Health Technology Services NEWSLETTER

Issue 39 - December 2015 
 
  
Happy Holidays from all of us at Mountain-Pacific Quality Health and Health Technology Services! 
  
  
Health Technology Services Regional Extension Center Grant Program Closed 
 
Health Technology Services (HTS) announced that their federally designated Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center Grant Program for Montana and Wyoming, awarded to Mountain-Pacific Quality Health Foundation in Helena MT on April 6, 2010, was closed on November 30, 2015.
 
During the duration of this program, the HTS Regional Extension Center (REC) successfully assisted 1,000 priority primary care providers as well as 50 critical access and rural hospitals in Montana and Wyoming achieve Electronic Health Record (EHR) Meaningful Use. HTS earned national recognition for reaching 100% of their milestone target.
 
It has been a privilege to work with and assist these primary care providers and critical access and rural hospitals with using the tools necessary to improve the patient experience.
  
Provider/Clinic Corner
 
How does the new MU Final Rule changes affect providers in my clinic attesting to meaningful use in 2015?  Get the latest on reporting on the public health objective.
 
Get the latest information on these important topics at our Provider/Clinic Corner.
Hospital Corner
 
How does the new MU Final Rule changes affect my hospital attesting to meaningful use in 2015?  Find out what the final rule says about electronic reporting of CQMs in Critical Access Hospitals.
  
Get the latest information on these important topics at our Hospital Corner.
QIO Corner
  
Don't Miss Mountain-Pacific Quality Health and Mountainview Medical Center on Aging Horizons TV Show!
 
Aging Horizons is a weekly TV show that airs a variety of interviews that address tomorrow's aging issues - today.
  
Be sure to watch Sara Medley and Susan Clarke from Mountain-Pacific as well as Rob Brandt of Mountainview Medical Center as they share valuable and timely information on these important health care topics -
  
* how better care coordination between providers, hospitals and community resources can improve patient care
* how patients, their families and caretakers can benefit from using a patient portal
* how patients, their families and caretakers can benefit from using telemedicine
 
Viewing Times
Sun., Jan 3, 2016 9am
 
KWYB - ABC Butte/Bozeman
KFBB - ABC Great Falls
KHBB - ABC Helena
KTMF - ABC Missoula/Kalispell
 
Wed. Dec 30, 2015 1pm and Sat., Jan 2, 2016 9am
 
SWX - Billings
 
YouTube at www.youtube.com/montanadphhs
Join Our List

 Come See Us!
  
February 29 - March 4, 2016
If you are going to the HIMSS National Conference in Las Vegas, be sure to look for Deb Anderson, HTS Business Development Manager, and Susan Clarke, HTS Department Manager.
  

Planning An Upcoming Event?

 

HTS has HIT/CMS Program subject matter experts who can present current and relevant information on many HIT/Quality Reporting topics.  

 

Contact Susan Clarke for details

Quick Links

CMS EHR Program Info

 

MU Modified Stage 2

 

HTS MU Services

 

HTS HIPAA SRA Services

 

HTS PQRS Services

 

Upcoming HTS Webinars  

  

HTS Services

 

Let Heath Technology Services assist you with all your Health Information Technology needs.

 

2015 Meaningful Use - Tiered Service Offerings 

 

2015 Security Risk Analysis - Service Offerings

 

PQRS Reporting Assistance - Tiered Service Offerings

 
MU/PQRS/ICD-
10 Combined Services - Tiered Service Offerings


HIT Consulting & Project Management Service Offerings 

 

See details for all services on our website 
YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR KEEPING CURRENT WITH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION 
       TOP 5 - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW!      
Click on the links for more information...  
  
Don't Wait! - Register for Important FREE Webinars      

 

  
  
  

Wednesday
December 9
1-2 pm MST
MU Audits - Strategy for Success!
Presented by Health Technology Services
Webinar Description
Join us for an overview of the changes and methods related to the 2015 PQRS reporting requirements.
Topics include
*  Audit Types and Sources
*  Common Audit Triggers
*  Audit Notification and Appeals Processes
*  Audit Questions and Responses  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
December 15
2:30-3:30pm MST
  
CMS EHR Incentive Program Registration-Connecting the Dots
Presented by Health Technology Services
Webinar Description
I&A, PECOS, NPPES and EHR - do you need help with this Alphabet Soup?  Don't miss this review of the information and steps required for successful registration in the CMS EHR incentive program.
Topics include
*  2015 EHR Incentive Program Overview
*  Identity and Access (I&A) System
*  PECOS Checklist for EHR Registration
*  EHR Incentive Program Registration
*  State Level Registry Overview
*  Question and Answer 


 

 

 

 

 

register
 

  
Coming in January
Stay tuned for these 2 upcoming webinars
CMS EHR Incentive Program Attestation and
Patient Engagement

 
Did You Miss our Latest Webinar since the new MU Final Rule was released - MU 2015 Step-By-Step to Attestation?
  
Need an overview of the requirements and tasks needed to attest to MU in 2015 since the MU Final Rule?  On November 4, Patty Kosednar, HTS MU Consultant, gave us all the details, including checklists, of what to do to successfully attest to MU in 2015.  View the MU 2015 Attestation recording or get the presentation slides.
 
Do you have a webinar topic you would like us to present?  Email your hot topic to Susan Clarke.  See our upcoming webinars.
Top 5 - What You Need to Know Now      
Top1MU:  In 2015, when is it OK for an eligible professional to report exclusions on the Public Health reporting objective?
Health Technology Services asked this burning question for the three objectives below and found some helpful guidance:      
  • It is possible for an eligible professional to take an exclusion to immunization if no immunizations are provided by the eligible professional.
  • It is possible for an eligible professional to take an exclusion to syndromic surveillance if the State does not meet Stage II meaningful use which involves submission of ambulatory care and inpatient data from eligible hospitals or professionals.
  • It is possible for an eligible professional to take an exclusion if the eligible professional did not intend to utilize the menu option for Specialized Registry, they can take the alternate exclusion for 2015 indicated in the Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 Through 2017; Final Rule, page 62788. In case of an audit on this exclusion, it may be helpful to note the following verbiage from that reference "We understand that intent or lack thereof may be difficult for a provider to document and will not require documentation that a provider did not plan to attest to a menu objective for the provider to claim the alternate exclusion."
Check out additional resources released by CMS in December -
Need help with meaningful use?  Contact HTS - we'll be happy to help you.
  
 
Remember to double check that the ICD-10 diagnosis code changes are mapped correctly in your CDS rule setup before you start your next EHR reporting period on 1/1/2016.
 
Questions about Meaningful Use?  Contact Health Technology Services - we are happy to help.
 
Healthcare IT News, November 13, 2015
 
"Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, says developing a well-trained and proactive workforce is key to hospitals and health systems as they stare down growing and evolving cybersecurity threats.
  
But, as these things often are, that's easier said than done."
 
  
Need help with your HIPAA Security?  Contact Health Technology Services - we are happy to help.
 
Yes.  The period for requesting an informal review of the 2016 Value Modifier is open now and ends December 16, 2015.
For groups with 10 or more eligible professionals (EPs) that are subject to the 2016 Value Modifier, CMS established an Informal Review Period to request a correction of a perceived error in their 2016 Value Modifier calculation. These groups may request an informal review of their 2016 Value Modifier determination now through December 16, 2015 11:59pm EST.
The 2014 Annual Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRURs) are now available for every group practice and solo practitioner nationwide. Groups and solo practitioners are identified in the QRURs by their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). The QRURs are also available for groups and solo practitioners that participated in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model, or the Comprehensive Primary Care initiative in 2014, and to those TINs consisting only of non-physician EPs. 
The 2014 Annual QRURs show how groups and solo practitioners performed in 2014 on the quality and cost measures used to calculate the 2016 Value Modifier. For groups with 10 or more EPs that are subject to the 2016 Value Modifier, the QRUR shows how the Value Modifier will apply to physician payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for physicians who bill under the group's TIN in 2016. For all other groups and solo practitioners, the QRUR is for informational purposes only and will not affect their payments under the Medicare PFS in 2016.
Authorized representatives of group and solo practitioners can access the 2014 Annual QRURs on the CMS Enterprise Portal using an Enterprise Identify Data Management (EIDM) account with the correct role. For more information on how to access the 2014 Annual QRURs, visit How to Obtain a QRUR.
Additional information about the 2014 QRURs and how to request an informal review is available on the 2014 QRUR website and through the QRUR Help Desk at pvhelpdesk@cms.hhs.gov or 888-734-6433 (select option 3).   
Need help with PQRS - take a look at our Quality Program Reporting Assistance, or contact Sarah Leake, Quality Reporting and Payment Reform Specialist, directly.
  
CMS extended the 2014 Informal Review period to December 16, 2015 from the previous November 23, 2015 deadline.
In 2016, CMS will apply a negative payment adjustment to individual eligible professionals (EPs), Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) practice sites, and group practices participating in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) group practice reporting option (GPRO) (including Accountable Care Organizations [ACOs]) that did not satisfactorily report PQRS in 2014. Individuals and groups that receive the 2016 negative payment adjustment will not receive a 2014 PQRS incentive payment. 
EPs, CPC practice sites, PQRS group practices, and ACOs that believe they have been incorrectly assessed the 2016 PQRS negative payment adjustment may submit an informal review between September 9, 2015 and December 16, 2015 requesting CMS investigate incentive eligibility and/or payment adjustment determination.
All informal review requestors will be contacted via email of a final decision by CMS within 90 days of the original request for an informal review. All decisions will be final and there will be no further review. 
All informal review requests must be submitted electronically via the Quality Reporting Communication Support Page (CSP) which will be available September 9, 2015 through December 16, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Need help with PQRS - take a look at our Quality Program Reporting Assistance, or contact Sarah Leake, Quality Reporting and Payment Reform Specialist, directly.
       HTS Contact Information      
Health Technology Services is a department of Mountain-Pacific Quality Health Foundation, QIN-QIO for Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and Wyoming.  Together we can help you use technology to deliver the quality care your patients deserve! 
Happy Holidays!    
Health Technology Services
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
Contact HTS at (406) 457-5897