Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on March 9 a 45-day extension for the public comment period for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modify the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The NPRM was first published in the Federal Register on January 21. At the time, individuals had 60 days to submit their comments. The […]
CMS is seeking experienced hospice providers and clinicians to take part in focus groups to help develop a hospice patient assessment tool. Those interested in participating can apply on CMS’ website. The deadline for application submission is Aug. 26. Eight virtual focus groups will take place after that date. Electronic health record (EHR) vendors who […]
PointClickCare released a study, 2019 Patient Transition Study: Technology Use During Transitions of Care, in partnership with research firm Definitive Healthcare. Researchers found that 62% of post-acute care facilities rely on phone calls to transfer resident information from hospitals to post-acute care facilities. The study reveals how commonly phone calls, emails, and even faxes are […]
Editor’s note: This post has been republished with permission from the author, Reg’s blog. CMS stance/policy on interoperability among providers and the resultant debate are rather interesting. I encourage clients and readers to tune-in on this subject as the positive and negative implications are sweeping. Interoperability in this context means the ability of computer systems […]
Has your facility recently found success implementing a new EHR system? We want to hear about it! Send us 2-4 paragraphs describing your facility’s experience. Why did you decide to transition from paper to electronic? What were your challenges during the transition? How were you able to find success and increase quality of care? Your […]
After a bill to expand telehealth in Medicare first introduced in 2016 made little headway on Capitol Hill, determined legislators are seeking a new way in, by introducing several telemedicine bills aimed at different areas of Medicare, with a goal to get at least one passed. The Evidence-Based Telehealth Expansion Act of 2017 was revealed […]
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report titled “Electronic Health Records: HHS Needs to Improve Planning and Evaluation of Its Efforts to Increase Information Exchange in Post-Acute Care Settings,” stating that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lacks a comprehensive plan to meet its goal in increasing the proportion of post-acute […]
Though long-term care (LTC) facilities are not eligible for direct funding for electronic health records (EHR) under the meaningful use program, EHRs are gaining popularity in these settings. Adoptions of EHRs in LTC can reduce medication-related errors, improve clinical documentation, and better coordinate information exchange between healthcare settings, leading to improved resident-centered care. Making the […]
After months of waiting, SNFs can now celebrate the passage of Rural Healthcare Connectivity Act of 2015.The bill passed the full Senate vote on June 7, 2016, which has been in the congressional pipeline since 2012. The measure will help rural SNFs gain funds for better technology, which will increase access to telemedicine and utilization […]
The AHA recommended to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology that interoperability should be measured not only by electronic health information exchange and use, but should also include: availability of standards, structures and infrastructure to support those goals. One requirement of the Medicare Access and […]