How to Train Your Dragon: Patient Documentation in the 21st Century
What’s one thing you never see Grey’s Anatomy? A doctor sitting down at 3 am to dictate on a patient. Or write a note in their chart. I don’t even remember seeing a doctor on that show even look at a patient’s chart, let alone glean any valuable information from it. No one becomes a doctor because they love to document.
Want to make a lot of money in healthcare? Don’t become a doctor.
This week the New York Times ran an article about the top earners in healthcare- and perhaps a surprise to none, doctors did not top that list: administrators did.
ACA Acronyms | FFOF | Everything Has an Abbrev.
What do the ACA, ACO, FFS, DHS, and QHP all have in common? They are healthcare acronyms and most are related to the Affordable Care Act.
The healthcare industry is not unlike any other industry or almost any aspect of our lives these days, especially with the advent of texting. There is always a shorter way to say something i.e. “BFF” – best friends forever or one of my favorites “*$” – Starbucks. By the way, the title “FFOF” is Fun Facts on Friday.
The ACA, which is part of the “PPACA” – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, is regulated by “HHS” – the division of Health and Human Services, the “DOL” – Department of Labor and the “IRS” – Internal Revenue Service. HHS designates many responsibilities to “CMS” – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Concierge Medicine | Paying for Convenience and Access
What are the latest trends with concierge medicine? What are the pros and cons associated from both a patient and physician perspective? How does the ACA play into concierge medicine?
How are healthcare trends affecting the future of healthcare? Is concierge medicine the answer? It is no secret that the physician shortage is growing in leaps and bounds, especially in terms of primary care. The creation of the Affordable Care Act has amplified the issue, adding more insured to the mix. The supply and demand ratio is completely unbalanced. As a result, both physicians and patients are looking for alternatives.
Telemedicine / Telehealth – Current Uses and Reimbursement
What’s better than knowing you can connect a provider with a patient even when that patient lives in the most rural of places? Telemedicine is an innovative and resourceful communication tool that integrates communications with modern day electronics allowing for the provider and patient to be in different locations during scheduled appointments. Products such as real time audio/video, email and smart phones are just some of the products being used in this delivery of services. The term telehealth which also encompasses telemedicine is a broader definition of remote healthcare that can include non clinical usage such as continuing education and training for providers to support healthcare services.
Show Me the Money | Profitability Through Value-Based Purchasing
Summary: Are you ready for a shift in risk from payer to provider? Will you be ready for value-based purchasing when it becomes required? Are you utilizing other reimbursement models such as bundled payments, Accountable Care Organizations, and Population Health Management?
From a provider perspective, healthcare reform is aimed at tightening the purse strings, working more efficiently, reducing waste, and improving quality. The shift of risk has begun which will transform healthcare from a fee-for-service to fee-for-value. When the ultimate transformation ends, is still uncertain. As such, fee-for-service is still being utilized and providers are still generating profits and revenue based on the volume mentality while simultaneously trying to transition to a volume and quantity mentality. Juggling the opposite ends of the spectrum is no easy task.
Shifting Risk: A Pharmacy Perspective on Value-Based Purchasing
Summary: In this article we will discuss Value-Based Purchasing and how it impacts the Pharma industry in particular.
According to an issue brief by Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, Value-based pricing for pharmaceuticals: Implications of the shift from volume to value, a shift in risk is occurring in the pharma industry as a result of healthcare legislation, culminating with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
5 Aspects of CMS’ 2015 Proposed IPPS Regulations
On April 30, 2014, CMS announced proposed IPPS regulations to become effective January 1, 2015. The ruling covers: Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program, Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, Quality Reporting Programs, and Wage Index – Updated Labor Market Areas.
CMS just announced proposed regulations to become effective January 1, 2015. These regulations further the goals of the Affordable Care Act: increasing patient outcomes and reducing healthcare spending. These proposed regulations are Medicare specific and, if approved, will be applicable to general acute care and long-term care hospitals.
Telemedicine is Expanding but Faces Obstacles
Summary: As a result of the ACA and the increase in patients while the physician shortage is magnified, efforts are under way to address the lopsidedness of supply and demand. One of those efforts is telemedicine.
The influx in individuals who are recently eligible for insurance coverage has added fuel to the fire in terms of the number of physicians who can provide care. Telemedicine is expanding in popularity and use as a means to address this issue, while also reducing healthcare costs and increasing both accessibility and affordability.
Factors Influencing ACO Expansion
Summary: What is contributing to the rapid expansion of ACOs? What programs are currently being piloted? What are the initial results of current ACOs?
What is an ACO?
An ACO is a group of healthcare providers who work together and accept accountability for reducing costs and increasing quality of care.