The shift to ICD-10 is more than just a compliance exercise – it represents a monumental transformation for healthcare in America. Just how prepared are we? According to a recent National Pilot Program Outcomes Report, professional coders were only able to achieve 63% accuracy when submitting ICD-10 codes. The transition to ICD-10 virtually impacts every member of Read more…
Better Care Through Patient Engagement
It is always best when your patients ask questions. This means that they are concerned and are making the required effort to improve their physical condition and well-being. When patients are more aware and want to be involved in their health management, especially when it comes to making health-related decisions, it is safe to deduce Read more…
Risk Management through the healthcare continuum
What is accountable care all about? And who should be held accountable, anyway? Are physicians directly responsible for the outcomes they achieve? What about the money they spend to achieve those outcomes? We’ve all been hearing about the pros and cons of accountable care for way too long now. Lower costs, better outcomes and improved patient experiences are what Read more…
Research highlights cures for patient waiting room frustration
Patients are increasingly relying on online reviews to determine doctors’ wait times, prior to making an appointment. According to recent research, the issue plays an essential role in patient satisfaction and retention. Software Advice, a company that reviews electronic medical records, and publishes primary research on its website, surveyed 5,003 U.S. patients to find out Read more…
Is patient engagement helping physicians?
Advances in technology have increased exponentially. At the click of a single button, we can access real-time information on Twitter, Facebook and Google. The amount of information present online is huge – from celebrity gossip to patient communication channels. This is how technology is shaping our world. Do you ever feel that you just want Read more…
Gearing up for ICD-10
It’s 2014, and the transition to ICD-10 is less than just a few months away, taking effect on October 1st. This will replace the old system of diagnostic coding and significantly increase the number of these codes from the current 14,000 to around 69,000. ICD-10 will enable physicians to better specify diagnoses, track follow up Read more…
Privacy and security of health information on the Cloud
As 2014 begins, hundreds of thousands of Americans are signing up for health insurances through the Health Insurance Marketplace initiative. Latest figures suggest that close to 2 million people have purchased insurance plans with the deadline to do so approaching quickly. This influx of new patients means that healthcare providers and professionals will have to Read more…
ICD-10: Don’t be Scared, Be Prepared
On October 1, 2014, one of the biggest changes to ever hit the healthcare industry will take effect, when the old system of diagnostic coding, ICD-9 will be replaced by ICD-10.With the new coding system, the number of diagnostic codes will jump from the current 14,000 to 68,000, a fivefold increase. ICD-10 will enable physicians Read more…
Avoid Patient Injury and Lawsuits
A lawsuit can take a massive toll on a physician’s confidence and reputation. Every day, physicians are faced with the risk of making mistakes that can potentially end up in a lawsuit, such as diagnostic errors or incomplete follow-ups. However, by creating procedures and policies to protect their practices, physicians can mitigate patient injuries, and Read more…
EHRs Can Reduce the Cost of Care for Diabetes
A recent report found health IT to be one of the biggest contributors in successfully treating diabetes in western New York. The report found that over a three-year period, Electronic Health Records, care coordination and health information technology have been instrumental in reducing hospitalizations for diabetic patients, by 26%. Brief highlights: 50% of the physicians Read more…