Medical Practice Billing Software

• Indiana EMR (Purdue, Butler, Notre Dame)
• Ohio EMR (Ohio State, Ohio U, Xavier)
• Michigan EMR (Michigan State)
• Illinois EMR (shut out)
• Kentucky EMR (Kentucky, Louisville, Murray State)

Sage Intergy EHR V5.5 is CCHIT 2008 certified and is designed to complement the clinical approach of your practice. With the local presence of Bradford-Scott Data Corporation to ensure you get the proper hand holding needed and the national backing of Sage Software to continue to keep this product on the leading edge of technology; this is a duo that is untouched.

The latest Intergy EHR release focuses on maximizing clinical connectivity in order to optimize your patient’s experience and enhance your bottom line. Intergy EHR does this by touching every aspect of your practice, from enhancing patient care to maximizing billing procedures.

• Guideline-driven care for preventive measures and treatments protocols
• Advanced clinical flow-sheets provide a view of a patient’s progress and treatment effectiveness
• ePrescribing enhances accuracy and provides interaction alerts
• Orders & Tasks allow you to easily create and track orders such as mammograms, blood tests, etc.
• Drug Utilization Review (DUR) On Demand and ePrescribing provide you instant access to drug interaction information
• Clinical record summary for Interoperability improves efficiency by sharing information
• Automated patient visit templates improve documentation & analyze coding
• Patient Privacy options ensure the security of sensitive patient data
• Specialty specific product features provide tools designed for your practice

• Providing patients a convenient, secure on line option for submitting new patient registration forms, pre-visit questionnaires, appointment requests and prescription refills
• Empowering patients to view their lab results, immunization data, medications, health conditions and more
• Reducing staff phone time by exchanging real-time, secure email messages with patients instead of phone calls

The ARRA Program (also known as the Stimulus package) has split the implementation of EMR and meaningful use into three phases.  The first proposed "Meaningful Use" Rule has a component for a lab interface. 

The objective is to be able to send requisitions and receive lab reports back electronically through an interface from system to system. 

The advantages to a lab interface are easy to see in our Intergy EHR system.

          Time, Efficiency and Better Patient Care -

• Lab results are posted to client accounts automatically when reports are retrieved. 
• A task is automatically sent to the physician that results are available to be reviewed.  Flowsheets can also be viewed to look at results over time and can be graphed.
• The physician may review and forward tasks to staff members for whatever is needed in followup.
• The patient receives better care as a result of this process.

Have questions about purchasing and implementing an electronic medical record system?  Contact Bradford-Scott Data Corporation and let us show you a better way to practice medicine.


 

Bradford-Scott Data Corporation and GI Pathology are pleased to announce the opportunity for your Gastroenterology practice to participate in a lab donation program for EHR software, consistent with applicable law.

Donation Period: March 15, 2010 – June 15, 2010

Donation Geographic Area: National Offering

Donation: GI Pathology, PLLC, will donate to qualified providers, up to 85% of the cost of eligible expenses for licensing, implementation, training and ongoing maintenance for Electronic Health Records (EHR). Donations are subject to specific terms not communicated in this letter, pursuant to the August 8, 2006 Final Rule of the HHS Office of Inspector General, establishing safe harbors for the donation of certain EHR technology. The donation is not conditioned on the recipient doing any business with GI Pathology for your laboratory testing needs.

Qualifying Criteria: 

·        The Gastroenterology practice has not purchased, been given or otherwise implemented EHR software or signed a contract to purchase .

·        The practice has at least one full time employed Gastroenterologist.

If your practice would like to participate in this donation program, please fill out the return card and drop in the mail or contact Bradford-Scott representative today at (317) 713-2065 or visit our website www.bradfordscott.com for more information.

Bradford-Scott is located in the Indiana in the heart of the Midwest. We are known as one of the largest Medical Software Vendor in the area. Currently Bradford-Scott Data Corp is launching a campaign to bring EMR to you.  We would love to come to your office and give an EHR Demo to display our systems capabilities as your new EHR System.

Our EHR and Medical Billing software is a high tech integrated system that is easy to understand and use. We are able to help you customize the system to fit your Medical office. This will not only improve the efficiency in your office, but will also qualify you for the available EHR Stimulus package.

The government is forcing the industry to all move towards an EHR system. They are offering an EHR Stimulus credit to those practices that have implemented an EHR system by 2012-2015. After that they are still requiring the medical practice to move to EHR, but with no stimulus offered.

So do not be left in the cold, get your EHR demo scheduled today and let us show you our product and services available!

• Patient Flow Tracking
• Electronic RX or E-prescribe
• EHR progress note documenting
• Orders
• Recording Vitals
• Charge Submission
• EM Coding
• Tasking and Phone Messaging

The guiding principle in selecting the right Electronic Health Record (EHR) for your practice is simple.  In order for an EHR to work, physicians and clinicians should be able to use the technology in a way that enhances their workflow rather than impedes it.

Sage Intergy EHR enables you to leverage clinical information by providing you with a customizable system that adapts to existing workflows rather than forcing you to change how you work. Plus, special enhancements for primary care, as well as both surgical and non-surgical specialties, mean Sage Intergy EHR easily adapts to the needs of any size or type of practice.

With over 50 years of combined experience in the healthcare market, Sage and its Channel Partner Bradford-Scott Data Corporation understand that the needs of a Gastroenterology practice can vary greatly from those required by an OB/GYN group. When it comes to choosing an electronic health records (EHR) system, it's important to consider how that technology will work for your practice, whatever the specialty.  Sage Intergy EHR was built to accommodate those unique needs, so you can be sure the system works, thinks and moves the way you do.

Sage Intergy EHR has built-in features for the following types of specialty practices:

• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Orthopedics
• Pediatrics
• Primary Care
• Radiology
• Urology

Contact a member of Bradford-Scott sales team to see how we can support your specialty practice.

• Patient Specific Medical Information
• Personal Medications
• Pharmacies
• Health Conditions
• Online Patient Services
• New Patient Registration
• Appointment Requests
• Prescription Refill Requests
• Pre Visit Forms

The decision to stop recognizing Current Procedural Terminology® (CPT) codes 99241–99245 and 99251–99255 in the Medicare program as of January 1, 2010, took many by surprise. In justifying its decision, CMS cited a 2006 Office of Inspector General report that 75 percent of consultations were billed incorrectly.

Offsetting the elimination of those payments, the codes CMS directs physicians to use instead received modest increases in the work relative value units (wRVUs). The small boost to units associated with these E/M codes, espouses CMS, means the decision to eliminate payment for consults is budget neutral for the Medicare program.

CMS’ exclusion of consultation codes for Medicare patients will certainly affect physician revenue, especially if private payers follow suit. Physicians must also devise new strategies for coding and documentation to continue getting reimbursed for seeing these Medicare patients, or else just decline to see them at all.

Here are answers to common questions physicians are asking about the new Medicare consultation policy:

How do I code consults for Medicare patients? 
Use the appropriate E/M code. For a patient in the hospital, code from the series CPT 99221-99223 for the initial encounter and 99231-99233 for subsequent encounter(s).

Can I ask the patient to sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN), and collect directly from the patient? 
CMS no longer recognizes the consultation codes as valid, as opposed to non-covered; therefore, you cannot use an ABN and bill the Medicare patient.

If physicians are directed to use the initial hospital visit code, how is an admission identified? 
To report an admission for Medicare, append AI (“a” – “eye”), the principal physician of record, to the initial hospital care code (99221-99223) or initial nursing facility care code (99304-99306). The new modifier is informational only; no additional remuneration is provided.

How will I get paid when a referring physician requests my opinion? 
CMS directs physicians to use the appropriate E/M code and will reimburse the physician even when services are requested within a practice within given parameters: “Medicare may pay for an inpatient hospital visit or an office or other outpatient visit if one physician or qualified NPP in a group practice requests an evaluation and management service from another physician in the same group practice when the consulting physician or qualified NPP has expertise in a specific medical area beyond the requesting professional’s knowledge.” Remember, this policy relates to Medicare, so you can continue using the consultation codes for non-Medicare patients.

Should physicians stop using consult codes altogether? 
It may be the easiest path from a process perspective but most payers, other than Medicare, continue to pay for consults. Because the payment differential is significant – consults pay up to 30 percent more than a visit code at the corresponding level – experts don’t advise dropping them altogether.

How do I handle Medicare as a secondary payer (MSP)? 
This may be the most confusing situation of all because CMS essentially authorizes you to change codes when it is the secondary payer. CMS instructs: “Bill the primary payer using a consultation code that is appropriate for the service, and then report the amount actually paid by the primary payer, along with an E/M code that is appropriate for the service [our emphasis], to Medicare for determination of whether a payment is due.” Develop processes for “crosswalking” codes on MSP claims, catching MSP claims before they are submitted to Medicare, and re-working any denied claims that miss your crosswalk process.

Does this policy change apply to Medicare Advantage plans? 
Medicare Advantage plans aren’t required to embrace the new payment policy, but some have. It’s important to check with the plans with which you participate.

Is it no longer necessary to send reports to referring physicians? 
Although it’s no longer necessary to follow CMS’ documentation rules specifically related to consults, CMS states: “…physicians should continue to follow appropriate medical documentation standards and communicate the results of an evaluation to the requesting physician.” Furthermore, one of the proposed “meaningful use” criteria for the HITECH Act’s electronic health record bonus program is: “Provide summary care record for each transition of care and referral”.

How can I get more information?
Review the MLN Matters 6740: Revisions to Consultation Services Payment Policy.

In jettisoning consultation codes for Medicare, CMS cited audits showing high levels of inappropriate consultation coding, physician confusion about its rules, and its own disagreements with the consultation coding guidance in the AMA’s CPT® Manual. The new day for consultation coding is here. Let’s see how it works.

Written by Elizabeth W. Woodcock, MBA, FACMPE, CPC of Woodcock & Associates.

• Albany Obstetrics and Gynecology experienced 20% fewer missed appointments
• Patient information became increasingly more up to date
• Verifying coverage for patients reduced denied claims by as much as 70%
• The days in accounts receivable has been reduced to less than 30
• Phone nurses quickly accessed/updated information - relieving front desk congestion
• With EHR, paper charts aren't needed, saving over 3 hours per day in chart pulls
• Physicians are able to view patient information from outside the office

"It's invaluable that the physicians can look at patient records when they are on call, especially being able to see lab results,"

The “red flags” rule is now scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2010, after another delay announced earlier by the Federal Trade Commission as it considers new legislation that would exempt small businesses, including medical practices, from compliance. The rule mandates the creation of identity theft prevention programs, and will apply to any organization that can be considered a creditor with “covered” accounts (i.e.-commercial accounts that involve multiple transactions). Most providers, many physician medical billing companies and some health plans are expected to comply.

The American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and other industry groups have weighed in against the rule, on the basis that physicians do not meet the definition of creditors. A completely sensible argument. But medical practices need to proactively engage in some agreed set of identity theft prevention practices.  Incidences of medical identity theft are increasing. Smaller medical practices (which account for nearly 80% of all U.S. practices) may be more vulnerable, as thieves could perceive them to be lower risk targets based on the assumption that they lack the sophisticated security procedures of hospitals or larger health care organizations.

Despite the widespread outcry from industry groups, the actual impact on a practice for complying with the red flag rule may be minimal. The new rule would simply buttress state privacy laws that already require health care organizations to respond to breaches of certain patient information. In addition, there is a great deal of overlap between the proposed FTC regulations and HIPAA, which applies to medical practices or other entities that are conducting electronic transactions. But you should still be vary aware of these red flags. You must be able to protect your patient medical records.

Here are some Red Flag identifiers:

• Suspicious documents. Has a new patient given you identification documents that look altered or forged? Is the photograph or physical description on the ID inconsistent with what the patient looks like? Did the patient give you other documentation inconsistent with what he or she has told you — for example, an inconsistent date of birth or a chronic medical condition not mentioned elsewhere? Under the Red Flags Rule, you may need to ask for additional information from that patient.
• Suspicious personally identifying information. If a patient gives you information that does not match what you have learned from other sources, it may be a red flag of identity theft. For example, if the patient gives you a home address, birth date, or Social Security number that does not match information on file or from the insurer then fraud could be afoot.
• Suspicious activities. Is mail returned repeatedly as undeliverable, even though the patient still shows up for appointments? Does a patient complain about receiving a bill for a service that he or she didn't  get? Is there an inconsistency between a physical examination or medical history reported by the patient and the treatment records? These questionable activities may be red flags of identity theft.
• Notices from victims of identity theft, law enforcement authorities, insurers, or others suggesting possible identity theft. Have you received word about identity theft from another source? Cooperation is key. Heed warnings from others that identity theft may be ongoing.
  
  
  If you’re covered by the Rule, your red flag program must:

1. Identify the kinds of red flags that are relevant to your practice
2. Explain your process for detecting them
3. Describe how you’ll respond to red flags to prevent and mitigate identity theft
4. Spell out how you’ll keep your program current.

At Bradford Scott Data Corporation our EMR systems and our medical practice billing software has several built in features that can help you protect your patients from identity theft. Please contact our sales team at : www.bradfordscott.com/medical.php

Medical practices concerned about compliance can learn more at:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/physician-resources/red-flags-rule.shtml
 

An EHR is like a good pair of shoes – you want them to fit right or you are going to feel the pain. And let’s face it, selecting the right EMR system and practice management system for your practice is not an easy task – particularly for practitioners who may not have IT expertise. Plus, there are more than 400 vendors of EHR/EMR products on the market today. It’s important to exercise caution and perform a thorough due diligence, but where should you start?

Bradford Scott Data Corp believes we have an amazing product that will truly improve your practice’s efficiencies and profitability, and we only want you to buy our software if it’s the “right fit” for you. We’ve got the insight of 25+ years of experience in the field of health information technology. But don’t just take our word for it. We encourage you to check our personal Provider references and letters.

Now you are ready to start approaching vendors and looking for the practice management and EHR solution that best fits the needs of your practice. If the vendor does not suit you, cross them off your list and continue to the next vendor. And don’t forget to demo the software. Have a vendor representative walk you through how the software works, and ask lots of questions! Once you have a shortlist of vendors, consider the following and make your decision.

1. What is involved in product implementation?
2. Is the implementation process disruptive to your day-to-day operations?
3. What kind of training is available?
4. What is the response time if you have problems next week or next year?
5. How long has the company been around?
6. What are the hardware requirements – will it require you to buy new systems?
7. Who is responsible for data back-ups?
8. How will the data be securely stored to protect your patients’ privacy?
9. How often will the software/hardware need to be upgraded and what will this cost?
10. Is the solution scalable as your practice grows?

By now, you have a couple of vendors who are standing out from the rest. The functionality meets the needs of your practice and you are starting to get excited about how the new practice management software and EHR solution can help your practice. Now it’s time to get references and ask your peers what they think about the software. Here are some questions you can ask:

1. How smooth was the implementation?
2. How well was training conducted?
3. What do you like best about the software?
4. What do you like least about the software?

Hopefully this has helped to further narrow your selection. Remember that you get what you pay for and you shouldn’t waste your time on products that don’t meet the needs you identified at the beginning of the process. Focusing on cost first could rule out some of the best products and minimize your chance to find the best solution that maximizes your potential gains – giving you a shoe that just doesn’t fit.

Please contact us for more information: http://www.bradfordscott.com/medical.php

**Last week marked the opening of the 60-day window for public comment about the HHS’ meaningful use” rules.  Input from practitioners and other stakeholders will help to refine the final version, which is expected to be completed in Spring of 2010.

**Since the Health Information Technology Policy Committee’s July 2009 meeting, many practitioners have been feeling uneasy about moving forward with what could potentially be a large financial and human resource investment without more definite and final criteria defining meaningful use. The December 2009 updates do not significantly change the committee’s earlier direction. Variations are minor, and include the ability to implement drug-drug/drug-allergy checks, e-prescribe and check insurance availability electronically.

**While the clarifications are much welcomed, many providers (and some in the health information technology community) see a long road ahead in achieving meaningful use. The first step will be adoption, and providers are reticent to adopt unless they see the potential for a better work flow and improved outcomes for their patients.

**Providers,  now’s the time to weigh in. You can accept the government’s initial effort and be subservient to the criteria, whether they are realistic or within reach. Or, make sure that the seeds are planted now for you to eventually cultivate technologies that remove complexity, are user friendly and have the greatest impact on patient care.