COHIE Logo

COHIE - Central Ohio Health Information Exchange Monthly EHR & Stimulus Funding Update

March 2011

MATT ESKER IIIt seems as though January and February have rapidly come and gone.  As we move forward into the year, know that as a physician or a  manager of a medical practice, the remainder of 2011 provides great opportunities for you in the area of EHR adoption and Meaningful Use. 

 

For those practices that already have an EHR, you can rely on COHIE for support getting registered for Medicare or Medicaid Incentives and reaching the Meaningful Use guidelines.  If you have not yet acquired an EHR, COHIE is here to help you every step of the way, from readiness assessments for your practice through the selection and implementation of an EHR product.  
 

As always, I encourage and welcome any questions or suggestions you may have and look forward to working with you throughout 2011.   

Sincerely,

 

Matt Esker, Director
COHIE - Central Ohio Health Information Exchange

(614) 384-9174   [email protected]

IN THIS ISSUE
Shopping for the EHR that is right for your practice?
Avoiding the eRx Penalty
Mark Your Calendar
Reminder to Register

Shopping for the EHR that is right for your practice?

Looking at Computer

For many medical practices, it takes many long, thoughtful and often challenging discussions to reach the decision to adopt EHR.  Once those discussions are over, the seemingly daunting task of selecting an EHR begins.   

 

According to COHIE Director Matt Esker, doing your homework will help you select the product that is best for your practice.  "When selecting an EHR, investing time on the front-end will save a lot of time, money and headaches in the end."

 

Fortunately, there are many tools available for you as you begin this process.  A good place to start is the EHR Selection Fact Sheet, developed by the Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP).  This document provides a thorough overview of issues that should be considered as you begin the selection process. 

 

OHIP is also offering online demos of their preferred vendors.  These free one hour webinars provide an easy way for physicians and their staff to view a general demo of each of OHIP's Preferred EHR vendors in the privacy of their own office. To download a registration document for the demos, click here.

 

For more information or assistance with your selection process, contact COHIE Director Matt Esker at (614) 384-9174 or [email protected]

Avoiding the eRx Penalty
 
eRx

You may be aware of the incentives that can be received by practices that utilize an e-prescribing tool in the coming years.  Unfortunately, you may not know that CMS will penalize practices that are not e-prescribing during 2011.  

 

Specifically, a physician will need to submit at least 10 prescriptions electronically between January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011 in order to avoid a 1% reimbursement deduction from Medicare. 

 

This legislation will impact all independent practitioners who bill Medicare.

  
For many physicians, there is concern about this new regulation, not the least of which is the potential cost to implement an e-prescribing tool during the limited time frame. 
  
There are several free and low-cost eRx systems available to practices who want to avoid the e-prescribing penalty, including:

Questions?  Contact Matt Esker, COHIE Director at (614) 384-9174 or email at [email protected]

Mark Your Calendar
 
Date Book (new)

The Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) and The Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) invite you to learn about plans for a health information exchange in Ohio. 

  • When - Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - 8 a.m. - noon
  • Where - Ohio Union at OSU (main location) - Video conference locations throughout Ohio
  • Cost - No charge for physicians, hospitals and all healthcare providers and staff.
  • To Register - Visit the OHIP website to download a registration form by clicking here

More information can be found at www.ohiponline.org

Reminder to Register
 Dr. on computer
Registration for Medicare EHR Incentive Programs began on January 3, 2011

"It's time to get connected", said David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

 

Commencing January 3, 2011, all eligible health care professionals who wish to participate in the Medicare EHR Incentive program can register online.  CMS is encouraging providers to register as soon as possible, even if you do not yet have a certified EHR.  For more information, visit the CMS website by clicking here.

 

Registration for Ohio's Medicaid EHR incentive program will begin in the Summer of 2011.  We'll keep you posted as to when Ohio providers can begin registering.

 

Questions?  Contact Matt Esker, COHIE Director at (614) 384-9174 or by email at [email protected].

 

More information can be found at www.cohie.org.

OHIP is funded through the Office of the National Coordinator, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, grant numbers 90RC0012 and 90HT0024