NYC DOH PCIP/NYC REACH PCMH/Meaningful Use Webinar

July 2, 2010, 10 AM-11 AM, EST

Together we will explore:

Healthcare challenges facing physicians
Benefits of EHR
The path to EHR
EHR/EMR Implementation Thoughts & Considerations.
Patient Centered Medical Home
Federal Incentives under ARRA
Meaningful use

Password: Volpe123

Dial In Code: 888-622-5357

Participant Code: 586020

Click this link for webex

NYC DOH PCIP/NYC REACH PCMH/Meaningful Use Webinar

June 25, 2010, 10 AM-11 AM, EST

Together we will explore:

Healthcare challenges facing physicians
Benefits of EHR
The path to EHR
EHR/EMR Implementation Thoughts & Considerations.
Patient Centered Medical Home
Federal Incentives under ARRA
Meaningful use

Password: Volpe123

Dial In Code: 888-622-5357

Participant Code: 586020

Click this link for webex

DrFirst: First system:legally e-prescribe controlled substance

On June 3, 2010, DrFirst demoed the first system to legally e-prescribe controlled substance at the AHRQ Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. This is the first public demonstration of enhanced Rcopia e-prescribing technology that utilizes two factor authentication to electronically transmit prescriptions for schedule II-V drugs. Actually there are three factors: password, a cryptokey (USB), and a fax. This particular demo uses a fax document which is then compared to the e-Prescription by the pharmacist.

This system has been under development for two years operating under a waiver from the DEA and funded by a grant from AHRQ.

For more information regarding the system, visit www.DrFirst.com.

ONC Issues Final Rule to Establish the Temporary Certification Program for EHR Technology

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today issued a final rule to establish a temporary certification program for electronic health record (EHR) technology. Click here to see the press release:

Here's the link for the 206 page document. SV

CMS Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program Website is now available on CMS.gov!


The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has launched the official website for the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. This website provides the most up-to-date, detailed information about the EHR incentive programs.
The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals and hospitals as they adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
Bookmark this site and visit http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/ often to learn about who is eligible for the programs, how to register, meaningful use, upcoming EHR training and events, and much more!

Leveraging the Electronic Health Record for Public Health Alerting

Presenters: Nedra Garrett, MS (CDC)

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1-2 PM Eastern Time

Overview:
With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and its focus on Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, public health has an unprecedented opportunity to leverage the information, technologies and standards enabled by this effort to support critical public health functions such as alerting and surveillance. CDC subject matter expert will discuss strategies to increase compliance with public health recommendation and guidelines, and discuss how improved dissemination of public health information at point of care can lead to more timely patient specific information by utilizing EHR systems.
Call-in : 1-888-790-6180
Passcode : 1281914
For more information visit CDC

PECOS Enrollment Required For Medicare Record (EHR) Incentive

I strongly encourage everyone to take out the time to confirm their PECOS status. Happy Father's Day. SV


The Recovery Act of 2009 established CMS programs under Medicare and Medicaid to provide incentive payments for the “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology. These EHR incentive programs will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals as they demonstrate adoption, implementation, upgrading or meaningful use of certified EHR technology. While more detail on the EHR incentive program is forthcoming in the an impending final rule, CMS is announcing that Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) records will be used to verify Medicare enrollment prior to making Medicare EHR incentive payments. Your enrollment information must be in PECOS, so act now if you do not have an enrollment record in this system.

Enrolled in Medicare before November 2003?

If you are a physician who enrolled in Medicare before November 2003 AND have not updated your Medicare enrollment information since then, you do NOT have an enrollment record in PECOS. Act now to establish your enrollment record in PECOS. For instructions, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll , click on “Tips to Facilitate the Medicare Enrollment Process” under “Downloads.”

If you enrolled in Medicare after November 2003, or if you enrolled before November 2003 and have updated your Medicare enrollment information since November 2003, no further action is required.

If you are unsure, here are ways to verify that you have an enrollment record in PECOS:

1. Check the Ordering Referring Report on the CMS website. If you are on that report, you have a current enrollment record in PECOS. Go to http://www.cms.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll, click on “Ordering Referring Report” on the left.

2. Use Internet-based PECOS to look for your PECOS enrollment record. (You will need to first set up your access to Internet-based PECOS.) If no record is displayed, you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS. Go to http://www.cms.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll, click on “Internet-based PECOS” on the left, for information on using Internet-based PECOS.

3. Contact your designated Medicare enrollment contractor and ask if you have an enrollment record in PECOS. Go to http://www.cms.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll, click on “Medicare Fee-For-Service Contact Information” under “Downloads.”

Note: If you have submitted an enrollment application within the last 90 days, and your enrollment application has been accepted for processing by the carrier or A/B MAC, you need not take any additional actions based on this listserv message.

NOTE for physicians who reassign all their Medicare benefits to a group/clinic: If you reassign all of your Medicare benefits to a group/clinic, the group/clinic must have an enrollment record in PECOS in order for you to enroll using Internet-based PECOS. You should check with the officials of the group/clinic or with your designated Medicare enrollment contractor if you are not sure if the group/clinic has an enrollment record in PECOS. If the group/clinic does not have an enrollment record in PECOS, you will not be able to use Internet-based PECOS to submit your enrollment application to Medicare. You will need to submit a paper enrollment application (CMS-855).

Information on how to establish an enrollment record in PECOS can be found at here.

Thanks to the MSSNY for the news update. SV

GE Centricity Advance EMR

This product will help round out GE's product line and may be open for smaller practices to consider. SV

Centricity Advance, a web-based EMR (EHR) solution launched today by GE Healthcare and specifically designed for the smaller physician practice.

Unlike most clinical and financial management solutions, Centricity Advance is a web-based service that costs less than a standard client-server software deployment and is maintained and supported with little or no strain on the healthcare provider’s resources, freeing up more time for patient care.

Ideal as a Web-Based Service
The fact that Centricity Advance was designed from the ground up as a web service is significant. Instead of simply providing web-based gateway into a standard EMR application, the Centricity Advance is created with anywhere/anytime access in mind, resulting in an intuitive and efficient interface without sacrificing functionality. Since system management is centralized as part of the Centricity Advance service, small practices don’t have to worry about data protection, updates, equipment failures and other typically stressful responsibilities of user-driven IT management.

Another key feature of Centricity Advance is the Patient Self-Service Portal, which connects patients to their care. By using their own secure password to log in, patients can communicate privately with their doctor and view their own information such as statements, prescriptions and lab results. Patients can also request and confirm appointments, request prescription refills and get automatic reminders for immunizations and lab tests.

True SaaS technology is designed to be faster and more flexible than other Web-based EMRs since it is created from the ground-up to be hosted and delivered over the Internet to multiple customers. This model allows for “on-the-fly” upgrades as well as rapid deployment of value-added “à la carte” features.

Many vendors discuss what they call “Software as a Service” offerings but, in most cases, are actually referring to “hosted” or ASP (application service provider) models, in which traditional client/server software is accessed through a Web browser. “The differences are subtle but critical,” said Chittaranjan Mallipeddi, vice president and general manager of GE Healthcare IT’s newly launched SaaS business unit. After limited initial start-up costs, Centricity Advance is available to customers for a low monthly subscription fee. Most ASP models charge the customer a large upfront fee for the software purchase, followed by indefinite recurring hosting fees.

“Centricity Advance is designed with simplicity and pliability at center stage. After all, we know our customers aren’t buying a system for today; they’re buying a commitment to their future,” Mallipeddi added.

Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)
2011 Update

Public Comment Ends Soon

June 28 is the final day to comment on proposed updates to the PCMH 2011 standards. Public Comment is a key part of the development process for all NCQA programs. NCQA appreciates the time and effort that organizations invest in providing feedback, and considers all suggestions made during the Public Comment period.

The PCMH 2011 standards build on the strengths of Physician Practice Connections^®-Patient-Centered Medical Home^TM (PPC^®-PCMH^TM). . They apply to the full spectrum of practice configurations, from small to large or electronically enabled to paper-based, in a variety of practice locations and for newly applying practices, as well as for those seeking renewal of Recognition.

Click here to access the public comment on the PCMH 2011 update.

In addition to emphasizing patient-centric, coordinated care and moving toward performance benchmarking within practices, the revised standards seek to:

• Encourage better integration across practices through enhanced quality improvement requirements
• Strengthen program requirements
• Integrate behaviors affecting substance abuse and mental health issues
• Align with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed Measures of Meaningful Use (for ARRA incentives)

The revised program has been restructured from nine standards (in PCMH) to six standards. We propose additional advanced requirements: reporting standardized clinical and patient experience results and establishing formal relationships with specialists and facilities. As with the current program, NCQA will not require all items to be met for achieving Recognition.

For more information on public comment, contact NCQA Customer Support at 888-275-7585.

Allscripts/Eclipsys/Misys:Merger and diversture

Consolidation among vendors keeping pace with consolidation among customers (Hospitals/Physician Groups). This should accelerate "interoperability" as we wait for standards to mature. SV


Allscripts (Nasdaq: MDRX), the leading provider of clinical software, information and connectivity solutions for physicians, and Eclipsys (Nasdaq: ECLP), a leading enterprise provider of solutions and services for hospitals and clinicians, today announced a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion. The combination of Allscripts and Eclipsys will create a clear leader in healthcare information technology, with the most comprehensive solution offering for healthcare organizations of every size and setting. Under terms of the merger agreement, Eclipsys stockholders will receive 1.2 shares of Allscripts for each share of Eclipsys, a 19 percent premium based on the June 8th closing price.
By combining the leading physician-office and post-acute care solutions from Allscripts with Eclipsys's leading enterprise solutions for hospitals and health systems, the combined company will offer a single platform of clinical, financial, connectivity and information solutions. The combined company's client base will include over 180,000 U.S. physicians, 1,500 hospitals, and nearly 10,000 nursing homes, hospices, home care and other post-acute organizations. The combined company will be positioned to connect physicians, other care providers and patients wherever care is provided-in the hospital, in small or large physician practices, in extended care facilities, or in a patient's home - resulting in the unique ability to deliver a single patient record and a seamless patient experience.
Glen Tullman, Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts, will be the Chief Executive Officer of the combined company. Phil Pead, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eclipsys will become Chairman of the combined company and, on a full-time basis, will focus on key client and strategic relationships, product and process integration, strategy and the company's international business. Bill Davis, Chief Financial Officer of Allscripts, will be the company's Chief Financial Officer.Chris Perkins, Chief Financial Officer of Eclipsys, will lead the integration process of the two companies.The balance of the combined company's executive team will include the current officers of both Allscripts and Eclipsys.

In connection with the merger, Allscripts will facilitate a reduction of Misys's equity stake in Allscripts from approximately 55% to approximately 10% through an underwritten secondary equity offering and share buyback. This reduction in equity stake will enable Misys to maintain compliance with listing requirements of the United Kingdom listing authorities.

MONAHRQ—My Own Network Powered by AHRQ

Shareware by the Government and others is helping to bring HIT benefits to communities and institutions of all sizes. SV


The Department of Health & Human Services' (HHS's) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) today unveiled MONAHRQ—My Own Network Powered by AHRQ—a free, MS® Windows®-based software application that significantly reduces the cost and time a State, hospital or other organization would need to spend to compile, analyze and post data on quality of hospital care, its cost and how that care is used. MONAHRQ allows users to create a customized Web site with data that can be used for internal quality improvement or reporting quality information to the public.

A Web site created using MONAHRQ will provide information in four areas:

• Quality of care for specific hospitals—provides information about patient safety, patient deaths in the hospital and other quality-related issues to answer questions such as, "Which hospitals have the lowest mortality rates after coronary bypass surgery?"
• Provision of services by hospital for health conditions and procedures—provides information about the number of patient discharges, charges, costs and length of hospitalizations for specific hospitals to answer questions such as, "Which hospitals perform the largest numbers of hip replacement surgeries? And what is the cost?"
• Potentially avoidable hospitalizations—creates maps of county-by-county rates for potentially avoidable hospitalizations to answer questions such as, "Which counties have the highest rates of hospitalization for uncontrolled diabetes? And how much could be saved if these rates were reduced?"
• Rates of health conditions and procedures—provides information about the prevalence of diseases or medical procedures through maps of county-by-county rates for selected conditions and procedures to answer questions such as, "Which counties have the highest rates of lung cancer?"

While they both provide information to the public on hospital quality, the Web sites generated by MONAHRQ users differ from HHS's Hospital Compare Web site because of the information that is reported. For example, MONAHRQ users provide information on elements of care that are not offered by Hospital Compare, including outcome measures of quality by individual hospital, such as patient safety events and deaths; data on which high-volume procedures are associated with better outcomes; and preventable hospitalizations by county on conditions for which good outpatient care could avert the need for a hospital stay.

For more information, please contact AHRQ Public Affairs: (301) 427-1859 or (301) 427-1855.

Qualified Electronic Health Record (EHR) Vendors for the 2010 PQRI and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Programs

If your vendor is on the list, contact them ASAP and see if your version of the product qualifies. This seems like a slicker way to submit to CMS with "less clicks". SV

CMS is pleased to announce the EHR vendors and their programs (including specific version or release) that have been “qualified” to submit quality data to CMS by eligible professionals for 2010 PQRI reporting (see table below). Each of these EHR vendors has gone through a thorough vetting process for the product and version listed including checking their capability to provide the required PQRI data elements for 10 PQRI measures. These 10 PQRI measures may be found on the CMS website at www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI, click on the “Alternative Reporting Mechanisms” section page. Some EHRs are also capable of reporting the electronic prescribing measure to CMS as listed in the table below. In addition to capturing the required data elements for the measure calculation, these “qualified” EHR products can also transmit the required information in the requested file format. While the listed EHR vendors and their EHR product have successfully completed the vetting process, CMS cannot guarantee that any other product or version of software from the listed vendors will be compatible for EHR based submission for PQRI.

Eligible professionals who wish to participate in 2010 PQRI using the EHR-based reporting option may contact the EHR vendor’s listed below for additional details about their software and about PQRI participation.

Allscripts, Docsite, eClinicalworks, eHealth Made EASY, LLC, Epic, MedAppz, llc and MedLink

CMS:ACO:Accountable Care Organizations and HIT

ACO's faciliate the coordination and cooperation among providers to improve the quality of care among Medicare Beneficiaries and reduce unnecessary costs.

Here's the link to CMS.

What is the role of HIT in ACOs? SV

NYC DOH PCIP EHR Open House June 10th.

NYC DOH PCIP:Open House:Transform your Practice with a Subsidized EHR

The Primary Care Information Project (PCIP) will hold an EHR Open House on June 10, 2010, from 12:00noon to 4:30 PM at 161 William St., 6th Floor. This will be an excellent opportunity for interested providers to meet the PCIP team and to hear how to switch from paper records to secure Electronic Health Records. Presentations will cover how to use an EHR to improve patient care, meet federal incentive payment requirements, and protect sensitive patient data. You will also learn how to get an EHR at a substantial discount through our limited incentive program.

You will have an opportunity to meet one on one with: EHR trainers; billing and coding instructors; NYC Business Solutions (to help with financial and staffing resources); and other providers who have implemented an EHR. The program will have specific sessions on (1) "PCIP and Meaningful Use" (from 12:00 noon until 1:00 PM); (2) "Q&A with Outreach, Infrastructure, Quality Improvement, Privacy and Security, and NYC Business Solutions Panel" (from 1:00 PM-1:45 PM); "EHR in My Practice: a Provider's Perspective"(2:00 PM-2:45 PM) and breakout sessions from 3:00 PM-4:30 PM on everything from Implementation, Revenue Cycle Management, Privacy and Security, to IT Experts and Outreach. All sessions are free of charge. Attendees are welcome to drop in at any point during the day.

RSVP & Questions
pcip@health.nyc.gov
Include your fullname, practice name and phone number.
Please let us know if you cannot make the event but have questions or would like to meet another day

Location
161 William St, 6thFloor, New York,NY
Near City Hall and Fulton St. Subway Stations: 2,3,4, 5,6,A,C,J,M,Z,R,W

AMA HIT To-do List Timetable

In American Medical News: A health IT timetable can help you maximize technology
Physician practices have various tasks that need to be done regularly to ensure smooth operations, and health information technology (IT) adds a new set of recurring chores. A story by American Medical News details some of the health IT-related tasks and explains that establishing regular schedules for upkeep and updates can help practices get the most out of a technology investment.

James R. Knickman, Champion of Sensible Reimbursement


James R. Knickman is the first President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York State Health Foundation. I encourage everyone to read his comment at the Huffington Post. SV