Top Guest Posts of the Month
One of the ways that HITECH Answers is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thought on the issues of today. We publish at least seven guest posts a week now, Monday through Thursday. In case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts of the month. Thank you for contributing and reading.
HIPAA and eMail: A Compliance Nightmare?
By Matt Fisher, Attorney and chair of the Health Law Group at Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie & Lougee, LLP.
In the world of HIPAA, concerns of privacy and security are of paramount importance. Privacy focuses upon how protected health information (“PHI”) may be used or disclosed. Security focuses upon protections and safety measures implemented to protect the privacy of PHI. One of the biggest risks posed to both the privacy and security of PHI is email. Continue Reading…
Why Ergonomics and EHRs Make for Happier Practitioners and Patients
By By Steve Reinecke, CLS/MT, CPHIMS, AVP Ergotron Healthcare
Today, healthcare organizations are being challenged to provide quality care while improving accuracy, efficiency and accountability. With the additional strain of staff reductions, space constraints, budget cuts and technological advancements all competing with new regulations, there is almost a perfect storm of workflow changes for clinicians to address and adopt. Continue Reading…
EHR Features That are Changing Medicine
By Zach Watson, Technology Advice
The United States healthcare system is in the midst of a technological revolution. Less than a decade ago, a majority of doctors maintained patient data using only paper documents. Now, electronic health records are one of the most prevalent technologies in medicine. Continue Reading…
Counterpoint: ICD-10 is an Opportunity
By Charles Pope, Managing Director of Health Information Technologies
Ever since 1969 when Richard M. Nixon signed the HMO Act, physicians’ and providers’ authority for care decisions and control over reimbursement has been steadily eroding, almost to the point of non-existence. The power of the insurance industry, which has taken over that mantle, notwithstanding, what has really allowed this to happen is the provider’s almost total lack of data with which to justify reimbursement levels or evaluate and prove effectiveness of care within specific disease categories or for specific conditions. ICD-10 and the use of EHR’s will give providers the ability to take back control of healthcare. Continue Reading…
Using Automation to Go Beyond Compliance and Transform Healthcare
By Dustin Snell, CEO & Founder, Network Automation
Over the past decade, healthcare organizations have increasingly used technology solutions to streamline workloads, share vital health data and deliver better patient care. The federal government encouraged adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by healthcare providers through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs under the HITECH Act of 2009, which provides direct financial incentives to healthcare providers who demonstrate “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology. Ultimately, the goal is to improve patient care. Continue Reading…
ICD-10 Delay and Medicare Payment Reform
By Justin Barnes, VP, Greenway Medical Technologies
Control Your Own Destiny — Stay Vigilant to Organizational Strategies for Success. Whether the ICD-10 delay and Medicare payment fluctuations bring relief or frustration, there are still many ways to position your organization for a successful future. Continue Reading…
Surviving the ICD-10 Delay: 5 Unknowns to Consider
By Rex A. Stanley, RN, CPC, CMM, PCS, CHBC, CRS, CPCO, President of Alpha II, LLC
How the ICD-10 delay was wrapped into the SGR bill, approved by Congress, and signed into law with such lightning speed may remain a mystery forever. Depending on how prepared you are to transition from ICD-9 coding to ICD-10, however, physicians and hospitals can demystify some of the unknowns caused by the delay to govern their organizations effectively. Continue to the five unkowns.
Lagging BI System Implementations Leave Organizations at a Disadvantage
By Ryan Skains, Regional Director of Healthcare Services at TEKsystems
With the shift from fee-for-service to pay-for-performance payment models gaining momentum in the United States and as organizations continue to address the mandates set by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), healthcare providers are becoming more and more incentivized to leverage technology to increase organizational efficiency and improve the quality of patient care. Continue Reading…
Meaningful Use for Hospital Wi-Fi
By Jeff Reedy, President and Chief Executive Officer of 7Signal
Every time I talk to one of our hospital customers, I hear about meaningful use. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides for incentive payments for hospitals that adopt a certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) system and are meaningful users of certified EHR technology to improve patient care. Continue Reading…
Telemedicine and ‘The Cloud’ Are Joined at the HIPAA
By Roger Downey, Communications Manager, GlobalMed
As healthcare becomes more reliant on telemedicine technology, the Federal Trade Commission is stepping up its enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. Ross Friedberg says cloud-based telemedicine is the new frontier of healthcare. Continue Reading…