Medical identity theft resulting from data breaches are causing patients much distress, emotionally and financially—and this often results in patients switching providers. That can hurt health care providers financially, since the average lifetime value of one patient is more than $113,000, according to a study by Ponemon.

Additionally, security and privacy breaches can lead to class-action lawsuits, which will increase in 2012, according to Kirk Nahra, a partner at the law firm Wiley Rein LLP. This was certainly the case in 2011, and shouldn’t change in 2012. The result will inevitably be increased costs for affected health care providers.

That will likely lead to two major changes in the industry. First, security and privacy training will become paramount. Although many health care providers already have related procedures in place, in many cases their staff members ignore them. Since most breaches are caused by human error, training will likely become more common.

Additionally, health care providers will likely utilize cyber liability insurance. Cyber Data Risk Managers has said this will be particularly true as health care providers continue to implement their electronic medical records (EMRs), as breaches can be both costly and damaging to the organization’s reputation, as noted above.

Ease. Your EMR cannot be burdensome. To ensure it isn’t, you may want to look at how physicians interact with nurses (both in the office and on the phone) when using the demo EMR.

Supportiveness. Your EMR should support your office workflows. To ensure it does, you may want to present EMR vendors you’re considering with three clinical scenarios: one that’s common, one that’s challenging, and one that involves many staff interactions.

Efficiency. A good EMR will ultimately save you time – and this can be accomplished in many ways, big and small. For example, keeping an electronic chart open on the desktop can help workflows, because if a provider is often in one patient’s chart when a phone call interrupts his work, he may want to open another chart but keep the first one open. To ensure efficiency, you’ll want to watch providers using an EMR in real-life scenarios.

Flexibility. A good EMR will adapt to your changing needs. Ensure that it can evolve as providers become comfortable with improvements in workflow and operational efficiencies as new technologies are developed.

Effectiveness. Finally, your EMR has to work. In other words, does it help you achieve current results, which are based on volume of patients and procedures? Will it help you achieve future results, which many health care analysts believe will be value-driven, and for which clinical data is used to measure quality?

Related articles: Five Keys to EMR Usability

The survey of 1,004 adults, conducted by GfK Roper, found that 78 percent of patients whose doctors use an EMR believe the EMR helps deliver better care—and 38 percent of patients whose doctors don’t use an EMR would like them to do so.

On patients’ wish lists when it comes to EMRs are emailed appointment reminders and online medical records. In fact, patients worry more about access to their medical records than they do about security, according to another survey by GfK Roper, this one of 1,000 adults. And another survey by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that patients are willing to give up some privacy for full access to online medical records.

The surveys highlight the importance of “participatory medicine,” which promotes transparency between health care practitioners and patients, and which is being driven by increased technology, which eliminates the administrative burden of copying and faxing medical records.

Unfortunately, only 49 percent of patients reported that their health care practitioner used an EMR during their last office visit, a number that is unchanged from a similar survey conducted February 2010.

These are important questions. After all, what happens to your data if you want to change EMR providers because you selected the wrong system—or if your EMR provider goes out of business?

Because you’ve made a huge investment in your EMR in both money and time getting information into it, you should have the right to take that information with you if you decide to make a change. But do the EMR vendors you’re considering promise that you can always access your data—and take it with you to another EMR, if necessary?

One thing to look for in selecting an EMR is a system that stores data in a Microsoft-based format. Microsoft technology has been tested for decades, is supported by thousands of technology partners, and will likely be around forever—so data in a Microsoft-based format is portable.

gloStream’s EMR, gloEMR, stores data in a Microsoft-based format—specifically, Microsoft Word and SQL Server.

The result is significant to health care professionals. Not only is your data portable—it’s also easy to use. Since you probably already know how to use Microsoft Word, you’ll spend less time on training, which will increase the time you can spend on other tasks, such as seeing patients. Plus, Microsoft technology is only getting better, since Microsoft spends $5 billion annually to improve its Office suite—and that in turn will keep improving gloEMR.

Related articles:

The Importance of Data Portability and Stimulus Preparation

The EMR you choose will be an integral part of your practice’s operation for many years, so you’ll want to select an EMR system that you can learn how to use effectively—from a vendor that will be around to support it.

Of course, it isn’t possible for an EMR vendor to operate in every single location in which it sells EMRs—but it can still offer on-site training and local support.

How? In the case of gloStream, through a unique partner model—a network of local IT businesses that specialize in supporting EMRs for small and medium-sized companies. These partners are thoroughly familiar with gloEMR, gloStream’s EMR system, and are equipped to effectively install, train, and maintain the system on-site.

On-site training is important because getting up and running on your EMR quickly and accurately is important to keeping your practice operating with minimal interruption to service. Support is important because, as with any software, you can expect occasional problems, and your EMR vendor should be available to fix them quickly and efficiently.

The bottom line: Be sure to ask potential vendors about training and local support. Your EMR vendor will be your partner in a long-term undertaking—and as with any partnership, it’s best to get to know your partner well before you commit.

Related articles:

Selecting an EMR Vendor—Look for Local Support

Questions and answers will follow the presentation.

Register for a session now by clicking a date below:

Thu, Jun 3, 2010 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/579996385

Tue, Jun 15, 2010 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/270037152

Wed, Jun 30, 2010 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/417269120

Wed, Jul 7, 2010 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/226553777

Fri, Jul 23, 2010 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/323233529

Thu, Aug 5, 2010 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/572671081

Physicians can easily spends hundreds of hours ensuring that their EMR works they way should. But what happens when these modifications are made to proprietary systems? They may not be transferrable to other applications.

And if that’s not a problem, what if you want to make a change down the road? Many doctors find the EMR they first selected isn’t the one they want for the longer term. In fact, some industry data suggests that there’s a nationwide de-installation rate of 30 to 40 percent. If this happens to you and your data is “locked in” to your first EMR, you’ll have to recreate everything.

The solution is a Microsoft-based EMR. Not only is it built on a robust system that offers stability and security, it will also protect your time and resource investment by ensuring you can move your data when and if you need to.

Where can you find a Microsoft-based EMR? It’s not easy. Today, hundreds of EMR providers tout an array of products with many features—but most are built using proprietary technology.

The answer: Microsoft-based gloEMR from gloStream.

To learn more about gloStream EMR software and our guarantees, call us at (877) 456-3671 or send an email to info@glostream.com.

Stimulus funding

Doctors considering an EMR should be certain that the system is certified and stimulus-ready. That’s the case with gloEMR from gloStream. In fact, we’ll refund the cost of the EMR to eligible professionals who go through our exclusive gloDNA process then find themselves unable to qualify as a meaningful user and acquire stimulus funding.

Data portability

You have an enormous investment in the patient information you’ve created, so you should always have the option of moving it to another system if the need arises – and you can do that easily with gloEMR. We believe so strongly in data portability, we guarantee that your patient information will be stored in Microsoft-based formats, including Microsoft Word and SQL Server, which are supported by thousands of technology partners worldwide.

Consider gloEMR

With gloEMR, you’ll have the tools and knowledge you need to achieve truly meaningful use—and you’ll always have complete control over all of your patient information. We guarantee it.

To learn more about gloStream EMR software and our guarantees, call us at (877) 456-3671 or send an email to info@glostream.com.

How can you be sure your data will be stored in a universal platform, will be easily accessible, and will be portable to other systems, if needed?

The answer: Microsoft technology.

In our opinion, Microsoft Office is the best EMR platform because it’s the most widely used business platform in the world. Think about it:  Office was launched more than two decades ago, in 1989. And it’s ubiquitous: According to Forrester Research, 80 percent of companies use it. That’s far too many users for the software to be ever be discontinued.

As a result, Office is also one of the most widely supported business platforms in the world. Microsoft spends billions of dollars in research and development each year to improve the software.

What does that mean for you, an EMR user? Your data will be stored in the world’s most reputable business platform—not a proprietary system developed by a single company that may or may not be in business in five years. And it will be portable to other applications.

Security, accessibility, and portability—that’s why we think you should consider an EMR built on the Microsoft Office platform when it comes time to implement one. In our opinion, you won’t regret it.

ASP

With the Application Service Provider (ASP) model, all data is located on a server at an offsite location selected by the EMR company. While this may seem ideal because it requires you to buy less hardware, there may be some problems:

• When you use your EMR, you’ll be accessing data over the Internet, and that can make data transfer slow (or even impossible if your connection fails).
• You will likely never meet the team managing your server.
• Patient data will be controlled by the EMR company, not you.
• If the EMR company fails, you risks losing all patient data.

Client/Server

With the Client/Server model, a server located at your offices houses all patient data, and distributes it to clients, which are simply desktop or laptop computers in your office. This has a number of advantages over the ASP model:

• Because data transfer doesn’t rely on an Internet connection, it’s fast and reliable.
• You—not the EMR company—control patient data.
• The EMR integrates better with your other devices, such as printers and scanners.
• The EMR better supports integrated voice recognition technology.

Your Choice

If you’re trying to decide between an ASP-based EMR and one that is built on a client/server model, be sure to weigh the pros and cons of each option. For more information about why we think the client/server model is best, contact us today.

Of course, there are some basic requirements that any EMR should meet, such as meaningful use. The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) also now tests EMRs for basic functionality and certifies vendor products meeting the tested items.

But you’ll want to look beyond these basics when selecting an EMR. First, you may require functionality specific to your medical specialty. Additionally, you’ll want a product that feels right, and the CCHIT tests only for functionality, not for usability,

Another important—and often overlooked—element in EMR selection is support. The EMR you choose will be an integral part of your practice’s operation for many years, so you’ll want to select an EMR vendor that will be around to support it.

Clearly, it isn’t possible for an EMR vendor to operate in every location it sells EMRs, but it can still offer local support in many ways.

That’s important, because assistance with installation and training are critical. Additionally, as with any software, you can expect occasional problems—and your EMR vendor should be available to fix them quickly and efficiently.

The bottom line: Be sure to ask potential vendors about local support. Your EMR vendor will be your partner in a long term undertaking—and as with any partnership, it’s best to get to know your partner well before you commit.

gloStream’s EMR, gloEMR, is one such solution. It’s the only EMR that has Microsoft Office built into its applications, and the result is significant to health care professionals. Here’s how:

• gloEMR has features you can use to collaborate with other team members, whether they’re in your office or working remotely.

• You probably already know how to use these features, since you most likely use Microsoft Word. This decreases training time and increases time you can spend on other tasks—like seeking patients.

• Because we store your data in Microsoft-based formats such as Microsoft Word, you gain peace of mind. Microsoft technology has been tested for decades and is supported by thousands of technology partners—it will likely be around forever.

• Microsoft technology is only getting better. Microsoft spends $5 billion annually to improve its Office suite—which improves your EMR.

Read our press release here, or contact us for more information.

Perhaps a California hospital’s experience best illustrates this concept. More than five years ago, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center decided to implement an EHR with a $50 million investment. This summer, with the system still not up and running due to technical difficulties, the hospital terminated its contractor and prepared to start part of the project from scratch—being forced to write off more than a third of the money it spent. The setback for UCSF Medical Center illustrates the challenges health care providers of all sizes face when trying to implement EHRs.

However, it’s worth noting that UCSF Medical Center has not been deterred by its experience, and is forging ahead with its EHR implementation. This says a lot about UCSF Medical Center’s faith in EMRs, which is well placed. For every UCSF Medical Center, there is a health care system that has successfully implemented big-budget EHRs and is realizing the benefits (such as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center).

Smaller health care providers can face the same setbacks—and realize the same successes. The key to success is to select the right EHR from the right provider. The product should meet all defined standards, and the provider should be willing to work with you to ensure successful implementation.

Related articles:

Switch to electronic records getting mixed reviews at hospitals, clinics

How the healthcare industry can increase the number of successful EHR/EMR initiatives

Meaningful use refers to the way documentation and data exchange can enhance efficiency and quality among providers, payers, and patients. As a result, meaningful use is not about products, but about processes. It’s about how data flows through an entire system of stakeholders. Thus, it can be argued that vendors should not be making claims about meaningful use.

Certification, on the other hand, refers to a product’s features—something a vendor can make claims about.

The problem is, we don’t yet have final certification criteria.  The certification process will be defined in a December 2009 “notice of proposed rulemaking” (NPRM). However, a period of comment will follow, so we won’t have the final definition until the spring. As a result, we’d argue that it’s too early for any vendor to claim its product will meet all certification criteria.

So, what should you look for in a EHR today? Until certification is defined, a vendor can claim that its product conforms with the latest Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) criteria—the best indicator of functionality we have at the moment. And, a vendor can promise that it will modify its product to meet certification standards when they are released—which allows you to purchase an EHR today and begin reaping the benefits sooner.

Keep these things in mind as you decide which EHR to use.

Related articles: Certification versus meaningful use

In the report, “The State of U.S. Hospitals Relative to Achieving Meaningful Use Measurements,” HIMSS Analytics compared the current state of hospital capabilities according to its own seven-stage EMR adoption model, which it calls EMRAM, and identified a number of implementation gaps.

According to the study, only the first stage of EMRAM—which calls for installation of laboratory, radiology and pharmacy information systems—can be easily achieved by most hospitals.

After that, the situation becomes more dire. For example, the clinical decision support systems that are required under meaningful use have so far been implemented by less than a quarter of the health care market.

And the measurements become tougher with each year. For example, in 2013, orders will need to be tracked through a computer physician order entry (CPOE) system, an EMRAM stage 4 capability.

The report concludes that while hospitals that have achieved the EMRAM stage 3 capabilities are well positioned to meet 2011 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) requirements, by 2015 they will need to have the majority of their physicians using stage 6 applications, with completely electronic medical records in place.

To date, only 61 hospitals have reached Stage 6, and only15 hospitals have achieved Stage 7.

Only those organizations that understand meaningful use requirements will survive the upcoming healthcare delivery transformation, according to the study—and that will require the careful architecting of IT solutions.

We can help you choose the right EMR and support structure—and we can help you keep your software up-to-date in accordance with government guidelines. Contact us for details.

Related articles:

• EMRAM
• EMRAM and meaningful use: crossing the EMR chasm

“You’re dreaming if you think you can achieve it in less than a year,” warned Leavitt at the annual AHIMA conference on Monday in Grapevine, Texas.

While physician practices could implement EMRs more quickly, Leavitt said it could take hospitals at least 18 months, if not two years, to do so.

So at this point, it’s a race against the clock. Although you don’t have to be the first practice to install an EMR, you do have to get it done in order to qualify for the bigger payouts available in the first two years of the program. You have to implement an EMR by early 2010 in order to qualify for the first available annual payments totaling up to $44,000 for each doctor in your office.

We can help you choose the right EMR and support structure, which is essential in your being a practice of the future rather than a practice of the past. And we can help you keep your software up-to-date in accordance with government guidelines—which in turn will keep reimbursements coming in over the years.

Related articles:

• Don’t wait until next year to implement EMR, Leavitt warns

What is the PQRI?

The 2006 Tax Relief and Health Care Act established a voluntary quality reporting program for physicians.

Under the program, eligible professionals who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries receive incentive payments.

Each year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implements the PQRI through an annual rulemaking process published in the Federal Register.

Are you eligible?

Click here for a list of eligible professionals. For 2009, the definition has been expanded to include audiologists.

How does it work?

Eligible professionals (EPs) do not have to enroll in the PQRI. You simply report the quality measures. There are two ways to do so.

First, you can report quality measures data through claims. If you choose this method, just report the appropriate quality data codes on service lines of Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) professional-services claims.

Second, you can report quality measures data to a qualified registry. If you participate in a qualified registry, you should expect to receive more information from the registry on how to participate.

For 2009, there are a total of 153 quality measures (52 of them are new). Most measures can be reported through claims submission or through a PQRI registry. However, unlike in 2008, in 2009 a subset of the quality measures is reportable only through registries.

Note that CMS is testing electronic health record (EHR) data submission in cooperation with EHR vendors. At this time, however, there is no PQRI incentive payment available through EHR-based data submission.

How much is the incentive?

For 2009, the incentive is 2% of the eligible professional’s estimated total Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) allowed charges.

For more information

For details, please visit the CMS PQRI web site, or see the attached data sheet.

According to National Health IT Coordinator David Blumenthal, MD, quality measures are at the heart meaingful use. “The key to meaningful use is to know how to measure for performance and to be able to give feedback to providers,” he said at an October 2009 conference sponsored by the National Quality Forum, which promotes and develops quality measures.

The requirements for meaningful use in 2011 are tasks that many providers already perform.

• You must send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically.
• Your EMR must connect to other EMRs, such as those at hospitals and other provider practices.
• You must submit statistical information on quality of care to the government so it can determine if EMRs are improving the health care system.

However, for 2013 and 2015 meaningful use will increasingly support improved patient outcomes, said Paul Tang, vice chairman of the Health IT Policy Committee, a public-private panel that advises the national health IT coordinator.

The changing requirements are a poor reason to delay implementing an EHR (and missing out on significant incentive payments). Any EHR you implement will likely include upgrades to meet changing meaningful use requirements.

So act now! Planning for a transition to an EMR is important and with hundreds of thousands of practices moving to an EMR there could be a wait—particularly as 2011 approaches.

The new credit is available to physicians using an electronic health record (EHR) certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT), a private, non-profit organization that has been recognized by the federal government as an official certification body for health information technology.

In order to be eligible for the program, physicians must meet underwriting and claims approval and be willing to participate in CMIC-approved risk management programs. The EHR must also be fully operational for at least one year.

Denise Funk, CEO of CMIC, says the program was developed because “a fully implemented EHR system reduces medical errors and increases efficiency and timeliness of care.”

The credit is just one of many new incentive programs being offered by medical malpractice insurance providers. In January 2007, for example, the CMIC, in a joint initiative with the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC), the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and the Physicians Insurance Agency of Massachusetts (PIAM), offered Massachusetts physicians a similar credit.

Practices interested in receiving more information about this new EHR credit should call CMIC at (860) 633-7788. For more information about CCHIT-certified EHRs, contact us today. We can help you find an EHR solution that provides the tools necessary to help you achieve the requirements of malpractice insurance discounts.

On September 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to state Medicaid directors announcing that:

• The CMS will reimburse states for payments they make to health care providers under the federal health IT stimulus program.

• State Medicaid agencies can immediately apply for 90 percent in federal matching funds to cover the planning that will be required to launch health IT incentive payment systems.

The letter is the first formal direction CMS has provided state Medicaid agencies about how to manage the millions of dollars in incentive payments that will flow to health care practices under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

As most physicians know by now, the ARRA provides incentives payments for physicians who can demonstrate “meaningful use” of an electronic health record by 2011.

There are two incentive programs: one for Medicare providers and one for Medicaid providers. If you provide both Medicare and Medicaid services, you must choose one of the incentive programs based on your qualifications and the benefits provided.

Please contact us with any questions or for more information. We can help you find an EHR solution that provides the tools necessary to help you achieve the requirements of the ARRA.

Related article:

The letter to state Medicaid directors

Read more at HealthcareITNews.com

One reason may be the enormity of choosing from the hundreds of EMR solutions on the market. You want a solution that will meet industry standards—and is built on technology guaranteed to be around many years from now.

Now there is such a solution from gloStream called gloEMR™. It’s unique in that it’s built on Microsoft Office (in particular, Microsoft Word). Features include:

• Single-click access to all patient information
• Voice recognition
• Electronic prescribing
• Nationwide local support

To learn more, listen to a 20-minute audio-cast featuring two physicians using gloEMR™ as well as gloStream CEO Mike Sappington and Microsoft’s Stuart Post.

A new video describing the product is also available.

Related articles:

A Contemporary and Intuitive EMR Solution Built on Microsoft Office

To be reimbursed for the installation of EMRs under Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), medical professionals must use a “certified” EMR in a “meaningful” way.

To this point, however, exactly what “meaningful” meant has been up for debate—and without a definition, medical professionals had two unappealing choices: wait to buy an EMR, or buy an EMR not knowing if it would meet future standards.

Now, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology has made recommendations regarding meaningful use criteria. E-prescribing, checking for drug-to-drug interactions, and maintaining an updated problem list are among them.

Physicians must also use these features in their practice on a daily basis to show meaningful use of their EMR system.

There’s still a long road ahead: The recommendations must be approved by David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health IT, after which they will be submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Then, CMS will use these recommendations to make the final meaningful use rules, which are due in December.

This news makes it safer for medical professionals to implement EHRs now, provided that you use a reputable vendor. Larger vendors have the resources to upgrade their products as necessary to meet meaningful use criteria. In fact, many are assuring customers they’ll make any necessary changes, and some are offering money-back guarantees if they don’t.

EMRs allow health care providers to exchange information electronically. They can look up patient records, prescribe drugs, maintain statistical data, and more—all with the click of a mouse.

gloStream’s EMR has a simple user interface that utilizes voice recognition technology and offers single-click access to all patient data—which in turn helps health care professionals work more efficiently and safely.

Plus, it has the support of Microsoft: Its utilization of Microsoft technology (including Microsoft Office) offers health care professionals an EMR that is secure, reliable, customizable, and affordable.

Health care professionals won’t want to waste time implementing an EMR such as gloStream’s. Those who do so soon are eligible to receive as much as $64,000 in incentives per professional, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Late adaptors, on the other hand, may have their fee schedules reduced.

gloStream’s EMR is delivered and supported through a nationwide network of local technology partners. Give us a call and we’ll help you explore ways this technology can help your company grow.

Related articles:

http://microsoftstartupzone.com/blogs/rodney_bowen-wright/default.aspx

http://techstartups.blogspot.com/2009/05/glostream-raises-75-million-series-b.html

http://www.newsrx.com/print.php?prID=3138

http://twitter.com/glostream

SPECIAL REPORT

ABSTRACT

Background: Electronic health records have the potential to improve the delivery of health care services. However, in the United States, physicians have been slow to adopt such systems. This study assessed physicians’ adoption of outpatient electronic health records, their satisfaction with such systems, the perceived effect of the systems on the quality of care, and the perceived barriers to adoption.

Methods: In late 2007 and early 2008, we conducted a national survey of 2758 physicians, which represented a response rate of 62%. Using a definition for electronic health records that was based on expert consensus, we determined the proportion of physicians who were using such records in an office setting and the relationship between adoption and the characteristics of individual physicians and their practices.

Results: Four percent of physicians reported having an extensive, fully functional electronic-records system, and 13% reported having a basic system. In multivariate analyses, primary care physicians and those practicing in large groups, in hospitals or medical centers, and in the western region of the United States were more likely to use electronic health records. Physicians reported positive effects of these systems on several dimensions of quality of care and high levels of satisfaction. Financial barriers were viewed as having the greatest effect on decisions about the adoption of electronic health records.

Conclusions: Physicians who use electronic health records believe such systems improve the quality of care and are generally satisfied with the systems. However, as of early 2008, electronic systems had been adopted by only a small minority of U.S. physicians, who may differ from later adopters of these systems.

• Read the full report and supplements at The New England Journal of Medicine…

• Read more on CNNMoney.com…

• Medical News Today…