SMARTMD Monthly Newsletter- A Timely Summary of Your IT News

Is the bar set too high for meaningful use?

Recently members of a federal health IT advisory group reporting to a Health and Human Service (HHS) Policy Committee proposed to relax the number of meaningful use measures that are being required of physicians seeking government incentive dollars for adopting digital record technology. The workgroup proposed to HHS's policy committee that physicians and hospitals could drop up to six meaningful use measures for 2011. All of this news was in recent February 16, 2010 article published in Healthcare IT news (http://www.healthcareitnews.com), by Editor Bernie Monegain.

The article quotes the co-chair of the workgroup as saying that even if up to six measures were indeed dropped, that would remain about 80 percent of the meaningful use measures to still be met. The question also now lies on the U.S. Government and their personal quest to get all this information out to educate all physicians and eligible entities regarding such subjects as Meaningful use. Check out the governments own site at http://healthit.hhs. gov/portal/server.pt and register to receive all press releases that come directly out of Washington.

Recent survey of 7,192 adults ages 18 to 64 shows significant usage of internet for health information

A recent survey published in the Data Points section on http://www.ihealthbeat.org, a service of the California Health Foundation showed that a significant amount of persons in certain age groups make use of the internet to find their health information questions. The report states that fifty-eight percent of women ages 18 to 64 reported using the Internet to look up health information in the past 12 months, compared with 43.4% of men ages 18 to 64, according to a new survey from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

Another recent study by the Manhattan Research http://www.manhattanresearch.com and their Cybercitizen Health v9.0 study reports that the average patient in the US now relies on a variety of media and resources to research disease, treatment, and health maintenance information. Key in this mix is the online access to information, communications and resources found on the internet, which Manhattan Research collectively calls e-Health . The study found that the e-Health consumer market has grown significantly in the past five years, from 90 million consumers online for health in 2004 to nearly 160 million in 2009.

What's old news is really new to most physicians

To re-cap what may be old news to some, but it probably mostly new to physicians worldwide, as required by the HITECH Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published an initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria to enhance the interoperability, functionality, utility, and security of health information technology. These criteria are outlined in the interim final rule (IFR) on Standards and Certification Criteria [PDF - 247KB] issued today by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The IFR provides details on requirements for certified electronic health record (EHR) systems, and the technical specifications needed to support secure, interoperable, nationwide electronic exchange and meaningful use of health information.

In a related announcement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) [PDF - 7.38 MB] that outlines provisions governing the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs, including a proposed definition for the central concept of meaningful use of EHR technology. To read more of both the HHS interim rule and the CMS proposed rulemaking, click on http://edocket.access. gpo.gov/2010/E9-31216.htm In order for professionals and hospitals to be eligible to receive payments under the incentive programs, provided through the Recovery Act, they must be able to demonstrate meaningful use of a certified EHR system. The proposed standards and certification criteria in the IFR are fundamentally linked to and specifically designed to support the 2011 meaningful use criteria.

SMARTMD Launches its Go Green, Save Green Nationwide Campaign!

Fort Lauderdale , Fla. Company President Nandip Kothari, issued a statement on January 30, 2010, announcing its intention for SMARTMD to Go Green and its physician clients to Save Green. With the new momentum of EMR deployment, it will eventually lower costs and streamline business processes as better software and desktop solutions are put in place, saving energy and reducing costs, states Kothari. His goal is to become what some call Eco-Efficient and to do what it takes to help healthcare businesses not only improve their business but help them reduce power consumption, thus having a positive affect on the environment. Some physicians have multiple offices with many servers. SMARTMD engineers have created an EMR software system by creating not just technology that requires less hardware including servers than most EMR vendors, but also a desktop with remote access for clients.

As shared in the most recent February issue of Advances for Health Information Executives http://health-care-it.advance web.com and an article by Christopher Sullivan, he writes that with remote access solutions, desktop virtualization, implementation of new software and more, it will make improved usage of infrastructure, boost employee productivity and at the same time, cut capital expenses and reduce the impact on the environment. He cites one medical practice that went Green by reducing the amount of servers in their office down from nine to two, noting that each server reduces power consumption in a data center by 200 to 400 watts, equivalent to $380 a year, saved per server.

And now the U.S Government has began asking, but not requiring, that all IT vendors begin to develop strategies that will not just create a leaner and improved infrastructure in the office but outside the office as well.