Client News Coverage

In today's data-driven health care system, no medical specialty is exempt from reporting on key performance metrics. Two, however, carry a heavier burden than most: cardiology and gastroenterology (GI).

For The Record »

Today’s hospital and health system executives cannot help but hear the clamor to advance data-driven care delivery models focused on proactive management of populations. Pressed by a sense of urgency to position for the future of risk-based reimbursement arrangements, executives can often overlook a cornerstone element to success with analytics: data normalization. In fact, it is not uncommon for a health system to invest millions of dollars in an analytics solution, only to realize later that the reports being produced are inaccurate or meaningless due to missing or poor quality data.

HIE Answers »

In a previous set of interviews with Jim O’Brien, MD, MSc, Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety, Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital and Stephen Claypool, MD, Medical Director, POC Advisor, Wolters Kluwer, we learned about the ravages of sepsis and how POC Advisor’s electronic surveillance and alerts assist in sepsis detection.

HIT Leaders and News »

While sterile compounding in hospital and health-system pharmacies has long been a critical component of quality care delivery, the industry’s ability to mainstream and standardize best practices of these high-risk processes has faced ongoing challenges. However, several decades of effort are beginning to show promise as states increasingly adopt and mandate use of USP Chapter <797> (USP 797), the recognized industry standard, to improve the safety outlook for both patients and the staff who engage in compounding.

Drug Topics »

The NASCAR Foundation has chosen Dunedin's Carl Flatley, the founder of Sepsis Alliance, as one of four finalists for the foundation's Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide. Flatley founded the alliance after his daughter lost her life to sepsis, a complication that occurs after an infection. Learn more about the reward at carlspitcrew.com.

Tampa Bay Times »

As a faocal point of national quality initiatives, meaningful use (MU) is unfolding across the industry as a startegic effort to increase the momentum of health information exchange (HIE). The initiative accomplishes this goal by progressively laying a foundation of attestation requirements for the collection, exchange, and reporting of data using certified EHR technology (CEHRT).

For The Record Magazine »

Standardization of evidence-based practices is a central goal of initiatives to improve population health, enhance patient experiences and lower costs.

While the ability to reduce variation in clinical response is an important component to reaching these goals, it is even more critical in the case of a public health crisis when time for disease containment is of the essence.

Health Data Management »

Under the burden of new regulations and pay-for-performance initiatives to curb costs, hospitals' and healthcare networks' financial systems must find more efficient routes to cut time-to-bill for procedures and diagnostic care. The faster the procedure is coded and billed, the faster the facility is paid. However, despite best efforts, many organizations still struggle to turn around coding and billing in a timely manner. Delays can range from coding to the more severe issue of rejected or denied claims, which prevent payment from occurring in a reasonable timeframe, negatively impacting overall revenues.

Executive Insight »

HIT and mobile technology have finally come to a crossroad. The mobile industry has reached a point where experimenting with HIT integration is feasible, proven, and affordable. Cost barriers such as application hardware and software and design complexity that once prevented developers from exploring mobile integration have been minimized.

For The Record »

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a natural part of life. But when it comes to medical billing and coding errors, one mistake can mean thousands of dollars in mismanaged costs for both a physician and a patient. A shocking 8 out of 10 hospital bills contain errors, as reported by ABC News. Medical billing errors might mean that a patient is billed for too much or too little of their treatment cost. Medical coding errors might mean that a patient’s treatment is coded as a procedure that is not covered by insurance, so they are left with a hefty bill.

Top Medical Assisting Programs »

When the first U.S. Ebola patient was admitted to a Dallas hospital in the summer of 2014, the ensuing media firestorm scrutinized nearly every aspect of the U.S. healthcare system’s readiness to deal with an epidemic that had already left thousands dead and dying overseas.

ICD10 Monitor »

Three-week-old Jose Carlos Romero-Herrera was rushed to the ER, lethargic and unresponsive with a fever of 102.3. His mother watched helplessly as doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and assorted other clinicians frantically worked to determine what was wrong with an infant who just 24 hours earlier had been healthy and happy.

EMR & HIPPA »

As more hospitals undertake dual coding in advance of ICD-10, evidence is emerging that suggests clinical documentation may not be the only weak link in the transition. Many are discovering that coders are struggling with the correct selection of the 31 PCS root operations. Dual coding programs are highlighting for many facilities the significant need for advanced PCS training, especially in cardiovascular, muscular skeletal, and obstetrics. A recent pilot undertaken by Amphion revealed more than half of the surgical procedure code errors were attributed to the incorrect selection of the “root operation.

Health IT Outcomes »

As hospitals, health systems and payers navigate the new risk-bearing landscape, synergies exist when clinical documentation improvement strategies are expanded to address both meaningful use (MU) SNOMED CT requirements and ICD-10. While the magnitude of the ICD-10 transition itself and the ongoing rumors of additional delays may tempt some organizations to pause in their pursuit of readiness, the bottom line is that advantages to clinical documentation can be realized even before the transition by using SNOMED CT within electronic health records.

Government Health IT »

Are health care organizations paying proper attention to the caliber of their transcribed documents?

Although medical record privacy is always a concern, some patients may be surprised by who isn’t looking at their files. Most consumers probably expect that their medical records are reviewed for accuracy, but that’s not always the case.

For the Record »