Medical Billing Blog: Section - General Info
Archive of all Articles in the General Info Section
This is the archive containing links to all articles written in the General Info section of our blog.
Click any of the article links below to read the entire article or browse another section to the right to read articles on another subject.
ICD Code Classifications for COVID-19
At the time I am writing this article, the U.S. has confirmed over 4.2 million cases of COVID-19 and 144,000 deaths nationwide, and as the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to seemingly increase daily, The World Health Organization had to develop codes for classification of Covid-19 cases. The World Health Organization Family of International Classifications (WHOFIC) Network Classification and Statistics Advisory Committee (CSAC) had an emergency meeting on 31st of January 2020 to discuss the creation of a specific code for the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). World Health Organization (WHO) has established a new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) emergency code (U07.1, 2019-nCov acute respiratory disease). The virus …
Trump Admin Shares Vision for Patient-Centered Health System
The Trump administration, led by Jared Kushner, director of the Office of American Innovation, and Seema Verma, administrator of CMS, spoke about its plans to put data in the hands of patients at the annual Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) conference, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The administration announced its new initiative, MyHealthEData, which aims to break down the barriers preventing patients from accessing and controlling their medical records. “Patients should have access and control to share their data with whoever they want, making the patient the center of the health care system,” Verma says. Part of MyHealthEData will include the revival of the Medicare Blue Button initiative, …
MIPS: The Day of Reckoning
One of my favorite books is The Big Short by Michael Lewis. It was eventually made into a movie by the same name and gives a clear view of the housing bubble that burst 10 years ago and pushed the US economy into the Great Recession. What fascinates me was the ability of some to predict, and profit, from knowing when the collapse would occur. They were able to delve into the details of millions of mortgages and see when the adjustable rates would suddenly increase leading to escalating mortgage payments and boosting the default rates dramatically. The subsequent collapse was unavoidable, and predictable. What does this have to do …
Documenting in Your EHR While Focusing on the Patient
Mott Blair, a Wallace, N.C.-based family physician, doesn’t get distracted by the EHR in the patient exam room. That’s because he keeps it in the hallway, right outside the exam room. He uses an old-fashioned clipboard and paper to take notes during patient visits. “I do all my work face-to-face with patients. I maintain that eye contact, and I always listen,” he says. This work flow has been intentional on Blair’s part, since he’s witnessed many physicians “caught up” entering data and not focusing their attention on patients. His patient’s experience starts with a nurse at the practice capturing their vitals, chief complaint, and current medications and documenting those details …
4 Initiatives Advancing Healthcare Interoperability in 2017
Healthcare interoperability has been a priority for vendors and providers since the advent of health data exchange. Timely access to accurate health information regardless of health IT system or location improves provider communication and patient care delivery across the care continuum. This year, healthcare organizations, health IT developers, and federal agencies alike have made a concerted effort to push the industry closer to its goal of true interoperability. The following are four recent initiatives and forthcoming projects aimed at transforming interoperability in healthcare in 2017… Continue reading this article
New Proposed Rule to Reduce EHR Data Reporting
A new CMS proposed rule contains two provisions intended to reduce hospital eCQM reporting requirements in response to feedback calling for less aggressive EHR data reporting policies. A couple provisions in a new Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program rule proposal outline modifications to electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) reporting requirements and validation processes. In a public document in the Federal Register, CMS proposed reductions to hospital eCQM reporting policies. In the 2017 calendar year reporting period (and 2019 fiscal year payment determination), hospitals would be required to choose six available eCQMs listed in the Hospital IQR Program measure set and offer two chosen calendar year quarters of data… …
Making Health IT Safer and Easier to Use
Every day, clinicians work tirelessly to provide the best possible care for their patients. Clinicians and other health care providers like hospitals are increasingly using health information technology (health IT) such as electronic health records (EHRs), and a growing body of evidence shows health IT can help them make care safer. However, new technology can pose challenges and risks. At the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), patient safety is a top priority, and that’s why we maintain the SAFER Guides to help with the implementation decisions clinicians make to reduce EHR associated patient harm. (SAFER is the acronym for Safety Assurance Factors for Electronic Health …
Many EHR Vendors and Providers Block Information Exchange
Half of electronic health record (EHR) vendors and a quarter of hospitals and health systems routinely engage in information blocking that restricts data flow between providers with different EHRs, according to officials of public health information exchanges (HIEs) surveyed by researchers at the University of Michigan. The top motivation for EHR developers was revenue maximization, whereas the hospital systems were mainly motivated by a desire to maintain or enhance their competitive position, the authors state. The study was published online March 7 in the Milbank Quarterly. In a report issued 2 years ago, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) said there was anecdotal evidence showing that …
20 stats for EHR adoption rates
Less than a decade ago, nine out of ten doctors in the U.S. updated their patients’ records by hand and stored them in color-coded files. By the end of 2017, approximately 90% of office-based physicians nationwide will be using electronic health records (EHRs). Health records are changing quickly — here’s a snapshot of the current EHR landscape: Support for EHR adoption The annual healthcare spending of the country reached ~$2.9 trillion in 2011. It’s expected to soar to $3.5 trillion by 2015. Medical errors cost $19.5 billion a year, and maybe as much as $1 trillion a year when accounting for lost productivity. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death …
New Orthopedic Coder Position at OMG
We are hiring again. Outsource Management Group, LLC, is seeking an experienced orthopedic coder to work in our office and closely with our numerous orthopedic clients. This position is to be full-time with all benefits, however, a part-time position is possible for a candidate that fits perfectly, but is unable to be full-time. This position is to be filled in our office at the address below, if you are unable to work in our office in Bloomington, Indiana, please do not submit a resume for this position. Acceptable candidates possess either 1 or more of the following: 1. Currently holds a coding certification through AHIMA or AAPC 2. Has 2-3 …
