efficiency

ALSO NOTED: Medicare launches SC-based PHR pilot; Mayo Clinic deploys wireless network; and much more...

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Medicare announced that it was launching a South Carolina-based pilot project encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to use a PHR. Article

> The Mayo Clinic has deployed a Cisco-based wireless network across all of its facilities, which it says is intended to improve care and boost efficiency. Article

> Connecticut's state medical society has begun offering a hosted on-demand practice management service to its members. Article

> A group of 11 Oklahoma hospitals have set plans for their emergency rooms to share patient data. Article

And Finally... Some people just won't let a debt go... even a 32-year-old debt. Article

Study: Almost half of MDs say EMRs are key to reform

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:59:54 -0400

Physicians may be reluctant to spend big bucks on EMRs, but when backed into a corner, they admit that such automation is important. In fact, a new survey found that 46 percent of doctors believe that automating patient records is critical to improving efficiency and moving reform forward. The survey, which was conducted by healthcare recruiters Jackson & Coker, focused on doctors' opinions on presidential candidates' healthcare positions. When asked to how healthcare delivery could be streamlined under reform schemes, EMRs ranked at the top, with "doctors spending more quality time with each patient" coming in a close second at 43 percent.

To learn more about the study:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

Related Articles:
Study: Physicians at EMR "tipping point." Report
Bill would pay for physician health IT costs. Report
MD group asks for federal help with EMRs. Report
Smaller practices still behind in IT adoption. Report

SPOTLIGHT: Clinton campaign pitching EMRs

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:59:52 -0500

Despite her loss in Iowa, presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) continues vigorously on the campaign trail. Late last week, her theme was the role of EMRs in healthcare. Sen. Clinton is telling New Hampshire voters that EMRs are critical to improving the efficiency of the healthcare system. Article

New EMR incentives--or threats?

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Wow, someone outside of politics or the health insurance industry is acknowledging the benefit of EMRs. A Minneapolis-based medical malpractice insurer has agreed to give physicians who use EMRs a premium credit of 2 percent to 5 percent if the practice meets some key criteria. This suggests that the insurer sees EMRs as having a practical impact on its costs, not just producing some ill-defined efficiency benefit, which is quite interesting.

To qualify for the credit, which applies to either solo practitioners or group practices, the practice must use a CCHIT-certified EMR, must have implemented vendor updates (or plan to do so) and must be using the EMR for at least a year. Also, three-quarters of physicians in the practice must be using the EMR. What's more, the practice must be using at least two of the six EMR functions listed on the company's policy application.

Honestly, I don't think a huge number of practices will benefit from this credit. After all, few will meet the requirements. Still, it's interesting to see the P&C insurance sector take this tack. And it makes me wonder who else will move in this direction, and how.

Will health insurers offer discounts to patients who visit EMR-equipped doctors? Will employers go beyond their current focus on PHRs to demand digital records from physicians--and penalize those who don't offer them? Will pay for performance program managers start demanding IT investment, rather than simply acknowledging that it probably helps outcomes?

Another big question: will governments (state, federal and even local) finally put their money where their mouth is and offer tax credits (or similar incentives) for EMR adoption? They're certainly in a better position to fund this massive investment then even the deep-pocketed health insurance business.

Perhaps most importantly, when will all of this happen, if it does?

All I know is that I'm going to be keeping a close eye on where incentives (and disincentives) for EMR adoption are headed. With EMR use and adoption becoming a public focus and political football, heaven only knows who'll get involved next. - Anne

P.S. Last week, I took a contrarian position on the issue of RHIOs, outlining some reasons why they may be a bad idea. For an interesting and highly articulate response, I encourage you to check out the blog entry by Martin Jensen of the Healthcare IT Transition Group, in which he takes apart my argument graciously and thoughtfully. Worth a read!

HHS asks employers to push shared HIT standards

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 19:01:38 -0500

HHS head Mike Leavitt is asking employers to commit to a set of four goals which include asking health vendors to get their data interoperability act together. As part of this effort, Leavitt and his agency would like to see employers work closely with RHIOs, both by feeding them cost and quality information and using the information to make plan management decisions. In addition to encouraging interoperability, the goals ask employers to make vendors like health plans and third-party administrators increase the transparency of quality and pricing information and encourage the use of quality and efficiency incentives. HHS has begun to develop specific quality and cost specs for employers to use in implementing the goals. The idea, according to Leavitt, is to have more than 60 percent of the marketplace use these goals as part of their health purchasing criteria by spring of 2007. Meanwhile, the federal health plans have already adopted these goals, on orders from President Bush.

For more background on the employer initiative:
- read this article in HR.BLR.com
- review the HHS materials on "value-driven healthcare"

Related Article:
New York kicks off final phase of RHIO funding. Report

ALSO NOTED: HHS team tackles EHR integration;Telemedicine spending to increase; and much more...

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> HHS team tackles genetics, EHR integration. Article

> Telemedicine spending to increase. Article

> AT&T lands new contract with El Camino Hospital. Item

> Illinois physician leverages EHRs to boost efficiency. Item

> Edifecs launches HIPAA companion guide testing. Item

> EMR Experts partner on EHR tool. Item

And Finally…The end is near, time to pack. Article

SPOTLIGHT: States lead health IT charge

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:00:37 -0400

A vast majority of states are taking critical steps to drive improvements in the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through information technology. An issue brief released last week by the independent, non-profit eHealth Initiative (eHI) notes that 38 state legislatures have introduced 121 bills during 2005 and 2006 that specifically call for the use of health information technology (HIT) to improve patient care. Thirty-six bills passed in 24 states and were signed into law during 2005 and 2006. The eHI report also indicates that 10 executive orders were issued by U.S. governors across the nation, calling for the development of strategies, plans and recommendations for using HIT and health information exchange to improve health and healthcare. Report