Written by Jonathan Govette, CEO of ReferralMD describes 11 reasons why he feels the healthcare system is messed up and why Pardon the expletives, I have been wanting to share some thoughts and frustrations about healthcare system that I have seen arise over the last few years. The United States healthcare system is completely broken; it has become a huge money pit, with insurance companies, pharmaceutical corporations and greedy lawyers at the bottom filling their pockets. Mind you, I do
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Health IT & Digital Health-Opinion | Op-Eds | Guest Columns | Analysis, Insights - HIT Consultant
4 Lessons Learned from HIPAA 5010 That’ll Benefit Your ICD-10 Project
Written by Steve Sisko shares 4 lessons learned from HIPAA 5010 that will benefit your ICD-10 project It’s a fact: ICD-10 has far more impact and involves far more change to people, processes and technology than HIPAA 5010. I’m of the opinion that much of the work expended and artifacts created during a HIPAA 5010 project - particularly test plans and test cases - will not lend direct value to an ICD-10 project. But I’m convinced that many organizations learned are a lot of 5010 lessons that
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Career: Applying Online ~ AKA The Resume Blackhole
Contributed by Cherie Lester, Senior Healthcare IT Recruiter at Holland Square Group offers her insights when applying online AKA the resume blackhole How many times have you applied through a company web site never to hear a response? Perhaps you've applied through a company web site and received a call from a recruiter months later after you've already landed a new position? These scenarios are all too common, particularly in the Healthcare industry. Applying through a hospital web site can
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Hospitals: Are You Ready for an ACO?
Contributed by Michael Sandwith, Director of Business Development at ICA The Accountable Care Organization (ACO) aims to change the way hospitals deliver care by changing the financial incentives. There are different payment structures than can be used to encourage hospitals to lower costs, improve quality, or both. Since the goal of an ACO should be to lower costs and improve quality, using an accountability payment structure – one in which costs and quality are linked–will be the most
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Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) and MAC: Failure and Success in 2012
By Lori Brocato, Audit Product Manager, HealthPort Lori Brocato, Audit Product Manager, HealthPort writes about the failures and successes of Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) and Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) The latest CMS figures report nearly $600 million was recouped from healthcare providers in the first quarter of 2012 alone. Added to earlier overpayments, providers have “given back” over $1B since the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program began. The success
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Texting: A Do or Don’t for Doctors?
According a recent Johnson & Coker report, 80% of doctors use smartphones. In addition to making calls and using apps, docs are using their smartphones to take advantage of one of today’s most convenient forms of communication: the text message. Unlike so much about healthcare – treatment plans, wait times, the reimbursement cycle – texting is quick. And for doctors, as for everyone with thumbs, texting offers a simple way to communicate that doesn’t require making a call, writing down a
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E-Prescribing Controlled Substances: The Time is NOW!
Written by Irene Froehlich, Director of Marketing at DrFirst The healthcare industry has been talking about the benefits of e-prescribing for years. By now, the advantages offered to your practice and your patients—through increased workflow efficiency and reduced medication errors—are obvious. However,making e-prescribing for controlled substances (EPCS) available to physicians has proven to be more of a challenge. This has frustrated providers, patients, and loved ones of patients alike.
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Could Technology Be Driving The High Cost of Healthcare?
Written by Ahmed Mori at Care Cloud: You wouldn’t know it from the overwhelming amount of positive press it receives, but amplified use of technology in healthcare could be one of the driving factors behind the high cost of healthcare in the United States. However, it’s not the technology that you’re thinking of.
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7 Tips to Get Physicians On Board with ICD-10
Written by Deborah Robb, BSHA, CPC, Physician Management Consultant for TrustHCS: The American Medical Association, not satisfied with HHS’s push-back of the ICD-10 deadline to October 1, 2014, has protested again. Perhaps one of the reasons for their continued dissent is lack of guidance and support. While much has been published about the implementation of ICD-10 for hospitals,
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5 Stages of Maturity in Care Coordination and Patient Collaboration
5 stages of maturity in care coordination and patient collaboration regarding health information exchanges w/ John Smith, Director of Communications at ICA Care coordination is rapidly becoming the watch-word for improving outcomes and reducing costs. One in four Americans has multiple chronic conditions that require coordinated care in order for care to be effective. That number increases to 66% for patients over 65, a growing segment of the population as baby boomers reach maturity.
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