Over the past few months, software vendors have been knocking on doors and distributing mountains of information regarding their products and the Federal incentive program. Much of the information being distributed is fiction. Either their marketing departments haven’t read the regulations, or their sales teams have been making up information. Here is a summary of the Fiction and Facts DeckerWright Corporation (DWC) has heard during recent vendor presentations.
FICTION: Every doctor is eligible for the federal incentive payments.
FACT: Only doctors that have over $24,000 in Medicare billing or have over 30% of their total billing through Medicaid are eligible.
FICTION: A web portal is needed for “Meaningful Use.”
FACT: For “Meaningful Use - Phase I” there is no web port requirement. The regulations do call for a patient web portal to meet the Meaningful Use requirements until Phase III (2015).
FICTION: iPads will work with our software!
FACT: None of the current software packages’ user interfaces were designed to work with an iPad. It is true that iPads support Citrix or Microsoft Terminal servers, but the underlying user interface was designed for usage with a keyboard and a mouse, not a finger or stylus. Just try clicking on a hyperlink in a template, or a pull down list of medications with your finger!
FICTION: Our EHR software is certified!
FACT: As of the date this article was written, there were 33 certified EHR software packages on the market. We expect the additional packages to be certified by the end of October 2010. The Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT (ONC) in the department of Health and Human Services (HHS) only awarded these rights to begin the software certification process to CCHIT and the Drummond Group, Inc. on August 30, 2010. The certification process didn’t begin until September 20, 2010. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued the assessment criteria for Meaningful Use to be used by the certification entities based on the draft regulations issued by the ONC. These criteria are currently being revised, based on the proposed final regulations issued by ONC in July 2010.
FICTION: Our software has CCHIT certification so we will automatically be certified for the Federal incentive program.
FACT: Every software package will need to be re-certified under the new program. In order to receive the incentive payment every practice must be using a certified version of the software, meaning everyone will need to upgrade to the “certified version” of the software to get their payments. Make sure your support contracts are current and that they include the upgrade to the latest version of the software. Going forward, each practice will need to keep their software maintenance contract current because each phase of Meaningful Use will require a new version of the software.
FICTION: The doctor has to switch the EHR’s practice management software.
FACT: Practices may continue to use their existing practice management software. There are advantages to using a vendor’s practice management and EHR software together as the transfer of data between the modules is normally seamless. If you do switch to the vendors practice management system at the same time, be prepared for a cash flow interruption and the need to maintain the old practice management system for at least two years.
FACT: The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) will be the entity responsible for the processing of incentive payment applications and the payment of valid applications.
FACT: Doctors will need $24,000 in Medicare billing in 2011 to qualify for payments.
FACT: Doctors must be using an ONC certified EHR to receive payments.
FACT: DeckerWright Corporation, in conjunction with Trinity Business Alliance, is offering consulting services to guide doctors through the EHR selection, implementation, and incentive application process. Save time and get your money faster by using this service!
FACT: Applications for 2011 will be accepted from 4/1/2011 to 2/29/2012.
FACT: A doctor only needs to demonstrate “Meaningful Use” for 90 days in the first year in order to qualify for the incentive payment.
FACT: E-prescribing is part of “Meaningful Use - Phase I” and will be part of any ONC certified EHR software.
FACT: Every eligible professional with Medicare billing over $24,000 in 2011 using an ONC certified software package that can demonstrate meaningful use for 90 days in 2011 will be able to claim the incentive payment. Doctors who implemented EHR software years ago look $44,000? smarter now!
About the Author Marshall Wright:
Marshall Wright of DeckerWright Corporation has been providing New Jersey businesses with HARDWARE, SOFTWARE & NETWORKING technology consulting services since 1984.
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