Meaningful Use’ Compliant EHR Technology Implementation – specialists’ perspective

“While specialist practitioners, such as Radiologists, Psychiatrists, Chiropractors, Urologists, etc. can claim exemptions and exclusion of certain objectives set out in the Meaningful Use Clause by CMS, they are not treated preferentially as far as documenting clinical processes using approved and compliant EHR software is concerned:  their responsibility for reporting clinical data using Certified EHR Technology and EHR modules remains as mandatory as for general practitioners.”

There has hardly been anything that has got as much an attention as the CMS’ Meaningful Use criterion for medical practitioners – a program for eligible practitioners to be able to qualify for Medicare incentives upon meeting a certain set of core objectives set out in the Meaningful Use Clause under the ARRA. Although CMS has laid down guidelines for general practitioners, who serve the bulk of Medicare beneficiaries, yet their specialist colleagues – such as Radiologists, Psychiatrists, Chiropractors, Urologists, etc. – are not out of the CMS’ Meaningful Use ambit; after all they too are indispensable to CMS’ initiative towards an efficient healthcare environment. But, because their service-composition and documenting varies from general practitioners, specialists’ requisite compliance with core objectives set out in the Meaningful Use Clause under the ARRA gets a little different.

Recognizing the diverse nature of specialists, CMS has allowed for certain exceptions and exemptions from complying with certain objectives that does not owe allegiance to these specialist practices. Therefore, of the 20 mandatory objectives to be met out a possible list of 25, specialist practitioners can still seek exemptions on the ground of being unique fields of medicine. Consequently, their mandatory objective-list ultimately becomes less than 20; while CPOE, eRx, Vital Signs, Smoking Status, Electronic Copy of Health Information, and Clinical Summaries are usually allowed exemptions from Meaningful Use objectives, the following exclusions may still be claimed under substantiated evidence: Drug Formulary Checks, Clinical Lab Test Results, Patients Reminders, Patient Electronic Access, Medication Reconciliation, Summary Care Record, Immunization Registries Data Submission, and Syndromic Surveillance Data Submission.

While specialist practitioners, such as Radiologists, Psychiatrists, Chiropractors, Urologists, etc. can claim exemptions and exclusion of certain objectives set out in the Meaningful Use Clause by CMS, they are not treated preferentially as far as documenting clinical processes using approved and compliant EHR software is concerned:  their responsibility for reporting clinical data using Certified EHR Technology and EHR modules remains as mandatory as for general practitioners. Thus, everything points towards sourcing and implementing EHR software’s that best serve unique needs of diverse practices while also being compliant with the CMS mandate on Certified EHR Technology for achieving Meaningful Use criterion bench-mark.

Despite the market being replete with numerous EHR software – a prior advisory on judicious selection is always advisable as any hasty selection can have multiple repercussions: adverse impact on clinical documenting, practice management, and revenue generation. Given the prevailing scenario, Medicalbillersandcoders.com proven credentials in advising and implementing certified EHR software platforms –  Medisoft , Misys Tiger, Eclinicalworks, Advanced MD, Office Ally, Sage Medical Manager, GE centricity, Lytec, Altapoint, Dentrix being some its leading names in an exhaustive portfolio innovative and futuristic models – for diverse clients comprising Allergy, Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, Endocrinology, Family Med, GI, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Long-Term Care, Multi-Specialty, Neurology, Neurosurgery, OB/Gynecology, Occupational Medicine, Ophthalmology, Optometry, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Podiatry, Psychiatry, Psychology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, Surgery, SurgicalCenter, Urgent Care, Urology, and the rest.

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CMS encouraging physicians for health care reform innovation: grants offered

At last someone is looking to cut healthcare cost innovatively- The Health Care Innovation Challenge program, announced on 14^th November, last year is the most recent federal effort by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to support health care innovations. The program is aimed at awarding grants to physicians and other health professionals, payers, local governments, to improve care and reduce costs for patients with public coverage.

The center will provide grants of $1 million to $30 million, which is to come from the $10 billion the center is receiving from the health system reform law. With applications for the innovation challenge grants due on 27^th January, 2012, the innovation center expects to notify awardees by 30^th March, 2012. Additionally CMMI – part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is managing several similar programs designed to improve health care by providers.

Priority Areas for Proposals for the Health Care Innovation Challenge program include:

• Workforce Development and Deployment of health care workers in new, innovative ways
• All proposed models must be operational or capable of rapid expansion within six months
• All proposals are expected to define a clear pathway to sustainability

The Health Care Innovation Center recognizes that new types of infrastructure activity are critical for implementation of the recent program like: data intermediaries for quality reporting and information sharing; transparency initiatives; preventive care models; medication reconciliation systems, etc. Physicians to cater to the likely increase in administrative burdens can utilize professional healthcare services.

Medicalbillerandcoders.com has been advocating the use of new workflows and innovative ideas of practice management to cut healthcare costs since a decade now. MBC has been offering innovative but ethical means like work-specialization, training and implementing simple technology to reduce tedious administrative jobs. MBC is a well-entrenched association of highly experienced medical billers and coders who can provide services to ensure a healthy revenue returns for healthcare providers, and assist them in solely looking at improving healthcare for the aging US population.

For more information visit: Medical Billing Services