Medicare to Offer More Waivers from E-prescribing Penalty
As many as 209,000 doctors and other health professionals could be eligible to claim exemptions by Oct. 1 to avoid 1% Medicare pay reductions.
To Avoid Penalties Next Year, Start E-prescribing Today
If you aren’t e-prescribing today, you’re facing a 1% cut in Medicare Part B payments next year and a 1.5% penalty in 2013—but there’s still time to squeeze in the required 10 e-scripts before June 30 if you act quickly.
EHRs Get Help Meeting ‘Meaningful Use’
The National Institutes of Health has launched MedlinePlus Connect, enabling electronic health records to link patients directly to up-to-date medical information.
Texas Health Resources CMIO on How It Earned $19M in Stage 1 Meaningful Use
Texas Health Resources received more than $19.5 million in Medicare incentive payments at the end of May for meeting the first stage meaningful use. But according to Ferdinand Velasco, MD, vice president of CMIO, the heath system didn’t do it for the money.
AMA, Others Advise HHS to Clarify Meaningful Use Regs
A collaborative of seven organizations, including the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, and the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society, has proposed changes to clarify and streamline the process of achieving meaningful use objectives.
Why Physicians Should Not Fear Social Media
Social media has great potential in the medical profession as a means to enhance collaboration between physicians and enhance communication between health care providers and patients. However, there is also a potential downside: specifically, the consequences relating to unprofessional behavior.
Tweet To Patients ASAP, But Don’t Let Your Docs ‘Friend’ Them
Building a successful social media strategy for a hospital requires a mix of attentiveness and caution.
As Diabetes Increases, So Does Kidney Disease
A new study shows that better diabetes treatment hasn’t affected the onset of kidney disease in diabetics. In fact, the number of Americans with diabetic kidney disease is rising.
New Evidence of the Benefits of Home Dialysis for Kidney Patients
Researchers find that cells that help protect blood vessels work better in patients who undergo dialysis at home during the night than those who undergo standard daytime dialysis in a hospital.
New Kidney Filtration System Could Simplify Dialysis
UCSF researchers have designed a model filtration system that could offer a new approach to treating patients suffering from end-stage renal disease, potentially removing the need for a clinic-based dialysis process altogether.
Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease at Risk for Morbidity, Longer Hospital Stay Following Elective Surgery
A substantial minority of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing elective orthopedic procedures is at increased risk for prolonged morbidity and hospital stay, according to a study published in the June 2011 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Johns Hopkins Team Wins Award for Medical Device That Provides Reliable Vascular Access in Dialysis Treatments
A student team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore won top honors in the 2011 ASME Innovation Showcase for a medical device that provides reliable vascular access in dialysis treatments.
Nephrology Nursing Offers Personal Rewards
Caring for patients with chronic kidney disease allows some nurses to get to know their patients well while educating and treating them.
Single Gene Controls Development of Many Forms of Polycystic Disease
A single gene is central in the development of several forms of polycystic kidney and liver disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the June 19 issue of Nature Genetics. The findings suggest manipulating activity of PKD1, the gene causing the most common form of polycystic kidney disease, may prove beneficial in reducing cysts.
CMS to Keep Current Payment Policy for ESAs
Officials with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that CMS will not change its payment policy on erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) used to treat anemia in kidney patients.
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