Thursday, September 30, 2010

ONC Meaningful Use: 20 common EHR questions answered

Stay tuned for more. SV

ONC

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

HIMSS State HIT Dashboard


Here's the place to go to get quick sense of what is going on in each state:

HIE ( HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGES)
REC (REGIONAL EXTENSION CENTERS)
DAVIES Winners
Legislative Tracking
State Resources
HIMSS Chapters

HIMSS State HIT Dashboard

Saturday, September 18, 2010

ONC Approves InfoGard Laboratories to Certify EHRs

September 20, 2010, San Luis Obispo, California. InfoGard Laboratories, the nation’s first accredited IT security testing laboratory, is approved by the Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT as an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) for the certification of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules for both ambulatory and inpatient settings. Eligible professionals and hospitals may collect incentive payments through meaningful use of EHR technology capable of meeting the criteria to support meaningful use under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

InfoGard
NYCREACH Hosts Meaningful Use Seminars for EHR Transition

Members of the New York City Regional Extension Center
(www.NYCReach.org) are invited to attend the Level 1- Meaningful Use Overview Seminar on Thursday, September 23rd from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at 161 William Street in Manhattan.

This class will cover Meaningful Use eligibility, incentive payment schedules, application requirements, and a comprehensive explanation of the measures. For more information and to register, please visit: http://museminar.eventbrite.com, or call Brent Stackhouse at 212-788-5535.

Non-Members are welcome to enroll in the program through www.NYCReach.org and attend the Open House on September 30.

EHR Discounts and Vendors Will Answer Questions on Sept. 30
The New York City DOHMH and NYC Reach invites all providers to attend a Free Open House on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 161 William Street in Manhattan. Presentations will cover how to use an EHR to improve patient care, what Meaningful Use is, how to qualify for federal incentive payments, and how to protect sensitive patient data. You will also learn how to get an EHR at a substantial discount through our program and software vendors will be there to answer your questions.

For more information and to register, please visit: http://930openhouse.eventbrite.com/, or call Brent Stackhouse at 212-788-5535.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

HIMSS NYS: Meaningful Use: What it really means for you!

October 15, 2010
New York's Hotel Pennsylvania
401 7th Ave. & 33rd St. (Midtown Manhattan)

With federal Meaningful Use compliance dates looming, provider and healthcare organization leaders must navigate the complex regulatory landscape to fully recognize stimulus incentives. Join colleagues and peers as Healthcare IT leaders from across the state participate in discussions on Meaningful Use requirements and implications as well as related state HIT strategies and initiatives.

Keynote speakers include:

- David Whitlinger, Executive Director of New York eHeatlh Collaborative
- Rachel Block, Deputy Commissioner, Office of HIT Transformation, NYS Department of Health
- Dr. Amanda Parsons, Assistant Commissioner of the Primary Care Information Project, NYC Health Department
- Dr. Steven Arnold, CMIO Virginia Commonwealth Health System & HIMSS national Board of Director
- Dr. Holly Miller, Vice Chair Elect HIMSS

CIO panel discussion moderated by past HIMSS national Chair George "Buddy" Hickman.

Physician panel discussion, including HIMSS Davies Award Winner moderated by past HIMSS New York State Chapter Chair Dr. Ken Ong.

CPHIMS Exam will be offered in the afternoon. Seats are limited. Additional Charges apply.
CPHIMS Registration link.

Raffles* will be held throughout the day and conference to be followed by Vendor Exhibition and Cocktail Reception.

“HIMSS NYS is giving away 2 gift certificates redeemable for any Broadway Show and Dinner*! Check out www.broadway.com to see what’s playing when you are available to come into the city to enjoy the theatre.

*Dinner options listed under the Bronze category.”


Early Registration
(prior to October 5th) is:

$125 for HIMSS members
$200 for non-HIMSS members
One early registrant will win a gift certificate to dinner and a Broadway show for two!

Late Registration
is an additional $25 for both HIMSS members and non-HIMSS members.

For additional program information and schedule of events visit New York State HIMSS Calendar of Events.

Want to become a HIMSS member? Click here for HIMSS membership information.
Four States (ND, HI, OH & MA) to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program

In another key step to further states’ role in developing a robust U.S. health information technology (HIT) infrastructure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today additional federal matching funds for certain state planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

EHRs will improve the quality of health care for the citizens of these states and make their care more efficient. The records make it easier for the many providers who may be treating a Medicaid patient to coordinate care. Additionally, EHRs make it easier for patients to access the information they need to make decisions about their health care.

The releases highlight awards (totaling $6.91 million) of 90 percent federal matching funds for planning activities for the Recovery Act’s Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentives Programs.

This batch is part of a rolling announcement we began in November 2009. To date, including these new announcements, we will have awarded a total of $81.44 million to 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

North Dakota: $226,000
Hawaii: $836,000
Ohio: $2.29 million
Massachusetts: $3.56 million
Subtotal: $6.91 million
Total awards to date: $81.44 million

The Press Releases dated 9/13/10 are available at: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

Additional information on implementation of the Medicaid and Medicare related provisions of the Recovery Act’s EHR incentive payment programs may be found at: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Columbia University HIT Certificate Program

The Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University is now accepting applications for the Health Information Technology certificate program beginning January 2011.

Training is geared towards three ONC roles (Health Information Management and Exchange Specialist; Health Information Privacy and Security Specialist; and Programmer and Software Engineer) although graduates will be prepared for a wide variety of jobs in the HIT field. A major goal of the program is to teach students how to achieve meaningful use of EHR systems. The curriculum is currently being developed in collaboration with DBMI faculty, members of industry, and faculty from affiliated training programs.

The program starts in January, 2011 and is 6 months long. The coursework is largely completed online with 7 in-person weekend meetings. The target audience is students with bachelor’s degrees and training in either computer science, health care systems, or clinical/public health.

For more information click here.

Click here for the online application.

For any further questions please email: certificate@dbmi.columbia.edu.

Frances Morrison, MD, MPH, MA
Course Director, HIT Certificate Program
Associate Research Scientist
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Columbia University
certificate@dbmi.columbia.edu

Sunday, September 12, 2010

HEAL NY 17:New York State Awards $109 Million to Expand Use of Health Information Technology Focus on Improved Coordination of Health Care

New York continues to lead the nation by investing in Health Information Technology. In this case, the additional investment is for mental health, long-term and home. These are necessary extensions to the "roof" of the Medical Home. SV

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 10, 2010) – Eleven health care organizations in New York State will receive a total $109 million in State grants to improve the coordination of health care through the use of health information technology.
The funding is being provided by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) through Phase 17 of the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law of New York (HEAL NY) and the Federal State Health Reform Partnership (F-SHRP), which support efforts that improve the efficiency and affordability of New York's health care system.
The grants will support projects that continue to build health information technology infrastructure in New York State that improves coordination of health care for patients with complex health problems, with a focus on improving the delivery and coordination of mental health, long-term care and home care.

The two-year project awards are:

  • Anthony L. Jordon Health Center serves a low-income population in three zip codes in the northeast quadrant of Rochester and includes 33 primary care providers, 182 mental health providers, and three home care agencies. The project will focus on a patient population with affective disorders. Award: $4.5 million
  • HEALTHeLINK (Western NY Clinical Information Exchange) serves 20,000 patients in the Western region and includes 70 primary care providers, 59 mental health providers, and one community health center. The project will focus on a patient population with affective disorders, including major depression. Award: $3.8 million
  • Long Island Patient Information Exchange serves 20,000 patients in the Long Island region and includes 152 primary care providers, 1,096 mental health providers, and 31 long-term care providers. The project will focus on a patient population with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Award: $20 million
  • Maimonides Medical Center serves 15,000 patients in 11 zip codes in central and southwest Brooklyn and includes 81 primary care providers, 95 psychiatrists, and 190 other specialists. The project will focus on a patient population with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Award: $9.8 million
  • New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation serves 237,000 patients in Kings, New York and Queens counties and includes 133 primary care providers. The project will focus on a patient population with schizophrenia. Award: $10 million
  • New York City Regional Extension Adoption Center for Health (REACH) serves 285,000 patients in the New York City region and includes 299 primary care providers and 426 mental health providers across four hospital systems and several health centers. The project will focus on a patient population with schizophrenia and depression. Award: $9.9 million
  • New York Presbyterian Hospital serves 470,000 patients in the New York City region and includes 175 primary care providers, 239 mental health providers, and four long-term care providers. The project will focus on a patient population with depression and diabetes or other metabolic disease. Award: $10.8 million
  • St. Barnabas Hospital serves 17,000 patients in the Bronx in association with 64 mental health providers. The project will focus on a patient population with affective disorders, including depression. Award: $3.9 million
  • THINC RHIO Inc. serves 8,500 patients in Ulster, Sullivan, Orange, Dutchess and Westchester counties and includes 120 primary care providers, 36 psychiatrists, and 174 psychologists. The project will focus on a patient population with affective disorders, including depression. Award $8.7 million
  • UB Associates serves over 56,000 patients in Erie and Niagara counties and includes 85 primary care providers, 266 specialists, and 354 Medicaid providers. The project will focus on a patient population with affective disorders and chronic disease diagnoses. Award: $20 million
  • Unity Hospital serves patients in six Unity Medical Group practices in the Western region and includes 57 Medicaid providers, 20 primary care providers, 21 mental health providers, and two community health centers. The project will focus on a patient population with diabetes. Award: $7 million
NYS DOH HEAL NY PHASE 17

Friday, September 10, 2010

Regional Extension Center Survey Results September 2010

Early results of current status of signed contracts, meeting objectives, future sustainability thoughts. SV

eHealthInitiative
NYC REACH Seminars and Webinars September 2010

Meaningful Use Seminar – Open to all NYC REACH Members (your practices need to sign agreements to attend)
Register Online: http://museminar.eventbrite.com/

Tuesday, 9/14/20105:30p - 7:30p161 William StreetMDLand Event in Brooklyn – For existing MDLand Practices

Wednesday, 9/15/20107:00 PM – 8:30 PMNew Spring Garden Restaurant, 912 65th Street, Brooklyn, NYMeaningful Use Seminar – Open to all NYC REACH Members (your practices need to sign agreements to attend)
Register Online: http://museminar.eventbrite.com/

Thursday, 9/23/20105:30p - 7:30p161 William StreetNYC Reach Open House – Open to all practices considering joining
Register Online: http://930openhouse.eventbrite.com/

NYC Reach Open House – Open to all practices considering joining
Register Online: http://930openhouse.eventbrite.com/
Thursday, 9/30/201012:00p - 4:00p161 William Street

Thursday, September 09, 2010

BCBS North Carolina Rewarding Physicians for Better Care, Not More Care, Through Blue Quality Physician Program

Here's one Medical Home reimbursement model that does not include capitation. Sicker patients tend to have more visits which are also reimbursed at the higher rate just as are the healthier patient visits. SV

* Program rewards eligible physicians meeting quality standards
* Open to primary care doctors who agree to BCBSNC’s standard contract
* Physicians may qualify for double-digit increases in reimbursement for commonly billed services


Participating physicians who meet a set of criteria that includes nationally recognized, evidence-based standards for quality of care are eligible for reimbursement that offers double-digit increases over BCBSNC’s standard fee schedule for some of their most commonly billed codes. BCBSNC will reimburse at a higher level once the physician is approved for the program.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

New York eHealth Collaborative Fall Summit - Full day events on Meaningful Use

The New York eHealth Collaborative is hosting a series of EHR summits around New York State, including Long Island and Tarrytown. The summit will provide policy updates and requirements for incentive payments, with discussions led by physicians, local government officials, and other industry experts.

Register Here

Day at a Glance:

8:00 - 8:30am: Breakfast and registration

8:30 - 9:45am: Introduction & final Meaningful Use ruling update

For New EHR Users:
10:00 - 10:40am: EHRs 101: How adopting an EHR impacts your practice

10:40 - 11:10am: Regional Extension Center "Purple Line" Solution: Comprehensive EHR adoption resource guidance for vendor selection, implementation, troubleshooting and beyond.

For Advanced EHR Users:
10:00 - 10:30am: Regional Health Information Organization and Regional Extension Center services available to practices.

10:30 - 11:10am: Advanced Meaningful Use Requirements: a detailed breakdown of meaningful use incentives, objectives and measures.

11:10 - 12:00pm: Lunch and vendor exhibits

12:00 - 1:00pm: HOT TOPIC: Managing Health information Privacy & Security in the Digital Age — presented by Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

1:00 - 2:00pm: Q & A session with local HIT resources, government representatives, legal counsel and local champion physicians.

2:00 - 3:00pm: Vendor demonstrations; Who qualifies for incentive payments: Up to $63,750 from Medicaid or $44,000 from Medicare


Wed, Sep 15, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Western New York (Buffalo) Register
Thu, Sep 16, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Finger Lakes North (Rochester) Register
Fri, Sep 17, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Central New York (Syracuse) Register
Tue, Sep 21, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Capital District (Troy) Register
Wed, Sep 22, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Southern Tier (Johnson City) Register
Tue, Sep 28, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Hudson Valley (Tarrytown) Register
Thu, Sep 30, 2010
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Fall 2010 EHR Summit - Long Island (Melville) Register

Monday, September 06, 2010

HIMSS NYS: Meaningful Use: What it really means for you!

October 15, 2010
New York's Hotel Pennsylvania
401 7th Ave. & 33rd St. (Midtown Manhattan)

With federal Meaningful Use compliance dates looming, provider and healthcare organization leaders must navigate the complex regulatory landscape to fully recognize stimulus incentives. Join colleagues and peers as Healthcare IT leaders from across the state participate in discussions on Meaningful Use requirements and implications as well as related state HIT strategies and initiatives.

Keynote speakers include:

- David Whitlinger, Executive Director of New York eHeatlh Collaborative
- Rachel Block, Deputy Commissioner, Office of HIT Transformation, NYS Department of Health
- Dr. Amanda Parsons, Assistant Commissioner of the Primary Care Information Project, NYC Health Department
- Dr. Steven Arnold, CMIO Virginia Commonwealth Health System & HIMSS national Board of Director

CIO panel discussion moderated by past HIMSS national Chair George "Buddy" Hickman.

Physician panel discussion moderated by past HIMSS New York State Chapter Chair Dr. Ken Ong.

CPHIMS Exam will be offered in the afternoon. Seats are limited. Additional Charges apply.
CPHIMS Registration link.

Raffles will be held throughout the day and conference to be followed by Vendor Exhibition and Cocktail Reception.

Early Registration
(prior to October 5th) is:

$125 for HIMSS members
$200 for non-HIMSS members
One early registrant will win a gift certificate to dinner and a Broadway show for two!

Late Registration
is an additional $25 for both HIMSS members and non-HIMSS members.

For additional program information and schedule of events visit New York State HIMSS Calendar of Events.

Want to become a HIMSS member? Click here for HIMSS membership information.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

NYC DOH PCIP/NYC REACH PCMH/Meaningful Use Webinars

Weekly in September 2010, 10 AM-11 AM, EST

( No presentation on Sept 3, 2010)

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

This is now a weekly series of events.

Registration is required. Upon registration, you will receive an email with code need to join.

Dial In Code: 888-622-5357
Participant Code: 586020

September 10, 2010, Dr Sal Volpe link

September 17, 2010 Dr Sal Volpe link

September 24, 2010 Dr Sal Volpe link

Saturday, September 04, 2010

EHR incentive programs:AMA provides answers to frequently asked questions

Meeting Description:

Join us for part two of the "Making health IT work for you" webinar series where we will address questions received during the first webinar on August 16 and more.

The AMA’s 60-minute live webinar will delve deeper into the EHR incentive program criteria. At the end of the webinar, you will have in-depth knowledge about:
• Incentive program eligibility requirements
• The objectives for meeting Stage 1 meaningful use, including information about how to record exceptions
• How to ensure your EHR system is certified
• The processes for payment and attestation

Date: Wed, Sep 8, 2010
Time: 01:00 PM EDT
Duration: 1 hour
Host(s): AMA

Register now

Thursday, September 02, 2010

ONC names initial EHR Certification Bodies

Key step in national initiative toward adoption of electronic health records

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), Chicago, Ill. and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI), Austin, Texas, were named today by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as the first technology review bodies that have been authorized to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for compliance with the standards and certification criteria that were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.

Announcement of these ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ONC-ATCBs) means that EHR vendors can now begin to have their products certified as meeting criteria to support meaningful use, a key step in the national initiative to encourage adoption and effective use of EHRs by America’s health care providers.

“Less than two months following the issuance of final meaningful use rules, we have approved our initial ONC-ATCB certifiers. EHR vendors can begin immediately to get their products certified.” said David Blumenthal, M.D., national coordinator for Health Information Technology. This is a crucial step because it ensures that certified EHR products will be available to support the achievement of the required meaningful use objectives, that these products will be aligned with one another on key standards, and that doctors and hospitals can invest with confidence in these certified systems.”

Applications for additional ONC-ATCBs are also under review.


To learn more about the ONC-ATCBs named today visit www.cchit.org and www.drummondgroup.com.

For more information about the ONC certification programs visit http://healthit.hhs.gov/certification.

For more information about other HHS Recovery Act Health Information Technology funding and programs, visit http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/index.html#Health.