Knowledge doesn’t go to waste by default; it only evolves. Seeing as it’s still the holiday season, we present you with the gift that keeps on giving.
Hence, we present to you the second installment of our 52 Things Healthcare Learned in 2012 series, including nuggets about some of the most trying topics in practice management and health IT. Enjoy!
Achieving Meaningful Use Isn’t a One-Step Process
Although an important one, EHRs are just one step in the Meaningful Use process. Even Meaningful Use-certified EHRs aren’t a shortcut to government incentives. Areas like billing, imaging and administrative scheduling still need to be addressed.
Data is Your Friend
Data is one of the most powerful tools available to your practice. It’s important to select a reporting and analytics solution that is part of a comprehensive practice management system. Doing so will make it easier to utilize important data that will create strategies to improve efficiency, increase profitability and enhance the patient experience.
The ICD-10 Delay Brings Both Good and Bad
The ICD-10 delay can have both positive and negative effects on your practice. On the up side, the delay allows your practice to build a cash buffer and adapt ICD-10 in tandem with other initiatives. Conversely, it will delay the realization of benefits from ICD-10.
Nontraditional Payment Models
As primary care physicians struggle with inadequate Medicare reimbursement rates, frequent payer underpayments and ignored patient co-pays, some are taking nontraditional approaches to payment.
Three models that may help your practice collect a higher percentage of payments include a direct pay system, concierge programs or alternative currency bartering systems.
CCDs Matter to EHRs
Continuity of Care Documents, or CCDs, are a way EHRs will exchange data per the Meaningful Use requirements. The type of EHR you adopt is important in this case because it determines how you organize the data in your CCD.
Why ePrescribe?
ePrescribing is the practice of electronically generating prescriptions and using special software to share that information with participating pharmacies.
Advantages include enhanced patient safety and quality of care, reduced phone calls and pharmacy callbacks, increased patient convenience and simplified refill requests and authorization procedures.
Life is Easier in the Cloud
Even with benefits such as a robust configuration of advanced IT technologies, less than one-third of healthcare organizations are turning to the cloud to meet their needs. With new requirements like ICD-10 changing healthcare operations, turning to the cloud may be more beneficial than ever.
The five E’s to increasing patients and growing your business:
- Earn positive reviews on websites like ZocDoc and Angie’s list
- Establish a social media presence
- Embrace patient portals and EHRs to enhance the patient experience
- Engage the community through public service or fundraising events
- Expand your services to meet your patients’ needs
Don’t Wait Until it’s Too Late
News about a physician shortage isn’t just bad news for patients but could spell trouble for your practice too. With an expected shortage of 62,900 doctors by 2015, hiring a new physician now will give you the upper hand in salary negotiations and a better selection of physicians to choose from.
Client-server EHRs: Yesterday’s News?
Client-server EHRs can cost your practice money, energy, and precious time. Along with thousands of dollars in hidden fees, client-server EHRs can cause you problems with varying versions, updates, travel, and local equipment.
The Telephone: From Foe to Friend
A continuously ringing phone might seem like the most annoying thing on earth, but it can be your ally in achieving high patient satisfaction levels for your practice. Something simple like politely answering phone calls can have a lasting impact on a patient’s opinion of your practice.
Hello? Who’s there? Your Doctor.
Telemedicine utilizes technology like voice conferencing and streaming media to provide remote and long-distance patient care, medical education, and health administration. This results in preventive care that could potentially save healthcare billions by preventing hospitalizations.
Crossing Over to Mobile EHR Technology
91% of U.S. physicians are interested in accessing EHRs via mobile devices. Even with the technology in (very) early stages, steps like creating a desktop/mobile cross strategy should be adopted to make the transition easier when you decide to go mobile.
HIT as a Career Path
Many colleges and universities now offer courses and degrees specifically targeting the healthcare IT industry. To promote higher ed programs like these, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) conferred $116 million to 82 community colleges and nine universities in the United States.
How to Determine When It’s ‘HIE’ Time
Data exchange is supposed to be one of the major benefits of using digital health technology, but joining an HIE shouldn’t be a hasty decision. Time needs to be taken to determine your practices geographic reach, what HIEs are viable and how many HIEs your practice may need to join.
Overpayments: What to Do?
It’s critical for providers to return overpayments from patients or payers as quickly as possible. If not, your practice may incur penalties or legal repercussions if deemed to have been keeping overpayments.
Your Office May Not Be as Safe as It Seems
In 2009, more than half of malpractice statements were made for adverse outcomes resulting from errors at the doctor’s office, mainly due to errors in diagnosis. The twist? EHR systems have had safeguards in place all along, most of which can help prevent misdiagnoses.
Measuring Patient Satisfaction
Come 2013, office-based providers will be held to the same standards as doctors under the value-based purchasing model. Since CMS will be using patient feedback to assess physicians’ scores, it’s highly important that docs start measuring satisfaction immediately, if they aren’t already.
Meetings Cost Money
Meetings are a part of life at the office, but they could be costing you money. The amount of hours doctors in a medical group lose to meetings each year is valued at $49,000. And swallow this – staff members get paid $3,500 a year just to sit in meetings.
MD vs WebMD
According to research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80% of Internet users are looking online for their health information. Patients have more tools now than ever to investigate medical issues and become educated about their personal health.
Do you know what you need when setting up a new medical practice?
