Monthly Archives: February 2011

HIEs get boost from Health and Human Services Awards

As reported on the HHS.gov Web site:  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on February 16, 2011 announced the award of seven cooperative agreements to help a group of “Early Innovator” states design and implement the Information … Continue reading

Posted in Technology | Tagged , , ,

Hospitalists and the Medical Record

The emerging healthcare environment presents a unique set of both challenges and opportunities to hospitalist groups.  Hospitalists are being asked to participate in the care of an increasingly large percentage of patients across all specialties.  And we know that Medicare … Continue reading

Posted in Case Mix and Reimbursement, Clinical Documentation, Quality Measures, Value Based Purchasing | Tagged , , , , , ,

ACO Bundled Payment and the Challenge (Opportunity) for Physician Leadership

The concept of moving toward bundled payment solves many issues for CMS.   From CMS’s standpoint, they would no longer care how physicians are compensated.  At least for physicians practicing in the inpatient setting, CMS would no longer have to provide … Continue reading

Posted in Accountable Care Organizations, Bundled Payment, Finance, Payment | Tagged , , , ,

A Split Forms Over Accountable Care Organizations

Eight US senators are calling for the regulation of Accountable Care Organizations, concerned about “upcoming challenges in healthcare antitrust regulations.  To see the letter, visit AHA. The letter, dated Feb. 11, 2011, was addressed to Christine Varney, assistant attorney general … Continue reading

Posted in Accountable Care Organizations, Health Reform | Tagged , ,

ICD-10 – The Elephant in the Room?

By Guest Blogger Angela Carmichael, HIM Product Development Specialist,  J.A. Thomas & Associates Let’s not forget among the swirling changes brought on by healthcare reform and the fundamental change in the delivery of healthcare, we are facing an imminent deadline.  The … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Documentation, ICD-10 | Tagged , , , ,

How Will Physicians Be Paid In The Future?

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Payment Innovation will explore methodologies to link physician payment to quality, decrease incentives to over-utilize services, and align disparate provider interests to improve continuity of care.  Traditional fee-for-service, as we now know it, is … Continue reading

Posted in Accountable Care Organizations, Health Reform, Quality Measures, Regulatory Reporting | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

NQF Endorses Eight New Outcome Measures for High-Impact Areas

Take Note – The National Quality Forum (NQF) has endorsed eight outcome measures for cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions and care in the intensive care unit. The endorsement of newly endorsed outcome measures was announced in a news release posted to … Continue reading

Posted in Quality Measures | Tagged , , ,

Value-based Purchasing Incentives

I read with interest the recent story in Healthleaders about CMS Releasing a Value-Based Purchasing Incentive Plan.  According to the story, the document sets forth which metrics will generate payment after Oct. 1, 2012.   This program is meant to reward … Continue reading

Posted in Value Based Purchasing | Tagged , , , ,