Making value-based (VB) healthcare work doesn’t have to be challenging if the practice, group, or network has two things: (1) the proper automation tools, and (2) the resources on which to rely in transforming them from fee-for-service into VB. First, a little VB background. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is a law designed to encourage more medical providers, otherwise known as “Eligible Clinicians” or “ECs” in MACRA-speak, to embrace VB medicine. For 2017, CMS has designated MDs, DOs, DDSs, DMDs, NPs, PAs, CNAs, and CRNAs as ECs. If you’re one of these, and you’re not exempt, you can and should move into the VB medicine world of quality vs. quantity.

The following excerpt is from an article written by Vera Gruessner. It originally appeared on HealthPayer Intelligence. Regardless of which political party is in Congress, the healthcare industry is steadily moving forward with value-based care reimbursement.

We all have our own roles to play as we do our part to promote health in society. From the patient perspective, special attention to preventative care, nutrition, exercise, and getting vaccinations when recommended by a physician are examples of what ordinary people can do to cut down on the costs of healthcare in this country. From the perspective of medical practices, getting ready for MACRA and MIPS is an essential aspect of streamlining healthcare services and being more efficient in how we diagnose and treat each patient.

Electronic prescribing -- sending digital medication orders to pharmacies via electronic health record (EHR) software -- promises myriad benefits for physicians and patient-consumers. Whether implemented as a stand-alone module or as part of a fully-integrated EHR system, e-prescribing can help ambulatory-care centers and physician practices improve their finances and internal efficiency.

Have you considered hiring a medical billing company, but aren't sure that is the right step for your practice? Maybe your organization is having trouble reworking denials or you have a higher than expected percentage of claims sent back due to incorrect coding or patient data. Every practice has different pain points, but almost every medical enterprise could use some help improving their reimbursement rates and lowering the charge off ratio. Hiring a medical billing company can help you achieve those goals.

The following is an excerpt from an article originally published on Medscape. It was written by Leigh Page. Getting to Know MACRA The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) is a multifaceted law that's going to change the way you practice for years to come.

Inefficiencies in the way we provide medical services to patients in the United States have led to increasing costs while not necessarily leading to equivalent improvements in the outcomes of each sick and injured person being treated. Doctors and other medical professionals with an overriding goal to help others above all else may be dismayed when they consider how much emphasis is placed on finances rather than the healing arts.

The following excerpt is from an article written by Bill Kleyman. It originally appeared on Health IT Security. From data center security to healthcare cloud security, organizations need to consider numerous aspects when managing healthcare security orchestration.

Standalone software is often suitable for smaller practices that are just starting out and do not have a large patient population or multiple specialties. Your IT team installs the electronic health record application on your own servers and you take care of upgrades on your own whenever the software provider issues an update (such as a module for selecting the proper ICD-10 code or to address new regulations).

What many people envisioned as simply a tool to collect and share comprehensive health records has evolved over the past couple of decades into a multi-faceted, data-driven workhorse that can improve workflow, generate new revenue streams and improve patient outcomes significantly. To get the most from your electronic health record (EHR) you need to understand the power of the software beyond surface. Let's look at how the technology empowers medical providers to take control of their workflow in the practice, clinic or hospital setting.