A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) highlights the cumulative experiences of more than 100 grantees that implemented major health IT projects between 2004 and 2007.nnThe report, Effective Teamwork and Sustainability in Health IT...

Physicians are scheduled to receive a 26.5 percent reduction in payments starting Jan. 1 unless Congress intervenes. Action to avert the cut is being considered as part of broader fiscal cliff negotiations on tax and spending policies. However, these discussions...

Here a few highlights from Becker's Hospital Review 10 Major Takeaways From CMS' FY 2012 Financial Report–Click here to view the article in full.nnOne of the most important organizations within the healthcare sector is CMS, and for obvious reasons. It is one of the...

Almost 10 percent of U.S. patients receive their healthcare from an accountable care organization (ACO), and almost half live in areas served by at least one ACO, according to a new study from Oliver Wyman. This means that ACOs, little known in the United States as...

At the 98th meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago on Nov. 26, 2012, Keith J. Dreyer, DO, PhD, vice chairman of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, discussed the...

Below is an article from EHR Intelligence, outlining how author Robert Green believes EHR – enabled staff members can and do influence the reputations of clinics.nnA conversation I shared with the physicians and manager of a small pediatric clinic several years...

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the final rule implementing the part of the health care law that delivers higher payments to primary care physicians serving Medicaid beneficiaries.  The new rule raises rates to ensure...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released updated reference grids for Stage 1 and Stage 2 meaningful use requirements, detailing how meaningful use objectives align with EHR certification criteria.nnEach quick reference grid includes the...

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), comprises two sets of codes, one for documenting diagnoses (ICD-10-CM) and the other for documenting procedures (ICD-10-PCS). Compared to ICD-9, these codes are more extensive and more numerous....

A few months ago, we paired with Novitas Solutions, INC. as our new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).  Effective October 29, 2012, Novitas Solutions, Inc. will begin handling all fee-for-service claims processing for the Part A providers.nnIn order to...

Smartphones and tablets are playing a bigger role in healthcare, and more change will take place when providers connect with patients using mobile apps, healthcare experts say.nnThe number of U.S. adults using mobile phones for health-related activities, including...

Despite a one-year extension, many covered entities are still unlikely to achieve compliance with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision(ICD-10), barring a change in their implementation strategy, this according to a recent report from the Health...