Bradford Scott Medical

Implementing an EMR System

Carey Fulwider — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:52:04 +0000

Implementing an EMR System can be very intimidating to your practice. It is changing every piece of your workflow. Everything that was recorded on paper is now recorded through your computer system. With this being the first year to qualify for meaning use, a lot of practices are feeling pressure to implement their EHR system and do not know where to start.

One way to implementation is to start with the meaningful use guidelines and work your way through the features in the system until you are fully utilizing all the features that apply to your practice, this will also ensure that you are meeting meaningful use.

Here are the features that I would implement first:

E-Prescribing
Record Demographic fields for government reporting
Create and maintain an active Problem List
Record Medication Allergies
Take Vital signs
Support 1 clinical guideline
Scan Patient Charts

If these features are implemented with your EHR system you will meet the criteria to qualify for the first round of stimulus money.

Iced

Mike Beer — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 17:40:06 +0000

The word for the week was iced. Here in Indianapolis we got several inches of ice and we're working on our fourth missed day of school now. Some areas around the state got loads of snow, but here it was just ice. About 2/3 of businesses were closed for a day or two, but not Bradford-Scott! And yours truly was here each day this week.

A few of our customers braved the weather on even the worst days, and needed some service and support. Bradford-Scott was here to provide it of course. So here's a summary:

School? No
Sage Intergy and Sage Intergy EHR support? Yes
Newspaper deliver? No
Hardware and software support? Yes
Mail? Yes and no
Training, troubleshooting, and assistance? You bet!

If you haven't figured it out yet, Bradford-Scott Data Corporation provides the best service and support in the medical computer industry. If you don't know what our support is like, I invite you to try it out.

Cheers,
Mike

Winter Ice Storm Strikes Midwest

Jennifer Sanders — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:06:01 +0000

This past week many of us spent several days trapped in our houses. We had a huge winter ice storm that brought snow to top it off. With at least an inch or two of ice on everything in sight, there was not much we could do but stay put.

Through this process I had a sick child. Being trapped had me thinking about what I would have done had he been seriously ill and couldn't get him to the doctor. At Bradford Scott Medical, we sell and support a Medical Billing Software solution with an integrated EMR Software called Intergy by Sage. With a product as robust as Intergy, a physician can have access to their patient's medical records without having to leave their home. The physician can even write prescriptions and transmit them electronically to the pharmacy through E-Prescribing. This functionality would sure have come in handy for us. It would have allowed my son's doctor to get him the medication he may have needed, relieving his symptoms a few days faster.

Don't let a winter Ice Storm bring your practice to your knees. Contact us today for an EMR Demo and see what Intergy by Sage has to offer your practice and your patients.

What Are Your Goals for 2011?

Jennifer Sanders — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:53:44 +0000

Every year the managers of Bradford Scott Medical get together to set the departmental goals for the upcoming year. Right now they are meeting to plan the 2011 goals. These goals may range from small organizational items that need to be completed, to large projects to be implemented. Every year one of our goals is to improve on our customer service survey score from the previous year. We ended last year with a score of 9.43 on a scale of 10.

As a company, we offer many products for medical practices. Currently we are offing an electronic medical billing software called Intergy by Sage with an integrated EHR software. This software will do everything you need to meet Meaningful Use for CMS Incentives and Medicaid Incentives.

What are your practices goals for 2011? Whether you want to take advantage of the EMR Stimulus or just have a solid Practice Management System that will help you with the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, we can help! Contact us today for a Demo.

Implementing Your EHR System

Carey Fulwider — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:56:09 +0000

I have a client that is trying to implement an EHR System at their practice. The practice is a little overwhelmed with change and not sure how to get from point A to point Z. Bradford-Scott has dealt with this throughout the years. Changing your practice from an all paper world to an electronic world can be very overwhelming.

Just take it one step at a time. Highlight a few features that your practice could benefit from that is not going to make major waves in your daily workflow. Then set deadlines to start using each of those features. I usually suggest a practice start out with the E-Prescribing piece of the system. This will get you one step closer to using your EHR System and not have a huge effect on the daily workflow, and best of all it is a huge piece of meeting Meaningful Use. Once you are comfortable with that feature. Then move on to another feature.

EHR Stimulus Stress

Carey Fulwider — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:38:39 +0000

2011 is the first year medical practices can receive Stimulus dollars for using a certified EHR System. There are a core set of 15 guidelines that must be met and then a menu set of options in which 5 guidelines must be met. If you qualify for stimulus, your practice could receive 18K per doctor this year.

If you are just now purchasing an EHR System or implementing an EHR System you might wonder how to go about achieving your stimulus money.

Carefully read the guidelines so you know what you are trying to achieve
Research your EHR system and determine what features must be used to achieve Meaningful Use
Evalute your use of the system breaking down the guidelines that are already being met and the ones that are left to achieve.
Set deadlines to meet guidelines one by one and review with your practice frequently to discuss your progress.

This may seem a bit overwhelming to tackle on your own. Bradford-Scott Data Corp will guide you through the features required to meet meaningful use. Our product also offers a dashboard to let you know exactly where your practice stands on meeting these guidelines. Take the stress out of meeting Meaningful Use and achieving your stimulus dollars by using Bradford-Scott Data Corp as your Software Vendor.

2011 plans

Mike Beer — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:01:04 +0000

I read an interesting article suggesting some ideas for what medical practices should do in 2011. Rosemarie Nelson, M.S., is a principal with the MGMA Health Care Consulting Group. In her article "Five Things to Do in 2011", she outlines five things an office should try to tackle this year:

1. Start electronic prescriptions.

Whether you're using MENDS, Navigator, Sage Intergy or Sage Intergy EHR, Bradford-Scott can provide you with the ability to start e-prescribing.

2. Participate in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

In order to receive CMS incentive payments, PQRI is required. Intergy EHR can provide you with the tools to comply with the requirements.

3. Get interactive with your website and initiate patient portal services.

Sage Practice Portal is now available for you to add value and functionality to your practice.

4. Select and implement an EMR/EHR.

If you haven't signed up yet, now is the time. By implementing Sage Intergy EHR in 2011, you can be ready for the greatest stimulus payment amount.

5. Optimize staffing.

Nelson suggests that you compare your staffing to similar offices with similar systems to make sure you're not overstaffed.

This sounds like a lot to do, but it also makes perfect sense. Between health care reform, the ARRA program, and the changing industry, the above ideas can make your practice successful in 2011 and for years to come.

Cheers,
Mike

Food, Drink, Fun

Mike Beer — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:46:34 +0000

I'm not sure how I'm going to pack this all in this weekend, but I have some major plans. As outlined in my subject, tonight begins a weekend of food, drink, and fun.

Friday: Food. We're working the concession stand for the Pike basketball game so we'll be serving quite a bit of food.

Saturday: Drink. The Brewers of Indiana Guild Winterfest takes place at the State Fairgrounds. Over 50 breweries, over 150 beers to try. Yum!

Sunday: Fun. Going skiing again, this time at Paoli Peaks. Thanks to a friend who started working at Bradford-Scott a month before I did (in 1992), I got some great passes to take the kids skiing. Hopefully I'll be able to work off some of the food and drink.

Monday I'll be right here, back at Bradford-Scott Data Corporation supporting Sage Intergy and Sage Intergy EHR. Hopefully I'll be awake from a fun-filled weekend!

Cheers,
Mike

The Importance of Monitoring Your Electronic Claims

Jennifer Sanders — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:54:15 +0000

As we've stepped into a world of electronic claims, you may be tempted to assume all the work is done for you. You pretty much push a few buttons, and the claims are off to the payers for adjudication.

While electronic claims software is a major time saver from the old days, it still takes some responsibility on your part. I can't tell you how many times we have received phone calls from clients concerned that they are not getting payments from payers. The very first thing we look at is the electronic reports to verify the claims were accepted by the payers. Many times we find they were not accepted. The client never monitored the reports to see the claims were being rejected, and now they have a major cash flow issue.

At Bradford Scott Data Corporation, we offer Ingergy by Sage Electronic Billing Software. Part of this software is a product called Claims Vision. Claims Vision is an on-line tool to help you monitor your electronic claims for rejections, receipt, and acceptance. In addition to these features, you can also monitor ERA payments received by the payer and print a copies of the EOBs.

With various CMS Incentives such as PQRI and E-Prescribing, making sure your claims are being accepted by Medicare is essential. Contact us today to schedule a demo in your office.

It Takes Work To Get The Reward

Jennifer Sanders — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:32:02 +0000

This month began the annual Bradford Scott Data Corporation's Biggest Loser Contest. Everyone, who chooses to participate, puts five dollars into the pot, and the person who looses the most weight in two months wins it all.

This year we had a debate on whether the women should be in a separate category than the men. We women felt men have an unfair advantage. Typically, all a man has to do to lose weight is to stop thinking about food. It seems to be a little harder for us girls. Well, the men didn't agree, so the women started their own side bet!

I have been watching my diet and going to the gym every day at lunch. I have to admit that I don't like it at all! What it has taught me, is that it takes some work to get the reward.

With much talk about the current CMS Incentives and Medicaid Incentives for Meaningful Use, some physicians are not up for the work it may take for EMR Adoption in their practice. They may be thinking the reward is not worth the work it takes.

While a physician stands to receive between $44,000-$64,000 over the five year period, the reward your practice will receive is much greater. Having an Electronic Medical Records system will also give you:

Easier Access to Patient Charts
Electronic Prescription Transmission
Lab Portal Interface for Lab Results
Drug Utilization Reviews for Each Prescription Written
Flow Sheets to Monitor Medication and Lab Changes
Ability to Share Information Electronically with Other Physicians
A System to Monitor Orders Written
Health Management Recommendations Based on Age, Gender, and Condition

These are many features you will receive, but there are many more. Our Intergy by Sage Medical Billing Software and integrated EMR Solution will help you obtain the prize you are looking for. While I'd like to go eat a piece of the chocolate birthday cake my co-workers are currently partaking in, I must keep my eye on the prize!

Meaningful Use Core Componets

Carey Fulwider — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:57:04 +0000

It is 2011 and everybody is talking about meaninful use. Everybody includes Bradford-Scott Data Corp. We are educating our team on the MU guidelines so we are ready to meet the MU requirements.

I was watching a video on the Core Requirments for Electronic Health Records systems to meet meaningful use and was happy to see that 4 of the 15 core were satisfied with E-Scribing.

Medication Orders- 30% of your patient base- this is basically using your EHR system to print, record, view, or send a script for a patient.
Generate and Transmit E-scripts- 40% of the patient base- this would be sending prescriptions electronically
Drug-Drug interactions- This is an automated feature in the system that alerts the doctors to any drug allergies or interactions to advise your patients.
Active Medication List- 80% of the patient base. If you are using our EHR system to send scripts then it is automatically recording the medications in an active medication list.

Meaningful use is going to be a huge undertaking, however with our EHR system we are able to easily train and track your progress in meeting the meaningful use requirments.

New 2011 CPT and ICD9 Codes

Jennifer Sanders — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:44:56 +0000

Every year, the AMA (American Medical Association) releases new ICD9 and CPT codes. The ICD9 codes go into effect beginning October 1st of each year. The CPT codes go into effect January 1st of the New Year.
No matter what Medical Billing Software you are on, you must make sure you update the codes in your system. With our Intergy by Sage Practice Management software, there are two ways to accomplish this:

Manually update the codes
Import of a CD purchased from the AMA

Manually updating codes allows you to easily maintain a small code database. If your practice is one that encompasses multiple specialties or if your physicians see patients for many different conditions, purchasing a CD from the AMA would be your best bet for easy updating.

Making sure you are using the most up to date codes allows you to successfully submit Electronic claims with our Electronic Billing Software. In addition, your Electronic Health Records will be up to date with our Intergy by Sage integrated EHR Software. For more information about Bradford Scott Data Corporation and our Intergy by Sage Products, visit our website. We would be glad to schedule a demo with one of our sales representatives.

House Repeals Obamacare

Jennifer Sanders — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:58:01 +0000

This last Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to Repeal the new Healthcare Reform law put forth by President Obama. The repeal vote was passed in a bill called the Patients' Rights Repeal Act. The bill, which passed the House 245-189, was nicknamed "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act," by House GOP leaders. House opponents feel that President Obama's Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act would result in the loss of 650,000 jobs. Included in this law is an "individual mandate," a portion of the law that requires all citizens to carry health insurance or pay a penalty.

Despite the passage of the Repeal Act, some say there is little chance of success in the Democrat-led Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, has said he will not bring up repeal in the Senate. Some Democrats feel it will hurt children and seniors to pass a repeal.

The specifics of the whole law will change healthcare and effect everyone, in the field, in one way or another. At Bradford Scott Data Corporation, we have been working with Physicians that have purchased EHR Software in preparation for the CMS Incentive Program revolving around EMR Adoption. While the repeal of this law may or may not effect this incentive, it is something to keep an eye on. Healthcare in the United States does need to change, but at what cost?

Support and Services

Mike Beer — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:56:11 +0000

For over 25 years, Bradford-Scott Data Corporation has been serving customers in the Midwest. In this time period, many other companies have come and gone. What has kept Bradford-Scott so successful? Our service and support!

Bradford-Scott's service and support is all-encompassing. We are your one-stop vendor whose services include:

Professional Training Services
Software Telephone Support
Onsite training and implementation
Hardware installation, support and repair
Business forms and supplies

That about says it all. Whether you have Sage Intergy, Sage Intergy EHR, MENDS, or Navigator, Bradford-Scott pledges to provide you with the best service in the business. Want proof? Try us!

Cheers,
Mike

Cold

Mike Beer — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:46:47 +0000

Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 10 degrees. Tomorrow's low is supposed to be 2 degrees. Now that's cold! I've heard a lot of complaining lately from my family and friends about the Indiana winters. Many have said they'd like to move to Florida or someplace warm.

Does it feel like your practice has been left out in the cold? Are you missing out on new features like electronic prescriptions or practice portal? There's something you can do to heat things up. Sage Intergy and Sage Intergy EHR can help your practice get hot. How hot? Stimulus money hot.

Bradford-Scott Data Corporation is the Midwest's supplier of Sage Intergy and Sage Intergy EHR products. Our training and support team will make the transition to electronic health records successful. For an EHR demo or to speak with a salesperson, please call 317-713-2065 or reply to this blog.

Cheers,
Mike