EHR: Federal Funds Will Be Available To You. Are you prepared?
Under the HITECH Act outlined in the ARRA signed into law on February 17, the government will allocate $19.2 billion to physicians as an incentive to adopt an EHR system, as it establishes the “goal of utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States.” This is a tremendous increase in funding for EHR’s, as the Early EHR adopters will receive the most benefits, since approximately 70% of reimbursements are available during the initial two years. U.S. previously spent $125 Million to promote this initiative. The stimulus is structured in a manner to enable physicians to receive an incentive amount of $44,000 to $64,000. To qualify and receive the full share of these funds, physicians must acquire and utilize a “certified” EHR and demonstrate “meaningful use.” “Meaningful use” will be required to be demonstrated through a “certified” EHR that enables the physician the ability to perform a series of measured actions oriented towards patient care. These rules have been initially defined by the legislation as meeting three general requirements: • Utilizing certified EHR technology for electronic prescribing • Utilizing EHR technology that enables Health Information exchanged electronically • Submission of defined quality reporting data on a schedule to be established by HHS (Note: IOS Health Systems, Medios EHR was the first vendor in the country to submit for the Preliminary ARRA certification and officially achieved certification from CCHIT in November 2009.) Physicians that acquire EHR’s and follow the guidelines can receive the ARRA and other incentive payments via additional reimbursements from Medicare or Medicaid. Current incentives offered are as follows: • Providers utilizing e-prescribing receive a 2% reimbursement through CMS. • Providers participating in physician quality reporting initiatives can qualify to receive an additional $6,000 to $8,000 per year per physician. Beginning 2011, EHR utilizers can receive up to $44,000 through Medicare over a five-year period and $64,000 through Medicaid over a six-year period. Early adopters will receive the most benefits, since approximately 70% of reimbursements are available during the initial two years. Physicians should be aware that the plan also states that non-compliance will be penalized through decreased reimbursements from CMS if the physician has not adopted an EHR system by 2014. Currently, it is estimated that less than 20% of physician practices have acquired and utilize EHR systems. Based upon this statistic, the anticipated high demand by physicians for EHR systems during the next six to 12 months, and the significant back-log of implementation schedules by most EHR companies (some EHR companies report waiting lists of four to six months), some physicians may miss out on the opportunity to qualify for the majority of the offered incentives. To best evaluate the various EHR Systems in the market, consider the following: To best evaluate the various EHR Systems in the market, consider the following: • How easy is the system to implement and how long is the process? • How much of the system can be customized to your preferences? • Can the EHR be accessed from remote locations, including home, mobile devices, hospitals, etc.? • Does the EHR automate the process to qualify for CMS incentives? • What is the wait time to have the system implemented? • What type of service and support is included? • What is the TOTAL cost to implement the system? • What are the TOTAL monthly/or annual costs? • What does the training process required to utilize the system? • Does it have a patient portal for patient payments, records, and appointments? • Can the system easily share information across multiple sites and other entities? • What is the system currently integrated with? • Does the EHR have a fully integrated practice management system? Anticipated reimbursement cuts from CMS are also forcing physicians to look for new ways to enhance their practice and improve the way they operate. An EHR offers a great opportunity to be proactive and address future challenges. The EHR industry has also seen a shift in preference towards Web-based service models, in which the burden of technology management and high cost are entirely removed from the physician’s practice. Some models allow for secure access and sharing of patient records, 24-7 from any Internet accessible computer and at times, mobile devices. Many ask if utilizing an EHR system provides better patient care. Quite simply it does. An EHR provides immediate accessibility to critical patient information and physician tools that are not normally accessible via paper; such as drug interactions, clinical decision support, patient education, disease and patient population management. Another key consideration of a system is its integration capabilities. The future of the industry is not proprietary ecosystems but the ability to be interoperable and communicate amongst all health-care entities and groups for a truly shared health-information network. Most industry studies have shown that the complexity, cost, and labor involved with systems have kept many doctors from making the transition. With a 35% de-installation rate, the industry is plagued with many solutions that are not capable of addressing the true needs of a practice and of the physician. While the ARRA has created opportunities for providers, physicians should be weary of “bandwagon” companies and “too good to be true deals” created post-ARRA, seeking to “cash in” on the recent initiatives. Trust only certified systems that have a solid customer base and a proven track record with high physician satisfaction. Physicians need to be focused on taking care of their patients and not worried about technology. An EHR must be easy to use and designed to provide the physician with tools that enhance and facilitate their ability to provide care combined with an improved ability to manage revenue. To avoid missing out on the opportunity to obtain a share of the federal funds, while also enhancing your practice, review your options for EHR systems now and consider implementing a system into your practice as soon as possible After all, when was the last time the government offered you money for improving your practice? _____________________________________________________________________________ IOS Health Systems (IOS) is a privately held corporation with company headquarters in Miami, FL. IOS offers innovative healthcare technology software (Preliminary ARRA 2011 certified Medios 4.5, Medios PMS, & Medios Enterprise) enhanced with industry leading service that empowers care providers to better manage their medical practice while improving the quality of care for their patients. For more information, contact IOS at (877) 467-1467 or info@ioshs.com, also visit their website at www.ioshealthsystems.com. About Author Andrew Carricarte is the President, CEO of IOS Health Systems, Inc, a Miami-based provider and leading innovator of web-based electronic health systems. IOS Health Systems currently has the largest number of ambulatory EHR installations in South Florida with a 99% customer retention rate. Andrew’s leadership and vision has been the impetus behind IOS’s growth and expansion. The company’s annual growth to date in 2009 has exceeded 350% over the previous year and continues it’s successful national expansion initiatives. Disclaimer: Article submitters are solely responsible for the content of their articles. ArtiLib can't be held liable for the contents of the articles. Report Abuse | Browse By Category |
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