Practice Update Newsletter

1. 
   Monitoring Your Practice’s RelayHealth eScripts
   
   The ease of ePrescribing can improve workflow for your practice in dramatic ways.  It can also be a temptation for those with less than honorable intensions.  There are several steps you can take to protect your practice from any potential risk of inappropriate ePrescribing activity.
1. Only enable ePrescribing rights for those staff members whose job function requires this access.
2. Ensure that your employees keep their logins and passwords secure, and do not share RelayHealth accounts.
3. Periodically review the access rights within RelayHealth for every employee to confirm it meets their job requirements.
4. Regularly run an eScript Activity Report to monitor all ePrescription activity for your practice.
5. Promptly contact RelayHealth Customer Service at 1-866-735-2963, Option 1, to disable access rights for any departing employee.
3. Maintaining the security of your practice’s ePrescribing activities is an important responsibility.  We strongly encourage you to make full use of the features and functions within RelayHealth that can help you with this duty.

Physicians Report Fully-Implemented EHRs Result in Lower Costs and Higher Productivity

In a recent survey of medical practices, the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) discovered that 72% of practices with an implemented EHR are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied.”  Practices that have optimized their systems are even more gratified, with 86% reporting they are “satisfied” or “very satisfied.”  In addition, 61% of the optimized practices emphasized increased provider productivity and practice revenue.

More than half of practices responding stated they are using an EHR, and of the 36% of practices still using paper records, a majority intend to implement an EHR to earn Federal incentive money. “Organizations not only are acquiring electronic health records, they’re embracing electronic health records,” remarked Dave Gans, Vice President of Innovation and Research for MGMA.  “It’s changing the way they’re doing business. We’re re-engineering healthcare” he added.

MGMA’s survey was conducted between October 1 and November 9 of 2010, and included medical practices representing more than 120,000 physicians. Independent practices made up 59% of the total respondents.

Achieve Cultural Proficiency

Does your practice take into account the cultural differences in its patient population?  Whether it does or not, you may find the resources below helpful.

Resources from the AAFP

Cultural Proficiency Guidelines -- View a list of issues to consider when preparing patient education and continuing medical education materials and programs.

Specific Populations -- Find information about specific populations, such as GLBT, deaf and hard of hearing, and children and adolescents.

Funding Resources for Practicing in Underserved Areas -- An AAFP directory of financial aid programs, scholarships, fellowships, grants, awards and other incentives that attract and retain health care personnel in scarcity areas.

Resources from Other Organizations

Multi-Cultural Educational Services -- Sells multilingual health and safety education materials.

STFM Core Curriculum Guidelines -- Recommended Core Curriculum Guidelines on Culturally Sensitive and Competent Health Care

National Center for Cultural Competence’s (NCCC) -- NCCC mission is to increase the capacity of health and mental health programs to design implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems.

Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)A --From the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Resources, National Standards on Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS).

HHS Office of Minority Health, Think Cultural Health -- Bridging the health Care Gap through Cultural competency Continuing Education Programs, including CME resources.

HHS Office of Minority Health, A Physician's Guide to Culturally Competent Care Registration -- View course information and register.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality -- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Health Care Innovations Exchange is designed to support health care professionals in sharing and adopting innovations that improve the delivery of care to patients. Patient populations sections include race and ethnicity, vulnerable populations, and more.

DiversityRx -- Promotes language and cultural competence to improve the quality of health care for minority, immigrant, and ethnically diverse communities.

DiversityRx Listserv -- DiversityRx’s culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) talk listserv.

US Department of Health & Human Services Administration Cultural Competence Resources for Health Care Providers --The cultural competence site highlights approximately 40 HRSA-supported projects on the critical subject of cross-cultural health care.

Institute for Diversity in Health Management -- A 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, collaborates with educators and health services organizations to expand leadership opportunities to ethnic minorities in health services management.

Interpretation Resources for Health Care Professionals --Includes links to companies that provide interpretation and translation services, as well as information from the U.S. government on implementing language access services in health care facilities. The Commonwealth Fund Publications: Health Care Disparities -- Read several articles on cultural competence and health care disparities.

New! Six week free class this fall: Learning About Depression

Just as there are many different types of depression, there are many ways to cope and feel better. Your patients can join others in this interactive telephone class led by a licensed psychologist, Lynn Ireland, to learn:

1. Daily self-care skills How to boost mood through nutrition, physical activity and sleep.
2. Stress management techniques including mindfulness and thinking skills.
3. Complementary and alternative approaches for managing depression.
1. Registration is required and space is limited, encourage patients to enroll today! (Priority is given to Hill Physicians members, however, this class is open to non-members as well.)
    
   For Enrollment or more details:
   Contact Member Health Improvement at (800) 445-5747 or health@hpmg.com.
   
   For copies of the class information flier to post in waiting or exam rooms Contact Member Health Improvement here...
   
   There’s more: Explore our Online Depression Health Center, emotional wellness videos, relaxation podcasts, and other resources for managing health.

Personal Health Records Motivate Consumers to Act:

Survey Shows Doctors May Hold Key to Increasing Adoption

(The following article is taken from an alert released by California HealthCare Foundation on April 13, 2010.)

Americans who have access to their health information through personal health records (PHRs) report that they know more about their health, ask more questions, and take better care of themselves than when their medical information was less accessible to them in paper records. These findings are contained in a new national survey of consumer attitudes toward using online tools to manage their health, released today by the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF). The survey shows 1 in 14 Americans has used a personal health record. Users say that secure, password-protected PHRs give them the confidence they need to access their personal information online, and when they do, they pay more attention to their health. One in three PHR users say they used the PHR to take a specific action to improve their health — sparking hope that these technologies could be the long-needed tools that help engage patients in taking better care of themselves. Significantly, such benefits are most pronounced among populations that hhave been difficult for health care providers to engage: patients with multiple chronic conditions, less education, and lower incomes.

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"We know that most health care is self-care, since most people only see their physicians periodically," said CHCF President and CEO Mark D. Smith, M.D., M.B.A. "This survey shows that when individuals have easy access to their health information, they pay greater attention to their health. And for the first time, a survey documents that PHRs empower some people — including some of the heaviest users of the health system — to take better care of themselves."Efforts to increase use of health information technology (IT) have received broad bipartisan support from federal lawmakers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included up to $29 billion to support doctors in adopting online health records. Government, businesses, and the health care sector see health IT as a way to improve quality of care, better engage patients, and ultimately reduce costs.

Despite the growing availability of PHRs through health plans and online services, the survey shows most Americans have yet to try PHRs or related applications. While usage rates of these tools are relatively low, they have doubled over the last two years. Doctors may hold the key to increasing acceptance of PHRs. The survey found that respondents who said their doctor uses an electronic health record (EHR) were more likely to want a PHR. They were also more interested in devices and applications than people whose doctor does not have an EHR.

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Privacy remains a concern. Many of those surveyed expressed concern that their medical information could be used by companies, health insurance plans, researchers, and others, and one-third said they would consider hiding some information from their provider because of that fear. Still, two-thirds of those surveyed said privacy concerns should not stand in the way of learning how technology can help improve health care.The survey of 1,849 people was conducted by Lake Research Partners for the California HealthCare Foundation between December 18, 2009, and January 15, 2010.

For the complete survey, please go to:

http://www.chcf.org/publications/2010/04/consumers-and-health-information-technology-a-national-survey

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Help Your Patients Manage Back Pain

Our Back Pain Management Online Health Center is designed to provide your patients with comprehensive, evidenced-based back pain information. With an emphasis on behavioral, integrative, and shared decision-making approaches, this online resource educates patients suffering from back pain on a variety of self-management techniques and prescribed treatments. This online health center is available to all patients, regardless of medical group.

Features include:

• Tools to help patients make diagnosis and treatment decisions.
• Extensive health library topics on causes, diagnosis and treatment of back pain.
• Tips for getting and staying active at a level appropriate for pain patients.Resources to manage stress and address the negative feelings that often accompany pain.
• Information on how Hill Physicians members can access massage, yoga, chiropractic and acupuncture services.

Visit www.HillPhysicians.com/BackPain to learn more.

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Hill inSite Password Changes

To improve security, all Hill inSite users will be required to change their passwords to align with “stronger” password criteria.Next month, all Hill inSite users will be assigned a temporary password.  You will be notified by direct mailer and a message will be posted on the Hill inSite home page with more details on how and when to change to a new password.

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My True Body Pre-Bariatric Education Program

This Sacramento Area program has proved so successful for our bariatric surgery candidates to fulfill their pre-surgery requirements that we are now offering the program at two sites!

If you have patients who are first thinking about having this surgery, classes are now offered at:

• Mercy Methodist Hospital campus every Tuesday evening.
• Mercy San Juan Hospital campus every Thursday evening.
  

Remember to submit a Member Health Improvement referral form so you patient can be registered.

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HealthNet Healthy Baby Program

Health Net has developed a Health Baby program available for EVERYONE, not just Health Net members.  You can view the program via Health Net’s website (HealthNet.com).The program link is on the main page and does NOT require a member number to access the health education information. 

A series of 5 videos, available on-demand 24/7 for new mothers' convenience and privacy.  Topics include Smoking Cessation, Exercise, Nutrition, Safety and Breastfeeding.

There are some additional “perks” available if you are a Health Net member, but the prenatal health education information is available to everyone.

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Records Retention

As providers in the Hill Physicians network, it is important for everyone to abide by the same minimum standards for record retention. 

Please take note of the current Hill Physicians record retention policy as stated in the Hill Physicians Medical Group Physician Agreement:

“Physician shall keep accurate, complete, timely and legible medical records for all Enrollees and shall maintain and store all medical records in a safe and secure location to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of such records at all times. Physician agrees to retain its financial and medical records relating to Enrollees at all times during this Agreement and for a period of ten (10) years beyond the termination of this Agreement, or longer, if and as required by properly recognized Federal or State governmental agencies.”

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact your Practice Support Advisor.

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Parents Want Electronic Communication with Children's Providers

A recent article from Healthcare IT News cites two different studies that reveal parents' preference for electronic communications with their child's physician.

RelayHealth enables Hill Physicians providers to communicate with their patients exactly as these polls are highlighting and is made available by HPMG at no cost to the practice.  All that is needed are an internet connection and a computer. 

If you’re interested in more information, please contact

866-RELAY-ME (866.735.2963).

Click here for the article referenced above

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Medicare Fraud, Waste and Abuse

Fraud, waste and abuse have been an ongoing concern in all segments of our health care delivery system, including Medicare.  It is important to understand what constitutes fraud, waste, and abuse in order to combat it.  The information below will provide some background information on the topic as well as help you understand the possible penalties involved and how to report suspected Medicare fraud.

How Does CMS Combat Fraud?

Close coordination with contractors, providers, and law enforcement agencies.Developing Medicare Program compliance requirements that protect stakeholders.Early detection through Medical Review and data analysis.Effective education of physicians, providers, suppliers, and beneficiaries.

Best Practices for Preventing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

• Establish effective lines of communication with colleagues and staff members.
• Ask about potential compliance issues in exit interviews.
• Take action if you identify a problem.

For details on Administrative Sanctions, Reporting Medicare Fraud and Protection for Whistleblowers visit The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services' (CMS) fraud page at:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/FraudAbuseforProfs/

Remember that you are ultimately responsible for claims bearing your name, regardless of whether or not you submitted the claim.

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Ingenix Coding Books for 2011

Coding books and other products from Ingex are now available for 2011.  Ingenix offers a special volume discount to Hill Physicians providers so be sure to get the order form here.

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Practice Update Newsletter Archives

2010

June 2010
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June 2009

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2008

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June 2008

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