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

Choosing an Electronic Healthcare Records is potentially the most important decision a practice can make today. Finding the right EHR to meet your needs can require a great deal of effort and research for the doctor or practice administrator charged with the task. It is important that every practice take pause and consider a few questions before making their initial investment. What will life be like after go-live, how stable is the software vendor, what is ongoing support and training like and how specific does it meet the needs of my practice?

It’s a new day in the medical industry. As of Sept. 23, new changes to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations have been sweeping the healthcare field, forcing physicians to keep a closer eye on the security of protected health information (PHI). The new revisions, also referred to as the “Omnibus Final Rules,” place added pressure on doctors to protect medical records with the threat of stiff fines for violators. Stemming from the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, the new HIPAA regulations were announced Jan. 17, 2013, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The revamping of HIPAA’s rules comes as the federal government continues its push for early adoption of electronic medical records (EHRs). With billions of dollars in incentive payments going toward early EHR adopters, federal legislatures are working to clamp down on security breaches when it comes to PHI. Operating as the enforcers of new HIPAA sanctions, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will work to ensure compliance through investigating complaints and conducting audits of businesses and organizations covered by the rules. Doctors found to be outside of compliance could face hefty fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 per violation with a maximum fine of up to $1.5 million in 12 month period.

It goes without saying; the healthcare industry is experiencing a technological boom. With the push for physicians to take their practice in a digital direction, doctors have been thrust into a new era of patient care. As if the burden to comply with government incentive regulations like Meaningful Use, PQRS, and ICD-10 weren’t enough, physicians are now experiencing increased pressure to jump into the online world of the healthcare social media community.

Elective Surgery physicians are often daunted with the task of competing for new patients. Because elective surgery works on an “opt-in” basis, physicians find themselves having to aggressively market to their target audience. Whether it is done through television, radio, newspaper or online, physicians must actively compete for business in an age where the Internet has made choosing a doctor as simple as online shopping. When a doctor’s marketing tactics pay off in the form of a lead, it is up to the doctor and the staff to close the loop on converting the lead into a new patient.

It is a routine the front desk staff of a doctor’s office experiences tens, maybe hundreds, of times a day. A patient walks through the door, goes up to the front desk and proceeds to go about checking in for their appointment. There was once a time when most patients carried reliable healthcare plans and checking in for an appointment with their physician was simple. Today, with shaky economic times and a continuously evolving healthcare system, making sure that patients have the necessary health coverage to cover the cost of their office visit is harder than ever. According to a study published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the single, most important piece of technology a doctor’s office can have is an electronic eligibility verification tool. With an increase of more than 35% of patients being underinsured today, NexTech and Gateway EDI partnered to bring joint clients the ability to check the eligibility status of patients before they walk through the door. NexTech’s Practice Management and Electronic Medical Record solution integrates with Gateway EDI to verify eligibility through their nationwide network of thousands of payers in just seconds.