Is your organization ready to be ARRA certified in 2012 allowing you to meet all Meaningful Use objectives? Will you be receiving full payment/bonus potential for performance and reporting of a complete quality measure set to the appropriate regulatory agency? Are you positioned to comply with Meaningful Use objectives and receive full incentive payments and avoid penalties?

Inteck can help your organization Attest that it has met Meaningful Use criteria ensuring optimal payment potential. Inteck’s Meditech consultants have the expertise to Assess and Implement Meaningful Use Objectives and CQM’s for your organization.

-Meditech Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

Implementing a new electronic medical record (EMR) system can be challenging and complex. All in healthcare management know information technology plays a pivotal role in helping patient caregivers provide improved, efficient, and quality care. A successful EMR acquisition and implementation, and a physician adoption program that ensures your hospital professionals use your new EMR system, making the most of your investment, will lead you down the path to a successful EMR!

A recent article from Healthcare IT News, “5 ways to make your EMR more user-friendly,”* is a great reminder of a few of the steps to take to ensure success.

* Having trouble viewing this article? Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-ways-make-your-emr-more-user-friendly?topic=08

If your facility has been able to successfully implement and adopt an EMR system, share your experience. What advice would you give other healthcare organizations?

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

Two recent stories serve as a reminder to healthcare facilities to audit their current security processes and procedures. Health Data Management has two articles, “Stolen Computers Contained PHI on More Than 3,000 Patients,”* and “Taking Work Home Results in Loma Linda Breach, Employee Termination,”* where in both cases patients are being notified of their compromised health information. These data breaches, unfortunately, are the not the first of their kind, nor will they be the last. Help ensure your facility is not making the news due to a security breach and compromised patient health information, perform a security audit regularly and whenever system upgrades or modifications are made.

How has your facility safeguarded against PHI data breaches? What recommendations would you give other facilities?

*Having trouble viewing these articles? Copy and paste the links below into your browsers to view.
Stolen Computers Contained PHI on More Than 3,000 Patients
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/breach-notification-hipaa-protected-health-information-43836-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e2269:161492a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_010612
Taking Work Home Results in Loma Linda Breach, Employee Termination
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/breach-notification-hipaa-protected-health-information-43835-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e2269:161492a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_010612

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

Learn more about Inteck’s System Security Services.

An article from Health Data Management, “MGMA Calls for HIPAA 5010 Contingency Plan,”* discusses MGMA’s concern for the rapidly approaching deadline of January 1, 2012. Although a 90-day grace has been set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, MGMA has warned that the industry is not prepared for this transition. MGMA feels a six month grace would benefit the healthcare facilities and allow them to adequately prepare and transition to 5010. “Twenty-three percent of MGMA survey respondents plan to revert to paper claims come January 1 to avoid cash flow problems.” (2011. HealthData Management.)

How has your facility prepared for the January 1, 2012 deadline? What advice would you give other facilities?

* Having trouble viewing this article? Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/hipaa-5010-transactions-edi-revenue-cycle-43797-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e2225:161492a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_122011

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

An article published by Health Leaders Media on December 2, 2011, “Most Providers Unprepared for HIPAA Audit“* discuss the findings from a recent survey about how healthcare organizations needing to be HIPAA compliant are falling short when it comes to the privacy and security audit.

With changes to HIPAA on the horizon and as healthcare organizations are implementing and upgrading their systems to satisfy Meaningful Use and obtain ARRA funds, their HIPAA program might be compromised. Successful healthcare organizations need a comprehensive management program to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patient information.

What steps has your facility taken to stay HIPAA compliant? What advice would you give other facilities?

*Having trouble viewing this article? Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/TEC-273839/Most-Providers-Unprepared-for-HIPAA-Audit##

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

An operational Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) prior to the implementation of your electronic health record (EHR) is crucial because it allows physicians to enter treatment orders into their HIS in a way that reduces the chance for error related to handwriting or transcription. CPOE also permits clinical staff to enter orders at the point-of-care, on- or off-site. The result is a patient order process that is safer, faster, and easier!

Does your facility have an operational CPOE? Have you implemented and EHR system? What advice would you give other facilities?

What Inteck Will Do For You:

• Perform a readiness assessment
• Assist with process redesign
• Provide support during and after implementation
• Provide support to Physician Committee
• Ensure privacy and security procedures are implemented for physicians and their office staff
• Provide physician training
• Provide system maintenance

-Donald Jacobs
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

An article published by Healthcare Informatics on November 17, 2011, “Meaningful Use Pushes Community Hospitals to EMRs“* discusses the recent findings from a KLAS report regarding the adoption of EMR’s in community hospitals.

Electronic medical records (EMR) improve patient care and allow for institutional savings by enhancing the quality and availability of clinical information. To undertake new technology initiatives such as EMR, health systems must be certain that proper planning is made to ensure successful implementation. If you are still searching for an EMR system to suit your facility or need implementation assistance consider looking within for candidates who have successfully undertaken such endeavors; or look to external resources who have assisted facilities such as yours in the past.

-It Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

*Having trouble viewing this article? Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=FE5E6C83D98A42FF9B37430F367FED50&WA_MAILINGLEVEL_CODE=

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

Having trained staff is one of the cornerstones of having an effective IT system. If your staff can use your system optimally, it can function effectively and efficiently. Your organization can get its money’s worth from its investment.

Hospitals are now focusing on Attesting to obtain the Stimulus Funds by satisfying the Meaningful Use criteria. The heart of Meaningful Use is to use healthcare information for the treatment of patients. Having the correct version of MEDITECH is the first step. Having your staff using the system effectively is the second step.

Benefits of Inteck’s Customized Meditech Training:

• Attest and Satisfy Meaningful Use
• Customized for and training on your system
• Improve operating efficiency
• Discover potential issues through training
• Increase end user satisfaction
• Decrease overtime
• Smoother transition to upgraded system version
• Cost effective/cost justified
• Patient safety improvements

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

New information released from the CMS states that there will be a 90-day grace period when it comes to HIPAA 5010. The deadline of January 1, 2012 still remains, but this 90-day grace will allow facilities the additional time to ensure their “ducks are in a row”. Many had been calling on the CMS for some sort of plan B as making the transition to 5010 was becoming challenging, “payers, providers and the software vendors they rely on are all running behind schedule such that too few have even begun internal, let alone external testing…”, according to the article, “HIPAA 5010 deadline stays with bit of leniency,”* published by Healthcare IT News online, November 17, 2011.

Where is your facility on the path to transition to 5010? What obstacles have your encountered and overcome to be successful? What advice would you share with other facilities?

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

*If you are having trouble viewing this article, copy and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hipaa-5010-deadline-stays-bit-leniency?topic=13,29,18,19

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.

Are you utilizing your current Revenue Cycle System effectively? By implementing innovative Revenue Cycle Management strategies, an organization can minimize revenue and reimbursement shortfalls while ensuring short- and long-term financial success.

Your Revenue Cycle Management Program should be designed to accomplish the following goals:

• Increase Revenue
• Improve cash received by the hospital
• Minimize the use of paper in the process
• Utilize the system effectively
• Become an important building block to implement an Electronic Health Record (EHR)

- Bruce Jacobs
Director, Financial Management Services

Have a question for one of our experts? Submit it to Info @ Inteck-Inc.com.