Health Technology Services Newsletter

Issue 43  April 2016
Your Trusted Source for Staying Current with Health Technology Information   
Top 5 What You Need to Know Now!
click on the links for more information






Register for FREE Webinars
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 - 1-2 pm MDT
Making Sense of Clinical Quality Reporting in 2016
Presented by Health Technology Services
Webinar Description
Join us to learn the hospital and eligible professional quality reporting requirements for the meaningful use program as well as inpatient and outpatient quality reporting in 2016.


Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 10:30-11:30 am MDT
Enhancing Patient, Family & Caregiver Engagement
Presented by QualityNet
Webinar Description
Patients who are actively involved in their care experience better health outcomes. This introductory webinar will discuss strategies for assessing and optimizing patient activation and engagement.

The presenter will provide a working definition of patient engagement and discuss strategies for assessing, enhancing, and incorporating patient engagement into routine patient care.  Specific attention will be given to approaches to engage "difficult" patients.  Lastly, this webinar will review helpful tips for overcoming barriers to patient motivation and engagement.  Participants will be invited to problem-solve their experiences with patient engagement at the end of the webinar.


Thursday, April 28, 2016 - 11 am -12 pm MDT
Quality Reporting Learning and Action Network (LAN)
Presented by Mountain-Pacific Quality Health/QualityNet
Webinar Description
Each month, we will offer this interactive, educational opportunity to discuss your quality reporting questions and needs and regulatory changes that will affect you.  Topics will include:
  • Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) updates, highlights and timeframes
  • Interactive discussions about lessons learned, successes and opportunities to learn from each other
  • Challenges, barriers and areas for more in-depth education 

Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - 1-2 pm MDT
Are You Planning for PQRS 2016?
Presented by Health Technology Services
Webinar Description
Join us to review changes in the 2016 PQRS program and key dates for scheduling your activity. We will look at the pros and cons of group versus individual reporting as well as options you have for reporting. It's not too early to start your activity for PQRS participation for 2016!
 

Did You Miss our Latest Webinar - HIPAA Survival in 2016 & Beyond?
Will your facility be the next target by hackers?  On March 23, Susan Clarke, HTS Health Care information Security and Privacy Practitioner, and Steven Marco, President and CEO of HIPAA One, presented both the challenges and simple solutions to maximize your return-on-investment in HIPAA Security and Privacy Risk Analysis. View the recording and presentation slides.
 
Do you have a webinar topic you would like us to present?  Email your hot topic to Deb Anderson.  See our upcoming webinars.
Top 5 What You Need to Know Now!
T1Meaningful Use (MU):  2016 Audit Evidence - What quarterly documentation is needed and why?
HTS continues to recommend that Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Eligible Providers (EPs) prepare quarterly documentation in 2016 to support both a full year and a 90-day attestation period.  Continued pressure from providers and health care organizations could possibly force CMS to change the 2016 Meaningful Use reporting period to 90-days for both EHs and EPs.

Several of our clients have expressed their sincere thanks for HTS' relentless reminders to document, document, document the EHR functionality required by Meaningful Use.  This has provided the information required to successfully pass both Medicare and Medicaid audits.  Quarterly documentation can be used to start or end a 90-day reporting period.  Appropriate screen shots provide the evidence needed to prove that correct functionality is enabled in your EHR for Yes/No objectives like Clinical Decision Support.
 
For a complete list of recommended audit documentation, please contact your HTS Account Manager or email Deb Anderson. 

Find the latest Meaningful Use reference materials on our HTS website.

Top2Meaningful Use (MU): What is the deadline for participating in the Medicaid Incentive program?
The last year that an eligible professional can begin participation is 2016.  Medicaid Expansion has increased the number of Medicaid enrolled patients which in some circumstances could make more providers eligible for the Medicaid EHR incentive payments.  The incentive program ends in 2021.

The Medicaid EHR Incentive Payments can total up to $63,750 over 6 years.  To earn the maximum incentive, a provider will need to meet and attest to meaningful use consistently for the next 6 years. 
 
Medicaid will allow providers to skip a year, but there are only 6 years left to the Medicaid Incentive program.  Click Medicaid and Medicare EHR Incentive Program Basics, and scroll to the bottom of the page for information on the Medicaid EHR Program.
 
Find the latest Meaningful Use reference materials on our HTS website.  Need assistance with MU?  Please Contact HTS. 

Top3Meaningful Use (MU):  Is your organization receiving negative adjustments from the CMS Quality and MU programs?
You may want to review your Medicare payments for adjustment codes from CMS for the Medicare Part B charges to determine if your organization is affected.

We recommend reading CMS How Do I Avoid the 2016 Medicare Quality Reporting Payment Adjustments?  You will learn about the 2016 negative or downward payment adjustments for Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Medicare EHR Incentive program, and Value Based Payment Modifier (VM).
 
How will you know if your claim was adjusted?  See page 6 in How Do I Avoid the 2016 Medicare Quality Reporting Payment Adjustments?
A CARC, Claim adjustment Reason Code and remittance advice remark code (RARC) are code sets used to report payment adjustments on an EPs or groups practice's Remittance Advice.  Both of these code sets are updated three times a year. 

The PQRS, EHR Incentive program and VM currently use CARC 237 - Legislated/Regulatory penalty, to designate when a negative or downward payment adjustment will be applied.  At least one Remark Code must be provided (may be comprised of either the NCPDP Reject Reason Code, or Remittance advice Remark Code that is not an ALERT) in combination with the following RARC's:
  • PQRS-N699-Payment adjusted based on the PQRS Incentive Program
  • EHR-N700-Payment adjusted based on the EHR Incentive Program
  • VBM-N701-Payment adjusted based on the Value-Based Payment Modifier
Contact HTS for assistance with MU or PQRS.

Top4Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS):  Are you still confused about PQRS?
There are good reference materials designed to help you get started with PQRS.  They are -
  • The 2016 Implementation Guide, available on the PQRS How To Get Started webpage, contains information for individual EPs and PQRS group practices participating in 2016 PQRS.
  • The 2016 PQRS measures documents, for those reporting via the claims and registry reporting mechanism, are located on the PQRS Measures Codes webpage.
  • The 2016 group practice reporting option (GPRO) Web Interface measures documentation is available on the PQRS GPRO Web Interface webpage. 
  • The PQRS Spotlight webpage contains a list of all recent documents and resources.  Check this page regularly for updates.

Need help with PQRS - contact Sarah Leake, HTS Health Technology and Quality Consultant, or
 
Check out our new 2016 HTS Services designed to help you stay current with changing regulations for MU, MACRA, PQRS and so much more.

Top5HIPAA Audit:  Did you know that OCR has begun its next phase of audits of covered entities and their business associates?
On March 21, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced Phase 2 of the HIPAA Audit Program to begin its next phase of audits of covered entities and their business associates.

In its 2016 Phase 2 HIPAA Audit Program, OCR will review the policies and procedures adopted and employed by covered entities and their business associates to meet selected standards and implementation specifications of the Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules.  These audits will primarily be desk audits, although some on-site audits will be conducted.

To learn more about OCR's Phase 2 Audit program, click HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Audit Program.

Need help with your organization's privacy and security requirements?  Email Susan Clarke, ISC2 Certified Health Care Information Security and Privacy Practitioner, or call 307.248.8179.
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! 
 
Thank-You!    
 
Health Technology Services
Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
Contact HTS at (406) 457-5897
  
HTS Introduces 2016 Expanded Security Risk Analysis Service Line
hipaa security breach
Is your facility prepared for a cyber-attack?  Recent cyber-attacks on major health care entities have been an eye-opener for health care professionals.  In the past, health care security  leadership has been focused on issues like security breaches involving lost, unencrypted laptops or other mobile devices containing patient's protected health information.   Now facilities must consider new cyber threats.
Health Technology Services now offers an expanded virtual Security Risk Assessment package for hospitals, clinics and business associates with more options than before and at an affordable price.
HIPAA regulation §164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A) requires health care providers, payers, clearing houses, their business associates and subcontractors to conduct a risk analysis and form a risk management plan as part of their organization's HIPAA compliance program. According to Health and Human Services Guidance on Risk Analysis, it is the first step in an organization's HIPAA Security Rule compliance efforts, and the deadline to comply was in April 2005.
In addition, new Department of Justice guidance on effective compliance programs was announced November 2, 2015. 
It is not an option, it is the law.
For more information on how we can help make HIPAA easier for your organization, email Susan Clarke, ISC2 Certified Health Care Information Security and Privacy Practitioner, or call 307.248.8179.
Let us know if your practice is 3 Providers or less-we have special pricing just for you.
Clinic Corner
Is it hard to keep up with changing MU deadlines?  Stay current with the latest MU and PQRS information and webinars in the Clinic Corner at our new HTS website.
Hospital Corner
Is it a challenge to keep up with changing MU deadlines?  Are you confused about electronic Inpatient Quality Requirements?  Visit our Hospital Corner at our new HTS website for the latest webinars and information.
Save the Date!
MT HIMSS 2016 Annual Conference & Trade Show
 
May 10-12, 2016
Big Horn Resort, Billings MT
 
The conference will include Montana and Wyoming participants - all passionately dedicated to the concept of "Transforming Health Through IT". 
 
Click 2016 MT HIMSS Conference for more details, agenda and to register. 
When will your SLR be available for 2015 MU Attestation?
Below are the various state level registry websites and deadlines for 2015 Meaningful Use attestation.

EPs - 4/1 and EHs - 8/1
EPs - 4/1 and EHs - 8/1
EPs - 4/1 and EHs - 8/1
EPs - open 5/1 - 6/30

Did You Miss the HiT Rural Workshop at MHA Health Summit?
Here's a recap.  We had great discussion on clinical quality measure reports and why they're important, where the measure specifications come from (CMS) and most importantly, how to use measure specifications to understand your clinical quality measure reports.
 
We then used the electronic Clinical Quality Improvement methodology to make improvements at your organization. As part of that process we reviewed using a change backlog template to determine and monitor process changes and how to use workflow mapping for reviewing and changing processes.
 
We had a diverse group - Informatics students, reporting agencies and vendors, IT and QI staff - proving that all these worlds will need to come together for successful use of EHRs!
Thanks to our attendees for their excellent participation! If you are interested in hosting this workshop as a vendor group, facility or professional organization, please contact HTS for more information on how to get a workshop scheduled near you!
QIO Corner
Celebrate National Public Health Week!


During the first full week of April each year, the American Public Health Association (APHA) brings together communities across the U.S. to observe National Public Health Week (NPHW) as a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation's health. During National Public Health Week this year, April 4-10, Generation Public Health is rallying around the goal to make the U.S. the healthiest nation by 2030.
 
Help promote National Public Health Week by adding a NPHW logo to your website. Or sign the pledge and join Generation Public Health today (It's free!). Or Follow @NPHW on Twitter to learn more about the NPHW 2016 Twitter Chaton April 6 at 2 PM Eastern.
 
We can all play a part in making America the healthiest nation by 2030!
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Save the Date

2016 Updates for NHSN Ventilator Associated Event (VAE) Definitions and Pneumonia Prevention
 Webinar
April 7, 2016, 1-2pm MDT

Learn how to prepare for VAE Reporting into the National Health Safety Network (NHSN)
  
Come See Us
April 20-22, 2016
Visit Patty Kosednar, HTS Consultant, who will be speaking Wed April 20 from 11-Noon on Health IT Enabled Clinical Quality Improvement at the 2016 MT MGMA Annual Conference in Bozeman, Montana.

May 10-12, 2016
Visit Mary Erickson, HTS Consultant, who will be speaking Wed May 11 at 1:30 on Lost in Translation at the  2016 MT HIMSS 5th Annual Spring Conference & Trade Show.
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 Deb Anderson for details.
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