The Background When the HITECH Act became law in 2009, it aimed to stimulate the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) across the health care industry; the clinical data gathered from these systems would aid in disease prevention in the coming years. By 2013, above 80% of all office-based physicians had adopted some variant of Read more…
ICD-TEN Act: What’s in it for you?
As expected, the buzz surrounding ICD-10 continues to grow as we move closer to the October 1, 2015 implementation deadline. Last week, Texas-based Republican Rep. Ted Poe, proposed the “Cutting Costly Codes Act of 2015” to block the replacement of ICD-9 with ICD-10. Now, another proposal, a more realistic and achievable one I must say, has been put Read more…
Ambulatory EHR Differentiation: CureMD’s interview with IntrepidNow
This past week, Intrepid Healthcare’s Editor-in-Chief Joe Lavelle caught up with CureMD’s Director of Business Development, Ian Walker, to talk about the core factors of Ambulatory EHRs. Meaningful Use, ICD-10, iPad EHRs, and tools for population health management were also discussed in the interview. Here’s the complete podcast: You can also access the interview at intrepidnow.com:
A Small Provider’s take on ICD-10
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, CureMD Healthcare. Never have I paid so much attention to US politics like I did last month. I am still hoping against hope that ICD-10 is not coming. Don’t get me wrong, Read more…
Losing a patient
Who heals the healers? When I was ten, my grandfather suffered his third and final heart-attack in as many decades. The attending physician performed a coronary artery bypass, and an angioplasty, but neither was enough. Two days later, he advised us to pull the plug. Several hours later, the ventilator was switched off and Grandpa Read more…
Physicians’ Fears about ICD-10 are unfounded, CMS explains
Two recent updates: CMS has compiled a list of things you should know about ICD-10. They focus on how the transition is not as hard as it is being trumped up to be. CMS will run ICD-10 acknowledgment testing from June 1- 5, to give providers a chance to test their ICD-10 procedures before October. This will Read more…
No ICD-10 Penalty till 2017?
Another update in the World of ICD-10. With the SGR repeal bill signed into law, the ICD-10 transition deadline of October 1 2015 is almost certain. However, an interesting recommendation surfaced last week during a hearing about HHS’ proposed 2016 budget. Senator Bill Cassidy recommended that the ICD-10 penalty be delayed for two years. This essentially means Read more…
Did you receive a Meaningful Use Audit Notice?
April 2015 is the month the dreadful OIG Meaningful Use audits commenced. These audits are different than the ones conducted by Figliozzi & Company, the outside audit contractor of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Unlike the Figliozzi audits, which cover MU attestation for a single Meaningful Use reporting period, the OIG audits cover incentive Read more…
SGR Repealed– What does that mean for you?
What a happy month April has been. First, CMS announced the simplification of the Meaningful Use program, and then, after 18 years of haggling over it, both Senate and Congress passed the SGR repeal Bill (signed into law by Obama yesterday). If you have been living under a rock and don’t know what the bill is about, Read more…
Good News for Physicians: Meaningful Use Stage 1 and Stage 2 has been simplified
Last Friday, April 10, was a good day. In a welcome yet delayed move, CMS finally announced its proposed rule to simplify its Meaningful Use program. While many Healthcare pundits are praising CMS for its sensitivity to physician concerns, I believe this decision had more to do with rescuing the program from its imminent failure-as Read more…