Technology

There will be no more delays to the October 1 deadline to implement the ICD-10 coding system.That was the message from CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner during Thursday’s keynote presentation to the HIMSS 2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Aetna’s CEO Mark T. Bertolini both gave keynote addresses at this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference in Orlando, Florida. Here are some of the event's highlights.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that it will conduct end-to-end testing for Medicare claims submitted using the ICD-10 code set.

Are decision makers in the healthcare field ready to invest in and adopt the new mobile devices and technology that will link them to patients and other healthcare providers in the future?

Flipping the switch on your EHR system tests your staff’s productivity, relationship with patients, and the reliability of your new system

Has your medical practice received unexpected Medicare denials? Coding expert Renee Stantz helps to sort through the confusion, and she offers more advice for ICD-10 preparation.

During his keynote address at the 2014 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference, Aetna’s CEO Mark T. Bertolini calls for transformative healthcare change focused on wellness, aligned incentives, and a crackdown on wasteful spending.

More patients are aware of websites that rate physicians, and they make a growing impact on which doctor they pick.

The costs to medical practices for implementing ICD-10 have been grossly underestimated, according to a recent study.

The vast majority of practices have done nothing to get ready for ICD-10 or are only "somewhat ready."

Another deadline for the $27 billion Medicare EHR Incentive Program has been extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Providers will now have until March 31, 2014, to submit their data for the 2013 reporting year.

A reader says that the business pressures of running a medical practice makes it no longer enjoyable.

Will reimbursement data on individual physicians lead to better healthcare or leave doctors exposed?

In today’s era of smart phones and tablets, the question is no longer whether physicians and their staff members should send text messages containing protected health information, but rather what is the safest way to do so.

Medical Economics collected hundreds of comments from physicians about electronic health record (EHR) systems. While respondents noted the benefits EHRs provide in functions such as e-prescribing and mobile applications, they say cumbersome systems have drained cash from their practices, and worsened patient care because of inefficiencies.

Probably the least understood and greatest exposure and risk for practices attesting to Meaningful Use (MU) is the need to complete a security risk analysis.

Like it or not, ICD-10-CM is coming in October, which means medical practices are going to have to code and document their physicians’ patient encounters with more detail and complexity, or they won’t get paid. To help physicians prepare, we highlight some examples of ICD-10-CM coding in action.

Why a national outcry from physicians on EHR cost, functionality, and customer satisfaction will shake the health information technology sector

Physicians, consultants, and vendors offer real-world advice on getting your EHR up and running.

Use the experience your practice gained during its first EHR implementation to make your new system work for you.

So, what’s really driving physician dissatisfaction with EHRs? These data tables guide you through the results of the exclusive Medical Economics survey.

When calling patients about appointments, tests and other information, practices must comply with the rules in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Factors to consider when purchasing an electronic health record system for your practice.

A recent study confirms that because physicians spend so much time looking at EHRs, they miss out on nonverbal communication cues from patients.

CCHIT aims to refocus its mission on global health IT efforts

More doctors are using electronic health records, but the growth is faster in some states and practice sizes than others.

President Barack Obama skimmed the surface of the Affordable Care Act during his sixth State of the Union speech, while physicians, nurses, educators, and thought leaders in the healthcare industry weighed in on the country's challenges.

Elderly or chronically ill patients may want family and friends to have access to their health records, but physicians’ offices run into the legal problem of keeping those records secure.

The federal government has spent about $5.8 billion through the Meaningful Use program to encourage doctors to buy and use electronic health records in their practices. What have physicians, their patients, and taxpayers gotten for that money so far?

Are you confused about when to start using ICD-10 codes or how to prepare for the CMS claims testing week? Our coding expert, Renee Stantz, has the answers.