The article about Pediatric Associates in CA has a nugget with a potentially outsized impact: the implication that VFC vaccines…
News 9/22/11
Sage Group PLC will sell its Sage Software Healthcare unit to private equity firm Vista Equity Partners for $320 million in cash. Sage says it will take a loss up to $108 million on the sale of the former Emdeon Practice Services, which it acquired for $565 million in August, 2007. A November close is expected.
Asking patients their race is apparently offensive to many patients, according to an article in a Florida newspaper. The health reform law mandates that physicians ask patients about their ethnicity, as well as language and other demographic questions, for inclusion in the patients’ EMRs.
Alpine Urology becomes the first physician practice in Colorado to receive test results and other patient data through CORHIO’s HIE, using their Greenway Medical PrimeSUITE EHR.
The Rothman Institute (PA/NJ) selects SRS EHR for its 100 provider, 14 location practice. Rothman will also leverage Universal Research Solutions’ Outcome Based Electronic Research Database to automate the collection of clinical outcomes and provide decision support tools.
Premier HealthNet (OH) completes its four-year launch of Epic EMR at 44 practices that employ 124 physicians.
athenahealth updates its MU dashboard, which it plans to publish bi-weekly. Highlights through September 10th:
- 17% of Medicare providers have attested, compared to 11% as of August 27th
- 52% of Medicare providers are satisfying the clinical summary measure, up from 32%
- 75% are satisfying five of 10 menu measures, versus 64% two weeks earlier.
To make it easier for staff and providers to fulfill the clinical summary measure, athena tweaked workflows in the athenaclinical product and added a secure electronic delivery option.
Meanwhile, meridianEMR updates its Meaningful Use Tracking Board. A month ago, meridian reported 36 attestations and $648,000 in practice dollars. At that time meridian pointed out that only about 50 total urologists had attested, with the largest percentage meridian EMR clients.
athenahealth and meridian are the only ambulatory vendors that I am aware of that are publishing this type data. If anyone knows of any other vendors posting MU dashboards, please share.
Medical practices cut operating expenses 2.2% in 2010, though general operating costs have increased 53% since 2001 and revenues have grown only 46%.
An Australian study concludes that despite the growing use of financial incentives to reward physicians for quality care, there is insufficient evidence to support that such programs actually improve care.
