National Health IT Week 2009 – Just Around the Corner

Lots of chatter is coming from Washington, DC about Healthcare Reform. Supposedly “2009 is the Year of Healthcare Transformation.”

“Healthcare reform has now taken a prominent role in Washington, DC, with both the House and Senate working in concert with the Obama Administration to pass effective legislation.”

National Health IT Week 2009 will be in DC, taking place September 21st – 25^th. Details here.

“National Health IT Week is a collaborative forum now in its fourth year of assembling key healthcare constituents…..working together to elevate national attention to the necessity of advancing healthcare IT.”

With a new Administration that’s focused on “change”, healthcare reform has been one of the hot topics. We all know in healthcare that change is inevitable. We discussed that here a few weeks ago.  Healthcare IT hasn’t gotten this much attention from the government in quite some time. So, as an industry, we need to take advantage of such recognition. One reason that we, at ComplyMD, like all the healthcare IT buzz from DC is the attention it brings to ‘changing with the times.’ Many times hospital administration can be ‘iffy’ about investing in a new piece of equipment or a new software solution because of the financial side of things. Many physicians are ‘iffy’ because of the change that such solutions will bring about to their everyday workload – for better or worse. Healthcare IT solutions produce change in a facility.

Facility administrators must be wise about their solution choices, ensuring their picks will produce good returns and [eventually] happy doctors, staff, and patients. With ComplyMD’s Surgeon Notes solution, we bring about a sort of change in documentation. Surgeons are able to document their procedures and the health of their patients at the point of service. Out with the old [redundant dictation] and in with the new [ComplyMD Surgeon Notes]. Whether we agree with the Obama Administration or not, we at ComplyMD like change.

Money, Money, Money: The Stimulus

Since President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the words “stimulus” and “EHR” go together like bread and butter in the world of Healthcare IT. This article from our friends at Modern Healthcare Magazine’s February 23, 2009 edition titled “IT’s the Money” gave us a great overview on what some experts had to say about the Stimulus money’s impact on EHR adoption among hospitals and office-based physicians.

“Industry officials said the federal money and standards setting provisions in the new law will be the twin charges that burst the financial dam that has kept electronic health-record system adoption at relatively low levels.”

“The Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs will more directly subsidize adoption of EHRs by providers. Hospitals will receive IT payments over a maximum period of four years…..For those hospitals using “meaningful” EHRs during fiscals years 2011 through 2013, the amounts will be a 100% payment the first year, and 75%, 50% and 25% the subsequent years.”

Here’s a graph depicting the bonus structure for early EHR adopters:

Health I.T. Carrots

With these Health IT Carrots, comes Health IT Sticks. “The stimulus law calls for Medicare reimbursement penalties for physicians how delay adoption of health information technology until after 2014.” If you start in 2015, your Medicare penalty is -1%; 2016 penalty is -2%; 2017 penalty is -3%; 2018 penalty depends on overall adoption rate.

So what does all of this have to do with ComplyMD, a non-EHR healthcare solutions company? It has everything to do with ComplyMD. One of the gray areas of this whole carrot is “What is the definition for ‘meaningful use”? (We’ll get more into that next week.) But for now, I want us to focus on the plain fact that Electronic Healthcare is coming. Like it or not, every facility, every physician, every nurse, every hospital employee, every patient, everyone needs to accept the fact that technology is changing patient care. The government is pushing for adoption of EHRs; facilities are putting it off. The government is giving incentives for early adoption; some facilities are still putting it off. As we’ve discussed before, successful adoption hinges on a facility’s readiness for such a massive undertaking as EHR adoption.

Does IT promote Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities?

{The right technology, in the right facility, with the right people….}

This is part one of a two part series from Modern Healthcare Magazine’s May 26 article “Providers Turn to IT for Efficiency, but is it Working?” .  Though they start off discussing IT in laboratories, I believe we can take their words and apply it to any area/department of a healthcare facility.

“Indeed, technology plays a role in productivity across the board, and the healthcare industry is no exception. From faster laboratory results to real-time electronic information in emergency departments to online ‘dashboards’ that monitor performance metrics – providers have begun to embrace automated processes to improve their operations.”

Automated processes, along with point-of-care electronic systems can greatly increase operational efficiency. The keys to success (in my opinion) are: (1) a great implementation, which leads to great adoption and (2) an already well-run facility that’s ready for such an IT implementation.

Despite the boost in efficiency that IT can bring to a facility, there are usually some major hurdles to overcome.

“Still, there are significant challenges to adopting various technologies. Critics of electronic health records have said that the technology can be confusing and hard to implement, and it winds up disrupting work and limiting productivity.”

That is a very valid point. Technology can be confusing and often disrupting. And yes, if it’s not implemented right, it could perhaps limit productivity. That’s why you must have the right technology, implemented at the right facility, with the right people who are ready for such a change. Technology implementations will always bring about change. Naturally, we as humans are often resistant to change, especially when we what we’re doing now “works”. But bottom lines aren’t maximally impacted by what “works”. Patient care isn’t improved by simply what “works.” If you want to be competitive in this day and age, you better get ahead of the curve. Your facility better be ready for change, constant change.

Coders Relax: Your Job is Secure

In this article from For The Record Magazine, Julian Schaeffer explores and dispels coders’ concern that Computer Assisted Coding (CAC) will eliminate their role in healthcare.  With technology advancing more and more each day, it does make some of us wonder, “Will technology eliminate my role within my company/industry?”.

 

Coding is a very complex, ever-changing aspect of the healthcare industry. To keep up with all of the regulatory changes on top of the industry demands, we’ve got to engage and embrace the assistance of technology or we’ll never be on top.

 

With new diseases and procedures to learn each year, continuously changing regulatory requirements to comply with, and IT to implement, coders are likely to welcome any technology that promises to leave their jobs a little less complicated. But computer-assisted coding (CAC) has some in the industry wondering if the technology could completely wash out the need for coders’ human touch.

 

The concern is somewhat understandable, yet totally unnecessary. With the mystery of new technology many coders may feel threatened by the new advances and even the efficiencies that new technology brings to their workflow. But whether we like it or not, technology is advancing more and more into our jobs, so we better embrace it….along with all the changes, efficiencies and advances it brings.

 

Point of Clarification: This is a great article about coders feeling threatened by technology, namely CAC (Computer Assisted Coding). ComplyMD is NOT a CAC – ComplyMD, in respect to CAC, takes the concept one step further, and puts the power of correct documentation into the hands of the physicians. By correct documentation, I mean that ComplyMD actually enables (and somewhat makes) the physician document in a coder’s language. That way the coder does not spend time deciphering “clinical slang vs. code book language”; their time is spent ensuring that the physicians documented what they did accurately and correctly. So, like a CAC, ComplyMD enables the coder to have more of an “auditor” role, as opposed to a “code assignment and physician mind reader” role.

Healthcare Technology Meets Documentation: How Your Facility Can Benefit

“The industry in general is not being proactive in implementing measures that will ensure accurate charging and reduce the amount of denied claims. Technology has the greatest potential for improvement for any provider.”

“Improving Cash Flow with Better Charge Capture & Denial Management” MedAssets & HFMA. October 2005

How do we, as an industry, ensure accurate charging and help reduce the amount of denied claims? First, let’s talk about how we are able to ensure accurate charging. What do facilities charge for? They charge for services rendered and supplies used to render those services. So we must accurately capture services, right? Well, how will we accurately capture services? Through proper documentation. Accurate charges are ensured through accurate documentation. Now, how can we capture accurate documentation? Obviously the way we’ve been doing business (after-the-fact dictation, 3×5 pocketed index cards, among other archaic methods) does not cut it. So, that’s where technology comes into the picture.

Web-Based Software for Healthcare IT: Know the Benefits

Some healthcare organizations are still a bit hesitant about purchasing web-based software. Why? In this age where our world is relying on the web for so much, why do we think it’s incapable of performing in a healthcare environment? In my opinion, one reason organizations are timid about an ASP (Application Service Provider) model for their healthcare IT needs, is because they don’t understand the real advantages of web-based software. ComplyMD is a web-based solution for healthcare organizations that provides users with the following benefits:

• No installation or server required
• No expensive hardware required
• No IT Management required
• Never hassle with upgrades (we take care of that for you!)
• Never deal with backup tapes
• Always available anywhere (office, hospital, home)
• Always up-to-date information
• Always secure, encrypted, backed up and redundant
• HIPPA compliance ensured

As you can see web-based applications are convenient, cost-effective and easy to manage. We take care of everything for you; all your facility does is use the application… from anywhere you have an internet connection, might I add.