ICD-10 – Making the Switch

ICD-10 is the largest healthcare mandate in history and while many healthcare professionals are concentrating on ObamaCare requirements, just as many and more are focusing on ICD-10 requirements as meeting them is directly connected to their revenue stream.  Documentation requirements are high, but the shift can be made easier with proper planning and implementation.

  • Assess staff training needs –

Forces Joined for Interoperability

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is a staff division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and they are focused on implementing an interoperable and secure nationwide health information system.  The EHR/HIE Interoperability Workgroup (IWG) is a New York-led group of 19 states and 47 EHR and HIE vendors. 

The Future of the Meaningful Use Program

Recently the American Medical Association (AMA) released a letter to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Karen B. DeSalvo and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Marilyn B. Tavenner. The 30 page letter states, “After three-and-a-half years of provider participation, we are at a critical crossroad where we believe it is important and necessary to pause and fully assess what is working and what needs improvement before moving ahead to Stage 3 of the program.”  They have released a blueprint to improve the Meaningful Use program giving 4 steps they feel need to be considered:

  • Adopt a more flexible approach for meeting Meaningful Use
  • Expand hardship extension for all MU stages
  • Improve quality reporting
  • Address physician EMR usability challenges

The AMA further states that while over 78% of office-based physicians are using an EHR,

ObamaCare – Thumbs Up or Thumbs down?

In my opinion, (and without taking sides of the political table), the jury is still out on whether or not ObamaCare is a good thing or not.  From a consumer standpoint, the rise in costs is certainly not a good thing.  While I understand that health plans now have to cover more conditions/illnesses than they did before since ObamaCare eliminates pre-existing conditions and that might be why the cost is going up,

Stolen Medical Records in Jersey City, NJ

Patients of Dr. Nisar A. Quraishi, an internist in with a private practice in Jersey City, NJ may have had their medical records stolen and are now potential victims of identity theft.  Patients who have seem Dr. Quraishi between 1982 and 2009 have had their records stored in a shed behind the office and just last week this shed was broken into and records stolen.