This healthcare initiative’s purpose is to provide not only needed medical services to the community, but also provide employment for our residents. To begin this process, community residents will be trained in electronic health records (EHR) technologies creating employment opportunities in the field of internet healthcare which will address the disparities in Southeast Queens.

Unemployed community residents will be trained in the computer facility located within Rochdale Village and cover various disciplines in both internet technology and the use of EHR technologies with specific applications for clinics, physicians and residents which enables them to gain meaningful employment in this community.

Trained residents will be working with participating hospitals, medical schools, and academic institutions in preparation for an integrated healthcare program establishing the platform in building an accountable care organization (ACO) to better serve the community’s healthcare needs.

Dr. Robert Evans, CEO/President of CWCOA stated, we have secured the support from renowned healthcare institutions, specialty physician group practices and State supported services for mental illness and HIV/AIDS to provide easily accessible medical services for our community which includes walk-in clinics, cardiovascular and diabetes services. All of these services will undoubtedly provide various employment opportunities for residents interested in the field of medical services.

Dr. Evans also stated that he and Mr. Divan Da’ve / CEO of OmniMD have worked together on several successful projects including the Healthy Heart Project which was a cardiovascular screening held free of charge in Rochdale, November 2010, and attended by hundreds of residents,  legislators and stakeholders within the community.

CWCOA healthcare initiative will empower the community to fight disparities in healthcare which is supported by both State Senator Shirley Huntley’s office and members of the Rochdale Board of Directors; these members include Joe Evans, Gene Castro and Jeanne Hall

MISSION OBJECTIVES WITH HEALTHCARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

CWCOA mission in developing a comprehensive approach and using healthcare information technologies is to identify the specific disparities, and tailor culturally competent clinical quality improvement initiatives that:

• Automate and standardize the collection of race/ethnicity and all relevant data;
• Enables us to prioritize the use of the data for identifying disparities and tailoring     improvement efforts for the treatment and educational programs required to address chronic illnesses and diseases;
• Focus our healthcare information technology efforts to address fragmented care  delivery for racial/ethnic minorities and provide in-home telemedicine services and access to personal healthcare records through secured access contained within OmniMD electronic health records (EHR) technology system; and
• Development of standard practice patterns of care integrated with hospitals and medical services in our community that will provide this healthcare program with increased data analytic capacity to better coordinate care and improve the timely deliverance of care which is fully interoperable with any healthcare information system our local hospitals have adopted.

About OmniMD™:

OmniMD™, Version 11.0 is an ONC-ATCB 2011-2012 certified EHR. OmniMD™, Version 11.0 is a CCHIT Certified® 2011 Ambulatory EHR with Five Star Usability Rating. OmniMD™ suite of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Practice Management System (PMS) product and services offer unparalleled reliability, ease-of-use, efficiency, and customizability. The comprehensive feature set is customer-driven, innovative and continuously updated to keep pace with rapid changes in healthcare industry. The specialty-specific EHR covers over 30 medical specialties, and is fully customizable to suit individual needs and workflow settings. From EHR to practice management to electronic claims, OmniMD™ empowers healthcare organizations to effectively address their financial, administrative, clinical, and regulatory needs. OmniMD™ is division of Integrated Systems Management Inc.

Media Contact (OmniMD™)
pr@omnimd.com
(914) 332-5590 Ext 169

OmniMD™
303 South Broadway, Suite 101
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Ph: 914-332-5590 Ext. 169
Fax: 914-909-5280
www.omnimd.com
www.ismnet.com

Copyright © 2010. OmniMD™. All Rights Reserved.
OmniMD™ is a trademark of Integrated Systems Management Inc.

For immediate release

OmniMD™ and Medical Dictate together to deliver EHR (Electronic Health Record) and PMS (Practice Management Systems)

Tarrytown, September 12, 2011 – OmniMD™, A leading provider of Electronic Health Record & Practice Management Systems, announced today an agreement with Medical Dictate, a company comprised users of Dragon Medical software, and who provide unprecedented integration, training, and support services.

Under the agreement, Medical Dictate will market, sell and promote OmniMD™ Ambulatory EHR, OmniMD™ Practice Management, OmniMD™ Revenue Cycle Management, OmniMD™ Medical Transcriptions and OmniMD™’s other products and services.

“OmniMD™ is a company we respect with their suite of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Practice Management System (PMS) product and services which offer reliability, ease-of-use, efficiency, and customizability.” Said Tony Scalese, President/CEO of Medical Dictate.

“Medical Dictate and OmniMD™ are committed to delivering best services and solutions that will help healthcare providers in the delivery of higher quality and better patient care.” By Divan Dave, CEO of OmniMD™. “This is the perfect bond of two brands, as Medical Dictate is having rich experience of many years in the healthcare domain, wherein OmniMD™ is one of the first EHRs that has embedded ATLAS’ proven clean order technology as part of its complete EHR solution. We are excited about having Medical Dictate with us.”

About OmniMD™:

OmniMD™, Version 11.0 is an ONC-ATCB 2011-2012 certified EHR. OmniMD™, Version 11.0 is a pre-market CCHIT Certified® 2011 Ambulatory EHR with Five Star Usability Rating. OmniMD™ suite of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Practice Management System (PMS) product and services offer unparalleled reliability, ease-of-use, efficiency, and customizability. The comprehensive feature set is customer-driven, innovative and continuously updated to keep pace with rapid changes in healthcare industry. The specialty-specific EHR covers over 30 medical specialties, and is fully customizable to suit individual needs and workflow settings. From EHR to practice management to electronic claims, OmniMD™ empowers healthcare organizations to effectively address their financial, administrative, clinical, and regulatory needs. OmniMD™ is division of Integrated Systems Management Inc.

About Medical Dictate:

Medical Dictate, a company comprised users of Dragon Medical software, and who provide unprecedented integration, training, and support services. Our experienced representatives are well-versed in handling all types of technical and practical issues. All of our Medical Dictate voice-recognition packages are customized and designed for all health care practitioners based on their specialized needs. Additionally, all Medical Dictate packages include lifetime warranty headsets, unlimited training and support, and advanced training videos, specifically designed for Dragon Medical.

Medical Dictate takes pride in their customer service philosophy by building relationships one client at a time. With over 50 years of combined experience in business-to-business relationships, Medical Dictate strives to satisfy the needs of its clients. Most importantly, we utilize our expertise in designing a Medical Dictate Package that is suitable for any medical practice and meets any budgetary limitations, and to provide additional financial options, we offer third-party financing, as well.

Media Contact (OmniMD™)
pr@omnimd.com
(914) 332-5590 Ext 169

OmniMD™
303 South Broadway, Suite 101
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Ph: 914-332-5590 Ext. 169
Fax: 914-332-5766
www.omnimd.com
www.ismnet.com

A global research firm, RNCOS, has, in fact, estimated in its new study, ‘US Healthcare IT Market Analysis’, that the health care IT industry in the country will grow 24 per cent from 2012 to 2014, with higher spending on Electronic Health Records and mobile health applications. The current spending on health care IT is about $80 billion a year, the study states.

Although the adoption of Electronic Health Record systems has been punctuated by practical hurdles, the long-term benefits of EHR and government’s seriousness to see its implementation through, is believed to lead more providers to invest in the technology. According to RNCOS, the revenues for health IT software are likely to go up from $6.8 billion in 2010 to $8.2 billion this year on the back of demand for Electronic Health Record software.

Also, with both comprehensive ambulatory EHR systems and non-ambulatory EHRs facilitating mobile health care with their web-based applications, their demand is only going to go up. In fact, mobile health care is becoming so popular, that it is set to be another key driver for health care IT growth, according to RNCOS.

The RNCOS study reveals that 72 per cent of all physicians in the US use smart phones; 20 per cent own iPads and there are already over 10,000 mobile health applications available (6,000 of them on iTunes). All this is fuelling the growth of mobile health care market while is expected to grow at 22 per cent from 2012 to 2014, which will also push up the growth of health IT.

Mobile health applications are now being increasingly used by providers to educate patients, collect data remotely, communicate with distant workers and trace disease outbreaks. So Comprehensive Ambulatory EHR systems and other EHR solutions, which enable physicians to deliver mobile health care, can be immensely useful in early and timely diagnosis and treatment of patients.

AMA developed the videos as part of the organization’s continuing medical education activities. The video program is designed as a primer on health IT for small physician practices, according to Steven Stack of AMA’s board of trustees.

The videos :

• Present an overview of health IT’s effect on medicine;
• Help viewers examine their own practices and assess their IT needs;
• Assist viewers in selecting which type of EHR system best fits their practice;
• Explain how physicians and staff can plan and prepare for EHR implementation;
• Present a variety of implementation techniques; and
• Explain what to expect and plan for once EHR systems have launched (Lewis, InformationWeek, 5/9).

Source  :   http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2011/5/10/new-american-medical-association-videos-guide-physicians-on-ehr-use.aspx

The medical home “must centralize and support the primary care relationship between the patient/family and healthcare provider through well-designed and well-implemented health information management,” AAP said in its statement, which appears both online and in the May issue of the journal Pediatrics. For pediatricians, the core of such systems will be a “lifelong EHR.”

However, many challenges and barriers need to be addressed to get more EHRs in pediatricians’ offices, AAP said.

First, the electronic systems should be capable of interoperability–of possessing the ability to share data among different practitioners, along with insurers, billing/scheduling systems, and health information exchanges, AAP said. In particular, one central organizing entity should be established to oversee specific technical, legislative and advocacy efforts.

Also, financial incentives should be used to lessen the risks that small practices will take in acquiring and using EHRs–and in maintaining changes and upgrades, AAP said. The technical challenges in implementing electronic information systems in ambulatory settings, it noted, “are daunting for many practices,” especially smaller ones.

Privacy laws will need to be balanced with concerns over confidentiality and sharing data with other providers. Also, clarification is needed on ownership of archived personal health information of children who have grown up and its reuse later on for quality care purposes.

Source   :     http://www.fierceemr.com/story/pediatricians-call-ehrs-support-medical-home-model/2011-05-04

Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHRs will qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments.

Hurdles to Physician EHR Use

Hospitals have found that some physicians are resistant to using EHRs because the systems require them to change how they conduct patient visits.

For example, EHRs often prompt clinicians to ask questions in a specific order as they input data into the system.

Different Approaches to Physician Training

To overcome obstacles to physician EHR use, some hospitals are providing training sessions that are:

• Available at all hours of the day;
• Comprised of small groups of up to four clinicians; or
• Run by other physicians.

In addition, some hospitals are converting vacant buildings into training facilities and some are using computer programs to train physicians on EHR use.

Some hospitals are making significant financial investments in health IT training.

Source  :   http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2011/3/15/hospitals-trying-out-different-strategies-to-promote-use-of-ehrs.aspx

Previous studies focused on the early years of electronic health records (EHR) when functions were not as mature, according to one of the authors of the survey article, Dr. David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health IT.

Furthermore, the survey found evidence of emerging measurable benefits for small practices in addition to the larger health IT leaders, such as Kaiser Permanente and the Veterans Affairs Department, which have been the source of much experience data in the past, he said at a March 8 briefing sponsored by Health Affairs journal to announce its latest published studies.

“Two salient aspects of this more recent synthesis is that it brings the literature up to date and extends it beyond the few large systems that were the source of most information on the record for health information technology, and looks at it in a much more representative set of provider settings,” Blumenthal said.

In the survey of 154 peer-reviewed articles from 2007 to 2010, the article found that 92 percent of the studies reached conclusions that indicated overall positive effects with the use of health IT, he said.

As far as the  time and cost for deploying an EHR is concerned, Dr. Neil Fleming, vice president for healthcare research at Baylor Health Center System, said that it cost its HealthTexas primary care providers $10,325 per physician and took 134.3 hours to put the EHR into practice.

The time was split between chart loading and working with the physicians, he said. For a five-member practice, EHR implementation cost $7,857 and 130 hours.

“The level of support services from vendors is a critical factor,” Fleming said.

Another study concluded that more than four in five office-based physicians could qualify for the meaningful use incentives, said one of its authors, Brian Bruen, lead research scientist and lecturer at George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services. He suggested that ONC monitor where gaps in eligibility and use emerge.

Blumenthal said that regional extension centers, which ONC established to assist primary providers with overcoming the technical hurdles to adopting EHRs, have signed up 50,000 providers nationwide. And almost 34,000 providers have registered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to participate in the meaningful use incentive program to date.

CMS has already paid $34 million in incentives under the Medicaid program to 216 Medicaid providers in four states, Blumenthal said.

Meaningful use puts a floor on the capacity and performance of electronic health systems and creates a market for the technology, he said. That market now consists of 450 certified EHRs and modules produced by 280 companies, of which 64 percent have fewer than 15 employees.

“Here is a microcosm of robust innovation in a market created by the new federal program of incentives,” he noted.

Current and past ONC staff members, in addition to Blumenthal, authored the paper, “The Benefits of Health Information Technology: A Review of the Recent Literature Shows Predominantly Positive Results.” The other authors were Melinda Beeuwkes Buntin, director of ONC’s office of economic analysis, evaluation and modeling; Matthew Burke, ONC policy analyst; and Michael C. Hoaglin, former ONC policy analyst.

Despite the focus on health IT, the “human element” is critical to effective EHR implementation. The association between the assessment of provider satisfaction and negative findings is strong. That underscores the importance of strong leadership and staff “buy in” if systems are to successfully manage and see benefits from health IT, according to the paper.

There is also a need for studies that explore how to resolve the challenges of implementing health IT, the aspects and tools of EHRs that physicians find the most difficult to use, and the training and support that are needed for implementation.

Source    :    http://govhealthit.com/news/new-survey-shows-ehrs-benefit-even-small-providers

Under the category “improving care coordination through health information technology,” the quality strategy states how the HITECH Act allows HHS to “establish programs to improve healthcare quality, safety and efficiency through the adoption of health information technology, including EHRs and private and secure electronic health information exchange.”

It also looks at the concept of meaningful use and how information technology will improve quality “by making needed clinical information accessible to all appropriate providers…in a more complete and timely fashion than paper records.”

While mentioning how increased adoption of EHRs has the power to “cut healthcare costs, reduce paperwork, improve outcomes and give patients more control over their healthcare,” examples are given of how EHRs are making a difference at the clinical level.

It notes how a recent review, published by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, contained several examples of how health information technology can, for example, increase the likelihood that patients receive life-saving treatment – or lower the frequency of a common type of hospital-acquired infection.

Source    :    http://www.fierceemr.com/story/ehrs-receive-special-focus-new-quality-strategy-report/2011-03-24

The latest numbers cover the period until only the end of January, and CMS health IT officials reported a steady uptick in the numbers of providers registering.

The attestation module at the CMS website will launch in April, said Elizabeth Holland, director of the health IT initiatives group in the CMS Office of eHealth Standards and Services. It’s taken so long because it’s complicated, Holland said.

“A lot of systems need to interact with each other, and building all the interfaces takes a while,” she said Feb. 21 at the HIMSS 11 conference in Orlando, Fla. “We want to make sure we do it right. We’re doing testing right now to make sure that we pay appropriately,”

The attestation module will walk providers through the core and menu measures, describing them on the display screen with boxes to check or show calculations. CMS also plans an attestation test module where providers, even if they are not formally ready to attest, can still input their information to practice and see if they can pass or not.

The first Medicare incentives will be paid out in May, while Medicaid has paid out $2.7 million so far to Medicaid providers under the EHR incentive program, Holland said.

CMS has placed a number of resources at its website to help providers become meaningful users. Besides frequently asked questions and user guides, CMS also started a listserv earlier this month in order to notify people about news and changes related to the incentive program.

Source    :     http://www.govhealthit.com/newsitem.aspx?tid=10&nid=76383

EHR Alert System

To create the alert system, researchers integrated existing EHR tools with physician performance reports.

The system included a yellow light on the side of a doctor’s computer that alerted them to possible problems with a patient’s care. Physicians could click on the light to learn more about the potential problem.

In addition, doctors’ interactions with the alerts were linked to quarterly performance reports based on quality measures for chronic disease management and preventive care.

Study Findings

For the study, researchers followed 40 primary care physicians at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago who implemented the EHR alert system. After one year of using the system, researchers found that:

• The percentage of heart disease patients receiving cholesterol-lowering medications rose from 87% to 93%;
• The percentage of patients receiving pneumonia vaccinations increased from 80% to 90%; and
• The percentage of patients receiving colon cancer screenings increased from 57% to 62% (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 12/22).

Source    :     http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2010/12/23/ehr-alert-system-helps-doctors-improve-care-quality-study-finds.aspx