Healthcare Finance News | Information Technology

Providers today recognize that even the most powerful EMRs can't handle the content that exists outside of the patient record. Unstructured, ancillary documents and content related to patient care – paper, forms, faxes, graphics, photos and other clinical images – is often disconnected from electronic records. For Sentara Healthcare, access to accurate, timely and complete patient information is instrumental to increasing quality and service of care, and enterprise content management (ECM) is a vital part of that enterprise EHR strategy.

North York General Hospital Completes the Patient Record & Unites Departments with Enterprise Content Management

April 27, 2012 |

North York General Hospital, one of Canada’s leading community teaching hospitals and one of three Canadian hospitals to reach HIMSS Analytics Stage 6, had a paper-intensive environment and needed a way to provide quicker access to documentation. Last year, the Hospital chose to implement an enterprise content management (ECM) solution – not only to augment its EMR so clinicians had a complete view of the patient record but to provide content and process management across the hospital.

Value Analysis - A Best Practice Approach to Elevated Performance

April 4, 2012 |

Careful consideration of the financial and clinical impact of the medical technologies used has become a strategic imperative. While most healthcare organizations recognize the importance of a committed, multidisciplinary team to drive these critical decisions, many of their Value Analysis teams often still struggle to achieve maximum results. Join this exciting and informative webinar to help you leverage tools and information to improve alignment and optimize your value analysis initiatives.

Improving Point of Service Collections: A Rural Hospital Perspective

March 2, 2012 |

In this webinar, hear how Saint Alphonsus Medical Center, a critical access hospital located in eastern Oregon, increased upfront cash collections and improved patient satisfaction by incorporating patient payment estimation technology into their workflow. Michelle Paoletti, Patient Access Manager, will describe how her organization transitioned to a culture of point-of-service collections by having meaningful payment discussions with patients upfront. Additionally, Michelle will reveal what's next for Saint Alphonsus, including their plans to streamline the financial assistance process.

Disrupting Hospital Based Care: The Innovation Race to Establish 21st Century Care Models

March 2, 2012 |

Intel and Healthcare IT News invite you to an exclusive executive webcast featuring internationally renowned speakers, Jason Hwang, MD co-founder and Executive Director of Healthcare at Innosight Institute, a non-profit social innovation think tank based in Watertown, Massachusetts and Eric Dishman, Intel Fellow and Global Director of Health Innovation and Policy for Intel Corporation.

How new technology is helping healthcare providers meet the pressing challenges of reducing bad debt by improving patient billing and collection

February 14, 2012 |

This paper examines the significant impact of recent changes in the healthcare market on the ability of healthcare organizations to collect payment from patients. The escalating amount of deductibles to be paid by patients off-site is creating a void as to where and when they pay, which in turn is creating less impetus to pay. These changes are set to drive the uptake of new technological advancements in Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) in the Healthcare industry.

Creating the Foundation for Financial Health in 21st Century Healthcare Provision

February 1, 2012 |

SPi Healthcare and Frost and Sullivan will address how the financial health of today's healthcare providers is being severely challenged in an era where fundamental factors are clashing.

Advanced Coding Technology to Advance the Revenue Cycle

February 1, 2012 |

Not all computer-assisted coding solutions (CAC) are created equal. Understand the key elements of natural language processing (NLP) and how the precision of Optum's LifeCode® NLP technology can boost coder accuracy and productivity, improve revenue integrity, and mitigate the financial impacts of the ICD-10 conversion.

Technology Standardization Toolkit: How to Gain Alignment and Maximize ROI

January 19, 2012 |

Learn how to obtain the evidence required for standardization across your delivery infrastructure and how to weigh your hospital's functional, technical, support, and financial requirements to ensure you choose the vendor(s) that allow you to receive the maximum return on your investments. In this webinar we will discuss the tools needed to gain visibility into the universe of options to put in place the protocols needed to improve clinical quality while reducing costs in ways that can be implemented on a broad scale.

Old data learns new tricks: Managing patient security and privacy on a new data sharing playground

January 5, 2012 |

Data is quickly becoming one of the health industry’s most treasured commodities. Yet, health organizations are acutely aware that sensitive data can be easily compromised. As a converging industry moves quickly to leverage new electronic data, PwC found that the challenges are complex, but manageable.

Overcoming Financial Challenges: Tips and Advice on How to Improve Healthcare Financial Performance

January 3, 2012 |

Healthcare IT News Staff

Join Healthcare Finance News and a panel of healthcare financial executives from Vanderbilt University and USF Health as they share their viewpoints and advice on ways to take advantage of opportunities to improve financial performance.

Payment Policy Optimization: Blending Analytics with Rules to Prevent Wasteful, Abusive and Fraudulent Healthcare Spending

December 12, 2011 |

James Ellis and Aaron Razavi

Curtailing the massive drain caused by waste, abuse and fraud in healthcare has never been more impor¬tant. New payment models are on the horizon, including bundled payments, and greater emphasis is being placed on payment for outcomes. Given the magnitude and visibility of the problem, insurers need to avail themselves of advanced and effective means to reduce wasteful, abusive and fraudulent medical spend¬ing in the most efficient way possible. This demands a more holistic approach across the payment continuum, using technologies that not only address issues from multiple angles but also facilitate cross-organization partnership. Read more now.

For signs of change in healthcare, look to a smarter, more engaged CIO

April 19, 2012 |

James C. Bohnsack

With the second anniversary of health reform upon us, we're beginning to hear plenty of perspective from the “usual suspects” – doctors, patients, insurers, hospital CEOs – about the changes they’re seeing so far and what they expect to be the biggest, most significant elements of reform as the implementation dates draw closer.

How Hospitals Can Meet Data Storage Demands for Meaningful Use Stage 2

March 20, 2012 |

With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and Office of the National Coordinator recently releasing the proposed requirements for Stage 2 meaningful use and 2014 certification of electronic health records, hospital executives are looking for viable data storage options to meet their needs.

#HITSM Chat recap: Social media, EMR and mHealth

January 6, 2012 |

James Ellis and Aaron Razavi

Today marked the first healthcare IT social media Twitter Chat, monitored by HL7Standards. From social media guidance and regulations, to personal PHR stories, here is a Twitter recap of the event.

Four ways to improve hospital revenue

December 19, 2011 |

Joel French

Most hospitals seek to improve revenue, but are challenged by static or declining patient volumes, reimbursement rate reductions and patient case reclassifications to comply with CMS regulatory requirements.

Industry action equals intelligence

October 26, 2011 |

James C. Bohnsack

Napoleon Hill, an American writer focusing on personal success, once said, “action is the real measure of intelligence.” I agree with this statement, and it is exciting to see that much of the healthcare industry does, too.

3 Lessons on How to Future Proof Your Hospitals

September 26, 2011 |

At the last medical real estate conference I attended the notion of making a hospital adaptable for new technology and space requirements was a recurring phrase from the major health systems' vice presidents of real estate in attendance.

Would a nationwide EHR lower healthcare costs?

August 11, 2011 |

James Ellis and Aaron Razavi

A little over a month ago, I asked our social media followers if they believed a nation-wide transition to EHRs for doctors would lower healthcare costs. From Twitter to Facebook, there was a wide range of opinions.

2 Ways Hospital New Construction Provides Long Term Growth Strategies

August 10, 2011 |

At a medical office conference I attended, influential hospital executives stated that investing their capital in infrastructure needs and health information technology (IT) took priority over building new or renovating existing hospital ancillary facilities.

Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs: What are the key differences?

August 5, 2011 |

David Williams

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) created major incentive programs for clinicians and hospitals that adopt electronic health records and achieve certain Meaningful Use (MU) criteria.

Are patient-centered medical homes threatened by cost barriers? Social media conversations

July 25, 2011 |

Is the promise of the patient-centered medical home model threatened by cost and communication barriers? Our social media followers react.

Healthcare IT is critical to accountable care

July 15, 2011 |

Mike Stephens

Healthcare IT is critical as hospitals begin to make the change from delivering volume-based care, to delivering value-based care.

Does EHR implementation really lower costs? Social media reactions

July 8, 2011 |

Conceptually, the pure EHR saves the patient and healthcare provider time and money. What's the reality?

Amerinet will offer members a suite of procure-to-pay technologies from GHX

January 23, 2012 |

Amerinet, a national healthcare solutions organization, will offer its 2,900 acute care hospital members a suite of procure-to-pay (P2P) solutions from healthcare technology and services company GHX to help the hospitals improve procurement and accounts payable processes and drive contract compliance, resulting in up to 12 percent savings on medical-surgical supply spending.

MedTech Media Announces the Launch of PhysBizTech

January 6, 2012 |

Online publication will provide business and technology intelligence to small and medium sized physician group practices

Springfield Service Corporation and Laguna Medical Systems rebrand as SPi Healthcare

October 27, 2011 |

Springfield Service Corporation, specializing in revenue cycle management, and Laguna Medical Systems, specializing in health information management, are rebranding together as SPi Healthcare.

Cognosante selected to perform recovery audit services for North Dakota Medicaid program

October 18, 2011 |

Cognosante, a leading provider of health IT services to state and federal agencies and regional health organizations, has been awarded a contract with the state of North Dakota Department of Human Services, Medical Services Division to provide Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) services.

MediConnect releases new cloud-based scheduling system for onsite medical record reviews

October 11, 2011 |

Linda Kloss

MediConnect Global today announced the availability of RapidRequest, a cloud-based service that enables its clients – such as those in the health insurance, life insurance and legal industries – to seamlessly and cost-effectively track and schedule their own on-site medical record retrievals and reviews.

One Call Medical achieves key milestone in delivering diagnostic radiology to group health market

October 10, 2011 |

One Call Medical, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of specialty services to insurance payers, today announced it has reached a key milestone in delivering diagnostic radiology services—including MRIs, CT, and PET scans—to the group health market, saving clients more than $4 million through its diagnostic savings program.

Navidar Group serves as exclusive investment banking advisor to Sentient Health Pte. Ltd.

October 10, 2011 |

Healthcare Finance News Staff

Sentient Health Pte. Ltd., which provides hospitals with software and services for optimizing inventory management of consumable medical supplies, has been acquired by AeroScout, the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility solutions for the healthcare industry. Sentient Health’s solutions complement and build on AeroScout's extensive portfolio of healthcare solutions that hospitals around the world rely on to increase operational efficiency and improve patient safety and care.

iPractice Group, Inc. acquires Doctors Access

September 27, 2011 |

iPractice Group announced today that it has successfully completed the acquisition of Doctors Access, Inc., a Nashville-based healthcare IT provider specializing in practice management software and billing services for small to mid-sized independent practices.

Emdeon and CAQH announce plans to transfer U.S. healthcare efficiency index

September 26, 2011 |

CAQH and Emdeon Inc. (NYSE: EM) today announced that they have reached an agreement for Emdeon to transfer ownership and management of the U.S. Healthcare Efficiency Index® (USHEI) to CAQH.

Indiana University hospitals turn to McKesson’s latest electronic document management release

September 23, 2011 |

As part of their strategy to prepare for ICD-10 and ANSI 5010 regulations, Indiana University Health (IU Health) Bloomington and Paoli Hospital recently went live on the latest release of McKesson’s Horizon Patient Folder™ electronic document management system. The solution is one of the first on the market to help providers transition to the new billing, coding and electronic data interchange requirements while continuing to support existing transactions.

Global Health Medical travel programs now available under qualified health savings accounts

September 23, 2011 |

Global Health Voyager, Inc. (OTCBB: GLHV), a full-service web-based medical tourism facilitator, today announced My HSA Rewards as the first member to join its HSA affiliate program. Medical travel programs are now available through the only HSA cash rewards program offered by My HSA Rewards, designed to engage individuals, employers and insurance agents in a new program to help save more money on healthcare. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, HSAs were created in 2003 so that individuals covered by high-deductible health plans could receive tax-preferred treatment of money saved for medical expenses.

Indiana University hospitals turn to McKesson’s latest electronic document management release

September 22, 2011 |