QIO for Florida, is your
collaborative, quality
improvement partner
including nursing homes,
home health agencies,
hospitals, physicians
and managed care
organizations.
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| Swine Flu
Information
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is assisting the CDC in spreading helpful information and education about the swine flu outbreak and preventive actions to slow its spread.
More information is available at:
For more information about government efforts to use social media to inform the public about the swine flu outbreak and related information, please visit:
Thank you for your help in this important health and safety matter!
Seasonal Flu
Information
For all your informational needs visit:
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Greetings!
Welcome to the February 2010 edition of Health eNotes: |
February  American Heart
Month
Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, are our nation's No. 1 killer. To urge Americans to join the battle against these diseases, since 1963 Congress has required the president to proclaim February "American Heart Month." (Note this is not "Heart Month" or "National Heart Month.")
To learn more about the American Heart Association,
National
Wear Red
Day February 5, 2010
Wear Red Day Helps Save Lives
On National Wear Red Day, Friday February 5, 2010, millions of people will choose to wear red and speak up against heart disease. It gives women and men everywhere a way to show their dedication and support of the cause, and empowers them to take action for their health. It also gives them an opportunity to honor the women in their lives by sharing this lifesaving information. Go Red For Women invites your company or organization to hold a Wear Red Day event on National Wear Red Day, or any other day. It's fun, it's meaningful and it's a great way to boost morale and build team spirit. It's also a great way to show your concern for co-workers, family members and friends, and empower them to take action and speak up against heart disease.
Sign up for free downloadable tools at:
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Mammogram Math
(New York Times)
Why evidence-based medicine is actually right and scary.
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IMMUNIZATION 
NEWS
NEW: 2010 U.S. Recommended Immunization Schedule
for Adults is Now Available
CDC, AAFP, ACOG, and ACP have endorsed and released the "Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults-United States, 2010.
- To access the 2010 U.S. adult immunization schedule as part of a January 15 MMWR QuickGuide, go here...
- To access all schedules (the 2010 U.S. Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules and the 2010 U.S. Adult Immunization Schedule), go here...
FDA Approves High-Dose Seasonal
Influenza Vaccine Intended for Use
in People Ages 65 & Older
On December 23, 2009, FDA issued a press release announcing that it approved sanofi pasteur's request to supplement its license application for influenza virus vaccine to include a high-dose formulation. Portions of the press release are reprinted below. The package insert and other information are posted on the FDA website; links to both are given at the end of this IAC Express article.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Fluzone High-Dose influenza vaccine will NOT be available for use during the 2009-10 influenza season.
Important: While You're Vaccinating against Influenza, Be Sure to Administer PPSV to All People with Existing Indications
CDC advises healthcare professionals that during seasonal and H1N1 influenza outbreaks, all people who have existing indications for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) should be vaccinated according to current ACIP recommendations. This is important because people with existing indications are not only at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, but are also at increased risk for serious complications from influenza. |
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HIT/EHR 
NEWS
43.9% of Office-Based Physicians Used
EHRs in 2009, CDC Finds
CDC's latest National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey found that 43.9% of office-based physicians used electronic health records in 2009, up from 18% in 2001. Researchers note that 20.5% of physicians reported using "basic" EHR systems, while 6.3% reported having fully functional EHRs. The survey found that EHR use increased by 18.7% between 2007 and 2008.
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EDUCATION
NEWS
MLN Educational Products Related to
Medicare-Covered Preventive Services
Modified: 1/5/2010Location: FL, PR, USVILine of Business: Part A, Part B
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking the provider community to keep their patients with Medicare healthy this year by ensuring that they take advantage of Medicare-covered preventive services. [PERL 200912-39] read more...
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CMS
NEWS
NEW QUICK REFERENCE Charts
Now Available from the
Medicare Learning Network (MLN)
Quick reference charts can be handy lists for looking up information!
The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) has produced two QUICK REFERENCE CHARTS, which provide information on frequently used Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) web pages.
These charts can be bookmarked and viewed online or they can be printed and used as ready references. Both charts can be located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/MPUB/list.asp on the MLN Publications page. Use search key word "quick" to locate these publications.
Revised Medicare Physician Guide
The revised Medicare Physician Guide: A Resource for Residents, Practicing Physicians, and Other Health Care Professionals (Oct 2009), which offers general information about the Medicare Program, how to become a Medicare provider or supplier, Medicare payment policies, Medicare reimbursement, evaluation and management services, protecting the Medicare Trust Fund, inquiries, overpayments, and fee-for-service appeals, is now available in CD-ROM format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network. To place your order, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/, scroll down to "Related Links Inside CMS" and select "MLN Product Ordering Page."
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PAY FOR
PERFORMANCE
NEWS
AMA Provides Highlights of the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed
Rule on Meaningful Use
Proposed Rule: This summary of CMS' proposed rule on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs is subject to change given that this rule is not yet final. Public comments to this proposed rule are due by March 15, 2010. The proposed rule can be found here...
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SHARING
BEST
PRACTICES
Please contact us with your best practices and we will share your successes in our newsletter.
Did you know...
Clinicians often do not track or manage clinical data for their patient populations, and therefore they miss opportunities to provide evidence-based care (both at the point of care and population-based activities) that have been proven to improve quality and outcomes.
Transform the way services are delivered at your practice by using an electronic clinical reminder and tracking system to support evidence-based quality improvement efforts. Have staff use a customized checklist for each patient visit indicating what services are due, document diagnoses and problems, and record actions taken. Implementing this simple workflow change will improve preventive and chronic disease management scores, in part by empowering staff to take the initiative in providing necessary services before the physician sees the patient.
If you would like assistance to implement this or other work-flow changes in your practice, please contact the EHR 4 Prevention team. | |
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