Medical Billing Blog: Section - Medical Data
Archive of all Articles in the Medical Data Section
This is the archive containing links to all articles written in the Medical Data section of our blog.
Click any of the article links below to read the entire article or browse another section to the right to read articles on another subject.
Better Data Collection is Key to Addressing EHR and Claims Data Discordance
“There is a moderate agreement between EHR data and Medicare Part D (MPD) claims data for the receipt of oral anticancer agents, which are a popular treatment option for cancer patients, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. The study, conducted by the Texas Cancer Registry and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), found that 73.8 percent of the EHR data and MPD claims data overlapped, with 176 data sets shown in both and 123 sets not shown for either. Oral anticancer agents are becoming more popular and equally as expensive, leaving policymakers to uncover data about how patients use them, which then allows for …
EMR Documentation Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Physician News posted a great article discussing EMR documentation issues during the pandemic. As hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and staff are stretched to their limits, electronic medical record (EMR) documentation may suffer as a result of rushed, less detailed and error-prone entries. EMR workarounds are also expected to flourish. In the current medical malpractice climate where greater scrutiny can be placed on the EMR and audit trail over the medicine itself, it is very important to maintain an accurate chart. There are steps that can be taken now to prepare for anticipated documentation issues related to care rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most important recommendation is to …
Tips for Running Your Medical Practice during the Coronavirus Crisis
“At one large practice in Bergen County, New Jersey, the waiting room is empty — but its patients are still receiving care. As of mid-March, the practice is still operating, thanks to the group’s willingness to adapt its work flow, sometimes radically, to mitigate the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, patients now call the receptionist from their vehicles when they arrive, and wait there until receiving a call back telling them the clinician is ready. The practice has also started using telemedicine for the first time, to the extent it can be adopted in a hurry, and some clinicians are working from home on tasks such as medication …
HHS Finalizes Strategies to Combat EHR Clinician Burden
“Divisions of HHS worked together to develop strategies for addressing the four main causes of clinician burden stemming from EHR use. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a set of strategies, Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs, aimed at combating health IT-related burdens on healthcare providers. The report fulfills a provision in the 21st Century Cures Act requiring HHS, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to produce a report for Congress on the strategies and recommendations to aid this overwhelming epidemic. Clinician burden is primarily linked to …
EHR Usability Issues Increase After Implementation and Optimization
“Most believe EHR usability issues happen at implementation. However, the majority of EHR usability problems occur after implementation when the EHR is continuously optimized, according to a study published in the BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. “Implementation of the EHR is not limited to a single event in time,” wrote the researchers. “Rather, the technology changes when newer features are added, or interfaces are redesigned. These upgrades may improve functionality, but they also require physicians to adapt to changes beyond the initial implementation.” “Users are required to continually learn how to use the newer system and then to incorporate these upgrades into their clinical workflow, often with negative work …
