Wendi Klein, Director of Marketing & Communication, North America, A2iA
Since reform and regulation have stirred the industry, it has become an even more complex environment, though the goal is to streamline processes. In the wake of healthcare reform, healthcare IT has been forced to comply with new regulations, and healthcare IT needs have shifted. The U.S. government has set forth dates and deadlines by which providers and payors must meet certain milestones, placing emphasis on obtaining meaningful use of patient data, the availability and recovery of data to increase productivity and enhance patient care, as well as the industry’s transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10.
Given this complex and changing environment, healthcare IT providers must focus on implementing solutions that will meet users’ needs today and in the future, while maximizing existing spending to deliver an ROI. But with so many vendors trying to make a name for themselves, how can one stand out from the competition yet still deliver technology that meets government mandates?
CCHIT certified solutions, for example, are becoming more and more common since this is how the Department of Health and Human Services deems a system a "qualified EMR." However, many CCHIT solutions today still require manual document sorting and data entry because of the complex nature of healthcare documents. Hospitals and clinics alike are looking for ways around this, as it is no secret that manual document handling is a time consuming and expensive task, and even allows for breaches in privacy with the involvement of third-parties.
By partnering with technology companies that provide advanced indexing and data lifting capabilities, CCHIT certified solutions can address these pain points by removing the human interaction and allowing for higher levels of productivity, consequently differentiating themselves from the competition. By allowing complex and even handwritten documents such as provider notes, clinical documentation, lab results or prescriptions to enter the workflow, automatic routing to EHR, EMR or PM solutions can occur, and the data can be automatically located and lifted. Tangible results are seen almost immediately, and the CCHIT solution stands out from seemingly similar applications by providing a greater level of automation for all documents, regardless of their type or complexity.
Once these complex documents are incorporated into the EHR, EMR or PM solution, the next steps, like coding and billing, can occur. According to a recent study, between 5 and 15 percent of a coder’s time is spent reading health information, and 50 percent of a record clerk’s time is spent looking for information. ICD-9 is currently an accepted set of codes to be used for reporting diagnoses and procedures on healthcare transactions, although it must be replaced by ICD-10 no later than October 2013.
Because ICD-10 contains nearly 5 times as many codes and sub-codes, the conversion from ICD-9 to ICD-10 is predicted to decrease productivity by a minimum of 25 percent for three to six months after the transition as coders adjust to new methodology, and become a more costly endeavor than Y2K in terms of both time and money.
Although the deadline to transition to ICD-10 is not until 2013, many have already started to look for solutions to counteract the predicted loss of efficiency. Computer Assisted Coding, or CAC solutions, can help, but many are still asking, “How will coders remain productive as they learn the new codes and sub-codes so that providers can submit and receive payments, and payors can process claims, at the same level of accuracy and speed that they are today?”
Because of these fears and the anticipated decrease in efficiency, there is a large opportunity for technology that can aid in the transition process. Newer, advanced solutions can bring greater levels of automation, help to increase processing times and accuracy, and even save money. By enhancing CAC solutions with capabilities that can automatically locate and lift medical terms and diagnoses from both printed and handwritten documents, such as providers notes and clinical documentation, the research process is sped up and manual labor decreased as codes are automatically assigned. All coded documents can then be indexed and routed with virtually no human interaction to the appropriate EHR, EMR or PM solution, speeding productivity, guaranteeing automation, and aiding in the research and coding process.
Healthcare data management is a complex world, and no one knows what changes are on the horizon. Current solutions can certainly aid in productivity, but combining them with the capabilities of newer, advanced technology, today’s pain points can be lessened, automation improved, and tomorrow’s fears calmed.
What do you think?
Showing posts with label electronic medical records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electronic medical records. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Selling top execs on records management
By Mark Brousseau
Every organization, regardless of industry, needs to have a records management policy, and they must have a records manager. Nonetheless, it can be an uphill climb convincing top managers to embrace records management, Kevin Joerling, senior project manager, records management, Perceptive Software, said yesterday at the company’s Inspire 2011 user conference at the Wynn in Las Vegas.
Records and information management is defined as the systematic control of records and information throughout their lifecycle, encompassing creation, use, storage, retention, and disposition. “Retention is where we find many companies are not doing a very good job – knowing how long to keep documents,” Joerling said
And this is an area where companies can waste a lot of money, Joerling said: For every $1 spent on disk storage, $3 to $8 per megabyte is spent on managing that storage, he explained. “In some cases, companies don’t even realize this,” he said.
Joerling said records and information is more important than ever because it: reduces storage costs; organizations information for quick retrieval; facilitates litigation risk avoidance; helps protect information assets; and ensures compliance with recordkeeping laws and regulations. To this last point, Joerling said records management is a key part of an organization’s commitment to risk mitigation.
“Liability lawsuits are often decided on the basis of old records,” Joerling explained. What’s more, the loss of records can have more devastating consequences than the loss of a plant, Joerling said, noting that some companies based in the World Trade Center during 9/11 went out of business because they didn’t have backup records.
So why don’t more top execs embrace records management?
For starters, most top execs don’t understand records management. “Records management is not mainstream yet,” he said. “It’s not taught in too many colleges or universities, so business managers coming out of school don’t understand it.” Many organizations also don’t have a records management professional. “Who’s going to be that champion in your company to go to senior management and say ‘We need to look into this because we could get in trouble by not doing it?’” Joerling asked.
Additionally, records and information management benefits can be difficult to quantify. With tight budgets as a result of the recession, this makes it more difficult to persuade senior management about records and information management.
Joerling offered tips for selling top execs on the need for records management:
1. Describe how records management will solve issues facing your organization.
2. Propose a recommended solution, whether it’s hiring a records manager or records management consultant.
3. Detail what will happen if a records management program is not undertaken.
4. Explain when the records management program will be deployed, and how much money, how much time and how many people will be needed for the program.
5. Keep the discussions at a high level and targeted to c-level core concerns, such as how the program ties into the company’s strategic plan.
“It’s an uphill battle because you’re dealing with something that a lot of executives don’t understand and don’t recognize why it needs to be done,” Joerling admitted. But with the growing importance of records and information management, it’s critical that document professionals convince top execs on the need for a program.
What do you think?
Every organization, regardless of industry, needs to have a records management policy, and they must have a records manager. Nonetheless, it can be an uphill climb convincing top managers to embrace records management, Kevin Joerling, senior project manager, records management, Perceptive Software, said yesterday at the company’s Inspire 2011 user conference at the Wynn in Las Vegas.
Records and information management is defined as the systematic control of records and information throughout their lifecycle, encompassing creation, use, storage, retention, and disposition. “Retention is where we find many companies are not doing a very good job – knowing how long to keep documents,” Joerling said
And this is an area where companies can waste a lot of money, Joerling said: For every $1 spent on disk storage, $3 to $8 per megabyte is spent on managing that storage, he explained. “In some cases, companies don’t even realize this,” he said.
Joerling said records and information is more important than ever because it: reduces storage costs; organizations information for quick retrieval; facilitates litigation risk avoidance; helps protect information assets; and ensures compliance with recordkeeping laws and regulations. To this last point, Joerling said records management is a key part of an organization’s commitment to risk mitigation.
“Liability lawsuits are often decided on the basis of old records,” Joerling explained. What’s more, the loss of records can have more devastating consequences than the loss of a plant, Joerling said, noting that some companies based in the World Trade Center during 9/11 went out of business because they didn’t have backup records.
So why don’t more top execs embrace records management?
For starters, most top execs don’t understand records management. “Records management is not mainstream yet,” he said. “It’s not taught in too many colleges or universities, so business managers coming out of school don’t understand it.” Many organizations also don’t have a records management professional. “Who’s going to be that champion in your company to go to senior management and say ‘We need to look into this because we could get in trouble by not doing it?’” Joerling asked.
Additionally, records and information management benefits can be difficult to quantify. With tight budgets as a result of the recession, this makes it more difficult to persuade senior management about records and information management.
Joerling offered tips for selling top execs on the need for records management:
1. Describe how records management will solve issues facing your organization.
2. Propose a recommended solution, whether it’s hiring a records manager or records management consultant.
3. Detail what will happen if a records management program is not undertaken.
4. Explain when the records management program will be deployed, and how much money, how much time and how many people will be needed for the program.
5. Keep the discussions at a high level and targeted to c-level core concerns, such as how the program ties into the company’s strategic plan.
“It’s an uphill battle because you’re dealing with something that a lot of executives don’t understand and don’t recognize why it needs to be done,” Joerling admitted. But with the growing importance of records and information management, it’s critical that document professionals convince top execs on the need for a program.
What do you think?
Consolidating patient records
By Mark Brousseau
As they move to electronic medical records (EMRs), one challenge for healthcare providers is how to consolidate electronic access to all of a patient’s documents.
Citizens Memorial Healthcare, which is made up of a hospital, 25 clinics, five long-term care facilities and a cancer center, has licked this problem by using ImageNow from Perceptive Software to tie together documents not captured in its Meditech 5.6 EMR system, including EKGs, radiology reports, outside lab results, wound and surgical photos and registration photos. This integration has allowed Citizens Memorial Healthcare to create a shared medical record across its enterprise.
In its EMR environment, regardless of visit, a patient’s documents are organized under a common number. To access documents related to an account that were not captured at the point-of-service by the EMR, the provider launches ImageNow in the background, allowing documents from either application to be displayed in the EMR system. To speed retrieval, ImageNow indexes documents in several categories; for instance, physicians can view patient diagnostics without having to look through registration documents. Documents also can be retrieved across accounts.
Electronic documents are created at the point-of-registration or via scanning later.
For primary care physicians that don’t have a way to get their EMR records into Citizens Memorial Healthcare’s system, ImageNow provides the ability to “scrape” data off of incoming faxes. As faxes come in to Citizens Memorial Healthcare, they are placed in a workflow queue where an employee triggers the technology.
“Our long-term goal is to have a true interface with Meditech for these documents. But we don’t have that in place now. ImageNow has provided that availability,” Tim Roberts, IS specialist, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, said yesterday during a presentation at Perceptive Software’s Inspire 2011 user conference in Las Vegas.
As they move to electronic medical records (EMRs), one challenge for healthcare providers is how to consolidate electronic access to all of a patient’s documents.
Citizens Memorial Healthcare, which is made up of a hospital, 25 clinics, five long-term care facilities and a cancer center, has licked this problem by using ImageNow from Perceptive Software to tie together documents not captured in its Meditech 5.6 EMR system, including EKGs, radiology reports, outside lab results, wound and surgical photos and registration photos. This integration has allowed Citizens Memorial Healthcare to create a shared medical record across its enterprise.
In its EMR environment, regardless of visit, a patient’s documents are organized under a common number. To access documents related to an account that were not captured at the point-of-service by the EMR, the provider launches ImageNow in the background, allowing documents from either application to be displayed in the EMR system. To speed retrieval, ImageNow indexes documents in several categories; for instance, physicians can view patient diagnostics without having to look through registration documents. Documents also can be retrieved across accounts.
Electronic documents are created at the point-of-registration or via scanning later.
For primary care physicians that don’t have a way to get their EMR records into Citizens Memorial Healthcare’s system, ImageNow provides the ability to “scrape” data off of incoming faxes. As faxes come in to Citizens Memorial Healthcare, they are placed in a workflow queue where an employee triggers the technology.
“Our long-term goal is to have a true interface with Meditech for these documents. But we don’t have that in place now. ImageNow has provided that availability,” Tim Roberts, IS specialist, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, said yesterday during a presentation at Perceptive Software’s Inspire 2011 user conference in Las Vegas.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Efficiency and Transparency Key Issues in Healthcare Payments Automation
By Lee Barrett of EHNAC
There are major industry shifts already underway that will change how the payment and document industry transacts business. With the complexity of changes taking place in relation to how ARRA, HITECH and HIPAA affect our industries, every payment processor and document manager would be wise to keep a finger on the pulse of the hot topics of the day and trends that provide indication of future directions for the industry.
One important change is the fact that providers and banks will be able to provide reconciled data streams so that any needed claim adjustments can be minimized and there can be a marrying of the remittance and electronic funds transfer. The benefit of this reconciliation is that manual intervention becomes minimal for inputting data into accounts payable applications, and there are few additional contractual adjustments required as compared to the large number needed today. This is, of course, all to the benefit of the provider organization and ultimately the patient or payer.
The second recent trend is, in fact, the revitalization of an old trend. With the ever-increasing cost of health insurance, organizations are seeking more economical solutions to meet the needs of their employees. As a result of this, the industry is seeing healthcare savings plans regaining traction at a significant rate. Health savings accounts or HSAs are most frequently used in conjunction with a benefit debit card, and give employees the benefit of being able to put pre-tax dollars toward deductible payment or coverage of other health related services. Given the complexities of HITECH, HIPAA and COBRA, organizations and financial institutions offering HSAs are required to keep track of changing regulations regarding excise taxes and concerns related to health and financial data security, privacy and confidentiality.
A third recent trend the industry is witnessing arises from the consumer demand for transparency in their healthcare experience, and the desire to have all healthcare payment and records available through a single portal. These “Wealth Care portals” provide for connections and efficient processing of all healthcare needs for a patient, allowing a patient to determine what they owe different providers, by tracking their invoices and payments through a single site. These portals would also give patients the ability to make better-informed decisions, make use of calculators and tools to determine costs and savings and track the status of claims made to their health insurance.
The electronic healthcare and payment-document processing worlds are changing rapidly, with exciting developments coming to light almost daily. To ensure that these trends truly benefit our own customers, it makes sense to stay abreast of the changes, and constantly analyze what the changes mean to our organizations as well as to our stakeholders.
Lee Barrett is executive director of the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC).
There are major industry shifts already underway that will change how the payment and document industry transacts business. With the complexity of changes taking place in relation to how ARRA, HITECH and HIPAA affect our industries, every payment processor and document manager would be wise to keep a finger on the pulse of the hot topics of the day and trends that provide indication of future directions for the industry.
One important change is the fact that providers and banks will be able to provide reconciled data streams so that any needed claim adjustments can be minimized and there can be a marrying of the remittance and electronic funds transfer. The benefit of this reconciliation is that manual intervention becomes minimal for inputting data into accounts payable applications, and there are few additional contractual adjustments required as compared to the large number needed today. This is, of course, all to the benefit of the provider organization and ultimately the patient or payer.
The second recent trend is, in fact, the revitalization of an old trend. With the ever-increasing cost of health insurance, organizations are seeking more economical solutions to meet the needs of their employees. As a result of this, the industry is seeing healthcare savings plans regaining traction at a significant rate. Health savings accounts or HSAs are most frequently used in conjunction with a benefit debit card, and give employees the benefit of being able to put pre-tax dollars toward deductible payment or coverage of other health related services. Given the complexities of HITECH, HIPAA and COBRA, organizations and financial institutions offering HSAs are required to keep track of changing regulations regarding excise taxes and concerns related to health and financial data security, privacy and confidentiality.
A third recent trend the industry is witnessing arises from the consumer demand for transparency in their healthcare experience, and the desire to have all healthcare payment and records available through a single portal. These “Wealth Care portals” provide for connections and efficient processing of all healthcare needs for a patient, allowing a patient to determine what they owe different providers, by tracking their invoices and payments through a single site. These portals would also give patients the ability to make better-informed decisions, make use of calculators and tools to determine costs and savings and track the status of claims made to their health insurance.
The electronic healthcare and payment-document processing worlds are changing rapidly, with exciting developments coming to light almost daily. To ensure that these trends truly benefit our own customers, it makes sense to stay abreast of the changes, and constantly analyze what the changes mean to our organizations as well as to our stakeholders.
Lee Barrett is executive director of the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC).
Friday, October 1, 2010
ICD-10, EHRs Take Center Stage at AHIMA
Posted by Mark Brousseau
AHIMA's 82nd Annual Conference and Exhibit, held this week at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, may not have featured "Earth-shattering new products" or "game-changing players," but it did have something that made exhibitors smile: better booth traffic.
"I can't say that I saw any new products at AHIMA," says exhibitor Greg Lusch (glusch@ibml.com), ibml's (www.ibml.com) business development manager for healthcare. But attendance at the event -- which draws coders, transcriptionists and other medical records professionals -- was noticeably higher than in recent years, Lusch adds, resulting in a steady stream of potential buyers visiting the Birmingham, Alabama-based company's booth. He attributes the increased buying interest to the "loosening economy" and strong demand for ICD-10 and electronic health records (EHR) solutions.
"There was a sense among the exhibitors that attendees had a little more money to spend," he says.
If the AHIMA conference is any indication, healthcare providers will spend a lot of that money on ICD-10 initiatives. In 2013, the U.S. healthcare system will transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 as the HIPAA mandated code set for medical symptoms and procedures. This code set is used for billing and health insurance reimbursement, as well as statistical analysis, clinical, epidemiological and quality reporting. As a result of this transition, Lusch notes that the number of diagnosis codes will swell from 13,000 to 68,000, while the number of procedure codes will soar from 3,000 to 87,000.
"ICD-10 was by far the hottest topic at AHIMA," Lusch says. "Many attendees were there to better understand how to deal with ICD-10; how to make the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10, what tools and updates were available to help streamline the process, and, in many cases, to find third-party services to help them figure it all out. Clearly, this was a major area of focus for AHIMA attendees."
The other area of focus for many AHIMA attendees was the conversion to EHRs. Lusch notes that in addition to hospitals and large practices -- which have been showing increasing interest in EHR solutions at conferences throughout the year -- a number of service bureaus were at AHIMA sizing up the potential opportunity, looking for EHR solutions of their own, or offering conversion services. "There is no question that more service bureaus are jumping on the EHR bandwagon, offering to scan medical records on behalf of healthcare providers. They clearly believe there is a lot of scanning business out there."
Interestingly, Lusch noted that many of the large EHR solutions vendors did not exhibit at AHIMA.
Noticeably absent from most of the exhibit hall banter was any talk of health reform. That's not to say that it didn't come up during some sessions. But Lusch thinks AHIMA attendees were "too consumed" with the major tasks of ICD-10 and EHRs to focus on the uncertainties of reform.
AHIMA's 82nd Annual Conference and Exhibit, held this week at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, may not have featured "Earth-shattering new products" or "game-changing players," but it did have something that made exhibitors smile: better booth traffic.
"I can't say that I saw any new products at AHIMA," says exhibitor Greg Lusch (glusch@ibml.com), ibml's (www.ibml.com) business development manager for healthcare. But attendance at the event -- which draws coders, transcriptionists and other medical records professionals -- was noticeably higher than in recent years, Lusch adds, resulting in a steady stream of potential buyers visiting the Birmingham, Alabama-based company's booth. He attributes the increased buying interest to the "loosening economy" and strong demand for ICD-10 and electronic health records (EHR) solutions.
"There was a sense among the exhibitors that attendees had a little more money to spend," he says.
If the AHIMA conference is any indication, healthcare providers will spend a lot of that money on ICD-10 initiatives. In 2013, the U.S. healthcare system will transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 as the HIPAA mandated code set for medical symptoms and procedures. This code set is used for billing and health insurance reimbursement, as well as statistical analysis, clinical, epidemiological and quality reporting. As a result of this transition, Lusch notes that the number of diagnosis codes will swell from 13,000 to 68,000, while the number of procedure codes will soar from 3,000 to 87,000.
"ICD-10 was by far the hottest topic at AHIMA," Lusch says. "Many attendees were there to better understand how to deal with ICD-10; how to make the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10, what tools and updates were available to help streamline the process, and, in many cases, to find third-party services to help them figure it all out. Clearly, this was a major area of focus for AHIMA attendees."
The other area of focus for many AHIMA attendees was the conversion to EHRs. Lusch notes that in addition to hospitals and large practices -- which have been showing increasing interest in EHR solutions at conferences throughout the year -- a number of service bureaus were at AHIMA sizing up the potential opportunity, looking for EHR solutions of their own, or offering conversion services. "There is no question that more service bureaus are jumping on the EHR bandwagon, offering to scan medical records on behalf of healthcare providers. They clearly believe there is a lot of scanning business out there."
Interestingly, Lusch noted that many of the large EHR solutions vendors did not exhibit at AHIMA.
Noticeably absent from most of the exhibit hall banter was any talk of health reform. That's not to say that it didn't come up during some sessions. But Lusch thinks AHIMA attendees were "too consumed" with the major tasks of ICD-10 and EHRs to focus on the uncertainties of reform.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Critical Actions for HIE
By Mark Brousseau
There are five critical actions that healthcare organizations need to take to ensure the success of their information sharing initiatives, Jamie Welch, CIO, Louisiana Rural Health Information Exchange (LARHX) told attendees this morning at HIMSS10 at the Georgia World Congress, in Atlanta.
LARHX’s information sharing initiative includes telemedicine, distance learning, physician learning, physician rotation, patient information sharing, electronic medical records, and mobile mammograms.
These are the five critical actions Welch outlined:
Work at the grassroots level to articulate your business case.
“If you start to boil the ocean before you boil the pond, it’s not going to work,” Welch said. “We know the lingo and we know the vendors – it’s what we do. For the general public, it’s not. The majority of what they hear about health IT is about a Congress that can’t decide if it’s good or bad, and about information breaches.”
“From Day 1, we made sure that everyone understood what the benefits of our project would be over time. We had to convince people that if you let us do this, then these would be the benefits you will see,” Welch said. “Once we got people to see this, then a lot of our challenges solved themselves.”
Link your objectives to measurable outcomes
“You need to present something that is tangible. Everybody likes the cold, hard data, not theoretical information,” Welch said. “We keep track of everything: money saved, days saved, travel time saved, waiting room time saved, duplicate tests saved – you name it.”
Define the governance strategy that works best for your participants
“One model isn’t going to work for everybody,” Welch said.
Mix and match best practices
“We all know what the best practices are. But we can’t all pattern ourselves after each other, because each part of the country is different, and each patient population is different,” Welch said. “Take the best of all worlds and make it work for you.”
Remember that this is not an IT project – it’s a patient project
“Keep patients and physicians involved, and remember it is all about the patient and the physician and better health outcomes,” Welch said. “The health IT element is frosting.”
What do you think?
There are five critical actions that healthcare organizations need to take to ensure the success of their information sharing initiatives, Jamie Welch, CIO, Louisiana Rural Health Information Exchange (LARHX) told attendees this morning at HIMSS10 at the Georgia World Congress, in Atlanta.
LARHX’s information sharing initiative includes telemedicine, distance learning, physician learning, physician rotation, patient information sharing, electronic medical records, and mobile mammograms.
These are the five critical actions Welch outlined:
Work at the grassroots level to articulate your business case.
“If you start to boil the ocean before you boil the pond, it’s not going to work,” Welch said. “We know the lingo and we know the vendors – it’s what we do. For the general public, it’s not. The majority of what they hear about health IT is about a Congress that can’t decide if it’s good or bad, and about information breaches.”
“From Day 1, we made sure that everyone understood what the benefits of our project would be over time. We had to convince people that if you let us do this, then these would be the benefits you will see,” Welch said. “Once we got people to see this, then a lot of our challenges solved themselves.”
Link your objectives to measurable outcomes
“You need to present something that is tangible. Everybody likes the cold, hard data, not theoretical information,” Welch said. “We keep track of everything: money saved, days saved, travel time saved, waiting room time saved, duplicate tests saved – you name it.”
Define the governance strategy that works best for your participants
“One model isn’t going to work for everybody,” Welch said.
Mix and match best practices
“We all know what the best practices are. But we can’t all pattern ourselves after each other, because each part of the country is different, and each patient population is different,” Welch said. “Take the best of all worlds and make it work for you.”
Remember that this is not an IT project – it’s a patient project
“Keep patients and physicians involved, and remember it is all about the patient and the physician and better health outcomes,” Welch said. “The health IT element is frosting.”
What do you think?
Streamlining Healthcare Payments
By Mark Brousseau
There’s no question that the healthcare payments system is inefficient – with the cost of those inefficiencies pegged at $35 billion a year – but any plans to reengineer the system cannot add new complexities, speakers at the Medical Banking Project Institute said at HIMSS10 on Monday in Atlanta.
“We’re locked in a paper morass. As quickly as possible, we need to liberate data so people can use it at the point of care,” John Casillas, executive director, Medical Banking Project, told attendees.
But Zahoor Elahi, vice president and general manager, Health and Financial Network, FIS Government, Education and Healthcare Solutions had a warning for industry stakeholders.“We’re all aware of the economy we’re in, and the spotlight on healthcare costs. As we move to creating the healthcare financial network of the future, it is important that all of the stakeholders are focused on brining value to it and taking costs out. They can’t be adding more variables and burden,” he said.
What do you think?
There’s no question that the healthcare payments system is inefficient – with the cost of those inefficiencies pegged at $35 billion a year – but any plans to reengineer the system cannot add new complexities, speakers at the Medical Banking Project Institute said at HIMSS10 on Monday in Atlanta.
“We’re locked in a paper morass. As quickly as possible, we need to liberate data so people can use it at the point of care,” John Casillas, executive director, Medical Banking Project, told attendees.
But Zahoor Elahi, vice president and general manager, Health and Financial Network, FIS Government, Education and Healthcare Solutions had a warning for industry stakeholders.“We’re all aware of the economy we’re in, and the spotlight on healthcare costs. As we move to creating the healthcare financial network of the future, it is important that all of the stakeholders are focused on brining value to it and taking costs out. They can’t be adding more variables and burden,” he said.
What do you think?
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Unifying Information Channels
By Mark Brousseau
Healthcare organizations should look at new ANSI 5010 standard as an opportunity to modernize their entire information processing infrastructure, Edifecs CEO Sunny Singh told attendees this afternoon at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at HIMSS10 in Atlanta.
By January 1, 2012, all covered entities must be able to send and receive all HIPAA transactions in the 5010 format. With more than 1,300 changes in 5010, compared to 4010A1, organizations must understand the new information contained in 5010 and how best to use this data. Combined with all of the other corporate strategies that healthcare organizations face, 5010 is a complex challenge – and its deadline is fast approaching. “Deadlines make everybody nervous,” Singh said, adding that organizations that haven’t started implementing a 5010 solution need to do it now.
But the new 5010 standard provides healthcare organizations with the chance to finally unify their information channels, to ensure that they process all of their information – incoming and outgoing – in a consistent way. This will help organizations achieve operational efficiencies and remain competitive, while easing their path to compliance with inevitable future regulations, Singh said.
“Healthcare organizations are getting information from various channels,” Singh explained. “When you make sure that every channel is unified, initiatives like 5010 become much easier to implement.”
Faced with meeting the new 5010 standard, healthcare organizations face three options, Singh said: complete replacement of all systems (“rip and replace”); remediation of core processing systems; and step-up/step-down. Singh noted that the complete replacement of core systems is a very expensive proposition for which there doesn’t seem to be a lot of takers. Remediation takes less time, Singh said, but organizations must have a sizeable team working on the project, and, depending on the existing systems involved, may still require considerable time, money and resource investments.
The option that is gaining the most traction, he said, is the step-up/step-down approach. In this scenario, organizations would convert 5010 information to 4010 and pass it throughout their systems; they also can convert the 4010 information to 5010 format and pass that throughout their systems.
“This is the most pragmatic option if 5010 planning and implementation has not yet commenced,” Singh said. “It has the least impact on core processing systems and other ongoing projects.”
But most importantly, it helps to unify a healthcare organization’s information channels.
Healthcare organizations should look at new ANSI 5010 standard as an opportunity to modernize their entire information processing infrastructure, Edifecs CEO Sunny Singh told attendees this afternoon at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at HIMSS10 in Atlanta.
By January 1, 2012, all covered entities must be able to send and receive all HIPAA transactions in the 5010 format. With more than 1,300 changes in 5010, compared to 4010A1, organizations must understand the new information contained in 5010 and how best to use this data. Combined with all of the other corporate strategies that healthcare organizations face, 5010 is a complex challenge – and its deadline is fast approaching. “Deadlines make everybody nervous,” Singh said, adding that organizations that haven’t started implementing a 5010 solution need to do it now.
But the new 5010 standard provides healthcare organizations with the chance to finally unify their information channels, to ensure that they process all of their information – incoming and outgoing – in a consistent way. This will help organizations achieve operational efficiencies and remain competitive, while easing their path to compliance with inevitable future regulations, Singh said.
“Healthcare organizations are getting information from various channels,” Singh explained. “When you make sure that every channel is unified, initiatives like 5010 become much easier to implement.”
Faced with meeting the new 5010 standard, healthcare organizations face three options, Singh said: complete replacement of all systems (“rip and replace”); remediation of core processing systems; and step-up/step-down. Singh noted that the complete replacement of core systems is a very expensive proposition for which there doesn’t seem to be a lot of takers. Remediation takes less time, Singh said, but organizations must have a sizeable team working on the project, and, depending on the existing systems involved, may still require considerable time, money and resource investments.
The option that is gaining the most traction, he said, is the step-up/step-down approach. In this scenario, organizations would convert 5010 information to 4010 and pass it throughout their systems; they also can convert the 4010 information to 5010 format and pass that throughout their systems.
“This is the most pragmatic option if 5010 planning and implementation has not yet commenced,” Singh said. “It has the least impact on core processing systems and other ongoing projects.”
But most importantly, it helps to unify a healthcare organization’s information channels.
Start ARRA Awareness Training Now
By Mark Brousseau
If they haven’t done so already, companies in the healthcare space should conduct organizational awareness training on ARRA and HITECH, Mary Rita Hyland, AVP, regulatory affairs, The SSI Group, Inc., told attendees at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at HIMSS10 this afternoon.
Organizations also should conduct a HIPAA and HITECH gap analysis to identify any products, procedures and services that need to be updated and modified, Hyland told attendees. As part of this exercise, organizations need to identify and coordinate technical or product updates, as well as coordinate and implement policy and procedural updates. “Operationally, ensuring compliance with HITECH’s security and privacy provisions is, to a large degree, an IT function,” Hyland noted.
Once they’ve reviewed their systems, policies and procedures, organizations need to audit and assess their compliance. “You don’t want to wait for an audit to be done on you by a whistleblower or someone else in the industry who doesn’t believe you are in compliance,” Hyland warned. “Audits are going to be important in meeting the guidelines and maintaining your compliance.”
If they haven’t done so already, companies in the healthcare space should conduct organizational awareness training on ARRA and HITECH, Mary Rita Hyland, AVP, regulatory affairs, The SSI Group, Inc., told attendees at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at HIMSS10 this afternoon.
Organizations also should conduct a HIPAA and HITECH gap analysis to identify any products, procedures and services that need to be updated and modified, Hyland told attendees. As part of this exercise, organizations need to identify and coordinate technical or product updates, as well as coordinate and implement policy and procedural updates. “Operationally, ensuring compliance with HITECH’s security and privacy provisions is, to a large degree, an IT function,” Hyland noted.
Once they’ve reviewed their systems, policies and procedures, organizations need to audit and assess their compliance. “You don’t want to wait for an audit to be done on you by a whistleblower or someone else in the industry who doesn’t believe you are in compliance,” Hyland warned. “Audits are going to be important in meeting the guidelines and maintaining your compliance.”
ARRA: A Whole New World
By Mark Brousseau
Last year was a year of transition for HIPAA, medical privacy and medical banking, Richard D. Marks of McLean, VA-based Patient Command, Inc. (www.patientcommand.com), told attendees this afternoon at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at the HIMSS10 conference in Atlanta.
“ARRA changes the rules for security of health information in the United States,” Marks said. “It creates an entirely new framework because it changes HIPAA so much and because it changes privacy in medical records. And, most significantly, it changes the whole approach to enforcement.”
“It’s fair to say that for the last decade, there has not been any real attempt on the part of the federal government to enforce HIPAA,” Marks explained. “ARRA changes that. What it brings into law, for the first time, is the hierarchy of diligence and culpability. There are increased, tiered civil and criminal monetary penalties, topping out at $50,000 per violation, with an annual limit of $1,500,000. These numbers are enough to get your attention. But the statute also includes civil and criminal liability for individuals, as well as organizations. Which individuals, you ask? Well, it could be you! And some people won’t figure this out, and you will see some prosecutions,” Marks predicted.
Integrated health information security is inherent in ARRA, Marks added.
References in business associate contracts now, by law, apply mutually to covered entities and business associates, Marks pointed out. “The impact of that is to rebalance all of the risk allocation that is in these agreements, and it creates a whole new set of possibilities for liabilities. Some folks will be less affected than others. But some of you will be affected will be enormously,” Marks said.
For instance, security is now an active responsibility of the board of directors and senior executives, if you are doing anything that touches healthcare, Marks said. “If you’re a public company you’ve really go to ask yourself how you do disclosure when you have to take on a much greater risk for your information systems,” Marks said. “What this all means is that you must have integrated, shared systems security that is comprehensive and fast, and upgraded from what you now have.”
Some of the changes in ARRA won’t go into effect until 2011. “But some of this is in effect now, because people, such as ambitious state attorneys general, are going to start enforcing HIPAA,” Marks said. “The bottom line is that ARRA makes it a whole new world in healthcare.”
Last year was a year of transition for HIPAA, medical privacy and medical banking, Richard D. Marks of McLean, VA-based Patient Command, Inc. (www.patientcommand.com), told attendees this afternoon at the Medical Banking Project Boot Camp at the HIMSS10 conference in Atlanta.
“ARRA changes the rules for security of health information in the United States,” Marks said. “It creates an entirely new framework because it changes HIPAA so much and because it changes privacy in medical records. And, most significantly, it changes the whole approach to enforcement.”
“It’s fair to say that for the last decade, there has not been any real attempt on the part of the federal government to enforce HIPAA,” Marks explained. “ARRA changes that. What it brings into law, for the first time, is the hierarchy of diligence and culpability. There are increased, tiered civil and criminal monetary penalties, topping out at $50,000 per violation, with an annual limit of $1,500,000. These numbers are enough to get your attention. But the statute also includes civil and criminal liability for individuals, as well as organizations. Which individuals, you ask? Well, it could be you! And some people won’t figure this out, and you will see some prosecutions,” Marks predicted.
Integrated health information security is inherent in ARRA, Marks added.
References in business associate contracts now, by law, apply mutually to covered entities and business associates, Marks pointed out. “The impact of that is to rebalance all of the risk allocation that is in these agreements, and it creates a whole new set of possibilities for liabilities. Some folks will be less affected than others. But some of you will be affected will be enormously,” Marks said.
For instance, security is now an active responsibility of the board of directors and senior executives, if you are doing anything that touches healthcare, Marks said. “If you’re a public company you’ve really go to ask yourself how you do disclosure when you have to take on a much greater risk for your information systems,” Marks said. “What this all means is that you must have integrated, shared systems security that is comprehensive and fast, and upgraded from what you now have.”
Some of the changes in ARRA won’t go into effect until 2011. “But some of this is in effect now, because people, such as ambitious state attorneys general, are going to start enforcing HIPAA,” Marks said. “The bottom line is that ARRA makes it a whole new world in healthcare.”
Saturday, February 27, 2010
News from HIMSS: Saturday
Posted by Mark Brousseau
Some headlines from the HIMSS health IT conference in Atlanta:
iSOFT showcases health IT solutions
iSOFT Group Limited will showcase its suite of solutions that focus on interoperability at the HIMSS health IT conference in Atlanta in the US from March 1-4, 2010.
iSOFT, which last year entered the important US market through its acquisition of Boston-based technology developer BridgeForward Software (re-named iSOFT Integration Systems), will at HIMSS demonstrate its solutions that are designed to address the requirements for ‘Meaningful Use’ under the US Government’s US$34 billion health IT stimulus package.
iSOFT solutions to be showcased at HIMSS include:
Health Information Exchange
iSOFT’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) solution provides healthcare organizations with access to clinical, financial and administrative data from any hospital information system across the organization. iSOFT’s HIE supports clinicians’ decisions at the point of care, reduces preventable errors and duplicative testing, and encourages best-practice medicine.
Health Intelligence
Health Intelligence (HINT) provides healthcare organizations with insights into organizational trends and statistics that supports informed decisions for future planning, the delivery of better-quality care and increased operational performance.
Integration
iSOFT Viaduct addresses the interoperability challenge faced by all organizations by providing a platform that enables software solutions to share information when needed and in the required form, ensuring seamless integration.
Solution Engineering
Health Studio provides a healthcare solution engineering environment to allow organizations to design, create and deploy their own solutions without needing to engage specialist vendors.
Patient Safety
iSOFT Patient Safety provides intelligence on safety and quality problems and best practices, empowering managers to make strategic improvements by providing an interactive evidence base.
Quest Software and HealthCast tout end-to-end clinical desktop and workflow solution
Quest Software, Inc. and HealthCast, Inc. will demonstrate an end-to-end clinical desktop and workflow solution for clinician access to protected healthcare information.
HealthCast’s eXactACCESS single sign-on and clinical workflow solution, coupled with Quest vWorkspace virtual desktop management solution, provides access to critical electronic health, order entry, and clinical documentation systems. As a result, these systems can be centrally managed to reduce costs and security concerns while increasing control of the clinical desktop environment.
“Our goal is to give physicians and clinicians the fast and easy access they need to their patient information while improving data security and reducing IT infrastructure and support costs,” said Simon Pearce, vice president and general manager of desktop virtualization, Quest Software.
vWorkspace and eXactACCESS automate clinician access to and management of virtual desktops and applications by eliminating the need to enter multiple passwords to disparate systems. HealthCast's unique proximity badge functionality automates the login to the virtual desktop and launches a clinician’s primary application based on who they are, and then navigates them to a default location within the application. When the badge is “tapped” again, the clinician’s virtual desktop and applications are disconnected so that clinicians can go to any other workstation in the enterprise, and securely pick up their desktop and applications exactly as they had left them with another “tap” of their badge.
California Health Information Exchange Networks interconnect
The Santa Cruz Health Information Exchange (HIE) is using Axolotl’s Elysium NHIN Gateway to connect to two California HIE networks - EKCITA in Tehachapi, CA and the Long Beach Network for Health in Southern CA, for exchange and sharing of critical clinical information.
This connectivity will be demonstrated at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase, supported by the California Health and Human Agency (CHHS), the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) and the Federal Health Architecture (FHA) to illustrate the progress towards health IT interoperability, nationwide.
The Santa Cruz HIE, utilizing Axolotl’s Elysium Exchange solutions, will demonstrate the ability to query from and exchange data with other California HIEs. The demonstration will highlight how clinical data, based on national standards, is integrated into different physician workflows at the point of care - by the local systems that are chosen in each care setting.
“Patient care will be radically improved through this inter-HIE exchange capability,” said Bill Beighe, CIO of Santa Cruz HIE. “This demonstration will show that HIE-to-HIE information exchange is technically feasible and available now.”
The HL7 Continuity of Care Documents (CCD) being exchanged are standard electronic documents that include discrete data elements which can be extracted and incorporated into the receiving systems. Elysium is leveraging components of the IHE IT Infrastructure set of profiles, such as Cross Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) and Cross Community Access (XCA) to enable the transfer of the clinical data between connected communities. Multiple records will be exchanged to show that the process is general and not a special case.
“Axolotl participated with the Northrop Grumman consortium in the NHIN I project and in July 2009 did a live NHIN demo connecting five HIEs in California. Axolotl’s Elysium Gateway products that enable inter-HIE information exchange are available in our latest production platform and are being implemented. These products connect HIE Networks seamlessly to any other HIE either directly or via the NHIN,” said Anand Shroff, Vice President, Engineering, Axolotl.
Some headlines from the HIMSS health IT conference in Atlanta:
iSOFT showcases health IT solutions
iSOFT Group Limited will showcase its suite of solutions that focus on interoperability at the HIMSS health IT conference in Atlanta in the US from March 1-4, 2010.
iSOFT, which last year entered the important US market through its acquisition of Boston-based technology developer BridgeForward Software (re-named iSOFT Integration Systems), will at HIMSS demonstrate its solutions that are designed to address the requirements for ‘Meaningful Use’ under the US Government’s US$34 billion health IT stimulus package.
iSOFT solutions to be showcased at HIMSS include:
Health Information Exchange
iSOFT’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) solution provides healthcare organizations with access to clinical, financial and administrative data from any hospital information system across the organization. iSOFT’s HIE supports clinicians’ decisions at the point of care, reduces preventable errors and duplicative testing, and encourages best-practice medicine.
Health Intelligence
Health Intelligence (HINT) provides healthcare organizations with insights into organizational trends and statistics that supports informed decisions for future planning, the delivery of better-quality care and increased operational performance.
Integration
iSOFT Viaduct addresses the interoperability challenge faced by all organizations by providing a platform that enables software solutions to share information when needed and in the required form, ensuring seamless integration.
Solution Engineering
Health Studio provides a healthcare solution engineering environment to allow organizations to design, create and deploy their own solutions without needing to engage specialist vendors.
Patient Safety
iSOFT Patient Safety provides intelligence on safety and quality problems and best practices, empowering managers to make strategic improvements by providing an interactive evidence base.
Quest Software and HealthCast tout end-to-end clinical desktop and workflow solution
Quest Software, Inc. and HealthCast, Inc. will demonstrate an end-to-end clinical desktop and workflow solution for clinician access to protected healthcare information.
HealthCast’s eXactACCESS single sign-on and clinical workflow solution, coupled with Quest vWorkspace virtual desktop management solution, provides access to critical electronic health, order entry, and clinical documentation systems. As a result, these systems can be centrally managed to reduce costs and security concerns while increasing control of the clinical desktop environment.
“Our goal is to give physicians and clinicians the fast and easy access they need to their patient information while improving data security and reducing IT infrastructure and support costs,” said Simon Pearce, vice president and general manager of desktop virtualization, Quest Software.
vWorkspace and eXactACCESS automate clinician access to and management of virtual desktops and applications by eliminating the need to enter multiple passwords to disparate systems. HealthCast's unique proximity badge functionality automates the login to the virtual desktop and launches a clinician’s primary application based on who they are, and then navigates them to a default location within the application. When the badge is “tapped” again, the clinician’s virtual desktop and applications are disconnected so that clinicians can go to any other workstation in the enterprise, and securely pick up their desktop and applications exactly as they had left them with another “tap” of their badge.
California Health Information Exchange Networks interconnect
The Santa Cruz Health Information Exchange (HIE) is using Axolotl’s Elysium NHIN Gateway to connect to two California HIE networks - EKCITA in Tehachapi, CA and the Long Beach Network for Health in Southern CA, for exchange and sharing of critical clinical information.
This connectivity will be demonstrated at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase, supported by the California Health and Human Agency (CHHS), the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) and the Federal Health Architecture (FHA) to illustrate the progress towards health IT interoperability, nationwide.
The Santa Cruz HIE, utilizing Axolotl’s Elysium Exchange solutions, will demonstrate the ability to query from and exchange data with other California HIEs. The demonstration will highlight how clinical data, based on national standards, is integrated into different physician workflows at the point of care - by the local systems that are chosen in each care setting.
“Patient care will be radically improved through this inter-HIE exchange capability,” said Bill Beighe, CIO of Santa Cruz HIE. “This demonstration will show that HIE-to-HIE information exchange is technically feasible and available now.”
The HL7 Continuity of Care Documents (CCD) being exchanged are standard electronic documents that include discrete data elements which can be extracted and incorporated into the receiving systems. Elysium is leveraging components of the IHE IT Infrastructure set of profiles, such as Cross Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) and Cross Community Access (XCA) to enable the transfer of the clinical data between connected communities. Multiple records will be exchanged to show that the process is general and not a special case.
“Axolotl participated with the Northrop Grumman consortium in the NHIN I project and in July 2009 did a live NHIN demo connecting five HIEs in California. Axolotl’s Elysium Gateway products that enable inter-HIE information exchange are available in our latest production platform and are being implemented. These products connect HIE Networks seamlessly to any other HIE either directly or via the NHIN,” said Anand Shroff, Vice President, Engineering, Axolotl.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Digital Healthcare
By Mark Brousseau
There’s a lot of talk these days – driven largely by the Obama Administration – about electronic medical records and the potential cost savings that they could provide to the healthcare industry. The 2009 federal stimulus bill, the Congressional Budget Office notes, allocates 436 billion for doctors to install electronic records.
And there’s plenty of room for growth. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that only 17 percent of the 633,000 doctors in the United States have electronic medical records in their outpatient offices. Moreover, just 9 percent of the 5,708 hospitals in the United States (excluding Veterans Administration hospitals) have electronic medical records, according to the American Hospital Association.
In addition to potential cost savings, digitizing healthcare could also improve patient care: JAMA reports that 55 percent of serious drug errors can be stopped by a computer ordering system.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
There’s a lot of talk these days – driven largely by the Obama Administration – about electronic medical records and the potential cost savings that they could provide to the healthcare industry. The 2009 federal stimulus bill, the Congressional Budget Office notes, allocates 436 billion for doctors to install electronic records.
And there’s plenty of room for growth. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that only 17 percent of the 633,000 doctors in the United States have electronic medical records in their outpatient offices. Moreover, just 9 percent of the 5,708 hospitals in the United States (excluding Veterans Administration hospitals) have electronic medical records, according to the American Hospital Association.
In addition to potential cost savings, digitizing healthcare could also improve patient care: JAMA reports that 55 percent of serious drug errors can be stopped by a computer ordering system.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
CEO Executive Interview
Complying with New Medicare Reporting Requirements: Insurance CEO Art Meadows Shares Tips for Success
By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology
Insurance companies offering liability coverage, workers compensation, and those that are self insured have struggled to prepare for the new Medicare reporting requirements since the federal mandates were announced. The legislation is expected to reduce Medicare costs by protecting its secondary payer status when eligible claimants can be covered by alternative sources. Unfortunately for insurers, the new laws will increase paperwork, but failing to act on them will carry stiff penalties.
In contrast with previous legislation, the burden of proof now rests on insurers to determine whether tort plaintiffs are eligible for Medicare coverage, and to report this information to the government. The additional tracking can be considerable for those with eligible claimants. Insurers with minimal or no electronic files face the greatest challenges.
The drive toward compliance recently picked up speed: registration opened in May, 2009 for Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs) to express their intent to comply with the electronic reporting requirements. Those who haven’t adjusted their plans, policies, and systems to enable timely reporting must take action soon. Federal delays in enacting the legislation have ended. Fines for non-compliance or late reporting will be severe.
I asked Art Meadows, President and CEO of Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and a recognized leader in the insurance field, if he would share some tips to help other insurers make sure they’re able and ready to comply. He shared his expertise and advice during a recent interview:
Q: What are the issues associated with the new legislation?
A: There are a number of requirements for insurers. First, they must identify claimants who are eligible for Medicare benefits. Ideally, they periodically download a list of Medicare-eligible claimants from their digital file repository and operating system that shows all pending claims and upload it to the Medicare site, or they can create and post the lists manually. As it currently stands, quarterly reports will be due starting in 2010. All pending claims must be tracked and reported as long as each claim remains open. If settlements, awards, or judgments are made, these also must be reported.
For insurers, the new legislation is all about facilitating compliance, mitigating risk, and minimizing the corporate expense of managing pertinent information.
Q: What kind of penalties are there for late or omitted reports?
A: Penalties are stiff, amounting to $1,000 per claimant per day. Since reporting will be quarterly, it could take a long time for companies to discover if they’ve made a mistake or omission. Fines could easily amass into hundreds of thousands of dollars with a small number of omissions or late reports. My advice to insurers: don’t just count on employees remembering to file, even if your company is small and files seem manageable. You will need to have a system in place that ensures reporting is done on time and no claimant is missed.
Q: Which companies will be most affected by the new requirements?
A: Companies that will struggle most are those without technology and electronic records. Many successful companies fall into this category. Some don’t even have Internet access in their offices. Without electronic records, a system that ensures reporting dates are met, and some form of automated tracking of eligible claims, compliance will be difficult, time consuming, and potentially prone to error. This could prove to be very costly due to fines.
Companies that have automated operating systems with electronic files and handle many liability claims may encounter fewer problems than those that have a small number and handle them manually. It’s difficult to remember to provide reports if your company only processes a few each year, and even fewer involving Medicare-eligible recipients. Administrative and litigation delays mean cases can remain open for years. Required reporting on claimants can last a long time.
Q: There are numerous companies offering to take on the burden of Medicare reporting for a fee. What are your thoughts about this?
A: This may be a good—or even necessary—situation for some companies, particularly if they are resorting to manual posting of reports. However, entrusting reporting to any outside organization puts your company at risk. Remember: you are delegating the task, but the responsibility to comply is still ultimately yours. I’m not sure I would want to relinquish the responsibility to someone else and risk penalties that might be avoidable by doing my own reporting. If you are considering using an outside agency, consider the risks and proceed carefully.
Q: What is your company doing to ensure it’s prepared when the new rules take effect?
A: Fortunately, we purchased a robust electronic document management system in 2003 and have created electronic reports for several years. Additionally, we are involved with a vendor and five other regional companies in developing a new operating system that will track and report these claims automatically. With direct integration to the Medicare site, we will be able to upload our reports easily, avoiding the time-consuming battle of manual entry.
As a part of our monthly close-out process we already create a variety of reports, such as agent commission checks and A+ ISO reports. We plan to add the Medicare reports as part of that process.
Q: What steps should companies take to register, and what should they expect?
A: Eligible insurers—those that underwrite liability insurance—must register with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They must indicate that they are a Responsible Reporting Entity (RRE) and provide notice of their intent to comply with the electronic reporting requirements. They will then receive a company identification number and login information for the CMS program. Companies that still handle processes manually will need to input their information manually on the CMS website.
Q: Is there any additional advice you would like to share with insurers that are struggling with the new rules?
A: If you haven’t begun planning yet, start now. Register well ahead of the September deadline. The information you need to get started can be found on the CMS website, and the major insurance associations also have helpful resources.
Consider ways to make compliance easier. If you’re still managing everything on paper, this is a good time to convert to electronic document management.
Put plans in place to ensure prompt filing. Otherwise, late fines could accumulate for months before you are aware of them. Mistakes are costly. If you already have a digital repository with your policies, claims, and supporting documentation, you can simplify compliance with electronic workflow, establishing rules to remind you of impending deadlines and enforce timely reporting. Lastly, work with your operating system vendor to put programming in place that will track and monitor claims that need to be reported to CMS.
Q: Clearly digital documents make reporting easier. How else do document management and enterprise content management software fit into the compliance picture?
A: Digital trails don’t lie, and they don’t err. They show every document that’s captured and every transaction that occurs. If information is stored electronically and indexed for search, it will be found every time. In an audit, digital tracking of claims, related correspondence, and supporting materials ensures transparency and accuracy. With proper digital storage, files can’t be overlooked.
Finally, if you’re ready to convert to electronic records, or want to replace your imaging system with a better solution, talk with insurers like me who have successfully converted to digital records and electronic reporting. It’s an investment of time and money, but the payback is relatively quick. The increase in productivity and the savings long-term are significant. With recent increases in legislation, and more laws to follow, there’s no better time to invest in your future.
Art Meadows is the President and CEO of Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in West Virginia. A National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Professional Farm Mutual Manager of the Year (2007) and recipient of the Service Award (2006), he has been a member of the NAMIC Merit Society since 1999. Formerly an insurance agent, property inspector, claims adjuster, and commercial/personal lines underwriter, Art served on the Governor’s Task Force to support West Virginia Tort Reform in 2005 and was president of the West Virginia Association of Mutual Insurance Companies from 1996 to 2005. Art can be reached at art@phfm1898.com.
For information about Optical Image Technology and the DocFinity suite of integrated imaging, document management, and business process management/workflow software, visit www.docfinity.com.
By Laurel Sanders, Optical Image Technology
Insurance companies offering liability coverage, workers compensation, and those that are self insured have struggled to prepare for the new Medicare reporting requirements since the federal mandates were announced. The legislation is expected to reduce Medicare costs by protecting its secondary payer status when eligible claimants can be covered by alternative sources. Unfortunately for insurers, the new laws will increase paperwork, but failing to act on them will carry stiff penalties.
In contrast with previous legislation, the burden of proof now rests on insurers to determine whether tort plaintiffs are eligible for Medicare coverage, and to report this information to the government. The additional tracking can be considerable for those with eligible claimants. Insurers with minimal or no electronic files face the greatest challenges.
The drive toward compliance recently picked up speed: registration opened in May, 2009 for Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs) to express their intent to comply with the electronic reporting requirements. Those who haven’t adjusted their plans, policies, and systems to enable timely reporting must take action soon. Federal delays in enacting the legislation have ended. Fines for non-compliance or late reporting will be severe.
I asked Art Meadows, President and CEO of Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and a recognized leader in the insurance field, if he would share some tips to help other insurers make sure they’re able and ready to comply. He shared his expertise and advice during a recent interview:
Q: What are the issues associated with the new legislation?
A: There are a number of requirements for insurers. First, they must identify claimants who are eligible for Medicare benefits. Ideally, they periodically download a list of Medicare-eligible claimants from their digital file repository and operating system that shows all pending claims and upload it to the Medicare site, or they can create and post the lists manually. As it currently stands, quarterly reports will be due starting in 2010. All pending claims must be tracked and reported as long as each claim remains open. If settlements, awards, or judgments are made, these also must be reported.
For insurers, the new legislation is all about facilitating compliance, mitigating risk, and minimizing the corporate expense of managing pertinent information.
Q: What kind of penalties are there for late or omitted reports?
A: Penalties are stiff, amounting to $1,000 per claimant per day. Since reporting will be quarterly, it could take a long time for companies to discover if they’ve made a mistake or omission. Fines could easily amass into hundreds of thousands of dollars with a small number of omissions or late reports. My advice to insurers: don’t just count on employees remembering to file, even if your company is small and files seem manageable. You will need to have a system in place that ensures reporting is done on time and no claimant is missed.
Q: Which companies will be most affected by the new requirements?
A: Companies that will struggle most are those without technology and electronic records. Many successful companies fall into this category. Some don’t even have Internet access in their offices. Without electronic records, a system that ensures reporting dates are met, and some form of automated tracking of eligible claims, compliance will be difficult, time consuming, and potentially prone to error. This could prove to be very costly due to fines.
Companies that have automated operating systems with electronic files and handle many liability claims may encounter fewer problems than those that have a small number and handle them manually. It’s difficult to remember to provide reports if your company only processes a few each year, and even fewer involving Medicare-eligible recipients. Administrative and litigation delays mean cases can remain open for years. Required reporting on claimants can last a long time.
Q: There are numerous companies offering to take on the burden of Medicare reporting for a fee. What are your thoughts about this?
A: This may be a good—or even necessary—situation for some companies, particularly if they are resorting to manual posting of reports. However, entrusting reporting to any outside organization puts your company at risk. Remember: you are delegating the task, but the responsibility to comply is still ultimately yours. I’m not sure I would want to relinquish the responsibility to someone else and risk penalties that might be avoidable by doing my own reporting. If you are considering using an outside agency, consider the risks and proceed carefully.
Q: What is your company doing to ensure it’s prepared when the new rules take effect?
A: Fortunately, we purchased a robust electronic document management system in 2003 and have created electronic reports for several years. Additionally, we are involved with a vendor and five other regional companies in developing a new operating system that will track and report these claims automatically. With direct integration to the Medicare site, we will be able to upload our reports easily, avoiding the time-consuming battle of manual entry.
As a part of our monthly close-out process we already create a variety of reports, such as agent commission checks and A+ ISO reports. We plan to add the Medicare reports as part of that process.
Q: What steps should companies take to register, and what should they expect?
A: Eligible insurers—those that underwrite liability insurance—must register with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They must indicate that they are a Responsible Reporting Entity (RRE) and provide notice of their intent to comply with the electronic reporting requirements. They will then receive a company identification number and login information for the CMS program. Companies that still handle processes manually will need to input their information manually on the CMS website.
Q: Is there any additional advice you would like to share with insurers that are struggling with the new rules?
A: If you haven’t begun planning yet, start now. Register well ahead of the September deadline. The information you need to get started can be found on the CMS website, and the major insurance associations also have helpful resources.
Consider ways to make compliance easier. If you’re still managing everything on paper, this is a good time to convert to electronic document management.
Put plans in place to ensure prompt filing. Otherwise, late fines could accumulate for months before you are aware of them. Mistakes are costly. If you already have a digital repository with your policies, claims, and supporting documentation, you can simplify compliance with electronic workflow, establishing rules to remind you of impending deadlines and enforce timely reporting. Lastly, work with your operating system vendor to put programming in place that will track and monitor claims that need to be reported to CMS.
Q: Clearly digital documents make reporting easier. How else do document management and enterprise content management software fit into the compliance picture?
A: Digital trails don’t lie, and they don’t err. They show every document that’s captured and every transaction that occurs. If information is stored electronically and indexed for search, it will be found every time. In an audit, digital tracking of claims, related correspondence, and supporting materials ensures transparency and accuracy. With proper digital storage, files can’t be overlooked.
Finally, if you’re ready to convert to electronic records, or want to replace your imaging system with a better solution, talk with insurers like me who have successfully converted to digital records and electronic reporting. It’s an investment of time and money, but the payback is relatively quick. The increase in productivity and the savings long-term are significant. With recent increases in legislation, and more laws to follow, there’s no better time to invest in your future.
Art Meadows is the President and CEO of Panhandle Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in West Virginia. A National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Professional Farm Mutual Manager of the Year (2007) and recipient of the Service Award (2006), he has been a member of the NAMIC Merit Society since 1999. Formerly an insurance agent, property inspector, claims adjuster, and commercial/personal lines underwriter, Art served on the Governor’s Task Force to support West Virginia Tort Reform in 2005 and was president of the West Virginia Association of Mutual Insurance Companies from 1996 to 2005. Art can be reached at art@phfm1898.com.
For information about Optical Image Technology and the DocFinity suite of integrated imaging, document management, and business process management/workflow software, visit www.docfinity.com.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Economy and Medical Banking
By Mark Brousseau
With the current economic slowdown affecting virtually every individual and business today, the need to keep costs as low as possible has magnified some of the key trends that were already brewing in the medical banking services field prior to the downturn, says Maureen Turo (maureen.turo@bnymellon.com), vice president, Healthcare Market Specialist, The Bank of New York Mellon. These trends include revenue cycle improvements that provide a clear business case for saving time and money, and a partner with proven success in finding the right solutions.
There are numerous medical banking services available to help both payers (commercial insurers) and healthcare providers (institutional and professional). The most widely accepted services focus on improving the efficiency and amount of payments collected and posted by providers, Turo notes. Such services include automated EOB data lift, point of service systems, electronic processing and payment-to-contract analysis services.
"Healthcare providers are paying particular attention to those solutions that automate their payment processes for faster outstanding accounts receivables resolution," Turo says. "Automating payment processing frees resources (both staff and technology) to focus on other important payment collection tasks, such as resolving denied and under-paid claims."
Turo says an increasing number of healthcare providers are also looking for vendors to help them build and analyze the business case supporting these new services. "Although many medical banking services do not have any capital expenditure outlay, the services nonetheless require multiple levels of approval due to their impact on numerous back-office functions and financial systems," she explains. "Projects with the strongest business cases are the ones most likely to capture the provider’s attention."
In addition to needing a strong business case to implement these high-impact services, providers increasingly require strong references of potential vendors. They want to talk to other healthcare organizations that have implemented similar services to learn about the process and results, Turo says. Dealing with multiple (and sometimes antiquated) systems, as well as limited IT and project management resources, providers need assurance that a new service will address their most critical issues.
"Until more is known about the anticipated federal healthcare reform, I believe these trends will persist, with automation continuing to drive efficiencies in the healthcare industry," Turo says. "As providers experience success implementing various medical banking services, more will do so. Healthcare providers may not want to be on the leading edge of using these medical banking services, but they will not want to be left behind."
What do you think? Post your comments below.
With the current economic slowdown affecting virtually every individual and business today, the need to keep costs as low as possible has magnified some of the key trends that were already brewing in the medical banking services field prior to the downturn, says Maureen Turo (maureen.turo@bnymellon.com), vice president, Healthcare Market Specialist, The Bank of New York Mellon. These trends include revenue cycle improvements that provide a clear business case for saving time and money, and a partner with proven success in finding the right solutions.
There are numerous medical banking services available to help both payers (commercial insurers) and healthcare providers (institutional and professional). The most widely accepted services focus on improving the efficiency and amount of payments collected and posted by providers, Turo notes. Such services include automated EOB data lift, point of service systems, electronic processing and payment-to-contract analysis services.
"Healthcare providers are paying particular attention to those solutions that automate their payment processes for faster outstanding accounts receivables resolution," Turo says. "Automating payment processing frees resources (both staff and technology) to focus on other important payment collection tasks, such as resolving denied and under-paid claims."
Turo says an increasing number of healthcare providers are also looking for vendors to help them build and analyze the business case supporting these new services. "Although many medical banking services do not have any capital expenditure outlay, the services nonetheless require multiple levels of approval due to their impact on numerous back-office functions and financial systems," she explains. "Projects with the strongest business cases are the ones most likely to capture the provider’s attention."
In addition to needing a strong business case to implement these high-impact services, providers increasingly require strong references of potential vendors. They want to talk to other healthcare organizations that have implemented similar services to learn about the process and results, Turo says. Dealing with multiple (and sometimes antiquated) systems, as well as limited IT and project management resources, providers need assurance that a new service will address their most critical issues.
"Until more is known about the anticipated federal healthcare reform, I believe these trends will persist, with automation continuing to drive efficiencies in the healthcare industry," Turo says. "As providers experience success implementing various medical banking services, more will do so. Healthcare providers may not want to be on the leading edge of using these medical banking services, but they will not want to be left behind."
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
e-Health Records Incentives
Posted by Mark Brousseau
An interesting article from the Associated Press.
Stimulus gives incentives for e-health records
Tom Breen, Associated Press Writer
On Wednesday May 6, 2009, 6:06 pm EDT
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Health care providers across the country are moving to replace their old paper records with sleek new electronic systems, a process the Obama administration wants to speed along with over $17 billion in stimulus dollars.
That's a tall order for doctors and hospitals, because an estimated 90 percent of health care offices still stack their records in floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed with manila folders.
The administration's goal is to implement systems that allow doctors and nurses instant access to patient records and to avoid harmful errors in prescriptions and medical charts. But some worry the software isn't yet ready to replace the ease of use of paper records, and say the cost of the systems may be too steep.
Dr. Theodore Hole, a family physician in Ventura, Calif., said when he sees patients who have electronic records from other physicians, they're often a collection of checked boxes and fill-in blanks that are meaningless to doctors outside of the group using the system.
"I'm afraid of the way the technology is being forced on physicians before it's really ready," he said, adding that family physicians have a hard time with the prospect of spending tens of thousands of dollars to install the systems.
Health care providers such as doctors and hospitals would be reimbursed by higher Medicare and Medicaid payments if they put the systems in place by 2011. Doctors can receive up to $60,000 and hospitals up to $11 million. If they don't switch, they could see their Medicare and Medicaid dollars decline.
The health care industry has been moving toward electronic records for years, but the rate of adoption has been slow. Some providers are intimidated by startup costs, which can range anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars for a doctor's office to $100 million for a large hospital.
"It's not going to be enough to pay for it; it's going to be enough to make you want to engage with it," Sentara Healthcare Chief Information Officer Bert Reese said of the stimulus incentives.
The southeastern Virginia network of seven hospitals and hundreds of doctors is in the midst of a decade-long, $237 million conversion project, with all hospitals scheduled to be on board next year. The stimulus plan could mean as much as $40 million to the network, he said.
Though the systems vary, advocates say computerized records are safer and more efficient.
There are fewer mistakes that come from trying to read handwriting, and anyone in a medical system can access the information. When a patient comes into the hospital complaining of chest pains, for example, emergency room staffers don't have to hunt down past medical records for allergies, medications and other information because it's immediately available on a computer screen.
The idea is also to shorten the time involved in basic procedures. Under a paper system, Sentara's Reese said, a doctor entering a medication order for a hospital patient can expect to wait up to an hour before the first dose is administered. With electronic records zapping the order directly from the doctor to the hospital pharmacy, Reese said, it can take about five minutes.
The Obama administration believes converting to electronic medical records will improve patient safety and overall health as well as bring down costs across the spectrum from public to private care, according to the DHHS.
"It's an excellent use of the stimulus money," said Dr. Margaret Staggers, a Fayetteville physician who, as a member of West Virginia's House of Delegates, will help determine how the plan shapes the state budget. All seven of West Virginia's state-owned hospitals have the system in place. "Doctors are interested in getting these systems, but there's so much upfront cost."
Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, N.J., estimates it can get $11 million in stimulus funds for its $30 million electronic health records system, according to Ken Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents about 300 hospitals in the Northeast.
"It's not a bad down payment, but it gives you an idea of the proportion that comes from the stimulus package as opposed to the money they need to invest," he said.
Still, conversion could be slow. An April article in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded there are no reliable estimates on how many hospitals have electronic records, mainly because providers have implemented systems with a piecemeal approach. But it estimates roughly 7.6 percent have at least a "basic" system. For physician practices, the figure is probably around 4 percent.
There are also questions about ease of use, maintenance, compatibility with other systems and keeping all that data secure. Perhaps most urgently, no one yet knows what systems will qualify for reimbursements and keep providers from seeing reduced Medicare and Medicaid payments.
Because of the uncertainty, it's too soon to tell whether the stimulus plan is getting more providers to make the switch, said John Morrissey, spokesman for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.
"With so many unanswered questions, it's kind of ludicrous to go too far into it," said Joe Letnaunchyn, president of the West Virginia Hospital Association. "You run the risk of spending money inappropriately."
An interesting article from the Associated Press.
Stimulus gives incentives for e-health records
Tom Breen, Associated Press Writer
On Wednesday May 6, 2009, 6:06 pm EDT
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Health care providers across the country are moving to replace their old paper records with sleek new electronic systems, a process the Obama administration wants to speed along with over $17 billion in stimulus dollars.
That's a tall order for doctors and hospitals, because an estimated 90 percent of health care offices still stack their records in floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed with manila folders.
The administration's goal is to implement systems that allow doctors and nurses instant access to patient records and to avoid harmful errors in prescriptions and medical charts. But some worry the software isn't yet ready to replace the ease of use of paper records, and say the cost of the systems may be too steep.
Dr. Theodore Hole, a family physician in Ventura, Calif., said when he sees patients who have electronic records from other physicians, they're often a collection of checked boxes and fill-in blanks that are meaningless to doctors outside of the group using the system.
"I'm afraid of the way the technology is being forced on physicians before it's really ready," he said, adding that family physicians have a hard time with the prospect of spending tens of thousands of dollars to install the systems.
Health care providers such as doctors and hospitals would be reimbursed by higher Medicare and Medicaid payments if they put the systems in place by 2011. Doctors can receive up to $60,000 and hospitals up to $11 million. If they don't switch, they could see their Medicare and Medicaid dollars decline.
The health care industry has been moving toward electronic records for years, but the rate of adoption has been slow. Some providers are intimidated by startup costs, which can range anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars for a doctor's office to $100 million for a large hospital.
"It's not going to be enough to pay for it; it's going to be enough to make you want to engage with it," Sentara Healthcare Chief Information Officer Bert Reese said of the stimulus incentives.
The southeastern Virginia network of seven hospitals and hundreds of doctors is in the midst of a decade-long, $237 million conversion project, with all hospitals scheduled to be on board next year. The stimulus plan could mean as much as $40 million to the network, he said.
Though the systems vary, advocates say computerized records are safer and more efficient.
There are fewer mistakes that come from trying to read handwriting, and anyone in a medical system can access the information. When a patient comes into the hospital complaining of chest pains, for example, emergency room staffers don't have to hunt down past medical records for allergies, medications and other information because it's immediately available on a computer screen.
The idea is also to shorten the time involved in basic procedures. Under a paper system, Sentara's Reese said, a doctor entering a medication order for a hospital patient can expect to wait up to an hour before the first dose is administered. With electronic records zapping the order directly from the doctor to the hospital pharmacy, Reese said, it can take about five minutes.
The Obama administration believes converting to electronic medical records will improve patient safety and overall health as well as bring down costs across the spectrum from public to private care, according to the DHHS.
"It's an excellent use of the stimulus money," said Dr. Margaret Staggers, a Fayetteville physician who, as a member of West Virginia's House of Delegates, will help determine how the plan shapes the state budget. All seven of West Virginia's state-owned hospitals have the system in place. "Doctors are interested in getting these systems, but there's so much upfront cost."
Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, N.J., estimates it can get $11 million in stimulus funds for its $30 million electronic health records system, according to Ken Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents about 300 hospitals in the Northeast.
"It's not a bad down payment, but it gives you an idea of the proportion that comes from the stimulus package as opposed to the money they need to invest," he said.
Still, conversion could be slow. An April article in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded there are no reliable estimates on how many hospitals have electronic records, mainly because providers have implemented systems with a piecemeal approach. But it estimates roughly 7.6 percent have at least a "basic" system. For physician practices, the figure is probably around 4 percent.
There are also questions about ease of use, maintenance, compatibility with other systems and keeping all that data secure. Perhaps most urgently, no one yet knows what systems will qualify for reimbursements and keep providers from seeing reduced Medicare and Medicaid payments.
Because of the uncertainty, it's too soon to tell whether the stimulus plan is getting more providers to make the switch, said John Morrissey, spokesman for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.
"With so many unanswered questions, it's kind of ludicrous to go too far into it," said Joe Letnaunchyn, president of the West Virginia Hospital Association. "You run the risk of spending money inappropriately."
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Healthcare M&A Still Thriving
Posted by Mark Brousseau
Despite a weakening economy, 2008 was a solid year for M&A in the pharma and healthcare information and technology industry, according to Berkery, Noyes & Co. The total volume of M&A transactions in the pharma and healthcare information and technology market for 2008 increased to 156 transactions, an increase of 16 percent over the previous year; however, the total value decreased to just below $9 billion, a decrease of 9 percent, the investment banking firm says.
The most active segment for 2008 by volume was Healthcare IT, with a total of 75 transactions, or 48 percent of the total volume. Healthcare IT has been the most active segment for the past several years and we do not expect this to change in the upcoming year.
Berkery, Noyes & Co. observed a decrease in financial acquisitions during the second half of 2008, even though overall activity in the market as a whole remained solid throughout the year.
The industry ended the year on a strong note - Q4 2008 was more active in terms of deal volume than it had been for the previous 5 years, the firm says.
A notable trend for 2008 is that while the aggregate value of the industry’s top 10 deals and the ratio of transaction value/volume decreased from previous years, Berkery, Noyes & Co. observed an increase in 2008 median enterprise value. This suggests an overall increase in buyer selectivity as well as increasing activity and interest in the middle market, the firm says.
Looking ahead, Berkery, Noyes & Co. expects to see continued deal activity in the pharma and healthcare information and technology markets. These markets are less impacted by the economic downturn and may benefit from increased interest in healthcare.
Despite a weakening economy, 2008 was a solid year for M&A in the pharma and healthcare information and technology industry, according to Berkery, Noyes & Co. The total volume of M&A transactions in the pharma and healthcare information and technology market for 2008 increased to 156 transactions, an increase of 16 percent over the previous year; however, the total value decreased to just below $9 billion, a decrease of 9 percent, the investment banking firm says.
The most active segment for 2008 by volume was Healthcare IT, with a total of 75 transactions, or 48 percent of the total volume. Healthcare IT has been the most active segment for the past several years and we do not expect this to change in the upcoming year.
Berkery, Noyes & Co. observed a decrease in financial acquisitions during the second half of 2008, even though overall activity in the market as a whole remained solid throughout the year.
The industry ended the year on a strong note - Q4 2008 was more active in terms of deal volume than it had been for the previous 5 years, the firm says.
A notable trend for 2008 is that while the aggregate value of the industry’s top 10 deals and the ratio of transaction value/volume decreased from previous years, Berkery, Noyes & Co. observed an increase in 2008 median enterprise value. This suggests an overall increase in buyer selectivity as well as increasing activity and interest in the middle market, the firm says.
Looking ahead, Berkery, Noyes & Co. expects to see continued deal activity in the pharma and healthcare information and technology markets. These markets are less impacted by the economic downturn and may benefit from increased interest in healthcare.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Consumers Want Electronic Health Information
Posted by Mark Brousseau
Deloitte’s 2009 Survey of Healthcare Consumers includes some interesting data regarding consumer interest in electronic health records:
… 9 percent of respondents have a computerized personal health record (PHR) compared to 8 percent in 2008
… 57 percent want a secure Internet site that would enable them to access their medical records and pay medical bills, among other things
… 42 percent want access to an online personal health record connected to their doctor’s office
… privacy and security of health information is an issue: 38 percent are very concerned versus 24 percent who are not at all concerned
… 60 percent believe that the government should set standards for how medical information is collected, stored, exchanged and protected, while other view this as a role for health plans (21 percent) and employers (5 percent); 14 percent say no entity should set standards
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Deloitte’s 2009 Survey of Healthcare Consumers includes some interesting data regarding consumer interest in electronic health records:
… 9 percent of respondents have a computerized personal health record (PHR) compared to 8 percent in 2008
… 57 percent want a secure Internet site that would enable them to access their medical records and pay medical bills, among other things
… 42 percent want access to an online personal health record connected to their doctor’s office
… privacy and security of health information is an issue: 38 percent are very concerned versus 24 percent who are not at all concerned
… 60 percent believe that the government should set standards for how medical information is collected, stored, exchanged and protected, while other view this as a role for health plans (21 percent) and employers (5 percent); 14 percent say no entity should set standards
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Few Americans Using PHRs
Posted by Mark Brousseau
Consumer demand for accessing personal health records (PHR) online is now at more than 70 million Americans, according to Cybercitizen Health v8.0, the latest consumer study and strategic advisory service from pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research.
Despite significant interest in this type of service, only 7 million U.S. adults actually use PHRs.
Compelling offerings from vendors ranging from Google, WebMD, and Microsoft to multiple insurers and employers have sparked buzz around PHR in the past year. But for average consumers not motivated by a serious illness, significant barriers such as privacy concerns, lack of understanding, and doubts to PHR efficiency hinder adoption.
“Despite the rapidly increasing supply of PHR platforms, consumer adoption of PHRs is unlikely to show significant growth in the absence of major physician participation,” said Erika S. Fishman, Director of Research at Manhattan Research. "Education and awareness building will be critical in establishing the need for a PHR in the mind of American consumers. In a time when our country has not made health IT and electronic medical records a priority, it is understandable why consumers may not see the value in putting in the effort to keep a PHR on their own, unless they are highly motivated to do so because of an illness."
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Consumer demand for accessing personal health records (PHR) online is now at more than 70 million Americans, according to Cybercitizen Health v8.0, the latest consumer study and strategic advisory service from pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research.
Despite significant interest in this type of service, only 7 million U.S. adults actually use PHRs.
Compelling offerings from vendors ranging from Google, WebMD, and Microsoft to multiple insurers and employers have sparked buzz around PHR in the past year. But for average consumers not motivated by a serious illness, significant barriers such as privacy concerns, lack of understanding, and doubts to PHR efficiency hinder adoption.
“Despite the rapidly increasing supply of PHR platforms, consumer adoption of PHRs is unlikely to show significant growth in the absence of major physician participation,” said Erika S. Fishman, Director of Research at Manhattan Research. "Education and awareness building will be critical in establishing the need for a PHR in the mind of American consumers. In a time when our country has not made health IT and electronic medical records a priority, it is understandable why consumers may not see the value in putting in the effort to keep a PHR on their own, unless they are highly motivated to do so because of an illness."
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Healthcare Privacy Concerns
By Mark Brousseau
Health IT and electronic health information exchange have tremendous potential to improve health care quality, reduce costs, and empower consumers, Deven McGraw, executive director, Health Privacy Project/Center for Democracy & Technology, said today during a presentation at the Seventh National Medical Banking Summit in Nashville, TN.
“The public wants health IT, but the public also has significant privacy concerns,” McGraw told attendees. “Failure to build a foundation of trust is an obstacle to achieving greater health IT adoption. For years, there was no progress on resolving the privacy and security issues related to health IT. But the recent stimulus plan bulldozes those obstacles.”
McGraw said the stimulus plan addresses health IT privacy and security issues in several ways:
… Substantive changes to HIPAA statutory provisions and privacy and security regulations
… Enhanced enforcement of HIPAA
… Provisions to address health information by some entities not covered by HIPAA
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Health IT and electronic health information exchange have tremendous potential to improve health care quality, reduce costs, and empower consumers, Deven McGraw, executive director, Health Privacy Project/Center for Democracy & Technology, said today during a presentation at the Seventh National Medical Banking Summit in Nashville, TN.
“The public wants health IT, but the public also has significant privacy concerns,” McGraw told attendees. “Failure to build a foundation of trust is an obstacle to achieving greater health IT adoption. For years, there was no progress on resolving the privacy and security issues related to health IT. But the recent stimulus plan bulldozes those obstacles.”
McGraw said the stimulus plan addresses health IT privacy and security issues in several ways:
… Substantive changes to HIPAA statutory provisions and privacy and security regulations
… Enhanced enforcement of HIPAA
… Provisions to address health information by some entities not covered by HIPAA
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Healthcare Feels Revenue Pressure
By Mark Brousseau
Efforts to cut healthcare costs and do more with less continue to deliver bottom line results, Doug Bilbrey, executive vice president, sales & marketing, The SSI Group, said this afternoon during a presentation at the Seventh National Medical Banking Summit in Nashville, TN. But the next phase of the industry’s evolution will see more pressure to maintain and drive revenue growth to survive.
“With the unprecedented wave of new regulations, heightened awareness of corporate governance standards, and greater investor expectations, the need to make decisive value-producing technology investments will impact long-term healthcare strategies,” Bilbrey said. “These trends already are impacting the industry today, but they are going to have a more profound impact in the future.”
Against this backdrop, Bilbrey said medical banking platforms can help free up specific measureable and currently unrealized potential that can immediately support revenue and asset growth.
“The medical banking industry’s role is to provide visionary leadership,” Bilbrey said.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Efforts to cut healthcare costs and do more with less continue to deliver bottom line results, Doug Bilbrey, executive vice president, sales & marketing, The SSI Group, said this afternoon during a presentation at the Seventh National Medical Banking Summit in Nashville, TN. But the next phase of the industry’s evolution will see more pressure to maintain and drive revenue growth to survive.
“With the unprecedented wave of new regulations, heightened awareness of corporate governance standards, and greater investor expectations, the need to make decisive value-producing technology investments will impact long-term healthcare strategies,” Bilbrey said. “These trends already are impacting the industry today, but they are going to have a more profound impact in the future.”
Against this backdrop, Bilbrey said medical banking platforms can help free up specific measureable and currently unrealized potential that can immediately support revenue and asset growth.
“The medical banking industry’s role is to provide visionary leadership,” Bilbrey said.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
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