Electronic Health Records

An electronic health record (EHR) stores all of an individual patient's information in electronic format. The record is maintained by the provider over time and may include the patient's medical history, current medications, demographics, doctor's notes and other important administrative information. Issues concerning EHRs include data exchange, privacy and security, and patient consent. The final rule for Meaningful Use, released on July 13, 2010, allows hospitals to qualify for thousands of dollars in stimulus funding for the adoption of electronic health records.

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Top 10 'urban myths' of EHRs
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Healthcare organizations will need to be more effective, cost efficient and productive in the future to not only survive, but also to maintain positive cash flows, according to Brian Fugere, COO of RemitDATA.
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May 17, 2013
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Several organized physician groups are beta testing URAC's new clinical integration accreditation program standards. The independent standards organization created the new program to serve as a road map for health providers to achieve clinical integration and accountable care. By earning URAC accreditation, providers will demonstrate they are delivering improved patient care and reducing costs.
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May 17, 2013
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The New York eHealth Collaborative has announced the winners of its personal health record portal challenge, with the designs in turn expected to inform the PHR that NYeC will offer all New Yorkers in 2014. A Brooklyn-based health data and design startup called Mana Health won first prize and $15,000 for its PHR.
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May 17, 2013
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Members of Congress are lauding a bipartisan bill that limits funding for an integrated electronic health record system between VA and DoD and requires aggressive progress updates from both agencies, which have, in recent months, come under fire for the dilatory pace at which they're moving forward with the iEHR.
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May 15, 2013
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The majority of physicians nationwide believe health information technology can precipitate positive outcomes in the provider setting, but in many realms -- such as mHealth -- health IT continues to be underutilized by docs, according to the findings of a new Deloitte study.
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May 15, 2013
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"It's systems that let ordinary people do extraordinary things," national coordinator for health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD said during a Health IT Policy Committee meeting talk that vice chair Paul Tang described immediately afterward as "inspiring and challenging."
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May 14, 2013
News
Eighty-two percent of health plans responding to a recent survey consider payment reform a "major priority." Nearly 60 percent forecast that more than half of their business will be supported by value-based payment models in the next five years. And, of those, 60 percent are at least mid-way through implementation, according to a study published May 9 by Availity.
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May 13, 2013
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Allscripts announced bookings totalling $178 million and operating cash flow of $39 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Analysts say the company's turnaround will likely take longer and be more costly than company executives expected.
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May 10, 2013
News
The number of U.S. physicians using electronic medical records has topped 90 percent, and nearly half of the doctors polled for a new Accenture survey say they now use health information exchange technology -- an uptick of 32 percent.
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May 9, 2013
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Larry Garber is a believer. The physician and medical director for informatics at Worcester, Mass.-based Reliant Medical Group has seen electronic health records make big, real life changes both financially and clinically, and now he's set out to spread the word.
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May 8, 2013
News
Continuing the upward trajectory of EHR reimbursements flowing out into the healthcare industry, CMS said on Tuesday morning that the total paid as of March's end is more than $13.7 billion.
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May 8, 2013
News
Charles Macias, MD, always believed in the power of data to make a difference in delivering high quality care to patients, but at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, where he serves as director of the Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Evidence-Based Outcomes, he knew the hospital could do better. He just didn't realize how much better it could do.
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May 7, 2013
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A comprehensive eBook, offering the tips and tools to help healthcare professionals on the path to MU and beyond.
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May 9, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/mu2_nowornever_interactive.pdf
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With the right EHR in place, participation in health care quality management programs not only helps you provide great care to your patients, but can also help increase your bottom line. However, the rewards are only worth seeking if the cost - in time and money - of collecting and reporting data to these quality programs doesn't outrun the potential gain. This is where your EHR and the services provided by your EHR vendor can make a significant difference.
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April 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/optimizing_quality_management_with_your_ehr.pdf
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If your vendor does not provide a strong level of support, the process of Meaningful Use attestation may be much more difficult and costly than your practice can afford - and perhaps even impossible to achieve. The right vendor must also be able to help your practice achieve all of your other financial and clinical goals over the long term, after MU payments have become a distant memory. Read this whitepaper for important advice on the difficulties involved in meeting meaningful use requirements and how to overcome them.
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April 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/how_to_get_paid_for_meaningful_use_-_7_tips_from_the_ehr_trenches.pdf
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Find answers to a number of common questions about EHR adoption and replacement, as well as, how the right EHR can help practices get you more money and more control.
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April 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/making_the_switch_replacing_your_ehr.pdf
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Without connectivity, care coordination just won’t happen. Achieve clinical integration and improve care coordination. NextGen™ Health Information Exchange allows you to connect the dots, gain the ability to share patient information and track quality improvement. Make the connections that put you on a winning path toward collaborative care. Download our whitepaper to discover insider tips to creating an HIE that: Improves clinical integration; Enhances patient safety; Achieves enterprise, community, and statewide healthcare connectivity.
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January 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/wp_hie_2011-02_0.pdf
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Choosing an EHR, whether it's your first EHR or you are looking to switch, can be a daunting task. Make sure you choose wisely. Learn what to look for in your EHR partner and hear from current NextGen Healthcare clients in EHR Reality Check. In this piece, you'll see: Why an EHR is more about the user, not IT; The importance of your EHR's stability; The value of a 100% US-based support team.
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January 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/nextgen_ehr_reality_check_ebook.pdf
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Where do you fit in the American healthcare ecosystem? You need to know. Where does your practice stand relative to one of the most complex, interconnected, and constantly evolving business models in the history of healthcare? Being clear on where you are in the stakeholder spectrum, and what you need to do to succeed, is essential to meeting today’s healthcare marketplace demands. The tools needed to capture, organize, and share healthcare data are truly evolving at the speed of light.
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January 3, 2013
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sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/wp_hie_2011-02.pdf
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Watch this informative video to learn how Palomar Health - the largest health district in the state of California - implemented healthcare alert management software to connect its nurse call system with the existing EHR and phone systems to improve care team communication and patient experiences.
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January 2, 2013
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http://www.medtechmedia.com/files/resource_central/Palomar_Extension_FullHD.mp4
In this Webinar, we will address health BI challenges and discuss our end to end business analytics platform that transforms the data center, enables modern applications, unlocks insights on any data, and empowers people centric IT.
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May 15, 2013
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Do Not Protect
http://www.medtechwebinars.com/registration/webinar/microsoft%E2%80%99s-role-health-analytics-epic-provider?affiliatedata=himsswebsite
Recent headlines have raised plenty of eyebrows with record setting big-dollar penalties levied against healthcare organizations due to HIPAA violations. Industry experts surmise that this unprecedented trend is the result of significant changes that have occurred recently to HIPAA regulations.
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May 14, 2013
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Do Not Protect
http://www.medtechwebinars.com/registration/webinar/million-dollar-hipaa-penalties-healthcare?partnerref=website
The approach of capturing healthcare data via structured templates and drop-down menus in today's EHR user interfaces comes at the expense of lost physician productivity and isn't working in practice. Physicians value dictation to capture the complete patient story and can be resistant to adopting template-based systems. To achieve Meaningful Use, the enterprise has need for structured and encoded data to optimize care plans, drive decision support, increase quality, and ensure appropriate billing. Creating an additional challenge is the lack of widespread interoperability in healthcare data. This webinar explores close-loop clinical documentation as a solution that manages these seemingly opposing needs.
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May 13, 2013
Resource
Do Not Protect
http://www.medtechwebinars.com/registration/webinar/closed-loop-clinical-documentation-alternative-approach-achieving-meaningful?affiliatedata=website
Cloud-based Microsoft Exchange service features all the mission critical enterprise-class communication and collaboration capabilities of an in-house solution without the unpredictable costs and management headaches. With flexible customization options, healthcare organizations can seamlessly move to a cloud-based solution without compromising security or altering their current encryption approach.
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May 9, 2013
Resource
sites/default/files/resource-media/pdf/apptix_whitepaper_cloudreliabilitycost_0423_final.pdf
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A question: What is the opposite of health IT return on investment? The answer: Unintended financial consequences, or UFCs, for short.
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May 10, 2013
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Last year, ONC issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public input on a potential regulatory approach that would have spelled out “conditions for trusted exchange” (safeguards, technical, and business practice) through rulemaking, and establish a voluntary accreditation and certification process for validating organizations as being legitimate participants in the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN).
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May 7, 2013
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As the healthcare environment continues to evolve, many healthcare executives feel the pressure to quickly roll out solutions and applications to support emerging delivery and payment models, as well as meet the unique needs of diverse end users.
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April 30, 2013
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In June, BIDMC goes live with Electronic Medication Administration Records (EMAR) on one ward to be followed by 3 other wards, ensuring we meet our 10% Meaningful Use Stage 2 target by the reporting period October 1-December 31, 2013.
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April 24, 2013
Blog
Six GOP Senators call for overview of Meaningful Use EHR incentive program was the tweet. It referenced a link which then referred to a report by Senators Thune, Alexander, Roberts, Burr, Coburn and Enzi.
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April 18, 2013
Blog
First off, I’m no legal expert, but recently I had an interesting conversation with the director of HIT at Texas Medical Association, which represents more than 47,000 physicians in the state. I scheduled the call because we wanted to learn more about the hurdles smaller, clinic-based physicians are encountering when trying to switch EHR vendors.
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April 16, 2013
Blog
I'm quoted in the current issue of Medical Economics, on the subject of the Medicare PQRS: Physician Quality Reporting System. I'm not a big fan of PQRS, since it rewards reporting of process measures, not outcomes, and the amounts at stake have not been enough to move most docs to bother.
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April 11, 2013
Blog
I've been hitting the road hard to learn from clients and teammates who are making a real difference in this industry. Their passion for health care is inspirational. Allscripts continues to lead the charge toward our vision of an Open, Connected Community of Health.
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April 9, 2013
Blog
While the Annual Conference & Exhibition is HIMSS' signature event, the organization emphasizes the value of health IT in myriad other ways during the year through the framework of education, exhibition, and networking.
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April 4, 2013
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Healthcare organizations around the country have been working diligently to implement electronic health record technology and attest for meaningful use -- the federal government’s standards that allow eligible providers and hospitals to earn incentive payments if they meet specific criteria.
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April 2, 2013
Blog
Healthcare stakeholders and policymakers are working overtime to build the bridge into the digital future. But is there a risk that bridge may collapse under the weight of expectations?
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March 14, 2013
Blog
Farzad Mostashari, National Coordinator for Health IT, announced the release of an ONC RFI at HIMSS March 6, entitled "Advancing Interoperability and Health Information Exchange," in order to identify ways in which ONC may accelerate interoperability of EMRs without any additional statutory or regulatory authority.
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March 8, 2013
Blog
Nationally Accredited Student Health Center Will Utilize Comprehensive EHR and Patient Engagement Tools to Enhance Healthcare for More Than 34,000 Students
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May 13, 2013
Press Release
Healthcare Providers Navigate Regulatory Hurdles, Protect Patients, Improve Care Delivery and Accelerate Electronic Medical Record Adoption Using Intelligent Systems with Speech and Language Understanding
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May 6, 2013
Press Release
ConnectVirginia, the Commonwealth’s Statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE), is in the process of on boarding Inova, Northern Virginia’s largest health care system, as its first EXCHANGE partner.
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October 4, 2012
Press Release
The State of Ohio has begun work with TransforMED to transform 50 primary care practices into patient-centered medical homes (PCMH). TransforMED is a nonprofit, wholly owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a national leader in medical home transformation.
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October 4, 2012
Press Release
UnitedHealthcare has provided $20 million in financing to help 11 Critical Access Hospitals in rural communities throughout California improve health information technology (IT) systems, including the adoption of electronic health records.
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October 3, 2012
Press Release
athenahealth, Inc. ATHN -2.20% (the "Company"), a leading provider of cloud-based practice management, electronic health record (EHR), and care coordination services to medical groups, today announced that it will hold a conference call for investors on Friday, October 19, 2012, at 8:00 a.m. ET.
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October 2, 2012
Press Release
The Chief Technology Officer of CareCloud, a Miami-based provider of cloud-based practice management, electronic healthcare record (EHR), revenue cycle management and medical billing software and services for medical practices, headed back to school at Florida International University (FIU) the other day. Tom Packert showed up for class in the Master of Science in Health Informatics and Management Systems program, but not as a student. Instead, he came to launch a unique partnership between CareCloud and FIU that will let students in the Master’s program access CareCloud Charts, its electronic health record software, as if they were physicians or practice administrators with their own practices.
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October 1, 2012
Press Release
In the year since the first NYeC gala, there have been revolutionary advancements in health IT throughout New York and across the nation. On Monday, October 15th, five champions of health IT will be highlighted at the second gala and award ceremony.
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September 28, 2012
Press Release
Sandlot Solutions, a leading healthcare information technology company, recently released The New Model of Health Information Exchanges: Using Data and Analytics to Improve Health Care Delivery, an industry report highlighting the evolution of health information exchange (HIE) and how advancements such as digital envelope technology drive new functionalities and capabilities. Fourth-generation HIEs extend beyond the simple exchange of patient records to the meaningful use of data for the delivery and coordination of care at the individual and community levels.
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September 27, 2012
Press Release
Aetna and Hunterdon HealthCare Partners have announced a new accountable care agreement that will improve the quality and cost of patient care, helping members and plan sponsors save money.
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July 19, 2012
Press Release
UBM Medica US's Physician's Practice 2012 Technology Survey, sponsored by AT&T, found that 72 percent of U.S. healthcare providers surveyed—are in some stage of EHR adoption.
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July 18, 2012
Press Release
Vitera Healthcare Solutions, one of the nation's largest providers of electronic health records (EHRs) and practice management software and services, today announced that Southaven Internal Medicine of Southaven, Mississippi, is the first practice in the United States to successfully submit the 2011 reporting period of Physician Quality Reporting Systems (PQRS) measures.
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March 8, 2012
Press Release