Medical Billing Blog with Medical Billing & Coding Info & Articles
Our blog contains news and articles relating to numerous healthcare sectors including revenue cycle management, medical billing, medical coding, ICD, HIPAA, practice management functions and more.
EHR Usability Issues Increase After Implementation and Optimization
“Most believe EHR usability issues happen at implementation. However, the majority of EHR usability problems occur after implementation when the EHR is continuously optimized, according to a study published in the BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. “Implementation of the EHR is not limited to a single event in time,” wrote the researchers. “Rather, the technology changes when newer features are added, or interfaces are redesigned. These upgrades may improve functionality, but they also require physicians to adapt to changes beyond the initial implementation.” “Users are required to continually learn how to use the newer system and then to incorporate these upgrades into their clinical workflow, often with negative work …
Billing quality is medical quality – 5 physician-backed metrics to consider
“New billing measures could help providers give their patients a quality billing experience, which two physicians argued in JAMA is a type of medical quality. In a viewpoint article, Simon Mathews, MD, and Martin Makary, MD, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, offered five metrics providers could use to measure whether patients are receiving a quality billing experience. Here are the five metrics: 1. Itemized bills: Are patients always given an itemized bill that explains charges in simple language? 2. Price transparency: Can patients get real prices for shoppable, elective services? 3. Service quality: Are billing representatives available to promptly speak with patients about any concerns …
3 EHR Usability and Optimization Fixes That Address Burnout
“There are many positives associated with EHRs. However, EHR usability is a common negative among EHR users, which leads to clinician burnout. As the calendar flips to 2020, technological advancements in the EHR are key to addressing this epidemic that makes its way around medical facilities throughout the country. According to a study completed in a partnership between the Mayo Clinic and the American Medical Association (AMA), researchers found that EHR usability was largely graded an “F” when evaluated on a traditional letter grade scale, and that failing grade was strongly tied to high clinician burnout scores. “A new study issued today found electronic medical records (EHRs) – as currently …
Cerner’s Learning Health Network to Boost EHR Data Insights
“Cerner recently announced the development of the Cerner Learning Health Network, which is designed to help clinicians more easily use EHR data insights to guide better-informed care. The tool will automate data collection from EHR systems and other sources to give medical researchers access to information that may improve care delivery. Cerner will partner with the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) to pilot the program and improve clinical research registries. The Learning Registry pilot program at DCRI will leverage Cerner Learning Health Network to evaluate proven therapies for chronic cardiovascular disease. Together, Cerner and DCRI hope to use data and intelligence to give clinicians access to insights on chronic cardiovascular …
21 ICD-10-CM codes deleted for FY 2020
CMS has provided ICD-10-CM coding updates for fiscal year 2020 that include 273 additions 21 deletions and 30 revisions, according to the American Health Information Management Association. The 21 deletions for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2019, and ending Sept. 30: 1. D813 Adenosine deaminase [ADA] deficiency 2. H8141 Vertigo of central origin, right ear 3. H8142 Vertigo of central origin, left ear 4. H8143 Vertigo of central origin, bilateral 5. H8149 Vertigo of central origin, unspecified ear 6. I481 Persistent atrial fibrillation 7. I482 Chronic atrial fibrillation 8. Q660 Congenital talipes equinovarus 9. Q661 Congenital talipes calcaneovarus 10. Q6621 Congenital metatarsus primus varus 11. Q6622 Congenital …
Teaching Doctors Have a New Way to Document E/M
Rules are changed for teaching physicians documenting Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes being reported to Medicare July 29, 2019. These changes are part of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) revamp of E/M payments. This will affect medical coders and billers, especially those working in clinical documentation improvement. Changes Part of E/M Revamp Effort The change relaxes the long-standing requirement that teaching physicians re-document information documented by residents and the medical team. This is part of CMS’ response to physicians and facilities’ request to simplify documentation and E/M decision making in general following nation-wide meetings. It also allows teaching physicians to join their non-teaching peers in …
9 Ways to Improve Health IT Interoperability and Patient Data Access
“The Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC) and the Bipartisan Policy Center recently issued a report outlining nine ways the public and private sector can work together to advance health IT interoperability and improve patient data access. Many recommendations included in the report align with newly-released proposed rules from CMS and ONC intended to crack down on information blocking. The report incorporates feedback from more than 100 clinicians and healthcare leaders from hospitals, health systems, health plans, life sciences organizations, health IT companies, and patients gathered in a year-long effort. The report aims to streamline the flow of health information across health IT systems and care settings. “Critical patient information is getting …
Return on Investment in Healthcare
Professor William A. Hyman has a good article on ROI over at Hitech Answers… “The usual meaning of Return on Investment (ROI) in purely financial transactions is how much money do you get back for the amount of money you put in. It is usually desirable for the amount returned to exceed the amount invested, thus achieving a positive ROI. In healthcare this concept requires modification because of who may receive the benefit and whether or not that benefit is monetary. Here our concern is usually investments in IT, although there are many other possibilities such as medical devices. In some hospital “investments” there can be an internal positive return …
One Approach to Achieving EHR Interoperability
While many healthcare stakeholders are dissatisfied with the current state of EHR interoperability and health data exchange, a number of health systems are leveraging existing technology to support care coordination and patient data access. The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) recently recognized a select group of health systems in its 2018 Most Wired list as exemplary organizations embracing new healthcare IT to deliver superior care. Pennsylvania-based Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) ranked third in the nation for its advanced use of health IT. The health system consistently updates its health IT infrastructure and integrates new technologies and data sources into its health IT ecosystem. These ongoing changes support …
Interoperability Questions to Consider During EHR Selection
“Improving interoperability is the central focus of several CMS federal incentive program policies, ONC initiatives, and new partnerships between EHR vendors and health data exchange services providers. Healthcare’s inability to achieve the level of seamless information exchange now common among other industries — such as banking — frustrates healthcare stakeholders across the industry. In a September 2018 survey, nearly 40 percent of physicians cited the current lack of interoperability in healthcare as a primary source of dissatisfaction. While there is no silver bullet that will solve the interoperability problem overnight, there are steps healthcare organizations can take to improve their ability to exchange patient health information with outside hospitals, health …
