News 3/8/12

From MeaningfulDoc “Re: Summary of Stage 2 Rule. Thanks for the link to the Stage 2 summary for EPs. Here is another I found, written by a couple of physicians.” John Crankshaw, MD and Jonathan Ploudre, MD publish a two-page interpretation of the rules on Ploudre’s www.Unchart.com Website. Ploudre is a self-proclaimed “Geek,”  an e-MD client, and a blogger who writes about practice improvement and technology.

The Visiting Physicians Association rolls out Aprima Medical Software’s EHR across its 30 offices and 170 physicians.

SynaMed partners with StenTel to combine StenTel’s clinical documentation solution with SynaMed’s EMR platform.

RCM company MediGain acquires MedOptima, a provider of RCM and PM consulting.

The Corvallis Clinic and Samaritan Health (OR) introduce patient portals, giving patients online access to their medical history, schedule appointments, and renew prescriptions.

Vitera Healthcare Solutions customer Southaven Internal Medicine (MS) becomes the first practice in the country to successfully submit PQRS measures for the 2011 reporting period.

US doctors charge two to three times more than their peers from France and Germany for the same services. Outcomes, however, are generally not better. Somehow I doubt US physicians are willing to slash their fees 50%  in order to be in line with other countries.

National Coordinator for HIT Farzad Mostashari, MD takes issue with the recently published study that found doctors having online access to patients’ charts ordered more imaging tests, leading to higher healthcare costs. Mostashari contends the study tells little about the ability of EHRs to reduce cost and nothing about the impact of EHRs on improving care. Other points:

• Since the study was based on 2008, “certified” EHRs were not yet in place. Certified EHRs require clinical decision support and the ability to exchange clinical data electronically. Thus providers were unlikely to be using advanced tools to make appropriate care recommendations.
• The study does not examine several factors which could impact physician behavior including the overall health of the patient population, level of physician training, approach to defensive medicine, and financial arrangements.
• The study did not consider the appropriateness of the imaging tests ordered.
• EHRs use can lead to improved care coordination and quality of care, which in turns prevents unnecessary and costly complications and hospitalizations. Reducing test orders is not the appropriate solution for cutting healthcare costs.

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