Through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, certain healthcare providers – including most physicians and hospitals – may be eligible for incentive payments if they follow guidelines regarding implementation and active use of electronic health record (EHR) systems. In order to receive these incentive...
Much of the health information technology (HIT) today promotes patient communication to improve care and potentially lower costs. Some examples are interactive preventive health records (IPHR), e-prescribing, and electronic health records (EHR).
Emerging telehealth technologies, however, take it a step further. Telehealth allows physicians and other providers not only to...
Prevention and wellness care are widely recognized as means to reduce health costs and spending, while also improving outcomes for patients. Preventive services typically include screenings for diseases, such as cancer, or harmful conditions, such as obesity. They also include immunizations. For example: someone gets a flu shot costing...
Electronic Patient Communication: Recommendations to Promote Patient-Centered Tools that Improve Care
Kip Piper -
Communication with patients is at the heart of new primary care tools and models that improve outcomes and lower costs, such as patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) and interactive preventive health records (IPHR). Often, communication means electronic communication, and is part of efforts by Medicare, Medicaid, and private health plans to...
Hospital Quality Reporting and EHRs: Inpatient Quality Data Reporting Using Electronic Health Records
Kip Piper -
By making hospital quality of care information public, the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program is designed to help patients make informed decisions and encourage hospitals and physicians to improve the quality of inpatient care. Under the Hospital IQR program, hospitals submit clinical quality data to the Centers for Medicare...
Implementation of a Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) is a colossal task, presenting an array of complex challenges for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and states. Regardless of your views on the ACA, the task of implementing Health Insurance Exchanges is truly extraordinary.
In a nutshell, design and...
Privacy and Security of Health Information: Federal Guide on Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality of Electronic Health Records
Kip Piper -
Health information technology (HIT) and electronic health records (EHR) increasingly play an important role in the U.S. health care system. Many providers and health plans are using technology to improve care coordination, engage patients in primary care, raise transparency, and lower costs. Health insurance exchanges (HIX), part of the...
Health care quality and patient safety have become increasingly important in recent years, particularly as part of efforts to prevent wasteful spending, hospital readmissions, and medical errors. Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), health information technology (HIT), electronic health records (EHR), and new health plan reporting requirements are among the many...
Price Transparency in Health Care: Guidelines for Healthcare Purchasers from Catalyst for Payment Reform
Kip Piper -
Opaque prices – the norm in U.S. health care – in a key driver of inefficient, ineffective medical care and rapid cost increases. Transparency of health care prices - public reporting of prices - is an essential ingredient for a high-value, cost effective health care system.
In recent years, rising...
Sellers Dorsey Announces Leadership Changes: Hurdle Appointed CEO, Sellers Becomes Chairman at National Healthcare Consultancy
Kip Piper -
Sellers Dorsey announced key leadership changes aimed at business expansion at its annual meeting on October 23. Harvey Hurdle became the Chief Executive Officer and Sellers Dorsey's founder and current Chief Executive Officer, Martin Sellers, will now serve as Founder and Chairman.
"I am honored to lead Sellers Dorsey and...