Cardiovascular Business - May/June 2008 - (Page 35)

or sign-up for the weekly newsletter @ Subs.CardiovascularBusiness.com Get a daily dose of Cardiovascular Business News, visit CardiovascularBusiness.com, In his commentary at the ACC meeting, Cohen noted that the most interesting aspect between the six-month and two-year outcomes was the way the gap closed between the two stents. The lack of late-stage events with Xience V, however, is a statistical anomaly, he said. As a result, he questioned whether the late angiographic “catchup” would continue or if there eventually would be increased late target lesion revascularization events. Cohen told Cardiovascular Business that SPIRIT II adds important news to the clinical understanding of the long-term outcomes of the Xience V. If Xience re- ceives FDA approval for use in the U.S., interventionalists will probably want to have the option of this stent among the other approved stents in their cath labs, he said. By JUSTine CAdeT á What to know before purchasing an EHR ■ $2,500: the network ■ $2,500: workstations, like tablet PCs ■ $3,500: peripherals, such as scanners and printers, and ■ $3,000 to $8,000: interfaces and migration of current PMS data. While many physicians realize improved patient workflow due to efficiencies from EHRs, other significant benefits, according to Ligon, are improved documentation and coding. “Physicians tend to under code,” he says. “For example, most physicians meet the requirements of a level four visit, charge for a level three visit, and document for a level two visit, which means they will not receive the optimal reimbursements for those patient encounters. The EHR allows for better documentation by creating an environment that actually links clinical documentation and coding together.” To achieve increased patient throughput, the practice must first use all the EHR functionality at its optimal level, and secondly, the practice must evaluate the workflow in an office that surrounds the patient encounter, such as the documentation and coding. A practice may experience a decrease in patient workflow during the learning curve phase of EHR implementation. The numbers may rise again and possibly not to pre-EHR level, but reimbursement may increase due to improved documentation and coding, which may offset some of the lost revenue, Ligon says Having an EHR allows physicians to concentrate on delivering quality care, rather than trying to remember the complex rules associated with visits. The EHR automatically alerts the physician to these processes and on how to provide guideline-driven patient care. “The computer does a lot of the knowledge acquisition for the physician, which may translate into increased reimbursements for that practice. Also, if you have an EHR, the computer may automatically bundle both inventory and the procedure,” Ligon says. Ligon suggests four strategies for a successful EHR implementation: ardiology practice executives need to keep the end in mind throughout the process of adopting an electronic health record (EHR) system, Robert Ligon, senior EHR implementation consultant at TMF Health Quality Institute in Austin, Texas, tells Cardiovascular Business. Despite the costs and the difficult implementation process, EHR adoption has tremendous benefits, including: improved patient safety and quality of care, improved reimbursement accounting and better adherence to evidence-based guidelines. The average price of an EHR and practice management system (PMS) license of $10,000 per physician does not include installation, training or other peripherals. For a practice in Texas, Ligon estimated these average costs: C ■ Build a “culture of quality” around EHR initiative; ■ Evaluate workflow (patient flow, charting process, refills, billing, etc.) before and after implementation; ■ Take advantage of vendor-provided education; and ■ Make sure the vendor incorporates all of the additional documentation (letters, procedure reports, education material, etc.) before go-live. By JUSTine CAdeT Correction: in “Wracked by Bad Press, drug-eluting Stents Start their Comeback” (March/April 2008), the blue portion of the pie chart on page 33 represents BMS and the white portion deS. ■ $8,000 to $24,000: installation and training ■ $8,000: each server CardiovascularBusiness.com Cardiovascular Business 35 http://Subs.CardiovascularBusiness.com http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trimed/cb_20080304/index.php?startid=33 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trimed/cb_20080304/index.php?startid=33 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trimed/cb_20080304/index.php?startid=33 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trimed/cb_20080304/index.php?startid=33 http://CardiovascularBusiness.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cardiovascular Business - May/June 2008

Cardiovascular Business - May/June 2008 Contents First Word Cover Story - Coronary CTA: Drafting the Strategic Plan Financing New Technologies: Early Adopters, Lease vs. Purchase, and Joint Ventures Clinical Study Digest: ACE or ARB: It's Your Choice Can Off-Hour D2B Times Be Reduced Without Breaking the Bank? Digital Image Management Primer: Integrating Echo SPECT/CT for Cardiac Disease Detection: An Economic Conundrum Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise Connects IT Systems News & Views Calendar Reader's Resources The Back Page

Cardiovascular Business - May/June 2008

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