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DocEHRnews contacts
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Senior Associate, RI REC Program Development
Editor & Associate, RIQI Communicationsu |
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RI's EHR incentive payments exceed $17 million
| | More than 2,000 U.S.hospitals and 41,000 providers (physicians and other healthcare providers) have received $3.12 billion in EHR incentive payments. In RI, the amount is approximately $17.3 million.
The latest national total, for payments as of January 31 2012, covers both the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. The final number of those attesting to Meaningful Use in the Medicare program is not yet known, because providers had until February 29th to attest for 2011. The deadline for those planning to attest for 2011 through RI's Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is March 30th.
In Rhode Island, as of December 31, 2011, eligible providers and hospitals had received the following:
Medicare EHR Incentive payments:
$2.34 million to 130 providers; $10.91 million to 5 hospitals
RI Medicaid EHR Incentive payments:
$821,670 to 42 providers; $3.22 million to 3 hospitals
A new CMS Web site section includes well-organized lists of EHR Incentive Program regulations & notices and educational materials. You can view the latest monthly program reports, including a list of those who received a Medicare Incentive payment as of December 28, 2011 (91 of the 130 RI providers paid in 2011 appear on pp. 389-392 of the document).
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| Stage 2 Meaningful Use rules proposed |  On February 23, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released two notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) related to Stage 2 Meaningful Use:
- The 455-page proposed rule for Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs that details criteria that eligible providers must meet to qualify for EHR incentive payments, and
- The Standards & Certification Criteria that delineate proposed requirements for certified EHR products. The 184-page proposed rule from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) supports and enables the functions called for in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) proposed rule.
Here are some of the goals for the three proposed stages of Meaningful Use: - Stage 1 (which began in 2011 and remains the starting point for all providers) consists of transferring data to EHRs and being able to share information, including electronic copies and visit summaries for patients.
- Stage 2 (to be implemented in 2014 under the proposed rule) includes standards such as patients' online access to their health information and electronic health information exchange between providers.
- Stage 3 (expected to be implemented in 2016) includes demonstrating that the quality of healthcare has been improved.
The ONC is seeking feedback about its Stage 2 proposed rule on how to increase patient safety through updated certification criteria; how to improve data portability; and how to increase price transparency of certified Complete EHRs and EHR Modules. The public also will be able to submit comments about the CMS proposed rule at a later date. If you are enrolled in RI REC's EHR Adoption Program, your Relationship Manager will help you understand what the proposed Stage 2 Meaningful Use rules might mean to your practice. For details: |
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Getting started with Direct messaging: FAQs | |
 Direct messaging is secure email for the exchange of patients' protected health information with known, trusted recipients. It allows you to safely send notes, referrals, CCDs, diagnostic images, and summary of care records to hospitals and other healthcare providers who also have a Direct account.
For Stage 1 Meaningful Use, using Direct messaging satisfies the core measure for electronic exchange of information when it is used to transport content exported from your EHR. The ONC's draft EHR certification criteria for 2014 proposes that EHRs be able to transmit summary of care records by two national Direct Project transport standards.
Here are answers to some of RI providers' most frequently asked questions about Direct messaging:
What makes Direct messaging more secure than regular email?
Direct message encryption ensures that a message is not compromised during transmission. An electronic credentialing system identifies the sender and recipient to ensure that the mail is routed only to intended and trusted recipients.
What is a HISP?
A HISP is a Health Information Service Provider--a vendor that provides Direct messaging services. To exchange Direct messages, you need a Direct account provided through a HISP, a computer with Internet access, and a Web browser to access the Web-based email client. RI REC's Vendor Marketplace includes four HISPs that have agreed to standardized contracts and discounts for RI providers.
What is the relationship between currentcare and Direct messaging?
Direct messaging was originally envisioned as a secure mechanism for provider-to-provider electronic communication of PHI. The Direct protocol now also is being used as a technical component in several RI health IT initiatives using Direct, including currentcare, the statewide Health Information Exchange.
What is the Rhode Island Trust Community?
The RI Trust Community (RITC) is a community of verified RI providers who have a legitimate need to use Direct Messaging. The RITC streamlines your contacts management and provides an extra layer of confidence. The efficient data exchange with other RITC members improves patient care coordination, reduces redundancy (eg, fewer duplicate lab tests), and leads to overall better care for patients.
I'm a PCP and only refer patients to specialists in my network. We all have access to the same EHR; why should I adopt Direct?
There's no guarantee that a patient's care team won't include providers outside of a single network. These providers include medical specialists, labs and pharmacies, behavioral health providers, physical therapists, and hospital emergency rooms.
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| HIE Advisory Commission seeks nominations | | The RI Director of Health is seeking nominations for members of the Health Information Exchange (HIE) Advisory Commission. The Commission is the advisory body responsible for making policy recommendations concerning the use of patients' confidential health information in RI's statewide HIE, currentcare.
Currently, this information is restricted by the HIE Act of 2008 to three uses:
- By healthcare providers for the treatment of patients
- By the Department of Health in the performance of its duties
- By the Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) to administer currentcare. (RIQI is the state's designated Regional Health Information Organization, which operates the HIE.)
Seven members will serve two-year terms. The Commission is designed to represent different perspectives on HIE: those of physicians and other members of the RI healthcare community, business professionals, and healthcare consumers.
You may nominate yourself or someone who has agreed to be nominated. (RIQI staff and members of the Board of Directors are not eligible.)
To nominate a Commission member:
- Visit healthri.gov/nominations and complete and submit the short online nomination form.
- Send the nominee's CV or résumé to Amy Zimmerman, RI State Health IT Coordinator.
The deadline to submit nominations and résumés is Friday, March 9, 2012.
For more information, please call Amy Zimmerman at 401-222-1439.
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EHR software demonstrations | |
 If you are evaluating EHR systems to implement in your practice, join us for our series of EHR demonstrations. You will have the opportunity to see the features of the software and ask questions about implementation and workflow. A light dinner will be provided beginning at 5:30 pm.
Wednesday, March 7 (6:00 - 8:00 pm; Rhode Island Quality Institute, Providence, RI; Directions & parking information)
EHR Vendor Night: Amazing Charts
Amazing Charts is an ONC/ATBC-certified EHR system, with charting, scheduling, interoffice messaging, e-prescribing, and coding. See a demonstration of Amazing Charts' Meaningful Use Wizard™, which demystifies and simplifies the process of collecting EHR incentive payments with color-coded fields, a checkpoint dashboard, automatic alerts, and report writing.
Wednesday, May 2 (6:00 - 8:00 pm; RIQI, Providence, RI)
EHR Vendor Night: CureMD
CureMD is a network of health information management systems and services offering certified SMART Cloud EHR, practice management, patient portal, revenue cycle management, and discrete reportable transcription to help accelerate adoption and Meaningful Use. CureMD's specialty EMR offers rich functionality for various medical specialties.
To register for one or both of these sessions, please send the name of your practice and the name, email address, and phone number for each person who plans to attend to rirec@riqi.org.
For updated information about RI REC's EHR demonstrations and other sessions, please check our Education & Event Calendar.
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Upcoming online educational sessions | |
Tuesday, March 6 (12:30 - 12:45 pm; webinar)
Tuesday, March 13 (12:30 - 1:00 pm; "drop-in" call)
Exception Reporting: Turning Your EHR on its Head
Healthcentric Advisors and partners (RI Regional Extension Center and Rhode Island Medical Society)
March 6: Join Healthcentric Advisors staff and your colleagues to learn how EHR Exception Reporting can improve patient compliance, patient outcomes, and practice efficiencies.
March 13: A 30-minute "drop-in" call to address questions related to the March 6th micro-session.
Tuesday, March 20 (12:30 - 12:45 pm; webinar)
Tuesday, March 27 (12:30 - 1:00 pm; "drop-in" call)
Workflow Redesign: Where to Begin (Part 1)
March 20: This micro-session is the first in a three-part series about workflow redesign and includes a discussion about the motivations for changing practice processes and the barriers that often get in the way.
March 27: A 30-minute "drop-in" call to address questions related to the March 20th micro-session.
Visit Healthcentric Advisors' EHR Network site to
- Register for any of the micro-sessions and follow-up calls.
- Listen to recordings of previous sessions and download the tools discussed.
Any questions? Please contact Lauren Capizzo at lcapizzo@healthcentricadvisors.org or at 401-528-3239.
These free online sessions are the third and fourth in a series of eight 15-minute webinars (each followed a week later by a 30-minute "drop-in call" to answer questions) that provide practical tools and support in getting the most out of your EHR. The sessions are part of Healthcentric Advisors' EHR Network Project, funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. Although the webinars are designed for those already using an EHR, any RI physician practice may participate.
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Contact Us | | For questions about any of RI REC's educational programs and to suggest topics for future sessions, please contact Peggy Menna, RI REC Program Development, at mmenna@riqi.org or 401-276-9141, ext 277.
For questions about participating in RI REC's EHR Adoption, HIE/currentcare, and Direct Adoption Programs, please call 888-924-4156 or write to rirec@riqi.org. |
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The RI Regional Extension Center (RI REC) is a service of the Rhode Island Quality Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality, safety, and value of healthcare in Rhode Island. To learn more, visit www.DocEHRtalk.org.
RI REC and its services and materials are made possible through a grant from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology with US Department of Health and Human Services support. |
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