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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Technology

Subcategories:AppsInformation Technology

Are You a Meaningful User?

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As a follow-up to last month’s article (August 2010) about the final rule for the electronic health record (EHR) stimulus program—which offers up to $64,000 to eligible providers who are meaningful users of an EHR system—this month we will explore the minimum requirements for successful meaningful use, which take effect in 2011 and will build gradually each year of the program.

Social Media 101 for Rheumatologists & Health Professionals

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Ask any social media enthusiast to describe the value of social networking, and you will undoubtedly receive some variation of the following: Social media allows me to easily follow the latest news, converse with others about shared interests, and grow a virtual and face-to-face network. The most important thing for new users of social media to understand is that all forms of social networking—from Twitter to Facebook to YouTube—are only as valuable as the members of your social network. In other words, if you do not share common interests with the members of your online community, social networking will quickly become irrelevant and of little value. It’s about the relationships, not necessarily the technology.

What Does Meaningful Use Really Mean?

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On July 13, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the publication of the final rule for the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program. The final rule announcement ended the holding pattern for providers eager to make the switch from paper to digital medical records.

What Can Clinical Decision Support Do for You?

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The current health system places increasing pressure on physicians and their practices to find new and innovative ways to maximize reimbursement through the implementation of programs and workflows that ensure the delivery of higher quality care—all while the ever-increasing needs of the patient population are placing a greater demand on physician time.

A Glance at the Evolving Rheumatology Practice

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The healthcare delivery environment is ever evolving and has experienced rapid growth in the past few decades. These changes are reflected within rheumatology practices in how the rheumatology care team interacts with patients and how patients manage their care.

I Have the Data—Now What?

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Rheumatologists practicing in the current healthcare environment are experiencing unprecedented information flow, data management issues, and a rise in quality designations and pay-for-performance incentive programs. There is increasing pressure on rheumatologists to document or capture treatment concordance with guideline recommendations and best practices and to monitor gaps in care and patient outcomes. Unfortunately, some quality programs are not considered clinically meaningful, and even those that are often bring administrative burdens related to reporting, data aggregation, and analysis.

Technology and Pay-for-Performance

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Medicare and private payers are increasingly developing programs to reward physicians based on clinical benchmarks. As more payers embrace this approach, practices are looking to technology to help them manage complex reporting requirements.