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ICSA Labs Set to Begin Testing EHRs for Stage 2 Meaningful Use Requirements

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, is now officially authorized and accredited to begin certifying electronic health records for the next stage of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Meaningful Use requirements.

The new 2014 Edition, Stage 2 certification program of HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology provides more transparency and elevates the overall testing and certification process by mandating additional requirements for organizations providing EHR services. These requirements include a strengthening of security, enhanced interoperability for facilitating health information exchange, better protection of private patient information and new ways for providers to become “meaningful users.”

Last September, ICSA Labs received authorization from the Office of the National Coordinator for the preliminary Stage 2 of the certification program.

To test and validate the ONC 2014 Edition methods and test tools, ICSA Labs successfully conducted a week-long pilot program in December with four vendors that offer EHR-related solutions supporting the more rigorous Stage 2 Meaningful Use Requirements. These included Dynamic Health IT and Glenwood Systems.

“The latest round of federal requirements will enable us to help companies strengthen the security and privacy of their EHR offerings, ultimately benefiting both patient and health care provider,” said Amit Trivedi, health care program manager for ICSA Labs. “Now that we are fully authorized and accredited to certify and test technology meeting the permanent Meaningful Use requirements, we are officially open for business.”

EHR vendors also must have their products tested by laboratories accredited by the National Voluntary Lab Accreditation Program and certified by bodies authorized by the ONC and accredited by the American National Standards Institute. ICSA Labs is accredited by both NVLAP and ANSI.

The ONC’s Health Information Technology Certification program, which provides authorization for the certification of electronic health care records, was established in January 2011.  The recently published Stage 2 Standards, Implementation Specifications and Certification Criteria Final Rule is administered nationally by the ONC.

ICSA Labs is NVLAP- accredited as a Health IT Test Lab and is also an ONC-Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB) accredited by ANSI to ISO/IEC Guide 65.

About ICSA Labs

ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, offers third-party testing and certification of security and health IT products, as well as network-connected devices, to measure product compliance, reliability and performance for many of the world’s top security vendors.  ICSA Labs is an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited and 9001:2008 registered organization. Visit http://www.icsalabs.com and http://www.icsalabs.com/blogs for more information.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 96 million retail customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 184,500. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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January 16, 2013 I Written By

John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 15 blogs containing almost 5000 articles with John having written over 2000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 9.3 million times. John also recently launched two new companies: InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com, and is an advisor to docBeat. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: @techguy and @ehrandhit and Google Plus.

Filed Under: ARRA  Certified EHR  EHR  Electronic Health Record  Electronic Medical Record  EMR  Healthcare IT  Meaningful Use  Meaningful Use Stage 2
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Baptist Health South Florida Selects CareCloud to Drive Adoption of Electronic Health Records by Physicians Across Florida

Largest Not-for-profit Healthcare Organization in the Region Looks to Improve Patient Care and Efficiency by Subsidizing CareCloud’s EHR to Over 2,500 Affiliated Physicians

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)– CareCloud, a leading provider of cloud-based practice management, electronic healthcare record (EHR), Revenue Cycle and medical billing software and services, today announced that Baptist Health South Florida, the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region, will subsidize CareCloud’s integrated electronic health record and practice management solution to more than 2,500 community-based physicians in an effort to improve patient care across South Florida. Affiliated physicians will also have access to CareCloud’s revenue cycle management services as part of this new partnership aimed at connecting physicians across South Florida to drive better care coordination for patients and lower healthcare costs.

“As a leading provider of care in South Florida, we are in constant communication with community physicians regarding their technology needs and market trends impacting their practice operations. With national and other various payer programs now in place granting financial incentives to physicians who can meaningfully use electronic healthcare record technology, we are committed to providing and subsiding the latest in cloud-based technologies that help drive better patient care while also connecting community physicians to our hospitals and other care givers,” said Mimi Taylor, Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Baptist Health South Florida. “With their flexible architecture and modern design, we feel CareCloud’s EHR offering will enable physicians across our care continuum to move their practices online with greater ease, less disruption to their practice workflow while also gaining greater insight into their patient population and ability to coordinate care.”

As part of Baptist Health’s community connectivity program, Baptist Health will subsidize up to 85% of CareCloud’s cloud-based EHR and practice management solution to South Florida medical groups. In addition to the subsidies they receive from Baptist Health, physicians may also be eligible for up to $44,000 in Medicare incentives over five years as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and using CareCloud’s certified product.

Along with having discounted access to the company’s EHR and practice management offering, physicians will also have access to CareCloud Concierge, a complete revenue cycle management service that utilizes dynamic rules intelligence software, expert live support and real time business analytics and reporting tools to help medical practices increase collections and streamline operations. To learn more about CareCloud and its full product offering and pricing visit; www.carecloud.com/pricing/.

“Baptist Health South Florida continues to fortify their leadership position in healthcare both locally and nationally, as they look to aggressively connect area physicians using the latest cloud-based technology. The promise of electronic health record technology can only be fully realized if all key stakeholders in the healthcare continuum are connected and can act on real-time health information,” said Albert Santalo, Chairman and CEO of CareCloud. “They also understand that healthcare is seeing massive change in how physicians deliver care and are reimbursed for it. We are thrilled to be able to offer our leading revenue cycle management service as part of this program and help area medical groups deliver the best care possible while bolstering their overall business outcomes.”

About Baptist Health South Florida

Baptist Health South Florida is the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. Baptist Health includes Baptist Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Mariners Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Doctors Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital and Baptist Outpatient Services. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities affiliated with Baptist Health. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net, and connect with BaptistHealthSF on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About CareCloud

CareCloud is a leading provider of cloud-based practice management, electronic health record (EHR) and medical billing software and services for medical groups. The company’s products are connecting providers to one another – and to their patients – through a fully integrated digital healthcare ecosystem that can be accessed on any browser or device.

CareCloud is helping thousands of physicians to increase collections, streamline operations and improve patient care in over 30 states. The company was named a winner of IBM’s SmartCamp Silicon Valley 2010 for its innovative technology and received over $20 million in Series A funding from Intel Capital and Norwest Venture Partners. To learn more about CareCloud, please visit www.carecloud.com.

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November 18, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Investment  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare
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Practice Fusion Passes 50 Million Patients, Outlines Company Growth

Practice Fusion issued an infographic today in celebration of surpassing the 50 million patient milestone for their free, web-based Electronic Health Record (EHR). The free platform has already helped doctors attest for more than $35 million in Meaningful Use incentives. One out of four doctors choosing an EHR today picks Practice Fusion.

The free, web-based Electronic Health Records (EHR) provider has seen 50 percent employee growth since the beginning of the year alone

SAN FRANCISCO- August 8, 2012 – Practice Fusion, the nation’s largest doctor-patient community, has hit several significant milestones this year. Expected to reach 200 employees in its San Francisco headquarters this month, the company supports 150,000 medical practitioners serving 50 million patients nationwide. One in four doctors selecting an EHR today chooses Practice Fusion, which is reflected by the 49 percent increase in its users since August 2011. This growth confirms the urgent need for free, accessible and secure EHR systems for the nation’s physicians—particularly those in small practices.

“We’re democratizing access to EHR technology for physicians. The faster we grow, the more doctors we can help—and the more lives they can save,” said Ryan Howard, CEO of Practice Fusion. “This year is especially important for doctors seeking Meaningful Use, and we expect that our momentum is only going to build through the end of this year and into 2013.”

Key Facts:

  • One out of four doctors choosing an EHR today picks Practice Fusion
  • Practice Fusion has helped medical professionals nationwide attest for Meaningful Use, with a total of $35.5 million paid to date. Of these, the top states to receive payments include California, Florida and New York
  • The average cost for an EHR system is approximately $50,000; by comparison, Practice Fusion is completely free
  • Practice Fusion is now connected to more than 100 labs, a 440 percent increase year-over-year, largely thanks to its recently-launched Lab API
  • To demonstrate meaningful use of an EHR and qualify for full government incentives, eligible professionals must begin their 90-day reporting period by October 3

Practice Fusion – The free, web-based EMR

 

About Practice Fusion
Practice Fusion provides a free, web-based EHR system to physicians. With medical charting, scheduling, e-prescribing (eRx), lab integrations, referral letters,  Meaningful Use certification, unlimited support and a Personal Health Record for patients, Practice Fusion’s EHR Software addresses the complex needs of today’s healthcare providers and disrupts the health IT status quo. Practice Fusion is the fastest growing Electronic Health Record community in the country with more than 150,000 users serving 50 million patients. The company closed a $34 million Series C financing led by Artis Ventures in June. For more information about Practice Fusion, please visit www.practicefusion.com

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August 24, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Healthcare IT  Meaningful Use
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Aym Technologies’ OnTarget Clinical Achieves Drummond Group Complete EHR Ambulatory ONC-ATCB Certification

(July 25, 2012 Charlotte, NC) – Aym Technologies’ OnTarget Clinical 2.0 has received the federal government’s “meaningful use” stamp of approval by earning Complete EHR Ambulatory Certification. The “complete” certification officially deems the electronic health record (EHR) software capable of enabling providers to qualify for funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – a key component of the push to improve clinical care delivery through the adoption and effective use of EHRs by U.S. healthcare providers.

OnTarget Clinical was tested and certified under the Drummond Group’s Electronic Health Records Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) program and is 2011/2012 compliant in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

“OnTarget Clinical’s ‘complete’ certification validates that our software can help providers benefit from the electronic revolution in the healthcare industry.  Providers can now leverage OnTarget Clinical to enhance productivity and make significant clinical improvements, while achieving meaningful use and qualifying for incentive funds under ARRA. We are proud to offer human services providers an integrated solution that can truly improve care in their communities,” says Lewis Quinn, CEO of Aym Technologies.

Drummond Group’s ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tests and certifies that EHRs meet the meaningful use criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology. Healthcare providers using the EHR systems of vendors certified as “complete” are then qualified to receive federal stimulus monies upon demonstrating meaningful use of the technology.

OnTarget Clinical, which met the requirements for Complete EHR Ambulatory, helps human services providers realize substantial gains in both quality and efficiency. The software was designed by former behavioral healthcare professionals to incorporate industry best practice standards and deliver intuitive ease of use for the entire clinical team.

The software’s workflow is driven by a thorough understanding of clinical needs, industry requirements, and common sense approach to clinician’s needs. OnTarget Clinical liberates staff from administrative tedium and gives them valuable time to focus on their important purpose of delivering quality consumer care.

“The need to leverage information technology in the healthcare industry is huge – as the quality of care and efficiency benefits that come with computerization can really make a difference in the overall patient experience. We’re ready to help transform the industry by providing the sophisticated software testing services that ensure that vendors and hospitals are offering systems that are capable of meeting the meaningful use standards required to obtain incentive funds as well as the rich functionality required to move the clinical care needle forward,” says Rik Drummond, CEO of the Drummond Group. “We have been testing software for more than a decade and are ready to leverage our extensive experience handling sophisticated systems in complex industries as well as dealing with complicated technical issues such as interoperability and security.”

This Complete EHR Ambulatory is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by Drummond Group, an ONC-ATCB approved to certify any complete or modular EHR both ambulatory and inpatient, in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.

Aym Technologies LLC, 7/12/2012, OnTarget Clinical 2.0, 07122012‐1597‐6, Clinical Quality Measures tested: NQF0004, NQF0013, NQF0018, NQF0024, NQF0027, NQF0028, NQF0038, NQF0041, NQF0421  Additional software used: DrFirst Rcopia, TrueCrypt, HashCalc

About Aym Technologies, LLC

Aym Technologies is the recognized leader in fully integrated software solutions that enable Health and Human Service Provider Agencies to work more efficiently, profitably and purposefully. Aym’s suite of cloud-based products includes OnTarget® – a powerful and flexible clinical/accounting/EHR/business management system – and OnTarget® Clinical, a streamlined, affordable and modular solution launched July 1, 2012. Both combine industry best practice standards with intuitive ease of use to help customers realize substantial gains in delivering quality care while improving operational efficiency. For more information, contact Doug Finley at 704.343.9688, doug.finley@aymtech.net or visit www.ontargetconnect.com, www.aymtechnologies.com or www.twitter.com/aymtechnologies.

About Drummond Group

Drummond Group Inc., the trusted software test lab, provides effective and efficient electronic health record (EHR) testing to healthcare information technology vendors and hospitals. As an Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB), Drummond Group works closely with healthcare software vendors and hospitals to certify EHRs that are looking to qualify for incentive funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  Drummond Group is approved to certify both complete and modular EHR for both ambulatory and inpatient.  Leveraging more than a decade’s worth of interoperability, conformance testing and certification experience in multiple industries, Drummond Group delivers what’s needed in healthcare: highly reliable and readily affordable software testing services. For more information, go to www.drummondgroup.com.

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August 16, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Meaningful Use
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Amazing Charts Launches Hosted Version of its #1 Rated EHR

Today, Amazing Charts announced the availability of its new cloud-based EHR “Amazing Charts in the Cloud”. The new offering will enable physicians to securely access electronic health records from any location, delivered through a cloud-hosted, software as a service model.

Amazing Charts in the Cloud Offers Customers Flexible, Secure Access To Electronic Health Records from Any Location, Without a Web Browser 

North Kingstown, RI – August 7, 2012 – AmazingCharts.com, Inc., a leading provider of Electronic Health Records (EHR/EMRs) to small independent medical practices, today announced the availability of Amazing Charts in the Cloud, a new cloud-based version of its EHR, delivered online through the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Amazing Charts in the Cloud securely delivers the #1 rated EHR to Internet-connected computers, anywhere, anytime.

With an innovative new approach to hosting EHR software, Amazing Charts in the Cloud eliminates many of the problems users have experienced with traditional web-based EHRs, such as a limited browser interface, poor performance, or a lack of security and privacy. In contrast, Amazing Charts in the Cloud features remote desktop services for faster performance, isolated practice databases for tighter security, and a fully redundant HIPAA-compliant infrastructure for privacy.

“Most web-based EHRs are frustrating to use because of the ‘click and wait’ delay inherent when trying to document multiple data points,” said Jonathan Bertman, MD, FAAFP, the founder and CEO of Amazing Charts.  “Complex medical data recorded during an encounter requires all sorts of analysis and collating. Clients who have switched to Amazing Charts from web-based EHRs report unacceptable delays that actually impaired their ability to document encounters and get home for dinner. Even more worrisome, some of these EHR vendors combine all their practices’ data into a single monolithic database in the cloud. If that common database is hacked, thousands of practices, and all their patients, can be impacted. We don’t do that.”

Jones Family Practice in Mesa, Arizona, recently began using Amazing Charts in the Cloud after four years of running Amazing Charts on premises. “Thanks to Amazing Charts in the Cloud, I just had the pleasure of firing my overpriced IT consultant,” laughs Scott Jones, MD.  “I am a solo practitioner who gets about 50 visits per day, so I have no patience for error messages or slowness in performance. The performance of Amazing Charts in the Cloud is as fast, if not faster, than Amazing Charts on my local office network and server. The best part is that Amazing Charts in the Cloud allows me to concentrate on seeing patients, instead of dealing with IT issues.”

Pricing

The monthly cost of Amazing Charts in the Cloud is based on the number of people accessing the system at the same time, with the price per connection scaling down as more connections are added. A single connection is $100/month; a five-pack of simultaneous connections is priced at $300/month; and a ten-pack is priced at $500/month.  Higher numbers of connections are available on a sliding scale. A simple online calculator allows practices to find the optimal pricing package.

Free Trial

Amazing Charts in the Cloud is easy to purchase, implement, and use. A free 28-day trial of Amazing Charts in the Cloud allows users to create their own database with real patient data and even use existing interfaces.

AmazingCharts.com

AmazingCharts.com provides Electronic Health Records (EHR/EMR) and services to small healthcare practices. Amazing Charts Version 6 is ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certified for Meaningful Use. Based on its number one ratings for usability, fair pricing, and overall user satisfaction, the Amazing Charts EHR is used by nearly 5,400 practices nationwide. Most recently, Amazing Charts was ranked number one in the category of Ambulatory EMR (1-10 Physicians) in the 2011 Best in KLAS Awards: Software and Services. Founded in 2001 by a practicing family physician, AmazingCharts.com, Inc. is headquartered at 650 Ten Rod Rd, Suite 12, North Kingstown, RI 02852, 1-866-382-5932.

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August 11, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  Cloud Computing  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Healthcare IT
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NextGen Healthcare Selected by Norton Sound Health Corporation to Enhance Rural Patient Care

Horsham, Pa. – May 15, 2012 – NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced a new agreement with Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) to deploy NextGen® Ambulatory EHR, NextGen® Practice Management, NextGen® Inpatient Solutions, and other NextGen® solutions throughout the organization. This agreement further strengthens NextGen Healthcare’s position as one of the leading providers of information technology (IT) solutions for tribal health services nationwide.

Headquartered in Nome, Alaska, NSHC serves the Bering Strait region in the northwestern part of the state. The network has a health center in each of the 15 remote villages throughout the region, and implementation of NextGen Healthcare technologies will further ensure consistent care across the region.

Currently, providers at the village health centers rely on the Alaska Community Health Aid Practitioner Manual (CHAM) to aid in diagnoses, which is not integrated with any electronic health records (EHR) system. The implementation of NextGen Ambulatory EHR allows NSHC to use customized templates for the top 20 diagnoses and procedures outlined in the CHAM.

Additionally, NSHC is slated to expand its patient services by opening an 18-bed hospital in November that will provide the region with increased out-patient services in dental, audiology, behavioral health and ophthalmology care. When the facility opens, it will use NextGen Healthcare’s inpatient product line, including NextGen® Inpatient Clinicals and NextGen® Inpatient Financials, to create a seamless care continuum across the enterprise. This solution, combined with the technology NSHC is currently implementing, lays the groundwork for physicians to easily communicate and work with the new facility to improve patient care.

“Our organization sought a high level of customization and flexibility in an EHR and practice management system, and we had a short timeframe to find and implement a system – especially as we prepare to open the new hospital later this year, “said Dave Hodges, chief information officer at NSHC. “NextGen Healthcare understood and met our challenge by working closely with us to address our specific needs and deadlines. We are confident that implementing NextGen’s leading solutions will not only help us attest for Meaningful Use, but also improve the connectivity and communications between physicians, patients and our entire health system.”

NextGen Practice Management will further aid in increasing productivity by eliminating the current paper-based record keeping systems. Providers will use mobile devices to remotely access patient records, which will improve connectivity and real-time response rates, especially in emergency situations.

“Our health system covers a very large area with many remote villages that are hard to reach, so having accessible technology that makes it easier for doctors to respond quickly to patients is imperative,” said Deven Parlikar, president and CEO of NSHC. “Our patients have always been our top priority, so being able to provide the latest technology will help us to provide the highest level of care.”

“NSHC has had the distinct, ongoing challenge of serving patients throughout northern Alaska, which requires solutions that will help optimize the delivery of patient care and better communicate across the organization,” said Scott Decker, president of NextGen Healthcare. “We remain committed to serving tribal and urban groups throughout the nation, and providing tools to customize our broad technology platform to fit each organization’s specific needs so they can successfully serve their respective communities. This flexibility within our solutions portfolio is among the key advantages of the diverse NextGen platform.”

About Norton Sound Health Corporation

Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) was founded in 1970 and is a Tribally owned and operated, independent, not-for-profit health care organization that represents all communities and areas of the Bering Strait region, a 44,000 square-mile section of northwestern Alaska. NSHC is quickening the pace of positive change by refocusing its system to put patients, clients, and communities first. NSHC’s mission is to “Provide quality health services and promoting wellness within our people and environment.” For more information, visit http://www.nortonsoundhealth.org.

About NextGen Healthcare

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., provides integrated clinical, financial and connectivity solutions for ambulatory, inpatient and dental provider organizations. For more information, please visit www.nextgen.com and www.qsii.com. Follow NextGen Healthcare on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nextgen or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NextGenHealthcare.

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May 17, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Meaningful Use  Practice Management System
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Merge Healthcare Propels Meaningful Use Adoption

Twelve Radiology and Orthopaedic Practices, Representing Almost 200 Physicians, Select Merge to Achieve Meaningful Use

CHICAGO, May 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Merge Healthcare Inc. (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions, announced the addition of twelve practices to its growing list of clients who have selected its complete and fully-certified EHR solution to achieve Meaningful Use (MU). More than 89 clients, representing more than 850 physicians, now utilize Merge MU solutions.

“Meaningful Use is the basis for health information exchange in the U.S. and will become the core workflow for physicians,” said Jeff Surges, CEO of Merge Healthcare. ”With the recently proposed Stage 2 requirements that focus heavily on the viewing of diagnostic images, it’s clear that specialties like radiology and orthopaedics are very much so included in Meaningful Use. Now is the time for specialty physicians to adopt a Meaningful Use strategy so they can qualify for Stage 1 funding, while preparing for Stage 2.”

“While there are financial reasons to focus on Meaningful Use, the driver for us is that it is going to build a foundation upon which we can provide even better care to our patients,” said Ellis Keitt, Administrator, Radiology Associates, LLP. ”With Merge RIS™, we are going to be able to collect and share valuable information, automatically trend clinical data and report on MU measures.”

Merge RIS v7.0 provides a radiology-specific EHR with complete certification that enables radiologists to capture and report on the metrics required to demonstrate Meaningful Use of electronic health records, without disrupting their traditional workflow. With Merge RIS v7.0, radiologists can qualify to receive up to $44,000 in stimulus incentives, per eligible provider, and more importantly, avoid future penalties that will come from not meeting Meaningful Use.

Merge RIS v7.0 functionality includes ePrescribing, enhanced reporting that enables physicians to automatically trend clinical data and report on Meaningful Use measures, new clinical decision support, the clinical exchange of health information through industry standard formats, and a patient portal that empowers patients to access their records at their convenience. This new functionality was built natively within the intuitive, web-based Merge RIS so that any radiology practice can achieve Meaningful Use attestation in a manner that works for their specialty.

“With Merge OrthoEMR™ we can meet Meaningful Use criteria and earn stimulus incentives,” said Vickie Shuler, Clinic Administrator, Western Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists. “Using Merge OrthoEMR also means we’ll avoid financial penalties that are coming to those not using MU-certified solutions. The most important aspect of Merge OrthoEMR for us is that it will help us provide better care, streamline our workflow and improve operational efficiencies.”

Merge OrthoEMR has received complete EHR Ambulatory certification and provides orthopaedic physicians the tools needed to achieve Meaningful Use and qualify for incentive funds. By providing instant access to images at all locations, Merge’s OrthoEMR eliminates the need for transporting images, improves workflow and speeds patient care.

In addition to Merge OrthoEMR, Merge provides an integrated suite of products developed for the specific needs of the orthopaedic practice, from patient information to image management including digital templating. Developed by orthopaedic specialists, our systems and tools mirror charting and patient care today, increasing the long-term adoptability and satisfaction of users. Plus, with imaging and data sharing they promote interoperability, without forcing conformance to non-specialty hospital-based solutions.

About Merge Healthcare

Merge Healthcare is a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions. Merge solutions facilitate the sharing of images to create a more effective and efficient electronic healthcare experience for patients and physicians. Merge provides enterprise imaging solutions for radiology, cardiology, orthopaedics and eye care; electronic health record and practice management solutions for image-intensive specialties; a suite of products for clinical trials; software for financial and pre-surgical management; applications that fuel the largest modality vendors in the world, and a network of patient-centric, wellness stations. Merge’s products have been used by healthcare providers, vendors and researchers worldwide to improve patient care for more than 20 years. For more information, visit www.merge.com.

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May 15, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Investment  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Healthcare IT  Meaningful Use  Meaningful Use Stage 2  Radiology
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NextGen Healthcare Enters into Agreement with Barrington Orthopedic for Deployment of Innovative Solutions

NextGen Healthcare to Showcase its Orthopedic Solutions at upcoming American Association of Orthopaedic Executives, May 20-22 in New Orleans

HORSHAM, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, announced today it has entered into an agreement with Barrington Orthopedic Specialists to deploy NextGen® Ambulatory EHR, NextGen® Practice Management, NextGen® Patient Portal, NextPen® and other NextGen® product offerings across its four locations throughout the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. Barrington Orthopedic Specialists is a multi-specialty orthopedic group with 15 physicians and 35 ancillary provider staff members, offering hand and upper extremity, spine, foot and ankle, major joints trauma and general adult and pediatric orthopedic services.

Under the agreement, Barrington will utilize NextGen Ambulatory EHR and NextGen Practice Management to assist in streamlining processes, increasing practice efficiency and, with the seamless integration of NextGen Patient Portal, expediting administrative tasks to ultimately deliver better patient care. Additionally, this agreement will provide Barrington Orthopedic Specialists the tools necessary to meet its specialty-specific needs while delivering enhanced access to patient data, streamlining workflow and improving flexibility to handle high patient volumes. The advanced reporting capabilities of NextGen® solutions will also be leveraged to accurately track quality improvement measures – a key requirement toward achieving Meaningful Use.

Leveraging “Smart Pen” technology within NextPen to collect patient history, demographics and signatures directly from the waiting room without interviewing, scanning or transcription, will reduce utilization of high cost staff, thereby improving outcomes through proactive patient engagement.

“In NextGen’s broad portfolio of solutions and services, we found several that our physicians would easily adopt, utilize and champion. The NextGen platform offers enough templates catering to our specialty and an opportunity for customization that we can modify specifically for our orthopedic practices,” said Thomas Flood, executive director of operations for Barrington Orthopedic Specialists. “We believe NextGen Healthcare affords us the opportunity to enhance productivity, help lead us to meaningful use and allow us to capture the discrete quality measures for outcomes reporting in the future.”

“This collaboration with Barrington Orthopedic Specialists reflects NextGen Healthcare’s breadth of solutions exclusively targeted toward orthopedic specialty providers that enables these types of practices to leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of their practice while improving patient care,” said Scott Decker, president of NextGen Healthcare. “Currently, our emphasis on and expertise within the orthopedic marketplace is growing, based on our ability to optimize the patient experience and more effectively coordinate care, which results in improved outcomes.”

NextGen Healthcare will be showcasing its solutions for orthopedics at the upcoming American Association of Orthopaedic Executives, May 20-22 in New Orleans, booth #207.

For more information and case studies on NextGen® solutions for orthopedics, please visit www.nextgen.com/specialties/orthopedics/orthopedics.aspx

About Barrington Orthopedic Specialists

Barrington Orthopedic Specialists has been providing orthopedic care since 1970 throughout Chicago’s northwest suburbs. With locations in Bartlett, Schaumburg, Buffalo Grove and Elk Grove Village, the 15 physicians and clinical staff specialize in surgical and non-surgical orthopedic treatment, physical rehabilitation, radiology and MRI services and wellness services. To learn more, please visit www.BarringtonOrtho.com.

About NextGen Healthcare

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., provides integrated clinical, financial and connectivity solutions for ambulatory, inpatient and dental provider organizations. For more information, please visit www.nextgen.com and www.qsii.com. Follow NextGen Healthcare on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nextgen or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NextGenHealthcare.

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May 14, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Healthcare IT  Meaningful Use  Practice Management System
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Shareable Ink and Medical Web Technologies Partner to Provide an Easy, Affordable Way for Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgery Centers to Document Patient Care

Cloud-Based EHR Offering Provides Seamless Flow of Critical Information Throughout Surgical Visits and Helps Facilities Meet Required CMS Reporting Metrics

Nashville, TN and Scituate, MA (May 8, 2012) – Shareable Ink and Medical Web Technologies announced today that they have partnered to offer an affordable, easy to use solution that integrates information collected preoperatively by Medical Web Technologies’ One Medical Passport System directly into Shareable Ink’s intraoperative system. By digitizing a patient’s entire surgical visit, facilities are able to streamline workflow, increase efficiency and improve patient care. Additional benefits include the ability to automatically populate billing systems with all required demographic and charge details, and capture new quality reporting metrics required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The combined solution enables easy implementation of a complete electronic health record, without the burden of a major IT project. The process starts when patients scheduled for surgery are instructed to log onto One Medical Passport.  One Medical Passport is a secure, easy to use, web-based solution that guides patients through the process of entering complete demographic, insurance and medical information.  A patient’s information is then immediately available to the medical facility and the patient’s doctor.

Once verified, the information flows directly into Shareable Ink’s intraoperative EHR and populates all of the relevant sections of the anesthesia preoperative assessment.  The surgery is then documented using Shareable Ink’s digital pen or iPad technology, creating an electronic anesthesia record.  Clinical and business rules embedded into Shareable Ink’s solution deliver immediate feedback and help to ensure that documentation is complete and compliant.  In addition to storing the patient record online, data is output from the system in a structured and codified format for billing, quality reporting, and operational analysis and is interoperable with a facility’s other health information systems.

“Partnering with Shareable Ink was an easy decision,” said Stephen Punzak, M.D., Founder and CEO of Medical Web Technologies. “Our customers want to document the entire continuum of perioperative care electronically, but most existing intraoperative anesthesia EHRs are too expensive and too cumbersome for practical use in today’s fast-paced OR environment.  Shareable Ink’s solution is markedly different: it is easy to use, affordable, and actually speeds up patient care.  Combining our preoperative and postoperative system with Shareable Ink’s intraoperative system gives our customers exactly what they have been looking for.”

“We make the transition to EHRs quick and painless so that our customers can achieve meaningful results as fast as possible. To do this, we use technologies that are both natural and easy for the end user inputting clinical information, as well as for the IT staff implementing and maintaining systems,” said Stephen S. Hau, President and CEO, Shareable Ink. “By partnering with Medical Web Technologies, Shareable Ink is better positioned to provide greater overall value to the marketplace and help automate a market historically underserved by EHRs.”

For more information, please visit Shareable Ink at Booth #737 or Medical Web Technologies at Booth #804 at ASCA 2012, the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s annual meeting, taking place May 9-12th in Dallas, TX.

About Shareable Ink

Shareable Ink helps healthcare organizations of all sizes transition to electronic health records without disruption to workflow or burdensome IT projects. Its enterprise cloud-based platform incorporates natural input tools, including iPads and digital pen and paper technology featuring Anoto functionality. The resulting structured and clinically-encoded output populates the EHR with discrete data, as if typed in directly. Built-in analytics give hospitals and practices insight into their operations — from a clinical, quality and efficiency standpoint — all previously inaccessible from traditional paper records. For additional information, visit www.shareableink.com.

About Medical Web Technologies

Medical Web Technologies, www.mwtcorp.com, provides innovative, Web-based medical information solutions that allow patients and healthcare providers to easily create, store, and distribute a patient’s complete medical information. MWT’s solutions, One Medical Passport and SourcePlus Passport, are used nationwide in a variety of settings that span fast-paced ASCs and major medical centers to solo practitioner physician offices.

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May 12, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare  Healthcare IT
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SRS EHR Chosen Over Hospital-Subsidized EHR by Lakeside Orthopedics

Specialty Group Rejects Hospital EHR

MONTVALE, NJ – April 23, 2012 –SRS, the leader in productivity-enhancing EHR technology and services for high-performance physicians, today announced that Lakeside Orthopedics has selected the SRS EHR. Lakeside Orthopedics is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and has been providing quality orthopaedic care to patients in that area since 2004.

“The hospital where our practice is located offered us a grant to cover the cost of the EHR system they were using, but we refused it and chose the SRS EHR,” says Stephen R. Brown, M.D., Lakeside Orthopedics. “The hospital’s EHR is geared more towards inpatient and primary care—it doesn’t come close to fulfilling the specific workflow needs of our orthopaedic practice the way that SRS does.”

“We did a great deal of EHR reference-checking during our due diligence process and spoke with many SRS clients,” says Nancy Mickelson, Administrator, Lakeside Orthopedics. “We were very impressed with the positive feedback regarding enhanced productivity and the usability of the SRS EHR.”

“Specialty groups like Lakeside Orthopedics are tempted by generous hospital EHR subsidies to select EHR systems that tie them to the hospital, but do not complement their workflow,” says Evan Steele, CEO of SRSsoft. “A recent survey conducted by FiercePracticeManagement validates Lakeside Orthopedics’ decision. It took a closer look at the influence hospitals have on physicians’ EHR selections and the findings were not surprising: specialists want, and need, EHR technology that supports their very specific needs. The SRS EHR is that solution for orthopaedists and other specialists.”

About SRS

SRS is the leading provider of productivity-enhancing EHR technology and services for high-performance physicians—with a successful adoption rate unparalleled in the industry. Offered via the Unified Desktop™, the robust EHR, SRS CareTracker PM, SRS PACS, and SRS Patient Portal increase speed, boost revenue, free physicians’ time, and heighten patient care and satisfaction. For more information on SRS, visit www.srssoft.com, e-mail info@srssoft.com, fax 201.802.1301, or call 800.288.8369.

About Lakeside Orthopedics

Lakeside Orthopedics is Omaha, Nebraska’s premier orthopedic specialty group. Established in August 2004, they provide high-quality, professional, and compassionate health care for orthopedic patients of all ages. For more information, visit www.lakesideortho.com.

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May 7, 2012 I Written By

Filed Under: Certified EHR  EHR  EHR Vendors  Electronic Health Record  Healthcare
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