Physician payment bill
Physician payment bill advances through House committee
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 31 unanimously approved legislation to repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate formula. As Congress adjourns for its annual recess, the bill moves to consideration by the full House of Representatives. MORE

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Physician payment bill advances through House committee August 02, 2013 | Mary Mosquera - Contributing Editor
Physician payment bill
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 31 unanimously approved legislation to repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate formula. As Congress adjourns for its annual recess, the bill moves to consideration by the full House of Representatives.
Physicians crown ACA with dunce cap August 01, 2013 | Madelyn Kearns - Associate Editor
Physicians crown ACA with dunce cap
Healthcare reformation efforts have done little to cauterize a hemorrhaging system, physicians responding to a recent Medicus Firm survey declared, delivering downright dismal marks to various aspects of Affordable Care Act implementation.
HIE 2.0 hones in on 'clinical network management' July 31, 2013 | Anthony Brino - Contributing Writer
As the market for HIE services slows its growth and consolidates, 2013 is set to be the year when most health information exchanges realize they need to focus on supporting care coordination, or clinical network management, according to a report released by Chilmark Research.
Physicians should prepare for Sunshine Act's advent July 31, 2013 | Frank Irving - Editor
Physicians should prepare for Sunshine Act's advent
Starting Aug. 1, pharmaceutical and medical device companies must begin tracking and preparing to publicly report payments and other transfers of value made to physicians under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. Doctors should ask industry representatives for an opportunity to review and, if necessary, correct all information that will be submitted to the government.
Narrowing physician access puts pharma in a bind July 30, 2013 | Madelyn Kearns - Associate Editor
Oncologists have a reputation to maintain — and according to the latest report from ZS Associates, when it comes to fortifying against pharmaceutical sales representatives, the specialty remains characteristically hardboiled for the second year in a row.
How IT impacts medical consolidation July 30, 2013 | Jeff Rowe - Contributing Writer
How IT impacts medical consolidation
While most health IT professionals are probably more focused on implementing or maintaining systems than they are tracking larger healthcare trends, they should be aware of five areas where IT concerns factor into the drive toward, and the success of, consolidation.
HHS scrutinizes observational care policy July 30, 2013 | Kaiser Health News - www.kaiserhealthnews.org
HHS scrutinizes Medicare observational care policy
Medicare patients' chances of being admitted to the hospital or kept for observation depend on which hospital they go to -- even when their symptoms are the same, noted Health & Human Services' Office of the Inspector General in a report released July 30.
Practice Advisor tool offers MOC points July 29, 2013 | Frank Irving - Editor
Practice Advisor tool offers modules for MOC points
The American College of Physicians' Medical Home Builder tool has been renamed ACP Practice Advisor to reflect a broader scope of use, the organization announced on July 26. It includes two modules that internists can use to achieve Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance points towards Maintenance of Certification.

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5 red flags for claim denials August 02, 2013 | Kevin Fuller - New Media Producer at MedTech Media
medical claim denials
Medical claim denials are a hassle and can lead to financial difficulties and yet so many of them can be easily avoided. Be on the lookout for these common mistakes in office procedures and claims processing.
3 immunizations covered by Medicare August 01, 2013 | Frank Irving - Editor
3 immunizations covered by Medicare Part B
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Medicare Part B covers three important immunizations and their administration for qualified beneficiaries.
How to manage cash needs ahead of ICD-10 transition July 30, 2013 | Mary Mosquera - Contributing Editor
How to manage cash needs ahead of ICD-10 transition
Providers should be prepared to pay rent and staff salaries if the transition does not flow as smoothly as anticipated. Experts advise having up to several months' cash reserves or access to cash through a loan or line of credit to avoid potential headaches.
How to stage a successful labor audit July 29, 2013 | Kevin Fuller - New Media Producer at MedTech Media
How to stage a successful labor audit
Experts say internal labor audits may help hospitals and healthcare organizations navigate myriad labor laws, union contracts and other workforce issues.
Enhance usability, practice value with highly configurable EMRs July 29, 2013 | Mike Jenkins, MBA, PMP - CEO of BuildYourEMR
Enhance usability, practice value with highly configurable EMRs
To ensure high EMR usability, physicians must first fully assess their needs and practice workflow. The next step is to identify EMRs that meet, or can be configured to meet, current processes by enabling folders, forms and workflows to be electronically reproduced.
How remote care can take patients, docs to next level July 26, 2013 | Jeff Rowe - Contributing Writer
Improvements in healthcare can't come from technological advances alone. Enhancing healthcare boils down to identifying the gaps in the ways care is delivered, and figuring out how to fill them.
5 data recovery tips you can put into action now July 26, 2013 | Chris Bross - Strategic Technology Alliance Manager, DriveSavers
data recovery
Small and medium-sized businesses experience an average of six computer outages a year, with the top reasons being cyber-attacks, power failures and natural disasters. Planning ahead for a data disaster may seem like a tedious task, but with the right knowledge and a solid action plan, you can prevent a complete data loss.
Avoid the pitfalls of a hybrid workflow July 25, 2013 | Salvador Lopez - Content Writer, CareCloud
hybrid workflow
Quality of care, productivity and profitability all suffer from using both paper and electronic charts. So, if you're already using a quality EHR, it's time to leave paper behind. Read on to find out why.

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How to choose a reliable medical billing service July 09, 2013 | PhysBizTech staff
It is very tough for providers to choose a suitable and appropriate vendor amongst the thousands of vendors competing in the market today. Furthermore, it is all the more important to decide which vendor to use for the purpose of medical billing. This paper will guide you through the important questions you need to ask, how to avoid the wrong service and the steps to selecting the right service.
6 Steps to Improve Practice Revenues July 09, 2013 | PhysBizTech staff
This paper will walk you through the 6 important steps you need to improve your practice revenues.
How to Secure Patient Data: Understanding EHRs, HIPAA and the Cloud May 23, 2013 | Resource Central
Join Intel and CareCloud for a “how-to” webinar on practical strategies and best practices for securing sensitive data, moving from in-house EHR to cloud-based EHR, and unlocking the security, scalability and cost-saving benefits of more agile cloud solutions.
Enhancing Cash Collections and Internal Controls May 21, 2013 | PhysBizTech staff
As payment responsibility shifts from payers to patients, providers must institute proper collections practices and strengthen internal controls. The success of physician practice acquisitions often hinges on how these initial decisions are handled. This white paper examines the issues affecting these decisions and includes insights from several industry veterans whose areas of expertise focus on physician practice acquisitions.
Collect More from Patients without Hurting Satisfaction May 21, 2013 | PhysBizTech staff
Recent estimates say that as much as 30% of all provider revenue is coming out of patients’ own pockets. And thanks to higher-deductibles plans, a greater number of uninsured patients, and larger co-pays, more of that money owed is not delivered to providers. Getting reimbursements from patients is one of the biggest challenges hospitals face and it’s only made worse by their fear of hurting patient satisfaction and retention. Read about these 3 keys to success that can create results that are beneficial for both providers and their patients.
Rescue Your Revenues with Coding, Compliancy, and Reimbursement Management Tools May 21, 2013 | PhysBizTech staff
Medical coding is continuously changing. With so many different references and amendments to programs like Medicare, it has become harder for claims to be assessed properly. Often many physicians forgo thousands of dollars in reimbursements due to billing errors. Coding, compliancy and reimbursement management tools offer workflow-consistent claims management that enables practices to rescue reimbursements.
The VNA Strategy: Balancing Workflow and Enterprise Imaging Management April 16, 2013 | Resource Central
As healthcare providers implement health IT to comply with federal mandates and participate in quality of care programs, VNA solutions can play a critical role in helping them meet their needs today and in their future IT initiatives. Forward-thinking healthcare providers around the world are already successfully meeting this challenge with VNA. Download this Healthcare IT News eBook to learn how VNA enables exchange, supports data consolidation and IT simplification.
Saving Private Practice: The Front Office April 03, 2013 | Resource Central
20 million newly-insured patients will enter the healthcare system by 2014 as a result of the Affordable Care Act. 80% of these newly-insured patients are deemed “High Risk” for non-payment. As a practitioner, you cannot afford inefficient front office processes. In this webinar, learn about the changing healthcare landscape, how it may affect you, and best practices for ensuring you receive payment.

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Is it time to press the MU pause button? August 02, 2013 | Michael S. Barr, MD, MBA, FACP - Senior Vice President, Division of Medical Practice, Professionalism & Quality, American College of Physicians
Michael Barr
Should we keep the schedule for Stage 2 the same but introduce an option to help EPs and EHs avoid the penalty if they cannot completely meet Stage 2 requirements?
Smart devices make smart practice partners July 31, 2013 | Lindy Benton - CEO of MEA
Lindy Benton
Mobile devices and applications have the power to put information and insight into providers' hands whenever they want while saving them money.
Individual mandate opposition gets new life July 29, 2013 | Anthony Brino - Contributing Writer
Anthony Brino
Efforts by Republican lawmakers to delay or repeal the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate got renewed media coverage in July.
Yelp, Google…and Medicare July 26, 2013 | Zachary Landman, MD - Chief Medical Officer, Doctorbase
Zachary Landman, MD
Physicians and hospital groups should embrace the coming age of hospital shopping and comparison and seek to guide its best practice.
The physician's conundrum: Too much information, too little time July 25, 2013 | Denise Basow, MD - Vice President/General Manager and Editor-in-Chief, UpToDate
Basow
Clinical decision support resources have become a critical tool in managing the flood of clinical information and empowering physicians to have confidence in the decisions they make to treat patients.
Crazy ideas July 22, 2013 | Rob Lamberts, MD
rob lamberts
My care is no longer episodic, so why should my records be? I no longer need "visits" as units of commerce, and no longer need "problems" as the goods for which I am paid.
The future of social media and healthcare July 17, 2013 | Jessica Velasco - Contributing Writer
Jessica Velasco
Social media is perfectly positioned to help providers reach out to patients in a valuable, effective way.
Perspectives on accountable care organizations July 16, 2013 | Tom McGuinness, CPA, CVA - Founding Partner, Reimer, McGuinness & Associates, P.C., Marc H. Lion, CPA, CFP - Founding Member, Lion & Co., CPAs LLP
Tom McGuinness
Do you really believe that CMS will not reset the bar to coincide with any savings generated by those trying to play by the rules and do the right thing?

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VentureHealth Launches New Model for Funding Healthcare Innovations May 20, 2013 | Industry Release
VentureHealth, an online healthcare investment portal for accredited investors, today announced a new model for equity crowdfunding. Focused on innovations that dramatically improve clinical outcomes, VentureHealth is the first equity crowdfunding portal founded by professional investors.
Kareo Raises $20.5 Million to Fuel Rapid Growth January 23, 2013 | Industry Release
Kareo, Inc., a cloud-based medical office software provider for small medical practices, announced today the closing of a new $20.5 million equity investment led by Stripes Group with participation from existing Kareo investor Western Technology Investments. This new funding is in addition to the $18 million previously raised, bringing Kareo’s total funding to more than $38 million. Kareo will use the new capital to launch Kareo Billing Services, a technology-enabled revenue cycle management solution for small medical practices, and is extending its market reach and leadership position through new investment in sales and marketing.
COLA to offer lab quality program to American College of Physicians January 10, 2013 | Industry Release
COLA, a laboratory accreditor, today announced an agreement with the American College of Physicians (ACP) to promote a program of laboratory excellence to ACP members. The joint initiative is designed to assist Patient-Centered Medical Home practices in delivering quality and value-driven laboratory medicine to their patients through a new COLA laboratory recognition program, called Patient-Centered Laboratory Excellence (PCLE).
QuantiaMD Announces New Executive Appointments January 09, 2013 | Industry Release
QuantiaMD, the largest online physician community and collaboration platform, has appointed Daniel Malloy to the role of Senior Vice President, bringing deep payer, health system and life sciences expertise to the company’s leadership team. In addition, current QuantiaMD President, Mike Coyne, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Eric Schultz, QuantiaMD’s founder and current CEO, has been appointed Executive Chairman.
Voalte Chief Nursing Officer Named Nebraska Nurses Association President January 08, 2013 | Industry Release
Voalte, a provider in clinical communication technology, announced that the company’s chief nursing officer, Dr. Teresa Anderson, was recently inducted as President of the Nebraska Nurses Association, an organization that represents more than 25,000 nurses in the state. Voalte congratulates Dr. Anderson on this prestigious appointment for the 2013-2014 term.
Navicure Named 2012 Best in KLAS for the Claims and Clearinghouse Services Market Segment for Third Time in Five Years January 02, 2013
Navicure, an Internet-based medical claims clearinghouse for physician practices, today announced that it has been named “Best in KLAS” for the claims and clearinghouse services market segment as part of the 2012 Best in KLAS Awards: Software & Services report. KLAS seeks to improve healthcare technology delivery through honest, accurate and impartial measurement of vendor services.
Voalte Executive Wins Florida Governor’s Innovators in Business Award December 11, 2012 | Industry Release
Voalte’s founder and Vice President of Innovation Trey Lauderdale was honored by the Governor of Florida Monday for his role in helping transform clinical communications.
digiChart Names Harry Jacobson, M.D., as New Board Chairman November 14, 2012 | Industry Release
digiChart, Inc. today announced that Harry Jacobson, M.D., has been named the new chairman of digiChart’s board of directors. digiChart is a national provider of specialty-specific electronic health record (EHR) and practice management system (PMS) solutions for OB-GYN practices. Dr. Jacobson replaces digiChart’s former chairman, G. William Bates, M.D., M.B.A., who has been named chairman emeritus of the company.

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ZirMed Fact of the Month

Average time to submit charges by specialty

Click here to see the expanded table. Data provided by Revenue Cycle Management Company ZirMed.

Slideshow: Physician Practice Demographics from SK&A Research

Research firm SK&A maintains a database of more than 2 million healthcare practitioners. This slideshow presents snapshots of U.S. physician practice demographics, based on reports published by SK&A between June 2011 and January 2012.
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