Healthcare IT News - November 2008 - (Page 7)

Healthcare IT News ■ November 2008 industry news www.HealthcareITNews.com including the AMA and the MGMA – that pegs the cost for a 10-physician practice at $285,000. “It’s pay me now or pay me later,” said Jill Dennis, AHIMA’s senior vice president. The cost to convert would only grow, she said, and meanwhile the data gets worse. “It could have serious, serious ramifications for our healthcare data,” said Sue Bowman, AHIMA’s director of coding, during the AHIMA convention in Ftc extends deadline on ‘red flag’ rule WASHINGTON - The Federal Trade Commission has pushed the clock forward on the ‘red flag’ rule deadline that could affect hospitals across the country. The deadline moves ahead six months to May 1, 2009. Under the rule, financial institutions and creditors with covered accounts must have identity theft prevention programs to identify, detect and respond to patterns, practices or specific activities that could indicate identity theft. Hospitals are likely to be subject to FTC oversight under the rule because they may meet the rule’s broad definition of “creditor” and have patient accounts that fall within the scope of “covered accounts,” according to the American Hospital Association. More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: redFlaG 1108 ICD-10 Continued from page 1 ● M. Heyman, MD, chairman of the American Medical Association. “We are just now beginning to learn the increased costs on physician practices associated with moving to the ICD-10 code set – and they are staggering,” said William F. Jessee, MD, president and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association. He cited a new study commissioned by provider organizations – “ it will make Hipaa implementation look like a cakewalk.” – William F. Jessee, MD Seattle in October. The idea is to get all of healthcare on board, but several physician associations say the Oct. 1, 2011 deadline proposed by the government is unworkable. The ICD-10 coding set “is designed to produce better public health and vital statistics (information), not to be used in billing,” said Jessee. “Its rapid implementation will literally paralyze the healthcare insurance payment system. It will make HIPAA implementation look like a cakewalk.” Linda Kloss, AHIMA’s chief execution officer, looks at it another way. “I think we have to frame this as essential infrastructure investment,” she said. “Without the change that supports more and better data, we won’t realize the value of the investment in the electronic health record.” “We do believe it’s possible to move our country in a Sue Bowman three-year period,” Kloss added. “There’s a downside to dragging this thing out.” The longer the country delays in implementing a new coding system, “the more information systems and software programs will need to be converted retroactively resulting in higher conversion costs projected for hospitals, physicians and other healthcare entities,” she concluded. D a n R o d e , A H I M A’s v i c e president in charge of policy, said it’s necessary to “define an implementation date.” He expects the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will Dan Rode set a firm deadline by mid-December. Dennis said AHIMA has helped its members navigate big changes in the past, including the introduction of the HIPAA mandates. She’s confident it can do the same with the conversion to the new coding set. AHIMA is gearing up to offer training during the transition, resources on its Web site and a 2009 summit that will address transition planning in a variety of healthcare settings. ■ More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: ICd-10 1108 save on technology costs the same way you save on supplies VHA not only helps members lower supply costs but also provides access to world-class technology service suppliers — enabling organizations to reduce expenses while increasing the value of their purchased services spend Reduce your organization’s technology costs while improving patient and employee satisfaction by utilizing VHA’s comprehensive information technology and telecommunications portfolios. Our relationships with leading IT and telecom suppliers provide access to the expertise needed to share information, streamline operations and build stronger bonds with physicians and the communities they serve Address areas such as IT hardware and peripherals, application software, wireless solutions, networking and internet services Leverage VHA’s national and regional experience to develop and implement a solution that best ts your speci c needs Consider how much more your organization can save through VHA’s Purchased Services portfolios. Call us today at (800) 842-5146 or visit www.vha.com/contracting. - ● e ● Connect: vHa 1108 © 2008. VHA Inc. All rights reserved. Connecting members. Delivering results. What most concerns you about the upcoming conversion from ICD-9 to ICD10 codes? send your comments to editor Bernie Monegain at bernie.monegain@ metechpublishing.com. http://www.cardinalhealth.com/chasingzero http://www.cardinalhealth.com/chasingzero http://www.healthcareitnews.com/eConnect.cms?id=10311

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Healthcare IT News - November 2008 Contents $700M Strong PHR Power Stepping It Up Geo IT EMRs Go Rural HiMSS Insider: Making a Difference Home for the Blues Merge Amnesty Management Solutions: Outsourcing Appeal Clinical Toolkit: Enterprise PACS

Healthcare IT News - November 2008

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