Health Information Management & Technology

Overview

Health Information Management & Technology

September 25, 2011

Hospitals are moving away from paper-based records to electronic medical records and electronic health records to retain patient-care data. Electronic formatting facilitates data capture in a “real-time” environment, and allows many users to access the data at the same time.

CHA supports the capture and availability of secure patient-care data through the use of health information technology (HIT) across the continuum of care. CHA believes HIT will serve as a tool to enhance patient safety, promote information for preventative health and reduce health care costs.

Recording

Medicare Part B Outpatient Therapy Services Webinar DVD
Documentation and claims processing, G-Codes, therapy cap expansion

Image of Medicare Part B Outpatient Therapy Services Webinar DVD

April 3, 2013

Webinar Recorded Live March 27, 2013

Reimbursement policy changes surrounding therapy cap expansion, manual medical review and now G-codes have the medical rehabilitation community reeling. Providers will need to closely evaluate and adapt policies and procedures including patient care policies to meet the new requirements and support claims submissions. This webinar will provide practical advice on how to implement the new regulations, including claims processing, and offer the MAC perspective on what CMS is looking for and tips to avoid common problems.

Recording

HIPAA/HITECH Final Rule and California Law Webinar DVD
What California hospitals need to know

Image of HIPAA/HITECH Final Rule and California Law Webinar DVD

April 2, 2013

Webinar Recorded Live February 27, 2013

There’s a lot of buzz around the new HIPAA/HITECH final rule, and hospitals are moving quickly to review and understand the new federal regulations. But, California has its own set of laws to consider that are sometimes more stringent. So, which laws do you need to follow?

CHA News Article

CMS and ONC Seek Input on Advancing Interoperability, HIE

March 7, 2013 Alyssa Keefe

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) have issued the attached request for information (RFI). Seeking input on potential policy and program changes to accelerate electronic health information exchange (HIE) across providers, the RFI specifically addresses the extent to which current CMS payment policies encourage or impede electronic information exchange across health care provider organizations, as well as which current programs are having the greatest impact on encouraging electronic HIE. CMS also asks providers to suggest how CMS and states can use existing authorities to better support electronic and interoperable HIE among Medicare and Medicaid providers — including post-acute, long-term care and behavioral health providers — and how policies could be developed to maximize the impact on care coordination and quality improvement. Comments on the RFI are due April 22.

CHA News Article

California ICD-10 Collaborative Webinar to Be Held Feb. 27

February 25, 2013 Amber Ott

A statewide nonprofit consortium of California health care providers, payers, professional organizations and vendors launched the California ICD-10 Collaborative in November 2012 to increase efficiencies and significantly reduce implementation time and costs associated with ICD-10 compliance. On Feb. 27, the collaborative is hosting a webinar from 10 a.m. - noon (PT) for its members and organizations interested in joining. The webinar agenda will include an introduction to and overview of the collaborative, as well as updates from its three core workgroups – testing, education and training, and communications and outreach. For more information about the webinar, e-mail ca.icd10.collaborative@gmail.com.

CHA News Article

CMS to Host Call on Meaningful Use Stages 1 and 2

January 8, 2013 Alyssa Keefe

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a National Provider call on Meaningful Use Stages 1 and 2 on Jan. 16 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (PT). The call will provide an overview of the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program Stage 2 final rule and provide information about what hospitals need to do to receive EHR incentive payments. Registration for the call is required by Jan. 15. To register, visit www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies and select the link for “Meaningful Use: Stage 1 and Stage 2.”

Regulatory Advisory

CMS Issues RFI on Hospital Readiness to Electronically Report Quality Measures

January 2, 2013 David Perrott, MD, DDS Alyssa Keefe

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a request for information (RFI) on hospital and vendor readiness to report certain clinical quality measures under the hospital inpatient quality reporting program using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology required by the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. In the RFI, CMS asks hospitals to answer a number of questions, including if they plan to adopt EHR certified technology during or before calendar year (CY) 2014; if they are aware of payment adjustments beginning in fiscal year 2015 for failing to demonstrate meaningful use requirements under the EHR Incentive Program; what operational challenges exist to electronically report data, and what tools and methodologies they and their vendors use to validate data. For the full list of CMS questions, see attached RFI. CHA is interested in hearing from hospitals about their experiences implementing clinical quality measures using certified EHRs to inform our response to CMS. Comments can be submitted electronically to CMS at www.regulations.gov and are due Jan. 22 by 2 p.m. (PT).

CHA News Article

New Website to Help Providers Protect Health Data on Mobile Devices

December 19, 2012 Lois Richardson

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a new website to help health care providers using smartphones, laptops and tablets keep health information secure. HHS conducted a Mobile Device Roundtable in March 2012 and held a 30-day public comment period to identify and gather tips and information that would be most useful to health care providers using mobile devices in their work. The site describes steps providers can take to assess their mobile device security needs and develop policies and procedures to address them. The site also includes answers to frequently asked questions, and offers posters and educational materials. For more information, visit the new site at www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/your-mobile-device-and-health-information-privacy-and-security.

Regulatory Advisory

CMS Updates Stage 2 Meaningful Use Requirements in Interim Final Rule

December 14, 2012 Alyssa Keefe

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently released an interim final rule revising Stage 2 meaningful use quality reporting requirements for fiscal year (FY) 2013. The rule also updates certification requirements for electronic health records systems participating in the meaningful use program in 2014. In addition, CMS finalized a minimum case number threshold for clinical quality measure reporting for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in FY 2013 of five or fewer inpatient discharges per quarter or 20 or fewer inpatient discharges per year. CMS expanded this minimum threshold to eligible hospitals and CAHs in any stage of meaningful use. CMS will accept comments on the interim final rule, attached, through Feb. 5, 2013. The rule goes into effect Jan. 7, 2013, and is in addition to final rules issued in August, which are available at www.calhospital.org/ehr-stage2-final.

CHA News Article

OIG Releases Report on CMS Oversight of Medicare EHR Incentive Program

December 5, 2012 Alyssa Keefe

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report assessing the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) oversight of the Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive program. The report found the program is vulnerable to paying incentives to professionals and hospitals that do not fully meet the meaningful use requirements. OIG recommended CMS conduct prepayment reviews to verify the accuracy of providers’ self-reported information. CMS disagrees, believing this step would increase the burden on professionals and hospitals and could delay incentive payments. OIG also recommended that CMS issue guidance with specific examples of documentation that professionals and hospitals should maintain to support their compliance. In addition, OIG made recommendations to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information (ONC) on certification provisions to help ensure the integrity of Medicare EHR incentive payments. The full report is available for download at https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-05-11-00250.asp.

CHA News Article

Office for Civil Rights Releases Guidance on De-Identifying PHI

November 27, 2012 Lois Richardson

Yesterday, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released guidance on methods and approaches to de-identify protected health information (PHI) in accordance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. De-identification — the process of removing identifiers from PHI — mitigates privacy risks to individuals and thereby supports the secondary use of data for comparative effectiveness studies, policy assessment, life sciences research and other endeavors. The OCR guidance explains and answers questions regarding the two methods that can be used to satisfy the Privacy Rule’s de-identification standard: expert determination and safe harbor. The guidance is intended to help HIPAA-covered entities understand de-identification, the general process for de-identifying information, and the options available for performing the process. The guidance is available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/coveredentities/De-identification/guidance.html.

Recording

Civil and Criminal Subpoenas Webinar CD
What you need to know — from receipt to response

Image of Civil and Criminal Subpoenas Webinar CD

November 12, 2012

Webinar Recorded Live November 13, 2012

You’ve just been served. The subpoena “looks” okay, and seems “official,” but you’re wary — and you should be. The stakes are often high if you get this wrong. This webinar thoroughly explains the nuances of civil and criminal subpoenas. Participants will learn how to review what they receive and respond with confidence.

General information

Medi-Cal Electronic Health Record Incentive Program
Hospital Workbook Amendment

September 21, 2011 Pamela Lane

Notice to Hospital Representatives,

It has come to our attention that some hospitals in California do not use the CMS 2552-96 form according to CMS instructions when reporting on Medi-Cal services. Many comply with supplemental instructions issued by DHCS that require reporting of contract services in column 3 (designated for Medicare Title V by CMS). Also, these supplemental instructions state that Medi-Cal managed care bed days should not be reported on the form.

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Health Information Management & Technology