A: Pharmacy staff can create a new RXM access group by copying a current access group and edit via the RXM ACCESS GROUP Dicationary

If pharmacy staff wanted to edit a RXM group (i.e. Nursing) to default lookup by “generic,” where would that edit be made?
The edit would be made in the RXM User default dictionary. Select the user.

How could pharmacy create a report to display all insulins that were dispensed on a month-to-month basis?
Pharmacy staff can create a customized search report via Search function in pharmacy module.

- Meditech Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

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A: Murphy’s law states that if anything can go wrong, it will, and EMR integration is no stranger to this rule. However, project failure is certainly avoidable if the practice takes the mindset that the EMR installation will be a collaborative process. There needs to be motivation on both the part of the vendor and the practice to collaborate and make best efforts to work out all issues. If certain data needs to be provided to the vendor, the practice must make best efforts to submit this data in a timely manner. If the practice has many questions, the vendor must make the time to pacify clients during what can be a confusing time of transition to EMR.

-Dr. Steven Deitch, M.D.
Director, Medical Informatics

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: There are many reasons why organizations take on new projects. Maybe the project is undertaken to meet a strategic goal, due to legislative changes, to meet a specific business need, or to improve or enhance processes. The process of conducting informational analysis will assist organizations in determining project scope, project success criteria, and project risks. An informational analysis is accomplished by conducting interviews with key personnel, which range from project sponsors, departmental leaders, and key departmental personnel. Interviewing through a “step down” approach will help you gain insight into what the project really needs to accomplish.

By asking open ended questions (such as Where and what are your current “pain points?” What processes can be improved/enabled with this project? And what are the goals and objectives of your department?) to different levels of staff and then recording the answers to these questions, as well making sure the interviews are conducted in a confidential manner, you can glean a lot of information about the culture of your organization, individual departmental thoughts and concerns about the project, as well as gain meaningful insight into critical success factors of the project.

-Meditech Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: Your concerns illustrate one of the great untold stories of IT security risks. For example, there are more than 400 versions of LINUX in use today, many of which are embedded in infrastructure devices, security appliances, and software tools where many of the owners and users do not know what version of LINUX is employed. When vendors or open source groups announce software patches and claim that they have “fixed the problem,” you may be completely misled. Nothing is “fixed” until one or more patches are successfully installed in your systems and in your devices. Many vendors and developers take no responsibility for ensuring that their customers are notified or know about the patches, and they do not ensure that the patches are installed. Until breach disclosure laws are modified and communication and vendor follow-up is improved, you are on your own and standing on potentially thin ice. Your only solution is to perform a thorough top-down assessment of every element of your core IT assets and infrastructure, identify your risks, and develop a monitoring and remediation plan. Sound familiar? It should; this is similar to the events surrounding the Y2K event. And once again companies who are not prepared are exposed to potentially serious risks.

- IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: Without a well-planned Help Desk, your organization can become people dependent instead of process dependent. With proper advance planning and implementation, your Help Desk will save time and increase efficiency in the future. Are your phones getting answered and are services actually being performed in a timely manner? Are your help desk PCs and software allowing for fast responses and allowing multiple issues to be tracked simultaneously? Are there clear instructions to deal with problems and call escalation? Are users satisfied with your help desk? Now is the time to review and revamp your Help Desk. Having the right processes in place will help your Help Desk meet the modern standards of efficiency and end-user satisfaction. 

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: One of the easiest ways to automate this type of charging is to build it into the Nursing Interventions as part of a CDS. During the normal documentation process you can build in queries that are then linked to the OE procedure which then flows to B/AR. When the Nurse documents the query the proper charge is automatically entered. Other areas, such as Cardiopulmonary, can also utilize documentation for charging. This process can greatly minimize, if not eliminate, the need for a paper charge sheet with manual data entry.

-Meditech Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: Most healthcare organizations are under utilizing their primary IT system because they are not getting the reports they need to do their job. Because systems come with a basic set of (”canned”) reports, they try to use them, yet find them inadequate and incomplete. As a result they download or manually enter data they need into spreadsheets. This is a source of error and a waste of staff time.

Most every comprehensive IT system contains all of the data items that can be accessed to produce the reports the organization needs. Also, every system provides a report writing utility to develop the meaningful reports desired. Therefore, to optimize the use of the primary system, every organization should have a technical report writer who is trained to be able to produce the customized reports. Having this capability available will result in increased revenue, enhanced staff performance and eliminate costly duplication. For example- most healthcare organizations do not track the results of their negotiated terms in their Managed care contracts using their primary HIS. Therefore when it is time to renew and renegotiate new contracts they do not have such valuable information to improve terms, amount of Revenue and the related payments. Having reports that produce this information on a timely basis pays for itself many times over.

Bruce Jacbos
Director, Financial Management Services

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: A very good question and one that if you ask different people you will get different answers. An HIE is simply that, an exchange. An HIE is simply moving information electronically between healthcare providers – usually within the same health system (i.e. 7 hospitals, two ambulatory clinics, and a hospital-owned physician group). The transfer of clinical data between participants in an HIE can improve patient-centric care, increase patient safety in a very efficient and effective manner.

A RHIO, on the other hand, expands the HIE to competing providers. Hospitals in the same market or even the same state, sharing the same information as the HIE. A third-party corporation is often created to provide the management and governance of the RHIO. A board of directors made up of representatives of some, or all, of the participants helps guide the direction of the RHIO.

Should your hospital participate in a HIE and/or RHIO? Absolutely. HIEs and RHIOs are what will make up the proposed National Health Information Network. So be prepared. Keep current as to what is happening in your area local area in regards to HIEs. And know what your state is doing in creating a RHIO.

-IT Healthcare Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: MEDITECH can streamline posting collection agencies’ patient accounting comments with the setup of MIS inbox/outbox interfacing. Obtain specifications per MEDITECH’s requirements, and work diligently with collection agency to setup and streamline interfacing process. Once setup, third party comment posting becomes seamless and a process of the past. This will process will reduce staff keystrokes from a collection agency as well healthcare facility perspective; thus, improving response time and workflow processes.

Meditech Consultants
Inteck, Inc.

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.

A: It is important to choose an EMR/HIT vendor that caters to the needs of their practice, as different vendors offer slightly different things. It’s important for physicians and their practice to do their due diligence on each vendor (e.g., look at the vendor’s financials, check their customer list, get testimonials, and have an expert look “under the hood” at the vendor technology for adaptability and compliance with new government mandates such as future reporting capabilities). Be skeptical of “vapor ware,” otherwise known as technology that promises to do something in future versions that currently does not perform these tasks. Finally, be sure that the vendor is CCHIT certified (Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology).

-Dr. Steven Deitch, M.D.
Director, Medical Informatics

If you have a question for our experts submit it at Info@Inteck-Inc.com.