We are happy to announce our third customer to receive the full $18,000 payment, Dr. Arnold of Rockingham, NC.

Benefits of  RAPID EHR go far beyond government incentives

Dr. Arnold and staff report that they have also received positive feedback from personal injury regarding outstanding treatment notes, insurance firms regarding accuracy of claims, and patients regarding the ease of the kiosk. Dr. Arnold’s wife, Katherine, is the office manager has seen a number of benefits to their practice.

“Overall, RAPID has helped us to improve our professional image. Patients see how easily their records are updated and insurers and personal injury firms are amazed by how complete and detailed the documentation is.”

Efficient time management is key to a practice’s success. Katherine reports that this new software system saves at least 2.5 hours per patient record when preparing treatment note for attorneys or insurance companies. Dr. Arnold sees the many benefits as well and reveals that this new system provides a much better set of checks and balances between treatment and accurate billing. The transition to ACOM Health was nearly effortless.

Change Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

Katherine worked closely with ACOM Health to achieve and demonstrate meaningful use needed to collect on these payments.

“The training and coaching programs were comprehensive and easy to understand, and the personal support and resources were more than I could have asked for,” explains Katherine. “I just cannot say enough good things about ACOM Health – I have to be their number one fan.”

Meaningful Use is More Than a Requirement

Meaningful Use is truly much more than a box that gets checked off on the way to $44,000 in incentives, it is the goal. With the right tool, your practice will realize a range of very real benefits. When you reach that point, you’ve crossed the finish line and joined Dr. Arnold in achieving the real “Meaningful Use”.

Another Chiropractor Get’s $18,000 EHR Incentive Payment, Saves 2.5 Hours Per Patient Record is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

Great News, two of our customers have now received payment of $18,000 from the EHR incentive, the maximum attainable in 2011.

Congratulations to Dr. James Gudgel, and Dr. David Arnold who have led the way for the 150+ Chiropractors using ACOM Health’s RAPID EHR to qualify for EHR incentive payments in 2011.

Dr. Gudgel

With the receipt of their incentive payments they have shown that CHIROPRACTORS WILL GET PAID EHR INCENTIVE DOLLARS. The debate is over and it’s time to get educated about the EHR Incentive Program so you can make an informed decision about which Chiropractic EHR Software solution is best for your practice.

It’s important to note that adoption after 2012 will reduce the maximum available incentive by $5,000. Start learning what you need to know now, do your due diligence and see how the systems work before you buy, don’t buy just for the stimulus. A first-class EHR solution will improve numerous areas of your practice (see Dr. Pirner’s letter) and make you glad you chose well. A less effective solution may get you the incentive dollars, but do you really want to buy a solution for something as important as your documentation that you hate using every day?

Learn more about the EHR Incentive program.

Learn more about RAPID EHR.

Not One, but Two… Chiropractors using RAPID EHR have received $18,000 Payment is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

Though we often receive feedback from happy customers, it’s rare when that feedback is so complete as the letter from Dr. Pirner we received last week.

Dr. Pirner does a great job bringing to light  the benefits of implementing ACOM Health’s RAPID EHR in her practice, and even talks to her experience meeting the EHR stimulus criteria for proving meaningful use.

Thank you Dr. Pirner, and we hope reading about your experience is helpful to other DCs. It’s clear you’ve seen that the benefit implementing an EHR system goes far beyond the $44,000 in incentives provided by the ARRA stimulus.

Dear ACOM Health/ Rapid;

I would like to personally thank you for your product, it has saved me time, increased my collections, and reduced my staff costs!

I no longer worry, if every note will pass all the criteria required for Medicare, and insurance work, and I have 1 – 2 hours per day in time savings, vs. hand written notes. The new system of billing Rapid, has given me a 2 – 4% increase in collected revenue, with less error in posting, and reducing staff payroll by eliminating payroll time spent, retrieving, and filling files.

The staff and I have met the meaningful use criteria with little effort. Thanks to the educational videos, which you can use to instruct your staff in meaningful use, and system training, which has saved me time, and mental health as a doctor also.

My patient files, and reports, are printable at the push of a button. And I know they are of equal quality to any facility or health care professional in the country.

My Medicare patients have adapted readily, and with little complaints. Several exclaimed, “Why my (cardiologist) is on the new electronic records.” And I take that opportunity, to let them know their medical records are secure and safe even if a tornado hit the clinic, unlike the old paper notes. And I can communicate with any doctor with a push of a button.

Thank you for surpassing my expectations in your software product. I am usually slow to change, but this has been such a positive one. And the icing on the cake will be a check from the government for making it.

Sincerely;

Dr. Janie Pirner BA, DC, DABCI 

View More Customer Comments (Video, letters, case studies)

Dear ACOM Health, is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

By: Jeff Brown, DC, CPC, CCPC

The liveliest debate among chiropractors regarding the EHR Incentive “Stimulus” Program revolves around drugs, naturally!  With rare exception, medication prescription does not fall within chiropractic’s scope of practice.  Why then, must a chiropractor use an EHR with all the drug bells and whistles or maintain an active medication list on his or her patients to be eligible for stimulus money? 

NOTE: This article has the most up-to-date information at the time of this writing; however, the government program is continually evolving, so please join me for the latest news update at my regularly scheduled educational webinars at www.acomhealth.com/EHRwebinar.

Let’s start at the top, the Final Rule

On July 28, 2010, after much debate and public comment, CMS released 42 CFR Parts 412, 413, 422 et al. Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; Final Rule.  Essentially, this 276 page document is the EHR Incentive Program’s Bible.  It says, an EP (Eligible Professional), that’s you, must utilize a single “complete” certified EHR, or multiple “modular” certified EHRs when combined cover 100% of the required Meaningful Use (MU) measures.  The government’s intent is to ensure the decision of whether or not any particular MU measure is used, or not used, remains in the hands of the provider, not the vendor.  As a result, software vendors who chose to attain “complete” certification status – so doctors would only need to purchase a single EHR – had to incorporate all drug related MU measures into their product, including those related to drugs, even though their end users may never ePrescribe or make medication recommendations.

Side note: A glimmer of sunshine was written into the Final Rule allowing EHR vendors to “turn off” the ePrescribe functionality as long as it could be activated at a provider’s request.  This language was extremely important from the chiropractic perspective because it meant chiropractors, other than those few who prescribe drugs, wouldn’t have to pay for software functionality which doesn’t apply to them and is actually illegal to use. 

What You Must do to Qualify for Incentive Payments

Now let’s look beyond vendor requirements and into what the provider must do to qualify for incentive payments.  If you read my previous article, Meaningful Use – In A Nutshell, you’ll know there are 25 MU measures.  Of these, seven are drug related, but only three really matter: Drug Interaction Checks (Core #2); Active Medication List (Core #5); and Medication Allergy List (Core #6).  Why?  Because there is “no exclusion” for these measures!  Therefore, all providers wishing to meet MU must complete all three to successfully attest. 

No need to panic.  Drug Interaction Checks must simply be “enabled,” or turned ON.  Drug Interactions run automatically in the background of your software and alert you when two drugs on a patient’s medication list have known severe incidence of adverse effects (huge opportunity to educate patients here).  Simple enough!  Next, Medication and Medication Allergy Lists are both straightforward activities which you are “not required to update…at every contact with the patient” and you may use your “clinical judgment to decide when additional probing is required.”  Super simple! 

CPOE for Medication Orders (Core #1), ePrescribing (Core #4), and Drug Formulary Checks (Menu #1) are three more MU measures related to drugs, however, all three carry an exclusion for providers who write fewer than 100 prescriptions.  Think of exclusions as exemptions, or immunity.  So, unless you write more than 100 prescriptions, there’s no need to worry about these three drug measures at all, you’re excluded!

Medication Reconciliation (Menu #7) is the last of the seven MU measures related to drugs, however, it too is of little concern because it is a Menu item; meaning, you don’t need to report on it (remember, you only need to report on 5 of 10 Menu measures).  Besides, other Menu items are recommended and less problematic.  Plus, Medication Reconciliation has an exclusion you may qualify for if you are not the recipient of any “transitions of care” – a patient was referred to you by another provider. 

Recap

There are seven MU measures related to drugs, but only three carry significance to DCs because they do not have exclusions.  They are:

1. Drug Interaction Checks

2. Active Medication List

3. Medication Allergy List

Consequently, all providers, regardless of scope, must report on these three measures if they are to successfully meet MU and get a stimulus check.  The good news is this: Even though your software must do it all, you don’t; and the abovementioned measures are reasonable and easy to complete when given the right EHR technology. 

NOTE: This article has the most up-to-date information at the time of this writing; however, the government program is continually evolving, so please join me for the latest news update at my regularly scheduled educational webinars at www.acomhealth.com/EHRwebinar.

EHR Incentive Program “Drug” Requirement – Why Chiropractors? is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

For everybody waiting to see if the payments were really going to go out and the program is for real, the wait is over and it’s for real. The following is from the ONC announcement:

• On May 19, 2011, the Medicare EHR Incentive Program issued the first round of payments totaling $75 million to providers who signed up in the first two weeks of the program. 

“Through the EHR incentive programs, we are helping eligible providers invest in their technology infrastructure,” said Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM., National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.  “But this isn’t just about technology. The goal is better and safer health care, and that means it’s about patients — about their health care and protection of their information.”

To see the full announcement visit the ONC site here. To learn more about our Certified Complete Chiropractic EHR solution go here.

First ARRA EHR Payments Issued This Week is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

There are many ways to cut administrative costs in the healthcare business to avoid unnecessary expenses that can quickly escalate with increasing costs in the medical field. During these difficult economic times, financial reliability becomes an even greater concern. Here are some of the methods in which a business can be more expedient while tightening their budgets at the same time:

1. Automated systems
ACOM automated systems is one way of bringing about a new sense of fiscal responsibility for your company. When mistakes are made regarding payroll or billing, a company will lose money. Automated systems help reduce this risk by ensuring the proper input is recorded at the time of service. Related software can include spreadsheets that are very efficient when it comes time to send information to a service provider. Additionally, there is less room for error in an automated system and the need for external documentation is also reduced.

2. Save time
Employee productivity is crucial to the success of any business. Efficient employees save time and money that can be allotted to other important functions. Internet-based software systems offered by ACOM can free up workers to concentrate on improved patient response and quality care. To further increase productivity, a company may also choose to hire temporary workers for specific times when business is exceedingly high. This makes more sense than hiring full time workers that sit inactive during slow periods of business.

3. Save money
Your business can save money by purchasing only what is vital to the office overall function and comfort. Turning off electrical units when not in use, such as computers or chargers overnight, will help a company cut costs. Utilities can be cut back by using and properly adjusting a programmable thermostat for when the office is empty. A company may also choose to buy used equipment to help bring about further savings. Implementing automated computer-based payment and documentation software will result in definite cost savings in the long run.

4. Save paper
Saving paper is one means of keeping the costs of a business down as much as possible. With automated billing and documenting, you also reduce the cost of ink, which is an extreme expense in itself. Costs related to storage space or filing is also decreased. The use of email as opposed to the postal service should always be encouraged.  Companies can further reduce their costs by only printing information deemed necessary and also using the backside of printed paper for information whenever possible.

5. Increase efficiency
Organizations can improve efficiency by closely analyzing any unnecessary spending that is taking place. If a specific process is negatively affecting the budget, it should be adequately investigated and refined.  Automated web-based systems will enhance any business office while freeing up overhead to be used in other vital areas.

6. Electronic records
Electronic records will help your business save money by cutting the need for paper trails for audits or for tax purposes. In addition, there are plenty of free online forms that may be printed out for office use, rather than purchased. This accessibility to reliable, consistent data will greatly reduce stress at the end of the year when audits occur and taxes are due. Professional software through ACOM Health can make documentation a smooth process.

7. Maximum organization
Organize priorities and adhere to them for optimum overall functioning.  Automated systems will enhance any professional ability to perform tasks with the greatest cost efficiency.  Not only will patient concerns be addressed sooner, but employee questions will be reduced with access to the automated systems. Staff will find it easier to follow the software guidelines, allowing them to perform their job better.

8. Improved billing
Business accounts should be carefully analyzed in order to keep your costs down and financial affairs running smoothly. How employees deal with billing procedures should be carefully scrutinized for any ineffective methods which occur between two departments.  ACOM Health’s software offers professional solutions to resolve such discrepancies and optimize cash flow for operational success.

9. Improved collections
A business can improve collections to not only save money, but help foster a system that is fair and efficient to prevent possible liability cases. Companies may choose to collect past due fees with an amnesty program, which will encourage customer participation. Look for any instances in which information is improperly recorded, as this wastes both time and money, slowing down the collection process at the same time. Again, the best software systems will serve to augment this process.

10. Improved management
Management is an essential building block of any organization, and implementing cost-efficient practices benefit executives in the long run. Effective management should consider automated web-based systems that will assist in improving overall business functions. Expertise can be better spent managing staff and patient goals and will keep a healthcare business operating in top professional form well into the future.

10 Ways Chiropractors Can Cut Costs is a post from: ACOM Health Blog

For those chiropractors who have an interest, even the slightest, in being a part of the EHR Incentive program should immediately complete steps 1 and 2 (of 4) in order to get stimulus dollars for 2011.  Step 1 is verifying your enrollment record in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS), and step 2 is register for the incentive program.  If you find you are not in PECOS, you will need to do a little extra leg work to become enrolled.  Step 2, registration, is a cake walk. 

Both steps can be completed regardless of whether or not you have a certified EHR installed, or even purchased.  For details on how to complete these activities, visit the Steps to Claiming ARRA EHR Stimulus section of ACOM Health’s website.

Chiropractors Interested In EHR, Don’t Delay Registration and Enrollment! is a post from: ACOM Health Blog