to specialists to analyze," says Sebastian Wachsmann-Hogiu, a physicist with UC Davis' Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Center for Biophotonics, Science and Technology, and lead author of the research to be presented at FiO.
The group is not the first to build a smartphone microscope. "But we thought we could make something simpler and less expensive," he says.
Wachsmann-Hogiu's team is working with UC Davis Medical Center to validate the device and determine how to use it in the field. They may also add features, such as larger lenses to diagnose skin diseases and software to count and classify blood cells automatically in order to provide instant feedback and perhaps recognize a wider range of diseases.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/researchers-dont-wait-iphone-4s-customize-their-phones-healthcare

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/iphone-ups-game-health-info
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/iphone-can-diagnose-stroke-quickly-accurately
[3] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/iphone-dominate-us-physician-smartphone-market

Verizon Security Tools for EHR's

2011-10-07T10:20:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Verizon offers security tools for EHRs, HIEs, eRx

By Mike Miliard, Managing Editor

Created 09/29/2011

NEW YORK – When it comes to security and credentialing, healthcare is "one of the most heavily-regulated industries," says Tracy Hulver, director of identity marketing in the Security Innovation Group at Verizon Business.

At the same time, however, it can be one where people are "the least technology-savvy, in a lot of cases," he says. Compound that situation with tight budgets for IT and security, and the result is a “tremendous challenge."

But that's no excuse, as Mac McMillan, chair of the HIMSS Privacy & Security Policy Task Force, told Healthcare IT News recently. "It's not that it’s too complicated. It’s just a matter of really figuring out how to do it.

"Providers do not see security as an imperative yet," he added. "That’s not across the board, obviously. There are some folks out there who are actually getting it and trying to do a good job. And they’re making the investment, and I think they’re seeing the benefit of doing that now. But that’s not the majority."

With its revamped Universal Identity Services platform for healthcare, Verizon hopes to reach that majority, offering economical and easy-to-use applications that takes on proofing, credentialing and authentication duties – both at the user level and at the transaction level – for cash-strapped providers.

Verizon's managed identity services, delivered via the cloud through its Terremark IT services delivery subsidiary, now supports additional standards for accessing EHRs and health information exchanges, as well as credentials for e-prescribing, including prescriptions for controlled substances.

The enhanced services deliver legally binding digital signature capabilities, enabling healthcare providers to digitally sign patient health information – such as treatment plans, electronic prescriptions, laboratory reports and discharge orders – with strong user authentication and security protections. Other digitally signed documents that can be securely shared include filings to government agencies and official communications with contractors and business partners.

Moreover, officials tout Verizon's new ID Message Center, through which users can easily monitor and track their digital signature activities with a convenient mobile application or optional Web-based portal.

The updated package also allows providers to use their smartphones and tablets to authenticate their identity to gain access to these new capabilities.

"Because it's a managed service, the organization does not have to manage a lot of costs like infrastructure or administrative overhead," says Hulver. "It's a very economical solution."

Verizon's services pass muster with federal regulations from agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration – CFR-1311, a set of guidelines from the DEA, regulates the use of e-prescribing for controlled substances, for example. CFR-21 Part 11, from the FDA, provides digital signature guidelines for the submission of electronic records.

This past June, Verizon announced that the service supports the SAFE-BioPharma standard, the only life science digital standard that offers interoperability with government agencies, such as the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Additionally, say officials, its healthcare identity platform incorporates the standards established by the Initiative for Open Authentication, an industry group working toward an open, standards-based system to support multi-factor identity credentials.

"Securely and quickly authenticating the digital identity of healthcare professionals is a key foundational element supporting the electronic exchange of healthcare information," adds Peter Tippett, vice president of industry and security solutions, Verizon. "By streamlining and strengthening the issuance of health identities, our newly enhanced universal identity service for healthcare will help boost widespread adoption and act as a catalyst for further transformation of the U.S. healthcare delivery system."

The multi-factored credentials delivered by Verizon's service are designed to meet the Level 3 authentication requirements created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the federal agency that works with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards. The credentials also help enable U.S. healthcare professionals to meet federal meaningful use requirements contained in the HITECH Act.

"Ten years ago, before all this information about 'the cloud,' people were certainly apt to outsource applications," says Hulver, "but the security element is something they really wanted to hold on to as long as possible."

Nowadays, with the threat level increasing – and the penalties for breaches doing the same – the situation has changed. But that doesn't mean, of course, that getting more money from the CFO for security is any easier, he adds.

More and more providers are looking for ways to meet these stringent regulations with the budgets they have, says Hulver. "Outsourcing elements of security is something people are starting to look at as a valid alternative."

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/verizon-offers-security-tools-ehrs-hies-erx

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/issue/34897

Virtual Healthcare

2011-10-07T10:15:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

For seniors wanting to 'age gracefully at home,' there's Virtual Health

By Eric Wicklund, Contributing Editor

Created 10/05/2011

NEW YORK – Developers of a subscription-based telehealth service launched today in New York say it will give the nation’s ever-growing ranks of seniors the ability to “age gracefully at home.”
Virtual Health executives announced the company’s launch at a press conference this morning in New York City, unveiling a platform of IT tools and technology designed to allow seniors to, among other things, keep track of their vital signs, communicate with caregivers and healthcare providers, receive health and wellness tips, arrange to have meals delivered and deal with certain financial issues.
“We want to deliver the assisted living experience directly to the home at a fraction of the cost of assisted living,” said Alex Go, who helped develop Intel’s telehealth offerings before becoming Virtual Health’s chief executive officer.

Go pointed out that most telehealth services for home-bound seniors aren’t currently reimbursed by health plans or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, yet studies show that most seniors would prefer to live at home rather than in a housing complex or some other assisted-living facility.
“Investors are clamoring to recognize a new model of care for aging-in-place seniors,” he said. “We decided, why wait until health plans or CMS begins to reimburse for these services? Let’s start with a concierge-type program and see where it goes.”

Virtual Living, which will launch initially in New York, will deploy the FDA-approved Care Innovations Guide platform, developed by Care Innovations, the telehealth collaborative formed by tech giants Intel and GE. The Guide is designed to allow providers to remotely monitor a patient’s vital signs at home, including blood pressure, weight and blood-glucose levels, as well as giving the patient a video-conferencing link.

In addition, Virtual Health is partnering with SeniorBridge, a New York-based national care management company with an employee base of nurses, home health aides and clinical social workers; Dinewise, a Farmingdale, N.Y.-based national distributor of fully-prepared meals; and the Lifecare Funding Group, which assists people in need of funds to cover the costs of senior housing and long-term care.
"Personalized healthcare is the way of the future," said Bradford Perkins, co-founder and chairman of Perkins Eastman and a special advisor and board member to the company, in a press release supplied by Virtual Health. "Solutions such as Virtual Health will become increasingly important as more and more seniors aim to age at home gracefully and remain active for as long as possible. The combination of state-of-the-art technology and a responsive national care network will make Virtual Health a valuable addition to the marketplace."

Go said the plan to is offer Virtual Health care plans, starting at about 10 percent of the costs of an assisted living contract, to New York-area residents first, then roll out the program nationwide by the holidays. He also expects to add more partners, including companies offering financial estate planning, transportation services and medication refills.
Among the early users of the Virtual Health platform is Selma Farrago, a New York resident involved through SeniorBridge.

“My independence is important to me, so I was eager to be a part of an early market trial for the Virtual Health system,” said Farrago, in a press release. “After using the Virtual Health system for just a few days, the clinician called to say she noticed a spike in my blood pressure and suggested I contact my primary care physician.”

“My doctor told me that we averted a potential health crisis by catching that early,” she added. “Having the system in my home makes me comfortable that I am getting the best care possible.”
Go said he hopes to branch out the service to high-risk pregnant women, new parents and others in need of a structured care plan while staying at home.
“We’re offering mobility solutions for people who want to live at home,” he said. “We see that as a great growth opportunity.”

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/seniors-wanting-age-gracefully-home-theres-virtual-health

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/telehealth-becomes-multi-dimensional
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/home-telemonitoring-works-study-claims
[3] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/intel-ready-go-market-its-new-home-device

Upcoming Events that MSO Solutions, LLC Will Be Attending....

2011-10-06T09:42:00.001-04:00

Please do not forget to join us next week at the following conferences:

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
7:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
Central New York Medical Group Management Association (CNYMGMA)
HOT TOPICS in Practice Management
Genesee Grande Hotel
1060 East Genesee Street
Syracuse, New York 13210

Friday, October 14, 2011
7:50 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Central New York AAPC Annual Meeting
Turning Stone Casino and Resort
521 Patrick Road
Verona, New York 13478

Hope to see you there!!!

Speech Recognition Software.....

2011-10-06T09:24:00.000-04:00

MSO Solutions, LLC is always willing to work with other companies to provide our customers with the best services available within our community.
Mindware Connections
"Connecting Your Mind To Software"
144 Village Landing Ste. 310
Fairport, New York 14450
Phone: 585-388-3168
Pamela J. Gratzer
President/CEOhttp://www.mindwareconnections.com/

**Mindware Connections is a Speech Recognition training company specializing in Dragon Medical. They have successfully implemented and trained providers at numerous medical factilities throughout the Northeast:
> Lifetime Health
> Buffalo Medical Group
> Adirondack Medical Center
> Roswell Park Cancer Institute
> Rome Medical Group
> Finger Lakes Health
And many more......
They also have vast experience implementing within EHR systems such as:Allscripts NextGen Greenway Epic Medent
Soapware Sage GE Centricity Eclypsys eClinicalWorks
JUST TO NAME A FEW!

MSO Solutions, LLC will purchase and install any Speech Recognition software you choose and Mindware Connections will train you to use to its highest potential!

Computer Networking and Repair Services

2011-10-05T12:59:00.000-04:00

As a full service IT Company we have products and services to help design an IT network that is best suited for physician practices. We work with local IT product distributors to offer you an extensive range of products to meet the needs of each office and at a price that is guaranteed to fit any budget. And, we will deliver and install ALL of IT products so their project is done correctly, on-time and on-budget.

Some of the services we offer are:

*The Design and Implementation of Windows Networks

*Hardware and Software Selection

*Installation and Configuration of Wireless Networks

*Workstation and Network Maintenance and Repair

*Remote Network Support

Check out our website at: http://www.msosolutions.com/ to see a full list of our services!!

2011-10-05T12:52:00.000-04:00

News Updates | October 04, 2011
Important Updates on Registration for the EHR Incentive Programs

CMS wants to remind eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) of the key registration dates for the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, and provide information to help them successfully register and start their path to payment for 2011.

Important Registration Dates to Remember

November 30, 2011– Last day for eligible hospitals and CAHs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for Federal fiscal year 2011.

February 29, 2012– Last day for EPs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for calendar year 2011.

When Should Providers Register?
CMS encourages providers to register for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program(s) as soon as possible to avoid payment delays. Please note that not all states have launched a Medicaid EHR Incentive Program yet. Providers will not be able to complete their registration for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program until their state's program has launched and that state's site has opened. Providers should check their state's status.
Note: Providers can register before they have a certified EHR and can also register if they do not have an enrollment record in PECOS.
Registration Resources
CMS has a number of resources to help providers successfully register for the EHR Incentive Programs:
Step–by–step registration guides, available on CMS' Registration page
A number of FAQs about registration on the EHR Incentive Programs website
Webinars on YouTube to help guide providers through the registration process– one for EPs, and one for hospitals.
Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?
Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Check out this GREAT article from ZDNet.com.....

2011-10-04T08:54:00.000-04:00

Samsung introduces Series 7 All-In-One PC, its first desktop sold in U.S.

By Sean Portnoy | October 4, 2011, 4:29am PDT

Summary: Now that the rumors that Samsung would purchase HP’s computer business have subsided, the company is getting to work expanding its footprint in the U.S. For the first time, the electronics giant has introduced a desktop PC for the American market. The Samsung Series 7 All-In-One PC joins the all-in-one trend, offering a 23-inch touchscreen display

Now that the rumors that Samsung would purchase HP’s computer business have subsided, the company is getting to work expanding its footprint in the U.S. For the first time, the electronics giant has introduced a desktop PC for the American market.
The Samsung Series 7 All-In-One PC joins the all-in-one trend, offering a 23-inch touchscreen display that’s only 16 millimeters thick, with the system components buried in the unit’s base. The result is a different, slightly sleeker look than the typical all-in-one delivers. You can lay the screen flat in order to make the best use of the touchscreen interface.
Samsung will debut two configurations of the All-In-One. The $999 DP700A3B-A01US includes the Intel Core i3-2120T processor running at 2.6GHz, 6GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, wireless keyboard and mouse, built-in Wi-Fi, DVD burner, and integrated graphics. The beefier $1,199 DP700A3B-A02US packs a 2.7GHz Core i5-2390T CPU and 8GB of RAM instead.
The Series 7 All-In-One PC will be available on October 10. While it delivers a sexier design and slightly bigger screen, you can get an all-in-one from HP with similar specs for less if you don’t want the touchscreen (see the Omni 220xt, for example).

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk Was a SUCCESS!!!!

2011-10-03T10:15:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who donated to American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Sunday, October 2, 2011. Team "The Rack Pack" raised almost $1,300.00!!!

ENJOY SOME PICS FROM THE DAY!!!

I thought I would share this post from Anne Zieger, Editor at EHRoutlook.com

2011-09-30T09:20:00.002-04:00

By: Anne Zieger

09.22.2011

Yesterday, I shared some statistics suggesting that not only are patients afraid that their electronic health data will be stolen, they're likely to drop your practice and even tell others not to visit you if they experience a security breach. Today, I bring you a real life reminder that medical practices do indeed get targeted for such attacks, even though they might have much less information to be stolen than, say, a medium-sized hospital.

A few months ago, a Birmingham, AL orthodontics practice reported that someone broke into its office and stole a bunch of equipment, including a server stocked with information on patients going back 30 years. The information included some dangerous stuff, including names and addresses of patients, Social Security numbers and at least some credit card numbers. The break in affected 20,744 individuals, according to Rape & Brooks Orthodontics, which reported the incident to the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

What makes the theft particularly nasty is that the data was "unencrypted," rather than scrambled by software for security reasons. In essence, that means the thieves could conceivably take out the server computer's hard drive, attach it to another computer, and simply read the information. And the thieves have reason to do so; data like Social Security numbers and birth dates can be used together to commit many forms of credit card.

While this incident didn't involve clinical data drawn from an EHR, it's only a matter of time before practices lose electronic patient record data in this manner. If nothing else, a practice whose computer equipment is stolen could lose clinical data, at least if the data wasn't backed up properly. Not only that, thieves are beginning to use patient data to commit medical identity fraud, in which they use a patient's information to fraudulently obtain medical care and bill it to that patient. And of course, the HIPAA implications of stolen patient data are rather ugly.

Bottom line, if you're not confident that you understand at least the basics of security, you'd better learn fast -- the stakes are high and getting higher. Tomorrow, I'll supply a sample of Web resources that can help you get up to speed.

Making Strides Breat Cancer Walk is THIS Sunday, October 2, 2011!!

2011-09-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

Don't forget, the American Cancer Society's Annual Breast Cancer Walk (Making Strides) will be held Sunday, October 2, 2011. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m.

MSO Solutions will be represented by team "The Rack Pack". Jennifer Sprague, our Sales Representative and EHR Consultant will be there with SEVERAL family members and friends to help fund finding a cure for this horrible disease. To date, the team has raised over $1,100.00!!!!

Please visit our team page if you would like to make a donation: http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=36026&pg=entry.

Search for "The Rack Pack"!!!

Voice Recognition....

2011-09-30T09:10:00.000-04:00

Published on FierceEMR (http://www.fierceemr.com)

Value of voice recognition technology for EHRs growing

By mdhirsch

Created Sep 29 2011 - 8:41am

Are voice recognition systems growing out of their infancy? That's the suggestion made by Dr. Eric Fishman, writing a post for Medscape Business of Medicine. Fishman suggests that while not perfect, voice recognition software solves many of the problems physicians have with electronic health records.

"Clicking through a database to provide exactly the type of data requested is very time consuming and arduous," he writes. "It takes physicians' attention away from patients in most instances, and may not add as much to the readability of a medical record as might be requested."

In contrast, using speech recognition software allows doctors to maintain eye contact and minimize attention paid to a computer screen. The technology, however, is not without its glitches, as it can be difficult to use with mobile EHR systems [1], a major reason why mobile technology is used more for data viewing as opposed to data input.

Fishman recommends that physicians review their voice recognition-generated notes and make corrections as required. They also should consider using voice recognition, not for an entire patient record, but in combination with a drop-down list and then dictating a few sentences of a patient's history in their own words.

To learn more:
- read the Medscape Business of Medicine article [2]

· Dr. Eric Fishman

· Dragon

· EHRs

· electronic health records

· Nuance

· Speech Recognition

· voice recognition

Source URL: http://www.fierceemr.com/story/value-voice-recognition-technology-ehrs-rise/2011-09-29

Links:
[1] http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/accurate-speech-recognition-mhealths-holy-grail-docs/2011-09-13
[2] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/747436
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/nuance-upmc-partner-develop-new-method-ehr-documentation/2011-08-12
[4] http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/microsoft-tests-mobile-speech-search/2009-06-16
[5] http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/epocrates-add-speech-recognition-its-mobile-emr/2011-04-04
[6] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/saving-healthcare-clinical-narrative/2010-05-09

MSO Solutions, LLC-Computer Repair and Servicing

2011-09-29T08:21:00.001-04:00

COMPUTER SERVICES:

MSO Solutions will help you develop a comprehensive, technology-based strategy that is focused on achieving your goals. We will never over-sell to any of our customers; instead, we will provide ideas and solutions, and help to see those solutions to their fruition.

In order to survive in today's evolving technological environment, it is important that we all remain competitive. Investment in technology is a proven way to assure your future success.

The Design and Implementation of Networks:

Our IT staff has extensive experience with setting up Microsoft Windows based networks for small-to-medium sized businesses.

Workstation and Network Maintenance and Repair:

We will trouble-shoot and resolve a full-range of computer problems. If your computers are running slow or not running at all, our skilled technicians will get you up and running in no time!

Installation and Configuration of Wireless Networks:

If being efficient means being on the move, MSO Solutions can help! We offer a full-range of wireless networking solutions for any business.

Beginner to Intermediate Computer Training:
We offer on site computer training classes to help your staff get the most out of the technology that drives us today.

We Support:
IOS
MAC
Linux
Windows

Website Design:

Need help with your website? We can help you plan, design and implement your personal and/or corporate website. (Check out OUR website: http://www.msosolutions.com/! It was designed by Jennifer Sprague)

Hardware and Software Selection:

We know that finding the right hardware and software for your business or home-office can be challenging. We offer a FREE consultation to determine what your needs are before you purchase anything you might not need!

Remote Network Support:

MSO Solutions has a unique approach when it comes to supporting your business. We will not arrive on site if we do not have to. By supporting your network remotely, we can save money which allows YOU to save money!!

Don't Forget The October 3 Deadline to Qualify for Meaningful Use Before the End of the Year!!

2011-09-29T08:17:00.001-04:00

Published on Government Health IT (http://www.govhealthit.com/)

EHR incentive program ramps up to 90,000 providers

By Mary Mosquera

Created 2011-09-14 20:57

Physicians and hospitals signed up in droves in August to participate in the meaningful use incentive program, with 13,000 registering, a 30 percent jump from July, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
As of the end of August, a total of 90,000 eligible physicians, other professionals and hospitals are taking part in the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health records (EHR) incentive programs, said Robert Anthony, a specialist in CMS’ Office of e-Health Standards and Services.
In July, that total was 77,000 providers.
Drilling down into the numbers, CMS paid Medicare incentives to 1,000 physicians in August, nearly double the number of clinicians paid in July, which was double the number of those paid in June, he said. About half of all physicians who have been paid under the Medicare program were paid in August. Physicians who demonstrate the first stage of meaningful use in 2011 or 2012 can receive $18,000.
“When we launched in April, we had a trickle, and that trickle is turning into a faucet opening up a little more. If this trend holds, we’ll have the faucet fully going,” Anthony said at the Sept. 14 meeting of the Health IT Policy Committee, which advises the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.
Among evidence that has emerged is that providers across the age spectrum are participating in the meaningful use program, “despite the sentiment that was voiced that older physicians wouldn’t be interested since they are close to retiring,” he said. However, he cautioned that the sample is still small.
On the Medicaid side, 23 states have opened their incentive program as of August. When larger states, such as California, start up their programs at the end of the year, “Medicaid payments will spike quickly,” said Robert Tagalicod, director of CMS’ Office of e-Health Standards and Services.
Close to 1,300 physicians and other eligible professionals received payments, 23 percent more than in July. In August, $150 million in Medicaid incentives were paid, a little less than half of the total year to date, Anthony said.
CMS issued a total of $264 million in payments in August, twice as much as paid out in July, and $652 million for the year to date, he said.
ONC and CMS are coordinating more of their activities and sharing more data, such as about the nearly 100,000 providers who have signed up to work with the 62 regional health IT extensions centers across the country, Tagalicod said.
CMS will be able to “match up provider numbers to the data on geography, practice size and health IT vendor” to understand who is meeting meaningful use and where, he said. The extension centers, which ONC has funded, aim to assist physicians overcome the hurdles of deploying certified EHRs and becoming meaningful users.

Source URL: http://www.govhealthit.com/news/ehr-incentive-program-ramps-90000-providers

Links:
[1] http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/01_Overview.asp#TopOfPage
[2] http://govhealthit.com/news/cms-counts-early-ehr-incentive-adopters
[3] http://www.govhealthit.com/news/cms-explains-how-get-paid-ehr-incentives
[4] http://www.govhealthit.com/../../../../../../news/qa-how-meaningful-use-clashing-icd-10

Meaningful Use Stage 2 and 3-Patient Outcomes

2011-09-28T09:49:00.002-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

Higher criteria for meaningful use in Stages 2 and 3 will boost patient outcomes

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 09/15/2011

BETHESDA, MD – A new study found that the criteria for hospitals to meet meaningful use of electronic medication order entry for Stage 1 is too low to have a significant impact on hospital mortality rates among Medicare patients.
This is because Stage 1 only requires that providers use electronic orders for at least 30 percent of eligible patients. Authors however, believe that Stages 2 and 3, which will require 60 and 80 percent of patients will be more likely to improve patient outcomes.
The study, published online by Health Affairs, is the first to evaluate the relationship between the meaningful use standards for computerized medication ordering and hospital mortality rates.
The authors assessed the mortality rates of patients within thirty days of being hospitalized for heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia, obtaining mortality data from the September 2008 release of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Compare database. They used data on hospital characteristics from the 2007 American Hospital Annual Survey database, analyzing the 4,644 general acute care hospitals in the United States not owned by the federal government. To obtain information about hospitals’ use of electronic medication ordering, the authors relied on the 2007 American Hospital Association Information Technology Supplement.
In comparing mortality rates among hospitals reporting different levels of use for electronic medication order entry, they found a statistically significant relationship with heart attack and heart failure but not with pneumonia. Also, higher levels of use – with more than 50 percent of patients – were more consistently associated with lower mortality for both heart attack and heart failure.
Policy makers are now debating what Stage 2 standards should be and when they should be implemented. This study’s findings indicate that greatly increased use of electronic medication order entry has the potential to reduce mortality in the future.
“Our study may reassure policy makers and other stakeholders that high levels of use of computerized provider order entry and other health information technology have value and may yield tangible health benefits for patients.”
Click here to read the full study.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-expects-meaningful-use-benefits-later-stages

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/meaningful-use-criteria-too-high-and-too-many
[2] http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/early/2011/09/12/hlthaff.2011.0245.full

Have you looked at your HIPAA Privacy and Security Policies Lately?

2011-09-27T09:58:00.000-04:00

If you haven't looked at your HIPAA Privacy and Security Policies lately, NOW is the time to do so!! There were MAJOR changes included in the HITECH which was a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). As a result of this, many of the policies and procedures physician practices implemented in 2003 when HIPAA went into effect, must be updated.

Some of the changes implemented are:
>Increased liability for not being in compliance with HIPAA standards (The old fine was a maximum of $25,000 per violation; NOW that's just the first level of fines and fines can now be $1.5 million for a single violation!!!)

>The HITECH act also mandates that audits be conducted on covered entities (physicians and physician practices); the federal government can walk into your office and ask to see your policies and procedures at ANY TIME even if NO complaints have been filed against you!!

>The breach notification policy states that if one patient's secured record has been breached, the patient must be notified, as well as, the Federal Government. If more than 500 patients' secured records have been breached, you must notify the affected patients, the Federal Government and local news media!

>Also, update your Business Associates Agreements-your BA has several new policies they must implement to protect you!

Don't delay in updating or implementing your Privacy and Security Policies-the consequences greatly out way any costs!

Speech Recognition Software Training-Mindware Connections

2011-09-26T09:28:00.000-04:00

What will Speech Recognition do for YOU?

Whatever your specialty...Whatever your EHR....Speech Recognition allows you to:
1-Cut Transcription Costs
2-Eliminate Turnaround Time
3-Maximize patient reimbursements

What will Mindware Connections do for YOU?
*Provide highly effective individualized training
*Integrate Speech Recognition into your workflow
*Enable Speech Recognition benefits

Mindware Connections is a company based out of Rochester, New York that specializes in the training of Speech Recognition Software. The staff at Mindware Connections has successfully implemented and trained providers at numerous medical facilities throughout the Northeast including:

>Lifetime Health
>Buffalo Medical Group
>Adirondack Medical Group
>Roswell Park Cancer Institute
>Rome Medical Group
Just to name a few!!

The have VAST experience implementing within EHR systems such as:
>NextGen
>EPIC
>Medent
>Sage
>GE Centricity
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October 3 is the Last Day for Eligible Professionals to Begin their 90-Day Reporting Period for 2011

2011-09-26T09:08:00.000-04:00

Medicare EHR Incentive Program Website News
http://www.cms.gov/ehrincentiveprograms/

News Updates | September 23, 2011

October 3 is the Last Day for Eligible Professionals to Begin their 90-Day Reporting Period for 2011

The last day that eligible professionals (EPs) can begin their 90-day reporting period in calendar year (CY) 2011 for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program is October 3, 2011. For EPs, this means that they must begin their consecutive 90-day reporting period by October 3 in order to attest to meeting meaningful use and be eligible to receive an incentive payment for CY 2011.

For EPs who have already completed their reporting period, CMS has a number of tools available to help prepare for attestation. EPs can use the CMS Eligible Professional Attestation Worksheet to record their meaningful use measures to have as a reference when attesting for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in CMS' web-based Registration and Attestation System. The Meaningful Use Attestation Calculator and Attestation User Guide for Eligible Professionals can also help EPs to successfully attest to meeting meaningful use.

CMS encourages EPs not to miss the opportunity to participate in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program this year. Begin your reporting period by October 3rd to get on the path to payment for CY 2011.

Looking Ahead
Take a look at all of the other EHR Incentive Program important dates that are coming up by going to our CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Milestone Timeline, or reviewing the “Important Dates” section of the EHR Incentive Programs’ Overview page.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?
Make sure to visit the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs http://www.cms.gov/ehrincentiveprograms/

EHR Privacy

2011-09-23T13:42:00.000-04:00

Published on FierceEMR (http://www.fierceemr.com)

80% of Americans worry about EHR privacy

By mdhirsch

Created Sep 22 2011 - 8:13am

[1]A majority of Americans believe that electronic health records don't keep their medical records confidential, according to a new survey released by security firm SailPoint.
The survey, released September 20, found that 80 percent of Americans were concerned about moving their personal medical information to EHRs because of the risks of identity theft, exposure of their information on the Internet and the viewing of their records by those not directly related to their care. There also was concern that patients' private health conditions could be revealed to current or potential employers.
The results were similar in other nations: 81 percent of Britons and 83 percent of Australians reported the same fears. Overall, 5,246 individuals, including 2,309 Americans.
While such fears are well founded, they aren't necessarily unique to electronic records. "It's a very real fear [for patients to have], but security concerns also exist with paper records," Tony Ryzinski, senior vice president of product management and marketing for Sage Healthcare, tells FierceEMR.
In fact, Irving, Texas-based OB/GYN Jeffery Livingston tells FierceEMR that he believes EHRs generally are more secure than paper records, since the files are encrypted. Livingston's practice transitioned to EHRs in 2007.
A major part of the concern involves human error and activity, such as lax access controls and inadequate security measures, SailPoint notes in the report.
"Consumers are right to be concerned about the possible exposure of their very private medical information," Jackie Gilbert, vice president of marketing and co-founder at SailPoint, said in a statement. "As the healthcare industry around the world moves toward digitalizing personal healthcare records, keeping patient information private and secure must be the highest priority. Healthcare organizations need to make sure that they have the proper controls in place to protect patient data; those that don't clearly risk lawsuits, fines, and most importantly, loss of patient trust."
Governments are aware of the public's fear of exposure regarding the use of EHRs. The HITECH Act addressed some of these concerns with its beefed up privacy and security rules and more stringent accounting of disclosure requirements [2] for providers who use EHRs, for which a proposed rule was published in the Federal Register May 31. The final rule implementing that measure has not yet been promulgated.
To learn more:
- here's the healthcare portion [1] of SailPoint's survey (.pdf)
- check out the SailPoint press release [3]
- read the proposed accounting for disclosures rule [4]
- view this SailPoint infographic [5]
Related Articles:
HHS: Patients should know who views their EHR [2]
OCR stepping up HIPAA privacy, security enforcement [6]
HHS raises maximum HIPAA privacy fines to $1.5 million [7]

Source URL: http://www.fierceemr.com/story/80-americans-concerned-about-ehr-privacy/2011-09-22

Links:
[1] http://assets.fiercemarkets.com/public/newsletter/fierceemr/sailpoint.pdf
[2] http://www.fierceemr.com/story/hhs-patients-should-know-who-views-their-ehr/2011-06-02
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/press-releases/sailpoint-survey-highlights-consumer-fear-over-stolen-personal-or-financial
[4] http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/05/31/2011-13297/hipaa-privacy-rule-accounting-of-disclosures-under-the-health-information-technology-for-economic
[5] http://www.sailpoint.com/2011survey/
[6] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/ocr-stepping-hipaa-privacy-security-enforcement/2010-05-17
[7] http://www.fierceemr.com/story/hhs-raises-maximum-hipaa-privacy-fines-1-5-million/2009-11-05

Save The Date!!!

2011-09-23T08:38:00.000-04:00

Don't forget, the American Cancer Society's Annual Breast Cancer Walk (Making Strides) will be held next Sunday, October 2, 2011. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m.

We have one week left for any contributions and fundraising. Please visit our team page at: http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=36026&pg=entry.

Search for "The Rack Pack"!!!

Health IT News.....

2011-09-23T08:27:00.002-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

PwC: Health industry under-prepared to protect privacy

By Mike Miliard, Managing Editor

Created 09/22/2011

NEW YORK – Most health organizations are under-prepared to protect patient privacy and secure personal health information as new uses for digital health data emerge and access to confidential patient information expands, according to a new report from PwC's Health Research Institute.
Old privacy and security controls no longer suffice to comply with existing privacy laws and patient consent agreements, say to PwC officials – who emphasize that health organizations need to update practices and adopt a more integrated approach to ensure that patient information doesn't fall into the wrong hands.
The report, titled "Old data learns new tricks: Managing patient privacy and security on a new data-sharing playground," shows how existing privacy and security controls have not kept pace with new realities in healthcare: increased access to information in electronic health records; greater data collaboration with external partners and business associations; the emergence of new uses for digital health information to improve the quality and cost of care; and the rise of social media and mobile technology to better and more efficiently manage patient health.
A recent nationwide PwC Health Research Institute survey of 600 executives from US hospitals and physician organizations, health insurers, and pharmaceutical and life sciences companies found:

Theft accounted for 66 percent of total reported health data breaches over the past two years. Also, medical identity theft appears to be on the rise. Over one third (36 percent) of provider organizations (hospitals and physician groups) confirmed that they have experienced patients seeking services using somebody else's name and identification.
More than half (55 percent) of health organizations surveyed have not addressed privacy and security issues associated with the use of mobile devices, and less than one-quarter have addressed privacy and security implications of social media.
More than half (54 percent) of health organizations surveyed reported at least one issue with information privacy and security over the past two years.
The most frequently reported issue among providers was the improper use of protected health information by an internal party. Over the past two years, 40 percent of providers reported an incident of improper internal use of protected health information.
The most frequently reported issue among health insurers and pharmaceutical and life science companies was the improper transfer of files containing personal health information to unauthorized parties. Over the past two years, one in five (21 percent) pharmaceutical and life sciences companies and one in four (25 percent) of health insurers improperly transferred files containing protected health information.

"Although paper-based health information breaches must now be disclosed under the breach notification provision under the HITECH Act, electronic data breaches occur three times more frequently and affect 25 times more people when they occur," said James Koenig, director and co-leader, Health Information Privacy and Security Practice, PwC. "Most breaches are not the result of IT hackers, but rather reflect the increase in the risks of the knowledgeable insider related to identity theft and simple human error - loss of a computer or device, lack of knowledge or unintended unauthorized disclosure."
Continued on next page.
A culture of confidentiality
PwC's research found considerable concern for the "knowledgeable insider." On average, improper use of personal health information by an internal party was the leading privacy/security issue experienced by healthcare organizations over the last two years. Because of lack of awareness or training, breaches can result easily and with greater probability from mishandling of paper documents, people talking in the elevator, or comments made via social media channels. In addition, risks of data breaches and the complexity of consent agreements rises when information is shared with business associates, the source of more than half of reported health data breaches affecting more than 11 million people since 2009.
PwC's survey found:

More than half of healthcare organizations allow access to social networking while at work; less than half have a policy covering the use of social media outside of work.
Less than half (37 percent) of health organizations surveyed incorporate approved uses of mobile devices and social media as part of company privacy training.
Only 58 percent of providers and 41 percent of health insurers say they include the appropriate use of electronic health records (EHR) as part of employee privacy training.
Only 36 percent of health organizations perform a pre-contract assessment of their business associates such as business partners and vendors, and just 26 percent conduct post-contract compliance assessments.

Opportunities and risks
Digitized health data is becoming one of the most highly valued assets in the health industry, and, according to PwC, all kinds of organizations are now converging around the shared use of the information to enable new care delivery models such as accountable care organizations, outcomes-based reimbursement and the advance of wellness, preventive and personalized care.
Organizations also are discovering the potential in secondary uses of the information beyond treating patients, such as in clinical studies, post-market surveillance of drugs and the development of new products and services to better understand patient health and behaviors. Yet PwC found that while many organizations are sharing information, the complexity of consent further increases and few organizations have established proper restrictions and consent agreements to control proper access. PwC's research found that:

Only 17 percent of providers, 19 percent of payers and 22 percent of pharmaceutical/life sciences companies have a process in place to manage patients' consent for how their information can be used.
Nearly three quarters (74 percent) of healthcare organizations surveyed said they already do or intend to seek secondary uses for health data; however, less than half have addressed or are in the process of addressing related privacy and security issues.
Sixty-one percent of pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, 40 percent of health insurers and 38 percent of providers currently share information externally. Of those organizations that share data externally, only two in five pharmaceutical and life sciences companies (43 percent) and one in four insurers (25 percent) and providers (26 percent) have identified contractual, policy or legal restrictions on how the data can be used.

A new approach
PwC's research found that the recent increase in breach enforcement actions have prompted health organizations to focus more on privacy and security, and that there is growing recognition of privacy and security compliance as central to maintaining a trusted brand.
"To protect patient trust and their own brand reputation, organizations need to go beyond minimum regulatory requirements and adopt an integrated approach that combines privacy, security and compliance within a culture where all employees see themselves as champions of confidentiality and where privacy is part of the patient experience," said Peter Harries, principal and co-leader, Health Information Privacy and Security Practice, PwC.
Organizations with integrated approaches to privacy and security say they have realized the benefits, including a significant increase in data security and a slight decrease in the number of privacy/security issues, depending on the extent of their integration. PwC found that health insurers were more likely than providers and pharmaceutical/life sciences companies to have integrated their approach to a great extent.
A full copy of PwC's report can be found here.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/pwc-health-industry-under-prepared-protect-privacy

Links:
[1] http://www.pwc.com/us/HITprivacysecurity

Our Website is BACK Online and BETTER Than Ever!!!

2011-09-22T12:00:00.002-04:00

Please check out the NEW MSO Solutions, LLC website at: www.msosolutions.com.

~Jennifer

Our Website....

2011-09-20T11:54:00.000-04:00

We are currently in the process of updating our website. We hope to have the new site up and running by Saturday, September 24, 2011. In the meantime, please continue to enjoy our blog!!

~Jennifer

Providers slacking on Meaningful Use risk assessments

2011-09-20T11:52:00.000-04:00

Published on FierceEMR (http://www.fierceemr.com)

Providers slacking on Meaningful Use risk assessments

By mdhirsch

Created Sep 15 2011 - 10:02am

Providers hoping to achieve Meaningful Use need to be more diligent about conducting thorough risk assessments annually, a recent report released by CSC Global Healthcare Group maintains.
Under the rules for both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the electronic health record incentive program, meaningful users must conduct a security risk assessment in accordance with HIPAA's security rule. In addition, any identified deficiencies must be corrected.
However, many providers either are not conducting or reviewing their risk assessments annually, or aren't conducting an assessment rigorous enough to meet the Meaningful Use requirement, report author Jared Rhoads, a senior research specialist with CSC, tells FierceEMR.
The report specifically points out that only 47 percent of large healthcare organizations responding to a survey conducted such assessments. What's more, close to 60 percent of responding organizations said they had no security personnel or resources deployed for such a task, at all. "This will have to change if organizations wish to protect their patients' PHI and participate in the EHR incentive program," the report says.
Says Rhoads: "It's harder than just meeting a measure because it's more open ended. What is a good risk assessment? How do you know when you're compliant? The incentive program language is vague. The designers of the incentive program don't give a lot of information.
"A lot of it is a judgment call," he adds.
The study recommends that providers take key steps to complete meaningful use risk assessments, including using certified EHR technology, including business associates in the evaluation, and securing the whole environment, not just the EHR itself.
To learn more:
- here's CSC report [1] (.pdf)
Related Articles:
One-third of medical practices haven't done security risk assessments [2]
Security officers have new motivation to protect healthcare data [3]
HIMSS: Health organizations not prepared for new HIPAA rules [4]

Source URL: http://www.fierceemr.com/story/providers-slacking-risk-assessments-required-meaningful-use/2011-09-15

Links:
[1] http://assets1.csc.com/health_services/downloads/CSC_Achieving_Comprehensive_Health_IT_Privacy_and_Security.pdf
[2] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/one-third-medical-practices-havent-done-security-risk-assessments/2010-11-08
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/security-officers-have-new-motivation-protect-healthcare-data/2010-02-16
[4] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/himss-health-organizations-not-prepared-new-hipaa-rules/2009-11-09

Why users should treat EHRs like a GPS

2011-09-19T11:25:00.003-04:00

Published on FierceEMR (http://www.fierceemr.com)

Why users should treat EHRs like a GPS

By mdhirsch

Created Sep 15 2011 - 10:13am

Would the adoption of electronic health records be more widespread if users saw the systems more as decision support tools, similar to GPS systems? According to Quadramed CMO and VP Joe Bormel, writing in Healthcare Informatics, it's all a matter of expectations.
For instance, GPS systems, like EHR systems, can be frustrating at times and pose special challenges, such as when directions conflict with a user's expectations, common sense, or signage. As a result, users set their expectations accordingly and temper their results.
Bormel suggests that EHR systems are similar, in that they provide "locations" of patient information, as well as care pathways. He maintains that if EHR users would adjust their expectations and work on understanding the limitations of the technology, less frustration and more adoption might result. "[An EHR] provides decision support," he writes. "The final decision still rests with the physician."
Marc Resnick, a professor of human factors and information design at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass., sees the analogy as true--to a degree. He notes that the differences between support provided by a GPS system and support from an EHR system should not be overlooked. For instance, while most people, including physicians, don't mind following the suggestions made by GPS, some EHR systems go beyond decision support.
"EMRs should give advice, suggestions which tests to run and why, but not correct the doctor," Resnick tells FierceEMR. "Doctors don't like being told what to do [in their practice] and won't follow it."
To learn more:
- here's Bormel's blog post [1]
Related Articles:
Dialing back the expectations for interoperable EHRs [2]
Med students expect EHRs for their practices [3]
Personal, electronic health records present challenges for physicians [4]

Source URL: http://www.fierceemr.com/story/ehrs-effectiveness-gps-dictated-user-expectations/2011-09-15

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=349DF6BB879446A1886B65F332AC487F&nm=&type=Blog&mod=View+Topic&mid=67D6564029914AD3B204AD35D8F5F780&tier=7&id=E955E5B449A84746AC45F9BA1E8F3385
[2] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/dialing-back-expectations/2009-10-05
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/med-students-expect-ehrs-their-practices/2010-10-04
[4] http://www.fierceemr.com/node/9355/PHR-EHR integrations present challenges for physicians

The Rochester Affiliate of the NYMGMA Meeting was a SUCCESS!

2011-09-19T11:21:00.001-04:00

On Friday, September 16, 2011, our Jennifer Sprague, CPC, CEHRS, attended the NYMGMA Rochester Affiliate Meeting at the Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York. The day was a success with Jennifer making several new contacts and friendships.

Paula Santiago, RHIT, CCS-P, Director of Billing and Revenue Cycle at Lakeside Health System, was the lucking winner of an Amazon Kindle eReader!!

We thank everyone that stopped by our booth!!

5 Keys to EMR Usability

2011-09-14T13:04:00.002-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

5 keys to EMR usability

By Michelle McNickle, Web Content Producer

Created 09/06/2011

Usability: the concept is often at the root of slow adoption of EMR systems, and rightfully so. Although effective training and implementation methods affect user adoption rates as well, poor usability has a strong impact on productivity, error rate, and user satisfaction.
And usability should be considered more than just user satisfaction, according to Rosemarie Nelson, principal of the MGMA Consulting Group. The concept is far more complex, and to Nelson, it’s synonymous with workflow integration. “Too much attention is given to the number of clicks and screens, when what should be considered is how and when information is presented,” she said.
Dr. Steve Waldren, MD, Director of the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Center for Health IT, explained that when it comes to understanding usability, it’s essential to consider utility as well. “Usability is subjective in many ways,” he said. “It has to do with the functionality of the system. Utility is making sure the system does the things you need it to do.”
[See also: Usability key to wide EMR adoption.]
So what determines if an EMR is useable? Better yet, how can prospective users ensure a system won’t result in headaches over lost productivity? According to Nelson, the first step is to recognize no system is perfect.
“The problem for most providers is they, nor their vendor implementation team, look for that commonsense template: the one that fits a majority of patient visits, not the ‘perfect’ template that allows visits for all patients to be documented. There is just too much variation to expect 100 percent.”
With that in mind, here are five additional elements to consider when it comes to EMR usability.
Supportiveness: According to both Waldren and Nelson, the system should support workflow. “It’s not about a single user,” said Waldren. “It’s about an entire practice.” Waldren suggests presenting vendors with three clinical scenarios: the most common instances at a practice, the most challenging instances at a practice, and the most number of interactions among staff. That way, it’s evident how the system supports specific workflow. “I suggest doing two sets of the scenarios,” he said. “One that you present the vendor ahead of time, and the second during the demo. Then you can see the system’s flexibility to take care of each scenario.”
Flexibility: Nelson considers flexibility to be key, not just within the system, but also with those using it. “Usability is all about integrating a tool into a provider’s day,” she said. To illustrate, she suggests considering the evolution of the phone. “We started with one phone, then we add extensions,” she said. “Then, we came up with portable phones because our work is mobile. We found that we needed phones to follow us, not us having to go to the phone.” Since usability can become complicated, she said, the way a provider uses the tool might evolve as he/she becomes comfortable with improvements in workflow and operational efficiencies. Therefore, it’s essential to change how he/she interacts with the device and the software.
Continued on next page.
Ease of Learning/ Naturalness: Is the system burdensome and clunky? To be sure it isn’t, Nelson suggests providers take a close look at how they interact with their nurses when using the EMR in the demo. This goes for both patient encounters in the office and on the telephone, as well as incoming documentation, like test results and correspondence. “If it appears cumbersome or redundant, [physicians won’t] achieve the intended benefits because [they] just won’t use those features,” she said. “The best way to observe and understand the dance between nurse and provider is by taking a trip to see the EMR in operation at a practice.” Both the nurse and the provider should visit the site, said Nelson, to fully experience the change they’ll have to adapt to in their own office setting.
Effectiveness: Although an EMR’s effectiveness to streamline workflow is obvious when considering its usability, Waldren said providers should also consider the changes taking place in healthcare. “The current is based on volume: patients, procedures, etc.,” he said. “Patients aren’t connected. The future is value-based and consumer directed. Clinical data will be used to measure quality.” With that in mind, Waldren says it’s essential to find a system that will effectively straddle both worlds.
Efficiency: To Nelson, an EMR should save time, and even the smallest aspects of a system could mean wasted hours. However, some EMRs do a good job of allowing a nurse and a provider to easily work on the same computer station with fast log-out/log-in. “This keeps the active patient online to allow for the concurrent work of the provider and nurse. Even something as simple as keeping the electronic chart ‘open’ on the desktop can be a boon to workflow; a nurse or provider is often in one patient’s chart when a phone call interrupts their work, and they need to open another chart. But, of course, they don’t want to lose the one they are working on.”
One thing is for certain when it comes to EMRs and their usability: it’s an evolution that’s essentially controlled by the user. “EMR usability must evolve similarly in that as we try to use it within our day, we can see where improvements can be made,” said Nelson.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-keys-emr-usability

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/usability-key-wide-emr-adoption

MSO Solutions, LLC Transcription Services

2011-09-14T09:05:00.003-04:00

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HHS Consumer Health IT Summit Power-Charged for Progress

2011-09-14T08:57:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

HHS Consumer Health IT Summit power-charged for progress

By Diana Manos, Senior Editor

Created 09/12/2011

WASHINGTON – Sept. 12 was a big day for healthcare IT. Federal officials hosted a consumer health IT summit, jam-packed with new initiatives to advance HIT. The event was charged with a wave of energy toward grass roots change, specifically supporting patient-centered care.

The summit, held at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. was part of the Sixth National Health IT Week, a collaborative event hosted by the Health Information and Management Systems Society.

Obama declares National Health IT Week, Sept. 11-16

President Barack Obama proclaimed on Monday, in conjunction with the summit, that Sept. 11-16 would officially be federally recognized as National Health IT week going forward.

Farzad Mostashari, MD, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, who moderated the summit, emphasized the new exciting times healthcare IT now faces. "It now costs nearly nothing to share ideas instantaneously with anyone, anywhere," he said. "This is changing our world, and healthcare."

"
Patients have that right to access their health information," Mostashari added. "We are here today to make it easy for them to have that right."

Sebelius reports 80,000 providers signed up for MU

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said healthcare IT will allow Americans to be part of their own healthcare. "I want to welcome you all to the conversation," she told the audience.

Sebelius reported that progress is moving rapidly, with 80,000 providers signed up to receive incentives for the meaningful use of electronic health records as of this week.

Seventy percent of the physicians targeted by the regional extension centers (RECs) – a federal program to help guide providers in adopting healthcare IT – have signed on for help. Rural states have been particularly eager to work with the RECs, Sebelius said, with Nebraska showing nearly every provider signed on.

"
The potential for patients in this change is enormous," she added.

HHS proposes to allow patients direct access to lab results

As part of that change, HHS released a proposed rule on Monday that would allow patients access to their lab results directly from the lab.

"
That's a big deal," Sebelius said, because every year many test results never get to the patient. She added that keeping the information secure will be paramount.

Patients have the right to access their EHR, civil rights official says

Federal leaders emphasized the importance of getting patients involved in their own care, starting with access to electronic health records.

"Patients are the most underutilized resource for healthcare," Mostashari said.

Don Berwick, MD, CMS administrator, asked: "Why would we not use all the knowledge available? Why would we waste a bit of it?" Patients are the experts of their own healthcare, and doctors are the coaches, he added. "Caregivers are the guests in [patients'] lives," he said.

Mostashari said ONC has heard some reservations on the part of some physicians to give patients access to their electronic medical records.

Leon Rodriquez, director of the HHS Office of Civil clarified the situation. "Patient can have access to their records, under HIPAA," he said.

Blue Button gains widespread support

Federal officials also announced that the Blue Button program launched by the Veterans Health Administration, is now going mainstream. It has extended its reach beyond the VA and is now supported by healthcare providers and health plans, with availability already extended to millions of Americans.

The Obama Administration announced the Blue Button capability in August 2010. It was developed by CMS, the Department of Defense and the Markle Foundation.

With the click of a blue button, users of the program can share a simple version of their healthcare information with trusted parties.

The U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra and HHS Chief Technology Officer Todd Park named the current sponsors of Blue Button, which included Kaiser Permanente, McKesson, Microsoft Healthvault, Aetna, United Health Group, the state of Indiana and others.

After the announcement, Chopra chanted, "Grassroots change!"

"I'm proud of Blue Button Initiative," Berwick said. "It is an iconic wonderful idea. The Blue Button isn't just valuable, it's magic. It's the open sesame button that will open the door to a whole new level of care."

Peter Levin, senior advisor and CTO for Veteran Affairs, said the Blue Button is not a full comprehensive medical record, "but it's infinitely better than nothing at all."

He called the Blue Button "a liquid, liberated model that puts patients at the center."

Patient privacy rights activists were not represented among the speakers at the summit.

ONC releases standardized notice for PHR vendors

Mostashari also announced the release of a new PHR model privacy notice, already embraced by Microsoft, Dossia and NoMoreClipboard.

The model is intended to be a tool to allow PHR vendors to share their privacy policies in an understandable, uniform way for consumers, he said. "It is a Web-based approach that can reinforce consumer trust," he said. The model was developed by HHS with the FTC.

[See related articles: Fall brings health IT activity to Washington, Mostashari to providers: MU is not about 'hoop jumping'.]

Follow Diana Manos on Twitter @DManos_IT_News.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hhs-consumer-health-it-summit-power-charged-progress

Links:
[1] http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/12/presidential-proclamation-national-health-information-technology-week
[2] http://www.ofr.gov/(X(1)S(cp53mc3sjd3cbdfu4r32fhcj))/OFRUpload/OFRData/2011-23525_PI.pdf
[3] https://www.cms.gov/NonIdentifiableDataFiles/12_BlueButtonInitiative.asp
[4] http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__draft_phr_model_notice/1176
[5] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/fall-brings-health-it-activity-washington
[6] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/mostashari-providers-mu-not-about-hoop-jumping

NYMGMA Rochester Affiliate Meeting-Friday, September 16, 2011

2011-09-13T09:47:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to register for the NYMGMA Meeting in Pittsford, New York by September 16, 2011.
MSO Solutions will be there with information on our company and a gift give-away. We will raffle off a Kindle eBook at the end of the day to anyone who drops by our booth and gives us their business card!!!

Don't miss it!! To see the full brochure, go to: http://nymgma.com/conferences/index.html

I can't wait to see you there!!!

~Jennifer

Tablet Takeover: How is IT Responding?

2011-09-13T09:40:00.000-04:00

Tablet Takeover: How is IT Responding?

Posted by Nathan Clevenger on Sep 12, 2011 10:33:13 AM

The adoption rate of tablets in the enterprise continues to soar — and we’re not talking about consumers simply bringing iPads into work; we’re talking about a full-scale enterprise-supported tablet revolution. As of June, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer confirmed that more than 85 percent of the Fortune 500 are deploying or testing iPads within their enterprises.

As I developed the book, iPad in the Enterprise: Developing and Deploying Business Applications(Wiley, 2011), I interviewed and received feedback regarding iPads from dozens of technology authors, industry analysts, enterprise software executives, Fortune 1000 CIOs and other visionaries of enterprise IT.

Many of these thought leaders spoke about how the consumerization of IT has forced CIOs and technology managers to evaluate tablets from the business perspective. Employees, with the ability to be mobile 24/7 in their personal lives, are demanding similar abilities at work — they want to be connected everywhere, and they want real-time business services on a device more functional than a smartphone and more convenient than a laptop.

To find out how various industry sectors, such as medical device, consumer technology, financial services and others have responded, I went directly to executives and IT leaders at some of the top businesses in the country.

Unstoppable Trends

Frank Slootman, the former CEO at Data Domain and now Executive Chairman of the Backup Recovery Systems Division at EMC, pointed out that consumer technology has been building for business users over many years: “Consumerization of IT is not a new phenomenon,” he said. “As far back as the mid-1980s, the very first Macs and [Apple] LaserWriters were ushered into departments of the enterprise completely against the tightly locked-down policies of the IT departments, which refused to support them. It is an unstoppable, grass-roots dynamic under way for many decades now. I am sure we ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Donald Ferguson, Executive VP and CTO at CA Technologies, agrees, saying: “The consumerization of IT has been gradually occurring for years. The iPhone, followed by the iPad, has made ‘consumerized’ IT the new normal. Enterprises can either enable and support iPhone, iPad and new consumer devices, or employees will go around IT.”

Both individuals stressed that IT has a decision to make — either figure out how to work with mobile technologies, or get out of the way. But ultimately, it’s up to the organization — and not just IT — to decide the strategy.

Rapid-fire Acceptance at Accenture

Of everyone I spoke with, Frank Modruson, CIO of Accenture, had the most vivid explanation of how Accenture embraced mobile technologies:

“The day the iPad was introduced we had discussions about adding them into our environment; 24 hours later, we had 500 devices accessing emails. People expect personal devices — iPads, iPhones and the like — to be usable at work. They want to be more productive, they want do a better job, and there’s an expectation that they’ll be able to integrate consumer devices with enterprise applications. It’s a sensible and reasonable expectation, and we feel it’s imperative to oblige them. Indeed, we see it as an opportunity. CIOs who resist will eventually be forced to change. CIOs should not be asking if

they can take advantage of the devices, they should be asking how they can take advantage.

The fact that Accenture could go from zero to 500 devices overnight is astounding. It represents an incredibly rapid rate of change for CIOs who have traditionally embraced stability. Modruson’s approach also shows that traditional enterprises can look on new technology as an opportunity — rather than a threat — to build a stronger business and empower employees.

Medical and Financial Services Lead the Way

It’s not unusual to expect technology companies to be at the head of the adoption curve, but other industries are right behind them, and even surpassing tablet use rates. A poll of more than 5,000 doctors conducted by the Physicians Consulting Network recently indicated that 27 percent of primary care and specialty physicians have an iPad or similar device — a rate that is five times higher than the general population. Combined with the growing number of applications for medical use — including patient check-in, care and health records, and remote scanning and viewing of medical files, X-rays and images — the tablet has become a way for medical centers to make efficient use of physician time, cut administrative costs and maintain better electronic records.

Good Technologies recently published its Q2 2011 Data Report, indicating that financial services continued to see the highest level of iPad activation, accounting for nearly half of net iPad activations by vertical industry (46%) — more than tripling the amount of activation in any other industry.

Need more proof? Just this month, BMW Financial Services partnered with AutoNation to pilot a program that allows auto dealers to line up financing for customers from an iPad, giving dealers an easier and more effective way to get approval on the spot. By using the program, a dealer can continue to show the car to the customer and get financing without having to leave the showroom. This saves time, creates a higher level of comfort for shoppers and potentially increases the likelihood of a sale.

The iPad is an incredibly disruptive technology; there is no debate about that. Looking forward, other disruptive technologies, driven by user demand, will no doubt arise and challenge the status quo of the enterprise as well.

Four Action Items

To leverage everything the iPad has to offer for the enterprise, remember these four important lessons about mobile implementation overall:

Get IT, marketing and operations on board early in the process. Agree on a mobile strategy together and make it happen
Listen to and learn from your employees: they know how mobile technologies can help them be better salespeople and marketers. Engage employees in the process of creating the application road map.
Think about how customers interact with your employees — how can mobile interactions provide more value, speed or quality of service? This will be key in developing the right business apps.
Put the proper mobile platform in place to create a scalable infrastructure that is useful, flexible and secure.

So how are you strategically harnessing the consumerization trend for positive impact on your business? Feel free to chime in to the conversation by posting comments here. I will answer all the questions that I can.

****************

Nathan Clevenger has been developing mobile software for more than 12 years and is the author ofiPad in the Enterprise: Developing and Deploying Business Applications, a book designed to help CIOs and IT managers define and implement effective mobile strategies and platforms.

In addition to being Enterprise Editor for iPhone Life magazine, Nathan is Chief Software Architect atITR Mobility, a management and IT consulting firm, where he works with companies to develop mobile strategies and enterprise architectures. Clients have included: 3M, Ameriprise Financial, Best Buy, Boston Scientific, Ecolab, General Mills, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, Target, Thomson Reuters, UnitedHealth Group and Wells Fargo. He regularly speaks at industry events and says he is “extremely passionate about the unrealized potential for mobile technology within the enterprise.”

Electronic Health Record Implementation and Consulting

2011-09-12T11:18:00.000-04:00

Is your medical practice ready to update your old paper charts into an electronic health record?? Does the thought of that enormous task have you running for retirement?? If so, contact MSO Solutuions, LLC. We are a company in Syracuse, New York that offers EHR Consulting Services by knowledgable staff, with excellent prices and superior customer service!!

Some of the services we offer are:
*Assisting with the creation of your Request for Proposal (RFP)
*Pricing and Negotiation assistance for the EHR contract
*Workflow Analysis of Your Practice to Improve Efficiency and Lower Costs
*Provide Long-Term IT Support for Your Network

While we do NOT sell a specific EHR, we will assist you in the process of "weeding out" the good from the bad!!

Give us a call today!!

Computer Repair and Servicing

2011-09-12T11:16:00.001-04:00

As a full service IT company, MSO Solutions has the products and services to help you design the IT network that is best suited for your organization or home office. We work with local IT product distributors to offer you an extensive range of products to meet all of your needs and at a price that is guaranteed to fit your budget. And, we will deliver and install ALL of your IT products so your project is done correctly, on-time and on-budget.

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*Laptop and Desktop Repair
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Phone: 315-484-8885
Web: http://www.msosolutions.com

"Strong Popularity" Of Social Media Seen at U.S. Providers

2011-09-08T12:15:00.001-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

'Strong popularity' of social media seen at U.S. providers

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 09/08/2011

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – Seventy-five percent of individuals working at U.S. healthcare provider institutions use social media for professional purposes, according to a new survey.
The Web-based survey was conducted between April and May of 2011 by Frost & Sullivan in conjunction with the Institute for Health Technology Transformation (iHT2).
Key findings of the survey include:

For those who use social media for professional purposes, only one-third use it as a part of their professional obligations.
Seventy-four percent of respondents identify social networking sites (e.g, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.) as the most popular type of social media tool used for professional reasons.
One-third of institutions do not allow access to social media for employees, typically due to security issues and concerns about employees’ productivity. The majority of institutions that allow access to social media employ some policies to control that access.
Most institutions have a specific electronic communications policy in place
In total, over half (53 percent) of institutions use either dedicated staff and/or external parties for their social media efforts (38 percent and 19 percent, respectively).
The most popular reason cited for the institutional use of various social media tools is related to marketing/brand awareness and business development purposes.
Among the largest proportion of respondents, social media are perceived as meeting or exceeding institutional expectations (60 percent).

“It is surprising that so many respondents are able to access social media tools at work," say the study's authors. "This finding conflicts with many reports recently about the somewhat immature use of social media within the walls of healthcare provider institutions. While these survey results would point to a more robust use of social media tools in provider environments, in general, the larger market trends outside of this small survey indicate that the use of social media within healthcare provider institutions is still in its infancy."
They add that "there are many reasons for this, foremost of which is the fact that many providers are still developing best practices protocols around privacy and security concerns related to sensitive patient information."
Survey respondents consisted of 63 individuals working in various capacities within U.S. healthcare provider institutions, which include public or private hospitals (n=42), physician offices (n=10), and various other patient care settings (n=11).
Information technology professionals represented the majority of respondents across all settings (33 percent of total respondents). Also represented among the total respondents are administration professionals (13 percent), physicians (7 percent) and other healthcare professionals (6 percent).
Social Media Use in U.S. Healthcare Provider Institutions: Insights from Frost & Sullivan and iHT2 Survey was authored by Anna Kuberacka, senior research analyst, customer research; Jake Wengroff, global director, social media strategy and research; and Nancy Fabozzi, senior industry analyst, healthcare and life sciences IT at Frost & Sullivan.
Click here to download the full survey results.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/strong-popularity-social-media-seen-us-providers

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/social-media-insights-digital-strategist
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/social-media-healthcare-providers-without-it-you-dont-exist
[3] http://ihealthtran.com/downloadcenter.html#NL

The 7 Deadly Sins of EMR Implementation

2011-09-08T12:11:00.001-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com)

The 7 Deadly Sins of EMR implementation

By Michelle McNickle, Web Content Producer

Created 09/07/2011

Congratulations! You've committed to an EMR, which is an accomplishment in itself. But the hardest part is still to come: getting it to work.
From failing to plan to skipping out on training, many mistakes can be made during the implementation process. And although they may not be as juicy as wrath, envy or lust, the Seven Deadly Sins of EMR implementation could wreak just as much havoc.
Steve Waldren, MD, director of the American Academy of Family Physicians' Center for Health IT, and Rosemarie Nelson, principal of the MGMA Consulting Group, gave us the worst sins providers can commit during EMR implementation.

1. Not doing your homework: Avoiding supplier problems means background research and thorough evaluations of vendors and products. And beware: vendors tend to make promises they can't keep. According to Waldren, it's important to get the specifics down on paper. "Often, a doctor will ask if [an EMR] can do this or that, and a vendor will say yes. Then, they're surprised when in reality, it doesn't. Doctors need to make sure all expectations are met in writing."

2. Assuming the EMR is a magic bullet: It's important to remember the EMR is a conversion, not an upgrade. Although the system will save you time and money in the long run, Waldren warns it isn't an instant fix to issues in the workplace. "Most people think an EMR solves problems," he said. "But an EMR will only amplify problems that already exist in the practice."

3. Not including nurses in the planning stages: Nelson says doctors tend to think a new EMR is all about them. "They don't think about how much the nurse preps the chart, how often the nurse presents information to them, and how much the nurse handles patients over the phone," she said. Having nurses involved from the beginning avoids future conflicts, and considering their thoughts on product selection and implementation will only help with workflow. "[The implementation] needs to be done with the support of staff; everyone needs to be involved," added Waldren.

4. Not participating in training: Don't undervalue the importance of training, since failure to provide and partake in it will only allow chaos to ensue come go-live time. Nelson said if a vendor suggests a nurse spend six hours on training and a doctor four, then do it. "Microsoft made us think everything is plug and play; the same with a MacBook," she said. "They think 'I can do the same thing with an EMR.' The difference is, it's a complicated environment with a lot of regulation, coding, and documentation. You have to dedicate the time for training."

5. Thinking you can implement the same processes as paper: Just as the EMR won't be a quick fix to problems in the practice, it will also require different processes than paper. "EMRs require process reengineering," said Waldren. The two ways of documenting data may seem similar, but they are based on considerably different workflows.

6. Not asking for extra help: A detrimental mistake Nelson often sees is groups thinking they can implement an EMR without asking for help. According to her, staff is already burdened with work. Thinking they can take on a conversion, along with learning a new product and dealing with a change in workflow, could lead to a disaster. "To do the whole thing without having extra people is just creating an opportunity to burn out staff or hamper your productivity," she said. "It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because we're less productive, and we don't have nursing staff to support us." Nelson suggests bringing in temporary medical assistants to help during the transitional period.

7. Being short sighted: According to Waldren, it's important to find an EMR that supports not just the current healthcare industry, but what the industry will soon become. "You can't be shortsighted [when implementing an EMR]," he said. "It needs to measure quality improvements and populations, like those with diabetes, for example. It can't just measure today -- it has to measure tomorrow."

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/7-deadly-sins-emr-implementation

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/top-5-worst-emr-myths
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-keys-emr-usability

Medical Transcription Services

2011-09-07T13:14:00.000-04:00

Not only does MSO Solutions offer IT and EHR consulting services, but we also staff highly-trained and qualified medical transcriptionists. They have experience in multi-specialties and offer a 24-48 hours turnaround time!! If you are looking for a local company that employs local support, contact us today!!

Phone: 315-484-8885
Email: jlsprague@msosolutions.com

5 Keys to EMR Usability

2011-09-07T09:58:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

5 keys to EMR usability

By Michelle McNickle, Web Content Producer

Created 09/06/2011

Usability: the concept is often at the root of slow adoption of EMR systems, and rightfully so. Although effective training and implementation methods affect user adoption rates as well, poor usability has a strong impact on productivity, error rate, and user satisfaction.
And usability should be considered more than just user satisfaction, according to Rosemarie Nelson, principal of the MGMA Consulting Group. The concept is far more complex, and to Nelson, it’s synonymous with workflow integration. “Too much attention is given to the number of clicks and screens, when what should be considered is how and when information is presented,” she said.
Dr. Steve Waldren, MD, Director of the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Center for Health IT, explained that when it comes to understanding usability, it’s essential to consider utility as well. “Usability is subjective in many ways,” he said. “It has to do with the functionality of the system. Utility is making sure the system does the things you need it to do.”
So what determines if an EMR is useable? Better yet, how can prospective users ensure a system won’t result in headaches over lost productivity? According to Nelson, the first step is to recognize no system is perfect.
“The problem for most providers is they, nor their vendor implementation team, look for that commonsense template: the one that fits a majority of patient visits, not the ‘perfect’ template that allows visits for all patients to be documented. There is just too much variation to expect 100 percent.”
With that in mind, here are five additional elements to consider when it comes to EMR usability.
Supportiveness: According to both Waldren and Nelson, the system should support workflow. “It’s not about a single user,” said Waldren. “It’s about an entire practice.” Waldren suggests presenting vendors with three clinical scenarios: the most common instances at a practice, the most challenging instances at a practice, and the most number of interactions among staff. That way, it’s evident how the system supports specific workflow. “I suggest doing two sets of the scenarios,” he said. “One that you present the vendor ahead of time, and the second during the demo. Then you can see the system’s flexibility to take care of each scenario.”
Flexibility: Nelson considers flexibility to be key, not just within the system, but also with those using it. “Usability is all about integrating a tool into a provider’s day,” she said. To illustrate, she suggests considering the evolution of the phone. “We started with one phone, then we add extensions,” she said. “Then, we came up with portable phones because our work is mobile. We found that we needed phones to follow us, not us having to go to the phone.” Since usability can become complicated, she said, the way a provider uses the tool might evolve as he/she becomes comfortable with improvements in workflow and operational efficiencies. Therefore, it’s essential to change how he/she interacts with the device and the software.
Ease of Learning/ Naturalness: Is the system burdensome and clunky? To be sure it isn’t, Nelson suggests providers take a close look at how they interact with their nurses when using the EMR in the demo. This goes for both patient encounters in the office and on the telephone, as well as incoming documentation, like test results and correspondence. “If it appears cumbersome or redundant, [physicians won’t] achieve the intended benefits because [they] just won’t use those features,” she said. “The best way to observe and understand the dance between nurse and provider is by taking a trip to see the EMR in operation at a practice.” Both the nurse and the provider should visit the site, said Nelson, to fully experience the change they’ll have to adapt to in their own office setting.
Effectiveness: Although an EMR’s effectiveness to streamline workflow is obvious when considering its usability, Waldren said providers should also consider the changes taking place in healthcare. “The current is based on volume: patients, procedures, etc.,” he said. “Patients aren’t connected. The future is value-based and consumer directed. Clinical data will be used to measure quality.” With that in mind, Waldren says it’s essential to find a system that will effectively straddle both worlds.
Efficiency: To Nelson, an EMR should save time, and even the smallest aspects of a system could mean wasted hours. However, some EMRs do a good job of allowing a nurse and a provider to easily work on the same computer station with fast log-out/log-in. “This keeps the active patient online to allow for the concurrent work of the provider and nurse. Even something as simple as keeping the electronic chart ‘open’ on the desktop can be a boon to workflow; a nurse or provider is often in one patient’s chart when a phone call interrupts their work, and they need to open another chart. But, of course, they don’t want to lose the one they are working on.”
One thing is for certain when it comes to EMRs and their usability: it’s an evolution that’s essentially controlled by the user. “EMR usability must evolve similarly in that as we try to use it within our day, we can see where improvements can be made,” said Nelson.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-keys-emr-usability

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/usability-key-wide-emr-adoption

EHR Implemenation-Things to remember.....

2011-09-06T10:03:00.000-04:00

While all physician practices are not the same, neither are all EHRs. Therefore, it is important to remember some basics when starting to think about your EHR implementation.

1. Teamwork-it is important that when implementing your EHR you not only involve the clinical staff, but that the billing and administrative staff have some involvement too. EHR's do NOT just effect the physician and clinical work flow. Coding and reporting are also VERY important especially when trying to capture Meaningful Use. Make sure everyone has "bought into" the EHR transition-failure to do so will lead to failure in your practice.

2. Clearly define your expectations and goals- Jumping into an EHR implementation without set timelines will only lead to failure. You want to plan every aspect of the implementation from beginning to end. I know it sounds tedious, but it will pay-off in the long run.

3. Investment- not only are you investing in the immediate future with all of the technology needs you will now have, but you are also investing in your long-term future. While many still find it hard to believe, EHRs will improve your office work flow and overhead. Just ask any physician who has been using and EHR for 5 or more years.

Now it's time for my sales pitch!!

MSO Solutions, LLC offers EHR Implementation Consulting Services. Our EHR Consultant is a Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) with the National Healthcareer Association and is also a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) with the American Academy of Professional Coders. She also has over 10 years of experience in the medical field in various positions. We offer HIGHLY competitive rates and great customer service.

Give us a call today!!
Phone: 315-484-8885

CMS issues the final rule on e-prescribing-September 6, 2011 Federal Register

2011-09-06T08:54:00.001-04:00

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!!

2011-09-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

Summer is drawing to a close and we will all be headed back to work and school.
Now is the time to get your home or office computers tuned-up for the long fall and
winter ahead!! MSO Solutions is here to do that for you!! We do basic computer repair and maintenance, as well as, connecting your entire office within a network. Give us a call for
great pricing and work with professional and knowledgeable staff!!

Phone: 315-484-8885

EHR Incentives Can Generate "quality-related" ROI, Study Says

2011-09-02T07:01:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com)

EHR incentives can generate 'quality-related' ROI, study says

By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor

Created 09/01/2011

CLEVELAND – The government's investment in electronic health records could result in a major pay off when it comes to boosting quality of care, according to new research of 500 primary care physicians.
The study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Based in the Cleveland area and involving more than 27,000 adults with diabetes, it found that those in physician practices that used EHRs were significantly more likely to have healthcare and outcomes that align with accepted standards than those whose doctors rely on paper records. Improvements in care and outcomes over a three-year period also proved greater among patients in EHR-equipped practices.
The study's findings were striking – even after researchers statistically accounted for differences between EHR and paper-based practices in the characteristics of their patients.

Standards of care: Nearly 51 percent of patients in EHR practices received care that met all of the endorsed standards. Only 7 percent of patients at paper-based practices received this same level of care – a difference of 44 percentage points. After accounting for differences in patient characteristics, EHR patients still received 35 percent more of the care standards.
Patient outcomes: Nearly 44 percent of patients in EHR practices met at least four of five outcome standards, while just under 16 percent of patients at paper-based practices had comparable results. After accounting for patient differences, the adjusted gap was 15 percent higher for EHR practices.
Trends Over Time: After accounting for patient differences, EHR practices had annual improvements in care that were 10 percent greater than paper-based practices as well as 4 percent greater annual improvements in outcomes.
Performance Across Insurance Types: Patients in EHR practices showed better results, including improvements over time, in both standards of care and outcomes across all insurance categories – commercial, Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured.

The study's findings remained consistent for patients regardless of insurance type, including the uninsured as well as patients insured by Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers.
"These results support the expectation that federal support of electronic health records will generate quality-related returns on our investments," said David Blumenthal, MD, professor of medicine and healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School and former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. "I am especially pleased that the benefits reported in this investigation spanned all insurance types, including Medicaid and uninsured patients, since it is essential that the modern information technologies improve care for all Americans, including our most vulnerable citizens."
"The results of this study support both the value of electronic health records and community-based partnerships to improve quality of care," said Carolyn Clancy, MD, director of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The research involved more than 500 primary care physicians in 46 practices that are partners in a region-wide collaborative known as Better Health Greater Cleveland (Better Health). This alliance of providers, businesses and other stakeholders is dedicated to enhancing the value of care for patients with chronic medical conditions in the region. Launched in 2007, the organization is one of 16 that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation chose to support in its nationwide initiative, called Aligning Forces for Quality.
This initiative is the foundation's signature effort to lift the overall quality of healthcare in targeted communities as well as reduce racial and ethnic disparities and provide models that will help propel national reform. Common themes across the communities include public reporting of performance and community-wide initiatives to improve care.
"Cleveland stands as a pioneer in the burgeoning movement to leverage local resources and federal reform opportunities to improve healthcare quality," said Anne F. Weiss, who leads efforts to improve the quality of American healthcare at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
"Electronic health records alone cannot solve the nation's healthcare quality problems, but they are an important part of the fix. Cleveland's use of electronic health records is a model for all healthcare organizations working to implement health reform," she said.
The Better Health study focused on a 12-month window spanning 2009 and 2010, and also followed trends over a three-year period. The study also measured achievement by age, gender, racial and ethnic categories as well as language preference and estimated patient income and education.
Better Health's locally vetted national standards for care included timely measurements of blood sugar, management of kidney problems, eye examinations and vaccinations for pneumonia. Outcome measures included meeting national benchmarks for blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol control, as well as achieving a non-obese body mass index and avoidance of tobacco use. Patients who made at least two visits to the same primary care practice within a single year were included. The researchers reported results for individual standards as well as separate composite standards for care and outcomes.
"We were not surprised by these results," said Randall D. Cebul, MD, a professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, and the study's lead author. "They were influenced by several factors, including our public reporting on agreed-upon standards of care and the willingness of our clinical partners to share their EHR-based best practices while simultaneously competing on their execution."
As important as electronic health records are, Cebul added, their greatest value merges when used in conjunction with other approaches – such as the sharing of best practices and coaching offered through collaborations such as Better Health Greater Cleveland. His colleagues within the Cleveland-based initiative heartily agree.
"Better Health seeks to improve the value of healthcare for all of the region's residents and those who pay for their care," said David L. Bronson, MD, president of Cleveland Clinic Regional Hospitals and president-elect of the American College of Physicians. "As the program moves forward, we expect that EHR-based sharing of information across different healthcare systems, and with our patients, will help us to keep our patients healthier and foster more discriminating use of expensive resources, such as our emergency departments and hospitals."

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-cleveland-docs-demonstrates-ehr-incentives-can-generate-quality-related-roi

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ehrs-could-boost-quality-care-according-new-england-journal-medicine
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ehrs-help-improve-patient-coordination

Corporate and Medical Transcription Services

2011-09-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

Are you in need of a GREAT local transcription company? One that specializes in corporate and health care dictation? Look no further!!

MSO Solutions, LLC offers digital remote transcription services. We provide you access to a phone-in system that allows you to enter your secret code and begin dictating within a matter of minutes!

IT'S THAT EASY!! There are NO hardware or software costs to you!

Once your transcription is complete, we will send the file back to you using several different options:
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-US Postal Service

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Phone: 315-484-8885
Email: jlsprague@msosolutions.com

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2011-09-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

MSO Solutions, LLC offers professional web design by experienced and professional web designers. Our prices are competitive and our work speaks for itself!!

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Security Threats to EHR Systems

2011-08-31T10:15:00.000-04:00

Security Threats to Electronic Health Records: What You Need to Know

Simply implementing an EHR and encrypting its data will not guarantee patient information is safe. Breaches to protected health information (PHI) occur and with expensive consequences. According to an article published in the September 2011 issue of Health Data Management, “Connecticut Health Net faced an unexpected expense when it moved to an electronic health records system: a $250,000 fine from the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office after a disk drive filled with PHI was lost.”

Not addressing your security needs and flaws can cost you not only fines, but also loss of patients. A report posted from the Ponemon Institute suggests that “44 percent of the cost of data loss isn’t the data loss itself, but customers heading for the exits.”

It is imperative that you hire an IT consulting company that is aware of HIPAA Security Breach Standards and incorporates them into your security system and procedures.

We at MSO Solutions, LLC have the training, expertise and experience needed to ensure that your EHR system is secure.

Phone: 315-484-8885

Email: jlsprague@msosolutions.com

New York Medical Group Management Association Rochester Affiliate Meeting

2011-08-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

Don't miss the September 16, 2011 NYMGMA Rochester Affiliate Meeting at the Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York. The meeting will be held from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

MSO Solutions, LLC is a presentation sponsor so check-out our booth in the exhibitors room.

For a complete list of presenters and information on attending please visit: https://www.nymgma.com/files/mgma_fall_conference_2011.pdf

See you there!!!

~Jennifer

CMS Meaninful Use Stage 2 Requirements Current Direction and Timing

2011-08-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have issued their latest direction and timing of the Meaningful Use Requirements for Stage 2 (approximate implementation date of 2014).

To view their updates, please go to: http://assets1.csc.com/health_services/downloads/CSC_Update_on_Stage_2_Current_Direction_and_Timing_of_MU_Requirements.pdf

MSO Solutions, LLC offers Electronic Health Record Evaluation and Implementation Services at VERY affordable prices!!

We will help you in preparing for the implementation and set-up of your new Electronic Health Record (EHR) by:

*Assisting with the creation of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the EHR company that YOU choose
*Assist with the Pricing and Negotiations for the EHR contract
*Perform a Network and Workflow Analysis of Your Practice to Improve Efficiency and Lower Costs
*Assist with the Set-up and Implementation of Hospital, Lab and Imaging Interfaces
*Provide Long-term IT Support for Your Network

Contact us today to discuss how we can make the transition from paper based charts to an EHR easier!!

Jennifer Sprague, CPC, CEHRS
EHR Consultant
jlsprague@msosolutions.com
315-484-8885

HHS awards #137M to states for Health IT, prevention

2011-08-29T14:04:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/)

HHS awards $137M to states for health IT, prevention

By Bernie Monegain, Editor

Created 08/25/2011

WASHINGTON – The Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday awarded $137 million to nearly every state to strengthen prevention efforts and to improve public health. Many of the awards include a health IT component, such as immunization information technologies and registries.
"More than ever, it is important to help states fight disease and protect public health," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "These awards are an important investment and will enable states and communities to help Americans quit smoking, get immunized and prevent disease and illness before they start."
The grants will fund key state and local public health programs supported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Most of the grant money comes from the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the Affordable Care Act. Additional SAMHSA funds supplement the investment.
"CDC supports state and local public health departments, which are key to keeping America safe from threats to health, safety, and security from this country or anywhere in the world," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. MD. "With these funds, CDC is strengthening our ability to prevent and combat diseases and keep Americans safe against expensive and dangerous health threats."
The awards include:

Up to $75 million to fund nine Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment programs over the next five years. These programs will allow communities throughout the nation to provide more comprehensive substance abuse screening, secondary prevention, early intervention and referrals to treatment for people at higher risk for substance abuse. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantees.
More than $42 million to support: improvements to the Immunization Information Systems (registries) and other immunization information technologies; development of systems to improve billing for immunization services; planning and implementation of adult immunization programs; enhancement of vaccination capacity located in schools; and evaluations of the impact on disease of recent vaccine recommendations for children and adolescents.
$9.2 million to eight national non-profit professional public health organizations to assist state, tribal, local and territorial health departments in adopting effective practices that strengthen their core public health systems and service delivery. They will also enhance the workforce by providing jobs in critical disciplines of epidemiology and informatics, thus attracting new talent to public health.
Nearly $5 million to help states and territories enhance and expand the national network of tobacco cessation quitlines to increase the number of tobacco users who quit. Quitlines are the toll-free numbers people can call to obtain smoking cessation treatments and services.
$2.6 million to the Emerging Infections Programs around the country to continue improvement in disease monitoring, professional development and training, information technology development and laboratory capacity.
$1.5 million to evaluate and prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia to reduce cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and protect Americans from healthcare-associated infectious diseases.
$1 million to further enhance the nation's public health laboratories by hiring and preparing scientists for careers in public health laboratories, providing training for scientists, and supporting public health initiatives related to infectious disease research.

A full list of the awards by state and their projects is on the next page.

The awards by state

Alabama
Alabama State Department Public Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $105,155; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,438,016
American Somoa Government - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,304,000
Arizona
Arizona State Department Of Health Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $118,909; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,162,818
Arkansas
Arkansas State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $91,895; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,786,942
California
California Department of Public Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $340,245; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $765,000; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $216,151; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $381,103
Colorado
Colorado State Department of Public Health & Environment - CDC Tobacco Quitlines.$107,45; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,800,000; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $166,864; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring.$191,878
Colorado State Government -SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
Connecticut
Connecticut State Department of Public Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines. $96,478; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,225,182; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $296,877; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $199,515
State of Connecticut - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
District of ColumbiaAmerican Public Health Association - CDC Improve Public Health Infrastructure Investments, $464,400
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $61,137
National Association of City/County Health Officials - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $266,821; CDC Prevent Healthcare-associated infections, $100,000; CDC Improve Public Health Infrastructure Investments, $558,400; CDC Accelerate Accreditation Readiness, $835,000; CDC Enhance the Ability for States to Bill Insurance for Immunization Services Provided in a Health Department Clinic, $200,000
The Public Health Foundation - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $296,329; CDC Improve Public Health Infrastructure Investments. $464,400; CDC Strengthen workforce development and training, $172,000
Delaware
Delaware State Department of Health & Social Services, CDC Tobacco Quitlines. $77,285
Florida
Florida State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $205,000; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $718,920
Georgia
Georgia Department Of Community Health - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,036,494; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $235,911; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $212,612
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists - CDC Prevent Healthcare-associated infections, $290,000; CDC Strengthen Public Health Informatics Training, $1,162,081; CDC Strengthen workforce development and training, $1,934,625
Guam
Guam Department Of Public Health and Social Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $50,000
Hawaii
Hawaii State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $80,274; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization. $933,189
Idaho
Idaho State Department Of Health And Welfare - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $82,100
Illinois
Office of the Governor - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment. $8,324,317
Indiana
Indiana State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $117,651; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $271,141
Office of the Governor - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,329,906
Iowa
Iowa State Department of Public Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $92,758; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $900,000
Kansas
Kansas State Department of Health And Environment - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $91,379; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $3,115,885
Kentucky
Kentucky Cabinet For Health And Family Services -tCDC Tobacco Quitlines, $102,279
Louisiana
Louisiana State Department of Health & Hospitals - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $103,575
National Network of Public Health Institutes - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $249,582; CDC Improve Public Health Infrastructure Investments, $564,400
Continued on next page.
Maine
Maine State Department of Health and Human Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $80,443; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,256,896
Maryland
Maryland State Department Of Health and Mental Hygiene - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $112,377; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,297,548; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $239,195; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $145,460
Association of Public Health Laboratories - CDC Partnership for Quality Laboratory Practice, $1,000,000
Massachusetts
Massachusetts State Department of Public Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $118,894; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $2,570,827
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care - CDC Streamlined surveillance for ventilator associated pneumonia: reducing burden and demonstrating preventability.$1,508,825
Michigan
Michigan State Department Of Community Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $143,503; DC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,235,590
Minnesota
Minnesota State Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $109,218; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,261,172; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $313,593; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $328,791
Mississippi
Mississippi State Department Of Health - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $484,195
Missouri
Missouri State Department of Health & Senior Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $114,477; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,397,940
The Children's Mercy Hospital - CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $201,220
Montana
Montana State Department of Public Health & Human Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $77,939
Nebraska
Nebraska State Department of Health & Human Services - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization,$492,300
Nevada
Nevada State Department Of Health and Human Services- CDC Tobacco Quitlines $90,099; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization $539,989
New Hampshire
New Hampshire State Department Of Health And Human Services- CDC Tobacco Quitlines $80,488
New Jersey
New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $876,197
New Mexico
New Mexico State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $85,482; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $254,826; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $162,131
New York
New York State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines $213,269; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $2,573,336; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $300,477; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $409,254
University of Rochester - CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $201,220
State of New York - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
North Carolina
North Carolina State Department of Health & Human Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $139,210; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,023,484; SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
North Dakota
North Dakota State Department of Health - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $226,418
Continued on next page.
Ohio
Ohio Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $154,966; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $252,275
National Association of Local Boards of Health - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $265,449
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center - CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $201,220
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $97,707; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,046,675
Oregon
Oregon State Public Health Division - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $98,711; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $639,590; CDC Emerging Infections Program, $268,693; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $167,139
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $162,708
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $99,750
Rhode Island
Rhode Island State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $78,510
South Carolina
South Carolina State Department of Health and Environment - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $654,034
Tennessee
Tennessee State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $116,726; CDC Emerging Infections Program. $307,413; CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $162,890
Vanderbilt University Medical Center - CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $201,220
Tennessee State Department of Mental Health - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
Texas
Texas State Department of Health Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $251,470; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $540,000
Houston City Health & Human Services - CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $134,842
Utah
Utah State Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $91,130; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $515,979
Vermont
Vermont Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $75,365; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $792,138
Virginia
Virginia State Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $128,289; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $452,061
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials - CDC Improve Adoption and Use of Evidence-Based Preventive Services, $305,682; CDC Prevent Healthcare-associated infections, $100,000; CDC Improve Public Health Infrastructure Investments, $558,400; CDC Strengthen Public Health Informatics Training, $337,920; CDC Strengthen workforce development and training $75,000
Washington
Washington State Department Of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $119,408; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,736,427
Seattle Children's Hospital - CDC Vaccine Effectiveness Monitoring, $201,220
Department of Social and Health Services - SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, $8,330,000
West Virginia
West Virginia State Department of Health and Human Resources - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $84,098; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $1,317,124
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Health Services - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $112,051; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $756,548
Wyoming
Wyoming State Department of Health - CDC Tobacco Quitlines, $74,800; CDC Strengthen Public Health Immunization, $485,906
*Note: All CDC award amounts represent the first year of funding for multi-year projects. All SAMHSA award amounts represent the maximum amount for which grantees are eligible over a five-year grant period. The actual award amount may vary, depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the grantee.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hhs-awards-137m-states-health-it-prevention

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hhs-use-it-help-enroll-kids-medicaid-chip
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/obamas-new-rural-jobs-initiative-includes-health-it

Outsourcing Advantages: A Back-Office Operations Illustration

2011-08-29T09:23:00.000-04:00

Outsourcing Advantages: A Back-Office Operations Illustration

By James Bucki, About.com Guide

As you evaluate your choices and decisions in outsourcing¹ different components of your operations, you will need to consider the advantages of outsourcing. When done for the right reasons, outsourcing will actually help your company grow and save money. There are other advantages of outsourcing that go beyond money. Here are the top seven advantages of outsourcing.

1. Focus On Core Activities
In rapid growth periods, the back-office operations of a company will expand also. This expansion may start to consume resources (human and financial) at the expense of the core activities that have made your company successful. Outsourcing those activities will allow refocusing on those business activities that are important without sacrificing quality or service in the back-office.
Example: A company lands a large contract that will significantly increase the volume of purchasing in a very short period of time; Outsource purchasing.
2. Cost And Efficiency Savings
Back-office functions that are complicated in nature, but the size of your company is preventing you from performing it at a consistent and reasonable cost, is another advantage of outsourcing.
Example: A small doctor's office that wants to accept a variety of insurance plans. One part-time person could not keep up with all the different providers and rules. Outsource to a firm specializing in medical billing.
3. Reduced Overhead
Overhead costs of performing a particular back-office function are extremely high. Consider outsourcing those functions which can be moved easily.
Example: Growth has resulted in an increased need for office space. The current location is very expensive and there is no room to expand. Outsource some simple operations in order to reduce the need for office space. For example, outbound telemarketing or data entry.
4. Operational Control
Operations whose costs are running out of control must be considered for outsourcing. Departments that may have evolved over time into uncontrolled and poorly managed areas are prime motivators for outsourcing. In addition, an outsourcing company can bring better management skills to your company than what would otherwise be available.
Example: An information technology department that has too many projects, not enough people and a budget that far exceeds their contribution to the organization. A contracted outsourcing agreement will force management to prioritize their requests and bring control back to that area.
5. Staffing Flexibility
Outsourcing will allow operations that have seasonal or cyclical demands to bring in additional resources when you need them and release them when you're done.
Example: An accounting department that is short-handed during tax season and auditing periods. Outsourcing these functions can provide the additional resources for a fixed period of time at a consistent cost.
6. Continuity & Risk Management
Periods of high employee turnover will add uncertainty and inconsistency to the operations. Outsourcing will provided a level of continuity to the company while reducing the risk that a substandard level of operation would bring to the company.
Example: The human resource manager is on an extended medical leave and the two administrative assistants leave for new jobs in a very short period of time. Outsourcing the human resource function would reduce the risk and allow the company to keep operating.
7. Develop Internal Staff
A large project needs to be undertaken that requires skills that your staff does not possess. On-site outsourcing of the project will bring people with the skills you need into your company. Your people can work alongside of them to acquire the new skill set.
Example: A company needs to embark on a replacement/upgrade project on a variety of custom built equipment. Your engineers do not have the skills required to design new and upgraded equipment. Outsourcing this project and requiring the outsourced engineers to work on-site will allow your engineers to acquire a new skill set.

Recommended Next Read: How to Select an Outsourcing Vendor²

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://operationstech.about.com/od/officestaffingandmanagem/a/OutSrcAdvantg.htm

Links in this article:

http://operationstech.about.com/od/glossary/g/Outsourcing.htm
http://operationstech.about.com/od/vendorselection/a/VendorSelectionHub.htm

Performance Issues that EHR's Often Face

2011-08-26T07:50:00.000-04:00

As if deciding on an EHR, implementing and training to use it weren't hard enough, you also have to be aware of performance issues that often arise when using new technology and software. Often times EHR companies will instruct you on the "minimally necessary" specs for hardware and servers prior to implementing your new EHR. While the minimal will allow you to use the EHR, it has been our experience that the system and computer runs slow and often times crashes. We would like to suggest going slightly above the "minimally necessary" when implementing any new software on your system. While it may cost a bit more, you will save money in the long run by allowing you to work more quickly and efficiently.

One more thing while we are on this subject, be sure that the specs you are given are for the current version of the EHR you are implementing. Again, this seems a "no brainer" and the EHR company may tell you over and over again that you have the correct information, but in our experience, this is not always true. It is VERY important to have the right IT support PRIOR to EHR implementation to eliminate any future problems.

Happy EHR shopping!!!

-Jennifer

Obama's new rural jobs initiative includes Health IT

2011-08-26T07:38:00.000-04:00

Published on Healthcare IT News (http://www.healthcareitnews.com)

Obama's new rural jobs initiative includes health IT

By Bernie Monegain, Editor

Created 08/16/2011

PEOSTA, IA – New healthcare IT jobs are part of the Jobs Initiatives for Rural America President Obama included announced Aug. 16 at the White House Rural Economic Forum here. The plan includes making HHS loans available to help more than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals recruit additional staff, and helping rural hospitals purchase software and hardware to implement health IT.
The forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, Iowa is part of the president’s three-day bus tour in the Midwest. It brings together farmers, small business owners, private sector leaders, rural organizations and government officials to discuss ideas and initiatives to promote economic growth, accelerate hiring and spur innovation in rural communities nationwide.
[See also: Health IT effort to create thousands of new jobs, says Blumenthal.]

The jobs initiatives were recommended by the White House Rural Council for growing the economy and creating jobs in rural America. The Council’s recommendations focus on key areas of need in rural communities, including helping rural small businesses access capital, expanding rural job search and training services, and increasing rural access to healthcare workers and technology.
“These are tough times for a lot of Americans – including those who live in our rural communities,” said Obama. “That’s why my administration has put a special focus on helping rural families find jobs, grow their businesses, and regain a sense of economic security.”
[See also: Health IT No. 1 on list of top 10 'hot' careers.]
“Creating jobs and economic opportunity in rural America is a priority for the Obama Administration, and the White House Rural Council has used an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to leverage resources across the federal government to achieve that goal,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By bringing new capital, job training, and additional investments to our rural communities, we are working to ensure the people who live in these towns have a better, brighter future.”
The Council’s recommendations, which leverage existing programs and funding, include committing $350 million in SBA funding to rural small businesses over the next five years, launching a series of conferences to connect private equity and venture capital investors with rural start ups, creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors interested in making rural investments, making job search information available at 2,800 local USDA offices nationwide, making HHS loans available to help more than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals recruit additional staff and helping rural hospitals purchase software and hardware to implement health IT.
See next page for a list of the new initiatives.

New Initiatives:
Increasing Rural Access to Health Care Workers and Technology

Increasing Physician Recruitment at Critical Access Hospitals: HHS will issue guidance to expand eligibility for the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program so that Critical Access Hospitals (those with 25 beds or fewer) can use these loans to recruit new physicians. This program will help more than 1,300 CAHs across the country recruit needed staff. The addition of one primary care physician in a rural community generates approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue and creates 23 jobs annually. The average CAH creates 107 jobs and generates $4.8 million in payroll annually.
Expanding Health Information Technology (IT) in Rural America: USDA and HHS will sign an agreement linking rural hospitals and clinicians to existing capital loan programs that enable them to purchase software and hardware needed to implement health information technology (HIT). Under current conditions, rural health care providers face challenges in harnessing the benefits of HIT due to limited access to capital and workforce challenges. Rural hospitals tend to have lower financial operating margins and limited capital to make the investments needed to purchase hardware, software and other equipment.

Helping Rural Small Businesses Access Capital

Doubling SBA Investment Funds for Rural Small Businesses over the Next 5 Years:As part of the Startup America Initiative, SBA recently announced the creation of a $1 billion Impact Investment Fund through its Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program. The Impact Fund will invest in distressed areas as well as in emerging sectors such as clean energy. SBA provides up to a 2:1 match to private capital raised by this fund, partnering with private investors to target “impact” investments. SBA and USDA will partner together to drive $350 million of investment capital through the Impact Fund and existing SBICs into rural small businesses over the next five years, doubling the current rate of investment.
Connecting Rural Small Businesses with Private Investment Capital: To further achieve this goal, SBA and USDA will launch a series of Rural Private Equity and Venture Capital conferences nationwide to provide a platform for connecting private equity and venture capital investors with rural start-ups. USDA, SBA, Treasury, Interior and other relevant agencies will also create rural capital “marketing teams” that pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors. These “marketing teams” will leverage existing personnel with expertise about rural funding sources across all federal departments and agencies.

Expanding Rural Job Search and Training Services

Expanding DOL Job Search and Training Services to 2,800 USDA Sites Nationwide: USDA and DOL will partner to increase access to existing job search and training information for rural job-seekers by providing DOL employment information at 2,800 USDA field offices nationwide. This will significantly reduce the distance that rural Americans need to travel in order to access DOL job search employment information.

Source URL: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/obamas-new-rural-jobs-initiative-includes-health-it

Links:
[1] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/health-it-effort-create-thousands-new-jobs-says-blumenthal
[2] http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/health-it-no-1-list-top-10-hot-careers

MSO Solutions, LLC-IT Outsourcing and EHR Consulting Services

2011-08-24T10:15:00.002-04:00

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jennifer Sprague and I am the Sales Representative and EHR Consultant for MSO Solutions, LLC. We are a company specializing in Information Technology (IT) Outsourcing and Consulting Services. We currently work with small to mid-sized Corporate and Healthcare Clients. We want to help your business increase productivity and revenue by helping you improve your current IT infrastructure.

As a full service IT Company we have products and services to help you design the IT network that is best suited for your organization. We work with local IT product distributors to offer you an extensive range of products to meet all of your needs and at a price that is guaranteed to fit your budget. And, we will deliver and install ALL of your IT products so your project is done correctly, on-time and on-budget.

Some of the services we offer are:

*The Design and Implementation of Windows Networks

*Hardware and Software Selection

*Installation and Configuration of Wireless Networks

*Workstation and Network Maintenance and Repair

*Remote Network Support

*Beginner to Intermediate Computer Training

*Digital Transcription Services-Healthcare and Corporate

We also offer EHR Implementation Consulting Services. Our goal is to prepare you for the implementation and set-up of your new EHR. This service includes:

*Assisting with the creation of your Request for Proposal (RFP)

*Pricing and Negotiation assistance for the EHR contract

*Workflow Analysis of Your Practice to Improve Efficiency and Lower Costs

*Provide Long-Term IT Support for Your Network

What sets us apart from other IT companies is our personalized service and custom designed solutions for your business. For a free quote, please call us today at 315-484-8885 or visit us online at http://www.msosolutions.com/