Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. In 2016, there were an estimated 64,000 drug overdoses, with the sharpest increase related to fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (synthetic opioids). Those caused more than 20,000 overdose deaths alone. A provider has many clinical reasons to prescribe opioids as part of theRead about How to properly document patient substance abuse

Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is a set of performance measures designed and administered by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCAQ). Health plans like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and managed care organizations use this tool to compare how well they perform against other health plans in quality improvement, preventiveRead about Health data available to help you identify gaps in care, enhance outcomes

Achieving Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance is not an easy task. However, your practice may already have the functionalities and requirements that NCQA requires to achieve recognition. Below are three easy steps to determine if PCMH recognition is in your future. 1.     Consider recognition Download a copy ofRead about Three easy steps to determine if your practice is PCMH ready

Processors are extremely important when referring to computing devices, be it cell phones, laptops, or tablets, to name a few. They run all the essential processes on your device, and handle sensitive data like usernames and passwords. Recently, security flaws were discovered in the way processors were manufactured — flaws that could go back asRead about Major Security Flaws Found In Multiple Processors

As Internet access improves across the country, the use of telemedicine has expanded at a rapid pace. Telemedicine offers substantial benefits to both patients and providers. By implementing a telehealth program, providers can improve the overall health of their patients while enjoying cost savings and increased efficiency. Check out the following benefits for both groups:Read about Telemedicine improves quality of care and lowers costs

Patients have many requests on a daily basis, but are you prepared for the request when the patient wants to access their medical record? The patient’s right to access their record was legally granted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule of 2001. By establishing a policy in your office, you will ensure medical record access requestsRead about Patients can request their medical record: Are you ready?

Did you know a patient has the right to request an amendment to their medical record at no charge to them? Related to the HIPAA Privacy Rule of 2001, patients may make such a request. As a provider, you can require the patient give a written request for the amendment. For documentation purposes the requestRead about Patients can request to change their medical record

Rural practices are challenged with so many different aspects of healthcare. From basic practice functions to making sure patients get the care they need (preventive, chronic and holistic), the Patient-Centered Medical Home model has everything covered. Below are 14 reasons you should consider this model in your practice: 1.     Align with where health care isRead about 14 Reasons to Implement PCMH in your Practice

Hold off on updating to the current Mac operating system. A major security flaw in the latest version of macOS, High Sierra, allows users to log in without proper credentials. This flaw that could affect the confidentiality of personal and patient information. This also includes the disclosure of protected health information (PHI). By only usingRead about ‘Root’ security flaw a threat to protected health information

With the recent release of Medicare’s 2018 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes that could significantly impact telehealth. Not only has Medicare added new CPT codes to telehealth’s list of approved codes, but they have also made it easier to get reimbursed for remote patient monitoring services.Read about Great news for telehealth Medicare reimbursement