Design Studio21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDTCDIA Health eBriefhttp://multibriefs.com/briefs/MTIA/MTIA.xmlenEarning bonuses and avoiding payment cuts during stage 2 of the multibillion-dollar federal electronic medical record incentive program would require using technology that meets tougher quality objectives and that helps coordinate patient care, according to a proposed rule. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published draft regulations detailing what physicians' EMR systems will be expected to achieve by the next stage of the program, which for some practices will take effect as early as 2014. 21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6a39521a71Facing pressure from healthcare provider advocacy groups, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will push back enforcement of Accredited Standards Committee X12 version 5010 electronic transaction standards for an additional three months, until June 30. CMS said it would apply "enforcement discretion" on 5010 and the related National Council for Prescription Drug Programs version D.0 for pharmacy claims through midyear to allow more compliance with the standards.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f6881a4b8a262The HHS announced it would delay the Oct. 1, 2013, ICD-10 compliance date for certain healthcare entities. When most people hear about a "delay," schools calling in short postponement of the school day due to fog or snow come to mind. However, instead of two hours of extra sleep, hospitals, physicians and other providers do not know when school — or the ICD-10 timeline — is scheduled to resume, and this has created some tension within the healthcare industry.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6ab79f6263Continuing its trend of large company purchases, the voice recognition company Nuance announced it will purchase Transcend, a popular medical transcription company, for $300 million. The deal follows Nuance’s recent purchases of rival Vlingo and the alternative keyboard company Swype. The company has built up a habit of acquiring smaller companies to expand its voice-technology portfolio, which powers Apple's virtual assistant Siri.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6b05891ad4Stage 1 of the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program focused on the adoption and implementation of certified EHR technology and the capture of critical, structured data elements. With Stage 2, CMS aims to advance clinical processes for continuous quality improvement. While the number of overall objectives does not increase, providers should note that CMS has subsumed a number of Stage 1 measures into other Stage 2 objectives to make room for new requirements.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f6882318fc5d5In most well-meaning organizations, once important information comes to light, it cannot be ignored, no matter what level of an organization is affected. Charite University of Medicine Berlin, Europe's largest university hospital, found that as more and more information became available, it was not just caregivers and researchers who were affected, but the senior management processes as well.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6b2753d2b6A year ago, CMS announced its esMD tool, which is an option for providers to electronically send medical documentation that is requested of them by recovery auditors and other government entities contractors. Phase 1 of esMD kicked off on Sept. 15. During this period, providers will still receive medical documentation requests via paper mail, but will have the option to electronically send their documentation to the requesting review contractor.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6acf4ba557Across the country, the move from paper to electronically stored health data is growing. Studies are mixed about how EMRs will impact liability for physicians and staff. Whatever the future holds for EMRs, it's important that liability risks are reduced during system implementation, legal experts say.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6b3994a4f8The risk of protected health information being breached has grown dramatically within the past few years. To combat the threat, the HIPAA Security Rule was created to provide organizations with administrative, physical, and technical guidelines to safeguard their electronic PHI. Mahmood Sher-Jan, vice president of product management at ID Experts, shares the five best practices for HIPAA security.21 Mar 2012 08:09:13 CDThttp://multibriefs.com/ViewLink.php?i=4f5f6b4eec5969