News 8/22/13

MGMA sends HHS a recommendation to immediately institute an indefinite moratorium on penalties for physicians that successfully complete Stage 1 MU requirements. The association is concerned that a lack of vendor readiness may hinder physicians ability to meet Stage 2 requirements and thus unfairly penalize physicians starting in 2015. MGMA also recommends extending the reporting periods for both Stage 1 and Stage 2 incentives.

Greenway Medical launches PrimePATIENT, a patient portal integrated with PrimeSUITE, giving patients the ability to request appointments, pre-register, pay bills, and maintain personal health records. Greenway also adds Seamless Medical Systems to its online Marketplace as a value-added partner.

Allscripts announces its Client Outcomes Excellence award winners, including Professional EHR customer Elmwood Health Center (NY) and Eastern Nephrology Associates’ (NC) IT administrator Kenneth Waters.

Allscripts also names Healthfinch the winner of its Open Apps Challenge for its automated prescription renewal request app. We interviewed Healthfinch’s CEO and co-founder Jonathan Baran on HIStalk Connect last year.

Medicare reimburses physicians up to five times more for performing procedures than for cognitive care, according to a  study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Physicians make 368 percent more doing a colonoscopy and 486 percent more removing a cataract than a primary care physician generates providing cognitive care, meaning specialists can generate more revenue in one to two hours than a primary care physician makes in a day. Not great news for the recruitment of primary care physicians and highlights why specialists may resist efforts to transition from procedure-based  payment models.

Zirmed partners with Catch Data Systems to provide GE Centricity customers integration with ZirMed’s RCM, clinical communications, and analytics solutions.

The Air Force’s 62nd Air Division posts details of its Relay Health secure messaging program, which allows Airman  to securely message their primary care providers at the 62nd Medical Squadron’s Airmen’s Clinic. Patients of the Washington-based clinic are using the Relay Health service to schedule appointments, request medication refills, or communicate with physicians, even when off-based on temporary duty assignment or vacation.

Email Inga.