Assn Seeks EHR Data Standards

With the rapid deployment of electronic health record systems, there'a a concern about the ad hoc way in which health care data management processes and procedures are being developed.

This has led the American Health Information Management Association to convene stakeholders and focus on establishing guidelines to ensure data integrity, patient safety, quality and the prevention of billing errors.  Stakeholders at the November meeting will include health care professionals, health plans, quality organizations and vendors as well as the Dept. of Health and Human Services. This comes at a time when federal and state regulators are cracking down on billing fraud and data privacy and security.  >>Read more

HC Consumers Value Expertise...Want Comparison Tool

The latest survey focusing on customer experience and healthcare providers was completed in July by Harris Interactive.  The online poll asked more than 2,300 US adults about their preferences and decision-making process when making doctor’s appointments.  

While a substantial number of respondents expressed satisfaction with their last medical visit, the study revealed that 62% identified a consumer “want” not readily fulfilled - an online estimator of physician costs.  MedCity News reports that in addition to the comparison tools supported by insurance companies, third party companies have started to fill the void.  MD Clarity assists doctors analyze health care service pricing while Castlight Health aids consumers.  >>Read more

Other key offerings desired by study respondents include:  Online medical access, proactive communication from doctors.  >>View Harris findings

Dermatology EMR Adding Specialties

What's your time worth?...is the question posed by the developers of an EMR for dermatologists.  

The highly fragmented EMR market boats 1,000 options.  EMR developer Modernizing Medicine has focused its Electronic Medical Assistant (EMA) on visual-oriented specialties that lend themselves to a touch-based platform.  Preferring the “big fish, small pond” approach, their EMA development path focused on covering small and midsized specialty practices.  First offerings covered dermatology, ophthalmology and optometry.  This fall products for plastic and orthopedic surgeons will be introduced. 

>> Read more, View EMA demo

Modernizing Medicine co-founder and chief medical officer Micheal Sherling, a practicing dermatologist, said their number one goal for EMA is to save doctors time and, as a result, money.

Source:  MedCity News

Checklist: Physical Therapy EMR Search

An industry blogger, physical therapist and electronic medical records advocate, Nitin Chhoda, cautions against a “one size fits all” approach to an EMR solution.  As physical therapy EMR usage continues to expand, Chhoda suggests key criteria for an effective vendor search:  Specialization, Flexibility, Ease of Use, Requirements, Tech Support.  >>Read more