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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DATA POINTS
When Will Your
Organization Be
Prepared to Apply
for 'Meaningful Use'
Incentives?
Fifty percent of health care CIOs and health IT executives say their organizations will be ready to apply for "meaningful use" incentives by 2011, according to a new survey. Seventy-nine percent said their organizations will be ready to apply for the incentives in 2012, while 89% said their organization will be ready in 2013.
read more... |
National
Immunization
Awareness
Month (NIAM) |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the August 2010 edition of Health eNotes: |
August 
National Immunization
Awareness
Month (NIAM)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) in August to increase awareness about the benefits of immunization for people of all ages, especially vulnerable groups such as seniors. NIAM also highlights the lifelong preventive benefits of immunization at the individual level and life-protecting benefits for families, friends and local communities.
To learn more about National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), click here... |
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IMMUNIZATION
A CE program of updated information for immunizations 2010
This self-study program updates healthcare personnel on current adult immunization recommendations. The program describes the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases among adults in the United States and highlights strategies to improve vaccination coverage levels. Course content includes the latest recommendations for vaccines that protect against influenza, pneumococcal, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, human papillomavirus, and zoster. Case studies and a discussion of frequently-asked questions provide the learner with the opportunity to apply course information to real-life scenarios.
CE Instruction Sheet: Available August 5, 2010
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BREAST CANCER
NEWS
How to Encourage Repeat Mammograms?
Are Interventions Worth the Effort, Money? July 1, 2010
A meta-analysis of public health interventions that promote repeat mammography was unable to identify which interventions were most effective. read more...
Screening: Gaps Found in Breast Cancer Testing
One-fifth of American women ages 50 to 74 have fallen behind on mammography screenings for breast cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. read more... |
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CRC
NEWS
Automated Calls Increase Colon Cancer Screenings
(HealthLeaders Media)
At least 30% more people were encouraged to get screenings for colon cancer following automated phone reminders, according to a Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research study funded by the National Cancer Institute. read more...
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HIT/EHR
NEWS
Blumenthal Anticipates Streamlined Process
with more EHR Certifiers
Having multiple entities authorized to test and certify EHRs could pave the way to a more efficient accreditation process, said Dr. David Blumenthal, national health IT coordinator. "We are optimistic that we will have a new landscape in the certification realm in which...there will be more opportunity, a broader pipeline for certification, hopefully more price competition and shorter waiting times to get certification," he said. Government Health IT (7/21)
Health Plans Consider Adding "Meaningful Use" Criteria in Physician Contracts
To read more... |
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CMS
NEWS
Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
Be sure to visit CMS' web section on the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs at: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/
to get the latest information. Visit Often!
Now Available on the CMS EHR Incentive
Programs Website
Tip Sheets for Eligible Professionals:
- Medicare EHR Incentive Payments for Eligible Professionals
This tip sheet describes which types of individual practitioners can participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program. It provides user friendly information about incentive payment amounts and describes how they are calculated for fee for service and Medicare advantage providers. It also describes payment adjustments beginning in 2015 for EPs who are not meaningful users of certified EHR technology.
- Medicare EHR Incentive Program, PQRI & E-Prescribing Comparison
Learn what opportunities are available to Medicare Eligible Professionals to receive incentive payments for participating in important Medicare initiatives. This fact sheet provides information on eligibility, timeframes, and maximum payments for each program.
Now available on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms.
Select the Medicare Eligible Professional tab on the left, and then scroll to "Downloads."
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EDUCATION
NEWS
MLN New Training Module
MLN (Medicare Learning Network) has added a new training module entitles: Your Office in the World of Medicare (May 2010). This activity is designed for health care professionals and administrative staff. The goal of this activity is to teach front office health care professionals and administrative staff the fundamentals of the Medicare Program. read more...
JUST RELEASED: MLN Matters Article #SE1021 -
Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program 2010 Updates
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released MLN Matters Special Edition Article #SE1021 to alert providers that it is not too late to start participating in the eRx Incentive Program to potentially qualify to receive a full-year incentive payment. Eligible professionals may begin reporting eRx at any time throughout the 2010 program year of January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010, to be incentive eligible. For more details, please read the article at:
on the CMS website.
Updates from the Medicare Learning Network
REVISED! The downloadable version of the "Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Fact Sheet" (July 2010) has been revised to include information about the 2.2 percent update to the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) effective for dates of service from June 1, 2010, through November 30, 2010. This publication also provides PFS payment rate information, the PFS payment rates formula, and PFS resources. To access this Medicare Learning Network fact sheet, visit here...
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Sharing Best Practices
Personal Health Records (PHRs)
by Wendy Martinez (FMQAI)
Did you know...
Giving your patient a more active role in his or her care will improve compliance?
The Personal Health Record (PHR) booklet is an excellent tool in getting patients more involved in their care. The PHR booklet assists a patient in managing and tracking their health information. This is useful especially when patients have several different providers. The patient brings the booklet to all office visits so that pertinent health information is documented and can then be shared with other healthcare providers allowing for a more complete picture of the patient's health.
Using a PHR assists with increased documentation of preventive services in the EHR and provides staff with an opportunity to discuss preventive services with the patient at the point of care. Several practices in the EHR 4 Prevention Project are using the PHR booklets to increase patient and staff involvement. The MAs at each practice are giving select patients the booklets. This has prompted discussions of preventive care services and the importance of having a complete health record. By getting the patient engaged, these practices have reported significant increases in rates for all of the EHR 4 Prevention project measures. The staff is quite pleased with the response to the PHRs and uses them as an integral tool in patient care.
If you would like to know more about PHRs and how they can help your patients, please contact your EHR 4 Prevention team coordinator. |
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