EHR Optimization

What can you do to overcome dissatisfaction with your EHR System?

When the federal government implemented its meaningful use initiative as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, medical groups finally started to move toward electronic health records en mass. By 2015, nearly 9 in 10 (87%) of office-based physicians had adopted an EHR, and over 3 in 4 (78%) had adopted a certified EHR, according to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.

However, the dissatisfaction with EHRs continues to rise at an accelerated pace. It has also resulted in physician burnout which in turn can create more patient safety problems. This post addresses the core issue of EHR Optimization and all the facets associated with the process of optimizing an EHR.

Top 10 EHR Software Selection and Implementation Best Practices You Must Not Ignore

Successful implementation of medical EHR software can only be achieved by following a sound and comprehensive process for evaluating potential solutions and implementing the chosen solution. This post outlines top 10  best practices that providers should incorporate into their EHR selection and implementation process.

Selecting a Comprehensive Practice Management Software - Best Practices

Far-reaching regulatory shifts at the federal level combined with advancements in technology and a changing patient population are just a few factors contributing to the rapid transformation of the U.S. healthcare system. As the industry evolves, the systems and processes utilized by practices and practitioners must also evolve in order to keep pace with the demands of today’s care continuum.

In such a dynamic healthcare environment, medical practice management software is essential in order to effectively and efficiently coordinate communications, transactions and interactions between patients, providers and systems. Various organizations nationwide have implemented practice management system software and achieved measurable, positive outcomes related to both patient care and the fiscal health of their practice.

Medical Billing Clearinghouse

Criteria for Selecting a Great Medical Billing Clearinghouse

The profitability of physician practices is being squeezed by declining payer reimbursement rates and increasing operating costs. There is also a growing trend towards enhanced patient responsibility both for self-pay and insured patients. This has a direct impact on physician practices which now run a risk of increasing patient account receivable (A/R) balances.

Proactive revenue cycle management processes are key to ensure full and timely reimbursement from payers and minimizing the financial risk due to patient A/R exposure. Even though clearinghouses had a limited function earlier, the scope of functionality delivered by a good medical billing clearinghouse has increased significantly and encompasses entire revenue cycle stretching from insurance verification, claims submission, remittance and all the way to appeals and settlement.

1. What is a Clearinghouse?

2. Why functions does a good Clearinghouse perform?

3. What is the Clearinghouse Process?

4. What are the benefits of using a great Clearinghouse?

5. Best Practices for choosing a Clearinghouse

6. Which are the top medical billing Clearinghouses?

Benefits of Electronic Medical Records (EMR / EHR) System

The word is out -- ambulatory practices continue to reap the benefits of adopting integrated EHR System platforms. According to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, EHR adoption in the medical practice has doubled since 2008. For the remaining practices failing to seek the benefits of EMR, declining reimbursement tied to MACRA will encourage most of these providers to eventually adopt the technology. One bit of good news for the solo or small practice is that Medicare adoption incentives still exist for the office-based physician practice. But perhaps the best news for physicians reluctant to switch is that there are documented benefits in EHR adoption for both patients and providers.

This article summarizes the top EHR benefits experienced by an ambulatory practice for their patients and practice when deploying the technology.

Medical Billing Audits

There is no doubt that the transition to ICD-10 forced a lot of healthcare organizations to take a long hard look at their claim processing practices. While that transition is in the past, the importance of medical billing audits isn’t.

Every practice should have a strong understanding not only of the nature of billing audits but also what kinds best fit their individual needs. If you don’t you have a strong grasp on the billing practices, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth in your practice, it might be time for a refresher.

Value Based Care

Value-based care is healthcare delivery model in which provider reimbursement is tied to the quality of care provided (measured by patient health outcomes) and rewards providers for both efficiency and effectiveness. Under value-based care agreements, providers are rewarded for helping patients improve their health, reduce the effects and incidence of chronic disease, and live healthier lives in an evidence-based way.

The transition from fee-for-service to value-based care or pay for performance represents a paradigm shift for the entire healthcare industry but also promises specific opportunities and challenges for individual providers. If you’re considering transitioning to a value-based reimbursement model, it is important to learn as much as possible about the two systems, the changes ahead of you, as well as your strategic options.

Thinking About Switching Your EHR System?

Why, When and How to Successfully Replace Your EHR?

Although the EHR adoption rate has more than doubled over the past decade, significantly bolstered by passage of the HITECH Act in 2009, satisfaction with EHR systems is definitely trending downward. A study published last year by the U.S. National Library of Medicine showed that a shocking 67% of physician respondents were dissatisfied with their EHR and 31% were actively considering switching EMR systems because of their dissatisfaction. Over 30% considered dissatisfaction with their EMR a primary contributor to physician burnout. 

That's a lot of unhappiness—and a lot of practices potentially switching EHR vendors this year.

If you're in that situation yourself, there's much to consider before actually making a change, both  in terms of challenges and opportunities for enhanced productivity and overall practice performance. 

Top Pediatric EMR, EHR Features

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), EMR implementation among pediatric practices lags behind other specialties, with 31% of pediatricians using a basic pediatric EMR and only 14% using a fully functional pediatric EMR solution. This is despite the American Academy of Pediatrics suggestion that EHRs may increase patient safety and standards of care.

Optimize EHR for MACRA - What Does it Mean?

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) marks an entirely new era in physician reimbursement—one characterized by quality, cost containment, and population health management. MACRA essentially shifts Medicare payments from fee-for-service to pay-for-performance that rewards participation in risk-bearing payment models.

To participate in MACRA, physicians must choose one of the following two tracks:

1. Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APM)
2. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)

The choice that physicians make today will affect their payment beginning in 2019. Physicians participating in MIPS will see a sliding-scale bonus or penalty ranging from 4% in 2019 to 9% in 2022. The bonus or penalty derived from 2017 data is based on a composite score that includes these components: Quality measures (60%), advancing care information (25%), and clinical improvement activities (15%). Physicians participating in APMs will see a bonus of 5% of Part B professional services payments between 2019 and 2024.