E-Newsletter
December 2013
In This Issue
Save the Date!
EMR Registry & Forum
Work has begun to force all payers to utilize the same codes on their 835 Remittance Advice Forms
Role of Medical Assistants Entering CPOE for Meaningful Use
SAVE THE DATE!

2014 Spring Meeting
 

 

April 4th & 5th
Camden on the Lake
Lake Ozark, MO
 

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 Save the Date!

 

2014 Spring Meeting

Midwest AAOE

 

April 4th and 5th

Camden on the Lake

Lake Ozark, MO

 

 

We want your ideas!   The Program Committee will be meeting in the coming weeks to finalize speakers and content for the Spring Meeting. If you have a speaker or content you would like to recommend, please email those thoughts to [email protected].

 

The Committee looks forward to announcing the agenda and opening registration in the coming months.  See you at the Lake!

 

Kansas to Debate Podiatry Scope of Practice?

 

The Midwest AAOE has learned that an effort may be launched in 2014 to expand the scope of practice of Podiatrists practicing in the State of Kansas.   Our organization has pledged to work with the Kansas Orthopaedic Society as they monitor any developments or initiatives that may be launched.   If any of our members have physicians that are interested in this issue, please feel free to contact our office, [email protected].   We will work with the KOS in developing a task force that is prepared to address this issue.

Medicare 2014 Final Rule Published - Impact on Orthopaedics

 

The AAOS and affiliated organizations have been reporting the various changes included in the 2014 Final Rule for Medicare published by CMS in November.   There are a number of changes that will impact orthopaedics both from a coding and reimbursement standpoint as well as changes to regulatory programs like PQRS.  Click here for an overview of some of the major coding changes for orthopaedics. Additional analysis of other changes will be forthcoming.

 Role of Medical Assistants Entering CPOE for Meaningful Use

 

 We have received a number of questions over the past month concerning Meaningful Use and the definitions established by CMS on who is considered a "Licensed Healthcare Professional" for purposes of entering Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) for Meaningful Use.

 

It is important to note that regardless of what stage of Meaningful Use you consider, both stages require CPOE to be entered by a "licensed healthcare professional".

 

The definition of who qualifies has become an issue for those practices that utilize Medical Assistants or Scribes to assist their supervising physicians in entering CPOE in the clinical setting.   Medical Assistants and Scribes are unusual as they typically are not required to be licensed by the state in which they practice. They perform functions permitted by state law under protocols established by a supervising physician.

 

In the summer of 2012 CMS published a clarification in the Federal Register that provided an expansion of the definition of a "licensed healthcare professional" to include Certified Medical Assistants. This expanded definition means that only Licensed Professionals or Certified Medical Assistants can enter CPOE for purposes of Meaningful Use.

 

The key thing to consider when reviewing the potential impact of this definition is the existence of a state license for any staff that you have entering orders into electronic medical record.   Orders entered by non-licensed professionals or non-certified Medical Assistants will not be counted towards Meaningful Use compliance.

 

For those practices that feel they need to pursue certification options for existing or future staff, we are currently preparing a document of those recognized certifying bodies and will distribute an analysis of the various avenues available. We have placed a priority on this analysis and hope to have it ready shortly.

 

Please feel free to send me any questions you may have on this issue, [email protected].

 

I have attached a couple source documents to provide additional details on this topic.

 

1. Federal Register Documentation from 2012.

 

2. AAMA article.

 

3. Stage 1 vs Stage 2 Meaningful Use Comparison Table.

Contact Info
 Midwest AAOE

1215 E Robinson Street
Orlando, FL 32801

Email: [email protected]