| As 2015 and its promise of loads of cash for | | | | the FTC; and new electronic medical record (EMR) |
| providers who adopt EHR technology is not far | | | | systems are required in each facility — a |
| away now, a close look at providers' IT | | | | requirement separate and apart from the |
| capabilities reveals how far they have to go in | | | | aggregate EHR on a patient that exists across |
| order to be prepared for the high demands that | | | | organizations. Check the IT staff at your |
| the EHR will place on their systems. | | | | organization. IT staff can be low in some places, |
| A recent Business Week series that examines | | | | points out the article, which is worrisome because |
| some of the technical issues accompanying the | | | | they won't have the manpower or expertise to |
| rollout of EHR in providers' offices across the | | | | implement these complicated systems. The article |
| country states, "the haste to set-up EHRs could | | | | reads, "EHR implementations are far more |
| lead to administrative complications, formatting | | | | complicated for hospitals than for physician's |
| problems, errors and interoperability glitches." | | | | officesas they aren't all-inclusive bundled systems." |
| According to the article, last year, only 10% of | | | | "Hospitals use piecemeal technology that's rolled |
| U.S. health care facilities were using EHRs, but the | | | | out department by department and requires |
| feds want half of them on board by 2014. If | | | | integration. And because many hospitals will not |
| you're aspiring to be in that first half, read on to | | | | just rip and replace their existing IT |
| learn about some of the challenges you'll need to | | | | infrastructures, they'll be forced to integrate new |
| overcome: | | | | physician and nurse documentation systems, |
| Deal productively with the uncertainty to show | | | | computerized order-entry systems and relational |
| that you're using EHRs in a meaningful way. CMS | | | | databases with their existing systems." Implement |
| has issued its first proposed rule on the definition | | | | CPOE initially. A recent survey by Computer |
| of meaningful use, which will determine whether a | | | | Sciences Corp. indicates that while 70% of |
| facility or provider qualifies for full incentive | | | | hospitals have systems that can support |
| payments. The first rule, due out this spring, will | | | | computerized physician order entries, only 8% |
| focus on capturing health data in a coded format; | | | | have such systems throughout their facilities. |
| tracking patient conditions and coordinating care; | | | | Implementing a CPOE system is a good place to |
| and implementing clinical decision support tools to | | | | start on the road to EHR adoption , according to |
| facilitate disease and medication management. | | | | the BusinessWeek series. Such systems can be |
| Experts worry that hospitals and other facilities will | | | | set up in emergency departments first, before |
| feel compelled to meet the deadline for EHR | | | | being rolled out to the rest of the hospital, for |
| adoption in 2011, so they don't miss out on the | | | | instance. Self-Assessment and Networking! |
| first round of money, and struggle to meet the | | | | According to Sue Reber of the non-profit |
| definition of meaningful use too quickly. Without | | | | Certification Commission for Health Information |
| robust IT departments and resources, a hasty | | | | Technology (CCHIT) which certifies EHR systems, |
| rollout of EHR technology could be "disjointed," and | | | | "If you aren't evaluating some EHR products and |
| that may make for even more difficulties later. | | | | talking to your peers about this, you're going to |
| Pace up with multiplying compliance demands in | | | | have a difficult time getting all of your |
| addition to EHR requirements. Providers worry | | | | reimbursement payments, and you may even get |
| that their IT systems will be crushed by the | | | | yourself into the penalty phase." Other experts |
| confluence of several new requirements – | | | | recommend that you run an audit of the IT |
| only one of which is the EHR rule. Remember that | | | | systems you already have in place, asking |
| new ICD-10 code sets are in effect and carry a | | | | whether they can be certified as they are, and |
| compliance date of October 1, 2013. Other new | | | | whether there are any technology gaps that need |
| standards apply to medical claims and remittances | | | | to be remedied. |
| under HIPAA; there are the red flag rules from | | | | |