Technology Advice for Small Businesses

Obtaining patient engagement

For the first time ever, achieving meaningful use depends on patient behavior: Meaningful use Stage 2 requires at least 5 percent of a health-care provider’s patients to be engaged in their own care— either through an electronic medical record (EMR) or an online portal. The push for patient engagement is understandable, if data provided by… Continue reading Obtaining patient engagement

Leverage technology as a strategic tool with gloCare

In order to become a pacesetting medical practice, you have to leverage technology as a tool to provide exceptional care—and gloStream’s cloud-based and meaningful-use-certified and performance-management service, gloCare, allows you to do that. Unlike competitive offerings, gloCare is highly personalized, allowing gloStream to tailor the technology to each individual doctor’s needs, even when a practice… Continue reading Leverage technology as a strategic tool with gloCare

Protecting your network

As of June 30, 2014, more than 1,000 data breaches affecting more than 500 patients each have been reported to the Department of Health & Human Services – for a total of roughly 32,000,000 people who have had their privacy compromised. And, according to the annual Redspin Breach Report, published in February of 2014, 7.1… Continue reading Protecting your network

Bill could increase use of telemedicine

Physicians have little reason to engage in telemedicine because they typically aren’t reimbursed for services rendered virtually – but now two Mississippi senators are seeking to change that. The Telehealth Enhancement Act, introduced by Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, alters Medicare payment policies to cover telemedicine, among other things. Essentially, this bill’s goal is… Continue reading Bill could increase use of telemedicine

Debunking three ICD-10 myths

As we move toward the October 2015 compliance deadline for ICD-10, the Journal of AHIMA has tackled three misconceptions about the new coding system. ICD-9 isn’t so bad. In reality, ICD-9 is obsolete, and the longer it is in use, the more the quality of health-care data will decline, leading to faulty decisions based on… Continue reading Debunking three ICD-10 myths

Managing the revenue cycle with gloStream

Revenue cycle management is a key driver of progress in health-care organizations, according to a recent Gartner report, but it must be supported by the right systems. As soon as a patient makes an appointment, revenue cycle management begins. But with disparate legacy systems and applications, many health-care providers are struggling to keep on top… Continue reading Managing the revenue cycle with gloStream

Applying engineering to health care

A strategy commonly used in manufacturing and aviation offers the potential for better health care at lower cost, according to a recent report. That strategy – systems engineering – is an interdisciplinary approach to designing and managing complex systems. According to “Better Health Care and Lower Costs: Accelerating Improvement Through Systems Engineering,” a report from… Continue reading Applying engineering to health care

It’s time to get ready for ICD-10

The compliance date for ICD-10 is farther away than it once was, but it’s still coming — and health-care practitioners should be moving forward with preparedness plans, if the results of a recent survey are any indication. The survey — which questioned physician practices, hospitals, payers, vendors, and others — was conducted by eHealth Initiative… Continue reading It’s time to get ready for ICD-10

Are you in the right cloud?

Not all clouds are created equal, at least when it comes to encryption. Most cloud providers say they encrypt data, which engenders a sense of security—but there is a weakness in the process. Data —say, a medical record— is indeed encrypted when you send it to the cloud. But, when it arrives at the server… Continue reading Are you in the right cloud?

Boost profitability by reviewing your clinical processes

Ensuring you are paid for the important work that you do is a significant challenge for most practices—but you can solve it by maintaining control over the entire revenue cycle. The problem is, with ICD-10 regulations that’s only going to get harder. And, payer reforms affecting how insurance companies pay out, and how much, are… Continue reading Boost profitability by reviewing your clinical processes