The Role of Healthcare IT in Practice Management: Ensuring Efficiency, Security, and Patient Care

In today’s digital era, healthcare practices face significant challenges in managing patient information, maintaining operational efficiency, and safeguarding sensitive data. This is where healthcare IT, distinct from regular IT companies, becomes indispensable. In this article, we will explore the importance of healthcare IT in practice management, focusing on its role in protecting information and facilitating day-to-day operations.

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EHR Incentive Programs: 2015 through 2017 (Modified Stage 2) Overview

 

CMS recently released a final rule that specifies criteria that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must meet in order to continue to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.

EHRs in the Cloud

EHR in the cloud, unlike a local server or personal computer, cloud computing uses remotely hosted third-party servers to store data in large data centers. The data is then shared with other devices and consumed by customers on-demand over the internet much like electricity is shared over a grid. As a quick example, imagine the time,

2016 EHR Trends Include Mobile Access

EHR Trends Include Mobile Access by Physicians and Patients

A well-known research firm, Black Book forecasts the healthcare cloud market in the U.S. and Europe to grow nearly 24 percent by 2020. By living in the cloud, EHR records are accessible by physicians and patients alike. And making the accessibility even more convenient is the ability to reach the data records via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Meaningful Use Usergroup: February

There is an extremely important deadline coming up in February 2016 for Meaningful Use Core Objective #10 – Public Health Reporting. EVERY provider attesting to MU in 2016 must attest to two (2) Public Health Objectives. The options are:

(1) Immunizations State Reporting;
(2) Syndromic Surveillance Reporting; and
(3) Clinical Data Registry Reporting.

Providers MUST be registered and actively engaged with the registry by FEBRUARY 29th, 2016. If they are not, they will NOT be able to attest to Meaningful Use for the reporting year of 2016.

CMS Payment Adjustments Set to Begin January 1, 2015

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS.gov) recently updated their ‘Payment Adjustments & Hardship Exceptions Tipsheet for Eligible Professionals’.  The information pertains to Medicare Eligible Professionals who are not meaningful users of Certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) and the payment adjustments that will be applied beginning January 1, 2015.  Meaningful use is using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to: improve quality,