Monthly Archives: January 2011

ONC Presents “Spotlight on Health IT in the News”

Posted on by
Reply

Spotlight on Health IT in the News
Excerpted this new feature from Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT  site, first  published on 1/5/2010 and updated on 1/6/2010.

  1. Blumenthal Looks Back at 2010, Offers Peek Into Plans for 2011
    Q&A with David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
    iHealthBeat, January 3, 2011

    Dr. Blumenthal discusses the challenges ONC faced in 2010, plans for 2011, and the importance of health information technology (health IT) to the implementation of federal health reform law.

  2. Electronic Health Records: Potential to Transform Medical Education
    By Sachin H. Jain, M.D., M.B.A., Special Assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and Bryant A. Adibe, B.S., Executive Director, Young Achievers Foundation
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 22, 2010

    Dr. Jain and Bryant Adibe examine the ways in which EHR adoption can lead to improved patient-centered approaches to physician training.

  3. Healthcare Information Technology Interventions to Improve Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medication Adherence
    By Sachin H. Jain, M.D., M.B.A., Special Assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, et al.
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 22, 2010

    This literature review discusses health IT interventions designed to improve medication adherence in cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

  4. Alternative Measures of Electronic Health Record Adoption Among Hospitals
    By Melinda J. Beeuwkes Buntin, Ph.D., Director, Office of Economic Analysis and Modeling, and Charles P. Friedman, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, ONC
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 22, 2010

    This study examines the type of EHR functions that hospitals have adopted.

  5. Using Electronic Prescribing Transaction Data to Estimate Electronic Health Record Adoption
    By Farzad Mostashari, M.D., Sc.M., Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy; Melinda J. Beeuwkes Buntin, Ph.D., Director, Office of Economic Analysis and Modeling; and Emily Ruth Maxson, Duke University School of Medicine
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 22, 2010

    This study investigates whether electronic prescribing transaction data can be used to accurately and efficiently track national and regional electronic health record adoption.

  6. Health Information Technology Is Leading Multisector Health System Transformation
    By David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Sachin H. Jain, M.D., M.B.A., Special Assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 17, 2010

    Dr. Blumenthal and Dr. Jain discuss the impact of the HITECH Act on health information technology (health IT) adoption and provide an overview of the content found in the journal’s special issue on health IT.

  7. Uniting the Tribes of Health System Improvement
    By Aaron McKethan, Ph.D., Program Director, and Craig Brammer, Deputy Director, Beacon Community Program
    The American Journal of Managed Care, December 17, 2010

    Dr. McKethan and Craig Brammer discuss how multiple interventions and simultaneously implemented tools are required to transform the U.S. health care system.

  8. Regional Quality Initiatives: Expanding the Partnership
    Blog post by David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; Carolyn Clancy, M.D., Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
    Health Affairs Blog, December 9, 2010

    This joint ONC, AHRQ, and RWJF blog post discusses how dozens of diverse regions of the country are benefiting from an unprecedented commitment of resources and technical expertise to help local leaders improve the quality of health care provided in their region.
  9. Perspective: Dr. David Blumenthal on Health Information Technology
    Q&A with David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
    MDNews.com, November 19, 2010

    Dr. Blumenthal discusses provider involvement in implementation of health IT as part of a videotaped interview during the Medical Group Management Association 2010 conference, held October 24-27.

10.  Fed Health Tech Chief Talks about E-Medical Records
Q&A with David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
The Texas Tribune, October 21, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal discusses the benefits of electronic health records and protections for patient privacy. 

11.  Beacons for Better Health
By Aaron McKethan, Ph.D., Program Director, and Craig Brammer, Deputy Director, Beacon Community Program
Health Affairs Blog, September 23, 2010

Dr. McKethan and Mr. Brammer discuss how Beacon Communities will showcase ways that health information technology is being used to support providers in delivering improved patient care.

12.  This Doctor’s Task: Get Hospitals to Go Digital
Q&A with David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Federal Times.com, September 13, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal elaborates on ONC’s efforts to encourage the electronic transformation of health care delivery on the national and local levels.

13.  The Push for Electronic Medical Records (listen to audio file)
Interview with David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Vermont Public Radio, September 9, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal speaks to Vermont Public Radio about the Vermont Information Technology Leaders Summit and how the state’s hospitals and providers can increase their electronic health records adoption.

14.  Beaconology for Beginners: A Chat with ONC’s Aaron McKethan
Aaron McKethan, Ph.D., Program Director, Beacon Community Program
CMIO Blog, September 7, 2010

Dr. McKethan chats with CMIO about producing community-level clinical performance measures as modeled by the Beacon Community Program.

15.  Strengthening the Gulf’s Health-Care Infrastructure for Generations to Come
By Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Huffington Post, August 27, 2010

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discusses rebuilding the health-care infrastructure to meet the Gulf communities’ long-term medical needs, including efforts by Beacon Communities to help providers move from paper files into the digital age.

16.  The New Momentum Behind Electronic Health Records
By Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
KHN Blog, Kaiser Health News, August 26, 2010

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius details the benefits of health IT adoption for the entire health care system. 

17.  Health Information Technology Program Receives $2.7 Million in Federal Funding, Graduates First Class of Students This Summer
University of Texas at Austin Website, August 26, 2010

University of Texas at Austin graduates the nation’s first class of students from its federally funded health IT workforce development program.

18.  Adoption and Meaningful Use of EHRs – The Journey Begins
By David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; and Don Berwick, M.D., Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Health Affairs Blog, August 5, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal and Dr. Berwick explain the need for federal leadership in helping providers nationwide to adopt and utilize health IT for better quality of care.

19.  Perspective: The “Meaningful Use” Regulation for Electronic Health Records
By David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and Marilyn Tavenner, R.N., M.H.A., Principal Deputy Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
New England Journal of Medicine, July 13, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal and Marilyn Tavenner summarize the core objectives of the CMS “Meaningful Use” regulation and how it ties payments to the achievement of advances in health care processes and outcomes.

20.  Perspective: Finding My Way to Electronic Health Records
By Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A.
New England Journal of Medicine, July 13, 2010

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin shares her personal story about understanding the value of electric health records in preserving patient records when disaster strikes.

21.  Health Information Technology: Laying the Infrastructure for National Health Reform [PDF - 146 KB]
By David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; Sachin H. Jain, M.D. M.B.A., Special Assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; and Melinda Beeuwkes Buntin, Ph.D., Senior Economic Advisor, ONC
Health Affairs, June 2010

  1. Drs. Blumenthal, Jain, and Buntin discuss the key ways in which health IT is critical to the implementation of national health reform.

22.  Perspective: Launching HITECH
By David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
New England Journal of Medicine, February 4, 2010

Dr. Blumenthal outlines the HITECH Act as the groundwork for an advanced electronic health information system.

CMS Opens EHR Incentive Program Registration, Issues Guides to Registration

Posted on by
Reply

Registration for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs is now open.
State Medicaid EHR Readiness appears to delay registration completion in those states at least for Medicaid
CMS has issued three step-by-step guides to registration  for the EHR Incentive Programs, each about 20 pages long, for Eligible Hospitals, Professionals Eligible for Medicare, and Professionals Eligible for Medicaid. For hospitals in states which are not yet ready with their Medicaid programs, the guide indicates “your file will be placed into a pending status until your state’s program is launched.” For eligible professionals in states which are not yet ready for Medicaid, they may not be able to register until those states are ready. (The EHR Information Center phone line said eligible professionals in non-ready states would not be able to register for Medicaid programs yet.) Dual-eligible hospitals, who potentially may apply for both Medicare and Medicaid are advised to indicate they will be applying for both Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentives, even if they are not ready at this point.

We strongly recommend reading the applicable guide thoroughly and have all the information required prior to going to register. We expect more clarity to come on some issues noted above in the next few days.

CMS EHR Registration and Attestation Page
Excerpted from CMS site on 1/3/2010:
We encourage providers to register for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program(s) as soon as possible. You can register before you have a certified EHR. Register even if you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS.

Register for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Below are step-by-step guides to help you register for EHR Incentive Programs. Choose the guide that fits your needs:

Please Note: Although the Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will begin January 3, 2011, not all states will be ready to participate on this date. Information on when registration will be available for Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs in specific States is posted at Medicaid State Information.

Eligible Professionals:

Eligible professionals eligible for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs must choose which incentive program they wish to participate in when they register. Before 2015, an eligible professional may switch programs only once after the first incentive payment is initiated. Most eligible professionals will maximize their incentive payments by participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
Editor’s note: We anticipate that this comment on professionals will be updated regarding Medicaid, since it appears Medicaid registration may be delayed until a state’s Medicaid program is ready.

Hospitals:
Editor’s note: Please note this is new language since registering for a state’s Medicaid program appears that it will be delayed until that state’s Medicaid program is ready. Unclear how this impacts dual-eligible hospitals.

If you represent a hospital that meets all of the following qualifications, you are dually-eligible for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs:

  • You are a subsection(d) hospital in the 50 U.S. States or the District of Columbia, or you are a Critical Access Hospital (CAH); and
  • You have a CMS Certification Number ending in 0001-0879 or 1300-1399; and
  • You have 10% of your patient volume derived from Medicaid encounters.

Hospitals that are eligible for EHR incentive payments under both Medicare and Medicaid should select “Both Medicare and Medicaid” during the registration process, even if they plan to apply only for a Medicaid EHR incentive payment by adopting, implementing, or upgrading certified EHR technology. Dually-eligible hospitals can then attest through CMS for their Medicare EHR incentive payment at a later date, if they so desire.

If you fall into this category, when registering for the program you must choose “Both Medicare & Medicaid”. Please select your state from the drop-down menu on the registration screen. If your state’s program has not yet launched at the time of your registration, your file will be placed into a pending status until your state’s program is launched. That means you will not be able to complete your registration or receive an EHR incentive payment until your state’s program launches. For a list of expected program launch dates, please visit the Medicaid State Information page.

Hospitals that register only for the Medicaid program (or only the Medicare program) will not be able to manually change their registration (i.e., change to “Both Medicare and Medicaid” or from one program to the other) after a payment is initiated and this may cause significant delays in receiving a Medicare EHR incentive payment.

If you represent a hospital that falls into one of the categories below, you are eligible only for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program:

  • Children’s hospitals;
  • Cancer hospitals; or
  • Acute care hospitals in the U.S. territories.

When registering for the program you should select “Medicaid-only” for your hospital type. You will see a list of states in a drop down menu and you must select a state. Please select your state from the drop-down menu on the registration screen.

If your state’s EHR Incentive Program has not yet launched at the time of your registration, your file will be placed into a pending status until your state’s program launches. That means you will not be able to complete your registration or receive an EHR incentive payment until your state’s program launches. For a list of expected Medicaid EHR Incentive Program launch dates, please visit the Medicaid State Information page.

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) Information Center is open to assist the EHR Provider Community with inquiries.

EHR Information Center Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
1-888-734-6433 (primary number) or 888-734-6563 (TTY number)

Submit an Inquiry to the EHR Information Center