One of the best ways to get physicians to adopt electronic medical records (EMR) is to ensure entering information in the system doesn’t disrupt their workflow. But for many physicians, sitting at the computer to type in notes during a patient visit is time consuming, causing many to feel that it detracts from the quality of care they provide. The icing on the cake? A recent report from IDC Health Insights shows decreased physician productivity after an EMR implementation due to workflow disruptions. One of the best ways practices can avoid these pitfalls is to look for EMRs that have integrated dictation capabilities. Many physicians make a voice recording of medical notes for transcription later and have been doing it that way for years. However, with integrated dictation capabilities, physicians are now able to add necessary notes to the EMR using only voice commands while meeting with the patient. This medical speech recognition technology accurately “types” the notes directly into the medical record in real time as they are spoken, rather than hours after the patient’s visit. The ease of adding notes in a manner that is consistent with the physician’s workflow fosters greater adoption and also improves practice efficiency.

Increases in copayments, deductibles and co-insurance rates over the past 10 years, as well as the increasing use of health savings accounts, have put a much greater emphasis on individuals taking an active role in how they purchase health services. In short, the age of consumerism has finally arrived for healthcare, but a greater question remains: Are healthcare organizations prepared for the patient-as-a-customer, and how do they positively engage these healthcare consumers to choose their practices over others offering the same services in a very competitive market?

One of several factors inhibiting ophthalmologists from adopting electronic medical record (EMR) systems has been the way Meaningful Use mandates were originally developed. In an article from Ophthalmology Times, titled “Eye-care professionals still slow to adopt electronic health records,” Dr. Chiang, chairman of the AAO Medical Information Technology Committee, offered the following comment: "The government's meaningful use programs are geared toward all health-care providers, for that reason, they inherently have somewhat of a one-size-fits-all approach, where the requirements that an ophthalmologist needs to meet are the same as what an internist or general surgeon would need to meet." However, the number of ophthalmology practices implementing EMR and practice management systems is growing due to the emergence of specialty vendors offering fully customized solutions using more advanced and flexible technology. The following are some best practices, tips and practical advice for ophthalmology practices that are trying to find EMR solutions to best fit their needs.

As many in the industry noted, Stage 1 Meaningful Use (MU) was largely geared toward general practices, and has been described as a “one size fits all” approach that did not take into account the varied nature of specialty providers. Although there were exemptions that specialty practices could qualify for in Stage 1, the initial confusion surrounding the guidance created challenges for many providers. CMS has now provided guidance on Core, Menu and Clinical Quality Measures (CQM) exclusions. CMS has been very clear that potential exclusions are not based on a particular specialty, but rather on the specific data that a practice does not collect because it is not relevant to their practice. They note that there are no “blanket” exclusions for any type of provider and that the physician is responsible for “evaluating whether they meet the exclusion criteria for each applicable objective.” After receiving numerous comments from medical societies, industry associations and other stakeholders, it seems that CMS is listening to the concerns that have been raised by specialty providers. With MU2, providers have more clarity regarding the process for reporting Core, Menu and Clinical Quality Measures. For example, CMS has published a Meaningful Use for Specialists Tipsheet.

Nextech has been committed to supporting our clients through the challenges of attesting for Meaningful Use Stage 1, and we’re now prepared and dedicated to assist with Stage 2. We have been hard at work to ensure that our solutions, including Nextech with NexERx version 11.0, Nextech with NewCropRx 11.0, Nextech 11.1, and Nextech 11.2, are compliant with the ONC 2014 Edition criteria, and we’re pleased to announce that they have been certified as Modular EHRs by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®). For the past 17 years, Nextech has been the leader in technology for specialty practices and has supported more than 7,000 surgeons and physicians and more than 40,000 staff members. Our clients trust us to provide technology that increases the efficiency of their practices and allows them to stay in regulatory compliance.

Healthcare professionals are bracing for a big change in 2014. Beginning October 1, providers across the nation will make the switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 diagnostic code sets, a move that hasn’t been made since 1979. With no grace period allotted by the federal government, physicians are charged with coming up with a plan of attack for implementing ICD-10 and getting their staff fully functional by the Oct. 1 deadline. Integrating ICD-10 into daily practice operations will need to start with a complete understanding of the major differences between ICD-9 and ICD-10. The most obvious change buzzing throughout the industry is the vast difference between the number of codes provided by ICD-10. Under the new system, codes will increase from 18,000 to more than 140,000. Federal healthcare regulators say the upsurge of codes will allow for more specific documentation during patient visits. For example, physicians documenting a patient who broke their arm will be asked to specify whether the right or left arm was broken, a detail not provided with the basic ICD-9 code sets. Another difference providers will notice immediately: code structure. As opposed to ICD-9 codes, the ICD-10 code sets will include numbers as well as letters. The length of the code will also change. ICD-10 diagnostic codes will range from 3-7 characters while procedure codes will include 7 alpha-numeric characters.

The push for Electronic Medical Records has been a revolving topic in the healthcare industry for several years. As of August, 2013, more than 400,000 office-based physicians were listed as active registrants in the EHR Incentive Program. With the demand for EHRs increasing, physicians are daunted with the task of sifting through the hundreds of EHR vendors available and choosing the best fit for their practice. This is a tough decision that can directly impact to efficiency and operability of any practice. Zoning in on the specific workflow needs of the office will prove to be fruitful for physicians on the hunt for the right system for their specialty practice.

The end of the year is upon us! As 2013 prepares to make its exit, it seems only fitting to look back on some of the topics and events that had the healthcare industry buzzing with excitement … and dread. From the federal government to the everyday patient, 2013 shed light on new demands from healthcare professionals and how the industry plans to adapt to the times. So, what were the biggest healthcare hot topics of the year? From new privacy rules to the countdown to ICD-10, we’ve got the breakdown. 1. New HIPAA Regulations