Tuesday, 01 February 2011 07:00

Volume 6 - Issue 1 - February 2011

Editor's Notes

By: Donna Carroll
Editor - The MEDITECH Community Bulletin
VP, Business Development & Recruitment - Systems Personnel

Welcome to the latest issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin. I certainly hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and has got this new year off to a great start!

First, I’d like to draw your attention to some of the new advertisers on our website. Please see the banner displays from DR Validate, Dimensional Insight, and Iatric Systems.
Last month I attended a seminar delivered by MEDITECH entitled "ARRA/Meaningful Use Enhancement Training" (MAGIC platform). Our Industry Spotlight column includes a brief summary, from my own perspective, about "Meaningful Use the MEDITECH Way".
This month’s Guest Spot comes from Kay Jackson of Iatric Systems. She delivers a boat load of information and resources in Part I of her article: "Meaningful Use -- Have the Right Answers!".
Iatric Systems gets yet another mention in this month’s newsletter (no, I’m not on their payroll). Our Vendor Spotlight column features the launch of their new microsite focused on the upcoming HIMSS11 Annual Conference & Exhibition. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THAT YOU’RE IN FOR A SPECIAL TREAT WHEN YOU SEE THIS. Kudos to Frank Fortner and the entire Iatric Systems team for their fun-loving spirit and creativity!
This month marks 3 years that John Sharpe of Comstock Software has been sharing his NPR knowledge with us. I know that so many of our readers look forward to John’s Tricks of the Trade column each month. I’d personally like to thank John for his insight and contributions to help make this newsletter a valuable resource for everyone. THANK YOU, JOHN! This month, John explains "Scheduling MEDITECH Reports in Client Server 5.6".
Our Featured Employer column this month describes a Senior Systems Analyst position currently open at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio.
As usual, there are numerous press releases in this issue’s Recent News section.
All information and content for the March 2011 issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin must be received no later than Thursday, February 24th. Thank you.

See you next month . . .

Donna

Industry Spotlight: 'Meaningful Use' the MEDITECH Way -- Part I

By: Donna Carroll, Editor

Last month, I attended a seminar delivered by MEDITECH Inc. entitled “ARRA/Meaningful Use Enhancement Training”. It was delivered via Webex over a four-hour period. As I have several clients currently in the process of upgrades and implementations for the primary purpose of reaching Meaningful Use (“MU”), I thought this seminar would be a wise investment of my time and money.

The presentation itself was well-prepared and very informative. I would say it was targeted primarily for an audience of IT Leadership or even Project Managers. Some portions went into more detailed explanations appropriate for Application Analysts, but most of the content was kept at a high level.

It is important to note that this presentation was specifically for the MAGIC platform, NOT Client Server or 6.0. In addition, the focus was on how to reach MU with all MEDITECH products versus a combination of different vendor solutions.

CONTENT:

The presentation was split into four (4) sections:

1. MEDITECH's Best Practices Series. This gave a brief overview of some of the resources MEDITECH created to provide guidance to customers trying to reach MU. These resources include:

Best Practice Documents
Meaningful Use Requirements Checklist
NPR Reporting Requirements

2. Core Requirements. This was certainly the largest portion of the presentation. It was presented by several MEDITECH Application Specialists who demonstrated how their respective modules addressed each of the following Core Requirements for MU compliance:

Record Demographics
Document Vitals
Growth Chart
Smoking Status
Active Medication List
Medication Allergy List
CPOE
Drug-drug Interaction
Drug-allergy Interaction
Clinical Decision Support Rule
Problem List
Continuity of Care Document
Electronic Copy of Discharge Instructions
Electronic Copy of Health Record
Report Clinical Quality Measures
Protect Electronic Health Information

3. Menu Set Requirements. In addition to the Core Requirements for MU compliance, eligible hospitals must also select five (5) requirements from a Menu Set of ten (10). It is important to note that at least one (1) of the five (5) selected requirements must include the electronic submission of data for Public Health (denoted by * below). This section of the presentation described how the different MEDITECH modules address the following requirements:

Record Advance Directive
Identify Patient Specific Education Resources
Provide Summary of Care
Incorporate Clinical Lab Test Results with EHR
Medication Reconciliation
Drug-formulary Checks
Submit Electronic Data to Immunization Registry*
Submit Electronic Data on Reportable Lab Results*
Submit Electronic Syndromic Surveillance Data*
List of Patients by Specific Conditions

4. MEDITECH’s Update Group ARRA Main Page. Some of the resources located on this web page include:

Development Design Projects (DDP) Enhancements linking to all applicable DTS changes
Information on Patient Logging
Information on Encryption

TAKEAWAYS:

As previously mentioned, I found the seminar well-presented and informative. Of course, some topics were more useful than others, depending upon the depth of research you’ve already conducted on the subject. For me, there were two major takeaways from this seminar:

1. The last day for eligible hospitals to register and attest in order to receive incentive payments for FY11 is November 30, 2011. In order to qualify for compliance, eligible hospitals must be LIVE with all data and functionality for at least 90 days prior. Therefore, eligible hospitals must be in compliance with the MU requirements no later than June 30^th in order to qualify for FY11 incentive payments.

Furthermore, MEDITECH advised customers NOT to register for MU compliance until you are absolutely sure you will meet compliance. If you register for incentive payments for FY11, but are found NOT to meet the requirements until 2012, you are no longer eligible to receive 100% incentive payment in your first year (2012). The maximum amount of incentive payment you will be eligible for in 2012 will be 75% (even though it is your FIRST year of qualifying).

2. MEDITECH’s MAGIC HCIS Version 5.64 has received complete EHR inpatient certification deeming the EHR software capable of enabling eligible hospitals to meet the Stage 1 Meaningful Use measures required to qualify for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Drummond Group’s ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tested and certified the system with the following minimum software requirements:

Operating System 9.2
MT Workstation 4.24
5.64 PP6 or 5.65
PCM Suite
Clinical Review
- Growth Chart
- Problem List
Version 2 Allergies
Formulary Service Vendor
Interface to Public Health
CCD Interface
Data Repository

Notice that I have highlighted Data Repository (DR). During the seminar, DR was not on this list and we were told that MEDITECH was waiting to learn whether DR was going to be required or not. The specific issue is that their MAGIC HCIS Version 5.64 was certified with the use of Data Repository.

After the seminar, one of my clients followed up directly with MEDITECH to find out if DR was going to be required to meet the MU requirements. My client was told by MEDITECH Inc. that Data Repository will be required in order for them to meet Stage 1 Meaningful Use requirements. I think this is critical information for MEDITECH MAGIC sites to know.

(2/9/11) UPDATE TO ARTICLE -- MEDITECH Announcement Posted on their Website on 2/8/2011: https://www.meditech.com/cioportal/pages/newdrapproach.htm

Overall, I would definitely recommend this seminar to any MEDITECH MAGIC sites currently undertaking or about to embark on projects intended to reach Meaningful Use compliance. The presentation contains vital information to ensure your hospital meets the requirements and qualifies for incentive payments.

- Donna Carroll, Editor, The MEDITECH Community Bulletin

Guest Spot: Meaningful Use -- Have the Right Answers! (Part I)

Contributed by: Kay Jackson, Compliance and Financial Manager, Iatric Systems, Inc.

If you know the right answers, there are many paths to achieving Meaningful Use, even as early as 2011! Do you know how to get incentive payments and when you can begin receiving them? Do you know the difference between “complete EHR” and “module EHR” certification? Do you know the deadlines to register and attest? Read this article to learn the answers to all of these questions and more.

What is Certified EHR Technology?

If you use MEDITECH, your hospital has EHR (Electronic Health Record) technology. Whether or not it’s certified depends on the version. As of 01/27/2011, MEDITECH MAGIC version 5.6.4, Client/Server version 5.6.4 and 6.0 version 6.05 are all “Certified EHR Technology.”

Still, some questions remain. If your hospital doesn’t use all of MEDITECH’s modules, can it meet Meaningful Use Objectives? Yes, with a little help. Can your hospital use software besides MEDITECH to achieve Meaningful Use? Absolutely!

There are two types of EHR certification:

- Complete EHR Certification: This means the EHR software has been tested and certified by an ONC-ATCB (Office of the National Coordinator - Approved Testing and Certification Body), and the solution meets *all* of the government criteria for a complete EHR. Full EHR systems like MEDITECH, Cerner, Epic and McKesson fall into this category.

- EHR Module Certification: This means the EHR software has been tested and certified by an ONC-ATCB and meets *one or more* Meaningful Use criteria. Vendors like 3M, Iatric Systems, Picis and T-System offer “modules” or products that meet one or more specific criteria and therefore fall into this category.

Your hospital can use MEDITECH’s Certified EHR Technology alone, or it can use MEDITECH plus any combination of other vendor Certified EHR Modules to achieve Meaningful Use.

Where can you find out which vendor products meet specific Meaningful Use criteria? The ONC provides a great tool called Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL). Go to http://onc-chpl.force.com/ehrcert, select “Inpatient Practice Type” then “Search by Criteria Met.” For example, to find vendors that offer certified medication reconciliation, check the box next to “(j) medication reconciliation” then “Search Matching Products.” Be sure to sort the list by Vendor, and note that there may be multiple pages. Also note the Product Version # to ensure the version your facility uses is certified to meet Meaningful Use. Any module that completes your EHR in meeting Meaningful Use must be certified in order for your facility to be eligible to receive incentive funds.

Where is the official list of Meaningful Use Objectives?

Do a Google search, and you’ll find that many organizations have published a list of Meaningful Use Objectives. The *official* final list was published in the Federal Register on July 28, 2010, and can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17210.pdf. Don’t be put off by how long the document is. Just look for the tables within the file – an Objective can be found in the left column of each table.

Another long but useful list can be found at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div6&view=text&node=42:5.0.1.1.11.1&idno=42 (scroll down to § 495.6 and look for 1(i), 2(i), 3(i), etc.).

For hospitals, there are 14 required “Core Objectives.” There are also 10 “Menu Set Objectives” that are classified as optional, but a hospital is required to achieve at least 5 of the Menu Set criteria. Iatric Systems has developed a summary chart of Core and Menu Set Objectives, which can be found at http://www.iatric.com/Download/Public/Iatric_Meaningful_Use_Summary_Chart_02-2011.pdf. This summary chart also lists the criteria Iatric Systems solutions meet.

How does a hospital get incentive dollars?

Of course Meaningful Use Objectives must be met in order for a hospital to receive incentive funds. But how do you actually go about getting the money? The answer - your hospital must register and attest.

Registration is the first step, and attestation follows. CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has developed a very thorough website on registration and attestation:

http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/20_RegistrationandAttestation.asp#TopOfPage

This page includes a .pdf user guide, video webinar, information on what information you’ll need to register and more.

Another good summary is at http://www.managemypractice.com/how-do-you-get-that-stimulus-money-for-using-an-electronic-medical-record-you-register/. In it, Mary Whaley states that hospitals eligible for EHR incentive payments under both Medicare and Medicaid should select both during the registration process.

What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?

Medicare has its own federal version EHR Incentive Program. The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is voluntarily for states to implement and may not be available in every state. Both programs offer incentive payments that may start as early as 2011, and both offer base payments of $2 million.

CMS gives an overview of both programs at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/. They have also prepared a nice table comparing the federal and state programs at:

http://www1.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/ComparisonChart.pdf

There is also an ONC recorded (albeit rather long) webinar on the subject available at http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/hhs/101214/default.cfm?id=13110&type=flv&test=0&live=0.

What are the important dates?

CMS displays a nice visual timeline at: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EHRIncentProgtimeline508.pdf.

Below is a summary of that timeline:

Registration opened in January, 2011
Attestations can be submitted starting in April, 2011
Incentive payments start in May, 2011
A hospital attempting to achieve Meaningful Use in 2011 needs to demonstrate it no later than July 1^st (3 months before CMS’ 2012 fiscal year which begins in October)
To receive an incentive payment for federal fiscal year 2011, hospitals must register and attest by November 30, 2011

Hope this is helpful information. Keep your eye out for Part II and more details next month!

***

kay-jackson

Kay Jackson is the Software Certification, Compliance and Financial Marketing Manager at Iatric Systems, Inc. Kay is a well-known educator in the MEDITECH community and has been a requested speaker at more than 100 conventions. She will be presenting education on Meaningful Use and other topics at International MUSE 2011 in Nashville, TN. For more information, visit Iatric Systems online at www.iatric.com.

Vendor Spotlight: Iatric Systems Ready to Rock HIMSS11

HIMSS 2011 is February 20-24 and you’re likely getting bombarded with endless meeting requests. Where does it end???

At Iatric Systems, we have a temporary cure for your chaos (for five minutes at least) with an entertaining music parody video expressing your pain in meeting Meaningful Use and HITECH requirements.

Afraid HITECH is a game you might lose?
Meaningful Use leaving you with no clues?
This music video's beat
Can get you back on your feet
Smiling ‘cause HIMSS brings good news.

CLICK BELOW to watch this fun music video. All aboard the "HITECH train!"

Please visit our HIMSS11 microsite at http://himss.iatric.com to learn more about Iatric Systems’ certified products and interoperability offerings.

LYRICS (by Frank Fortner):

All aboard!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaa!

Aye, yai, yai, yai, yai

Crazy,this government game
Millions of greenbacks, we're hoping to claim
Maybe, it's not too late
To find work as a greeter
In a superstore chain

Mental wounds I'm feeling
Paperwork's insane
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train

Let's Go!

I've read the objectives
I've read all the rules
All eight hundred pages
Of Meaningful Use
I've read HISTalk, listened to Blumenthal
Will we get incentives, or nothing at all?

Vendor guarantees mean
Someone else to blame
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train

I know we've gotta show some quality
You gotta measure and report
Yeeeee-ah

Where's all the Motrin?
And where are the TUMS?
My head is exploding and I’m meaningfully numb
Crazy, this just isn't fair
I'm ready for white sands and tropical air

Vacation sounds appealing
Herding cats is lame
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train
I'm going off the rails on a HITECH train

Tricks of the Trade: Scheduling MEDITECH Reports in Client Server 5.6

By: John Sharpe, President, Comstock Software, Inc.

Maybe you’ve heard: Client Server 5.6 comes with a new feature, the Report Scheduler. Meditech Magic users: you’ll be right at home in the Client Server version of the Report Scheduler.

To schedule NPR Standard & Custom reports, you’ll need Report Scheduling access. This access is usually granted by your MIS Analyst.

To begin scheduling a report, run the report. When the Print Dialogue comes up, select Schedule as shown below.

mcb0211_1

Enter a Mnemonic to identify your Scheduled Report.

Enter a Description of your Scheduled Report.

mcb0211_2

Accept default values for the rest of the fields on the [General Info] page and key F12.

As the [Run Date/Time] page appears, select the Frequency option that makes the most sense for your report scheduling need.

mcb0211_3

If you need a report to run on an hourly or daily schedule, select this Frequency: DAILY.

mcb0211_4

For reports needed only on certain days of the month, select this Frequency: MONTHLY.

mcb0211_5

End of period reports require a Frequency: PERIOD.

mcb0211_6

Quarterly reports can be set to run on a QUARTERLY basis. Options include:
  - Beginning of Quarter (BOQ)
  - Ending of Quarter (EOQ)
  - 1,2,3,4 = Quarter Numbers (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)
  - 1QBOQ = Beginning of Quarter 1
  - 3QEOQ = Ending of Quarter 3

mcb0211_7

Reports that you need to run on the 1st day of the month might be scheduled using the DAY/MON format as depicted below.

mcb0211_8

Once you’ve entered your desired Scheduled Run Date/Time, key F12. Then move on to the report’s destination page: [Action].

Reports can be sent to: a physical print device, a file, an email address, or archive.

To print directly to a networked printer, select a print device from ALL PRINTERS and Save.

mcb0211_9

To send a Meditech Extract or Download to a file: select Download, enter a file Path, file Format of Plain Text with Append option of Unique or Overwrite. Then Save.

mcb0211_10

Did you know? If you are scheduling a custom NPR report, you can give your reports meaningful file names. To learn more, review this Open Source Code here: Meditech CS NPR Set File Name for Report Scheduler.

mcb0211_11

If you’d like to learn more about how medium and large healthcare organizations are employing a hybrid approach to Meditech Report Scheduling, click here: Meditech Client Server 5.6 Report Scheduling.

***

Questions regarding reports and your 5.6 upgrade?
Email them to John at jsharpe@comstock-software.com.

John Sharpe is President & MEDITECH Solutions Developer at Comstock Software, Inc. Learn more about NPR Report Writing at the MEDITECH NPR Report Writing Blog.

Featured Employer: Sponsored by MeditechCareers.com

The online career hub for MEDITECH professionals

Every month, we feature one employer who has advertised their job posting on our affiliate web site: MeditechCareers.com. In addition to the basic job posting, we provide some information about the employer, their location and environment, and highlight them as a "Featured Employer" in this newsletter.

To advertise your MEDITECH-related opportunity on MeditechCareers.com and become a "Featured Employer", contact Donna Carroll at 413-569-1111.

Senior Systems Analyst
Firelands Regional Medical Center
Sandusky, Ohio

About the Organization:

Firelands Regional Medical Center is a 400-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital located in Sandusky, Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie. A full range of general medical and specialty services are provided to the 300,000 residents of Erie County and the surrounding areas. Firelands Regional Medical Center is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and is the only medical center in the five-county area that offers an Accredited Chest Pain Center and a full service cardiac care program.

The hospital has a medical staff of more than 200 and employs almost 1,900 employees. Firelands admits nearly 11,000 patients annually and has nearly 235,000 Outpatient visits and 45,000 Emergency Room visits per year.

The main campus provides a comprehensive array of acute care services, specialties and subspecialties including a state-of-the-art Emergency Medicine and Outpatient Department, Heart Institute, Intensive Care/Coronary Care, Psychiatric, Dialysis Service, Obstetric, Pediatric and Oncology Services. Some of the main services provided at the south campus include Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, select Outpatient Services and the Medical Education and School of Nursing Programs.

Firelands also offers a broad-based outpatient community mental health and chemical dependency program for Erie and Ottawa county residents with off-site locations in Huron, Lorain, Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot counties as well.

About the Location:

Firelands Regional Medical Center is located in Sandusky, Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 1 hour from both Cleveland and Toledo. Our location between these two vibrant cities offers small town living with the amenities and attractions of major urban centers, such as nationally recognized museums (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Art Museum, Toledo Art Museum), major league sports teams (Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers), world class zoos (Cleveland Zoo, Toledo Zoo), and thriving art and music venues, as well as first rate restaurants, all within an hour's drive.

Sandusky is a Great Lakes port community and county seat of Erie County with an estimated population of 30,000 (Total population within a 15-mile radius is 112,000). The City of Sandusky has a unique location on the Southern Shore of Lake Erie midway between Cleveland and Toledo. Sandusky offers small town living with easy access to both of these major urban areas. "The New Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities" has chosen Sandusky as the sixth best small city in America in a comparison of 193 U.S. "micropolitan" areas--cities with 15,000 to 50,000 residents.

Sandusky has one of the finest and best-protected harbors on the Great Lakes. Its location enhances the industrial potential of the area by providing an abundant fresh water supply and access to Great Lakes shipping. Sandusky has one of the largest Great Lakes coal ports. Lake-oriented industries, fishing and shipping add to a well-diversified industrial base of foundries, automotive parts, metal fabricating, construction products, plastics and vinyl products, colorants, paints, and food processing equipment manufacturers. Site Selection Magazine's annual rankings of top small towns based on corporate expansion activity has ranked Sandusky #25 in the nation.

Position Profile:

Firelands Regional Medical Center is looking for a dynamic, confident, and self-motivated individual to fill the full-time position of Senior Systems Analyst for our hospital team day shift. Candidates must have demonstrated the ability to independently manage major projects and lead/coordinate the efforts of others. The ideal applicant will be an excellent team player with strong leadership, communication, organizational, technical, and analytical skills. The candidate must display the ability to grasp new and technical concepts quickly, the desire to stay current with technology, and the ability to meet deadlines and work independently while operating in a complex and fast paced environment..

Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems/Computer Science and 2 years of equivalent work experience or Associate’s Degree in related field and 4 years of equivalent work experience required.

MEDITECH Client Server experience preferred and a clinical background is a plus.

Detail and result oriented with strong leadership skills.

Demonstrates initiative and the ability to work in a stressful environment.

Demonstrates ability to grasp new and technical concepts quickly, and stay current with technology.

Demonstrates analytical abilities, creativity, and attentiveness to detail.

Demonstrates willingness to make themselves available to be contacted during non-working hours, work extended hours and/or a non-standard work schedule.

Demonstrates ability to use computer systems and computer workstations.

Demonstrates general accounting, basic arithmetic, and record keeping skills.

Demonstrates knowledge of computer systems and procedures, data manipulation and storage, principles of information management.

Demonstrates ability and willingness to generate and maintain necessary documentation.

Demonstrates compliance with Medical Center and departmental policies, practices and procedures.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates can apply online, and learn more about Firelands Regional Medical Center at www.firelands.com.

Recent News: Happenings in the MEDITECH & Health IT Community

Global eHealth Leaders Join Forces to Utilize Standardized Terminology across HIEs

SANTA MONICA, CA, February 3, 2011 -- Orion Health, Inc., global leaders in Health

Information Exchange (HIE) solutions and Health Language, Inc., (HLI), the global leader in medical terminology management, announced today that they have joined forces to deliver a new level of patient safety, physician communication and collaboration, clinical decision support and operational efficiency through Orion Health’s HIE solution.

Embedding HLI’s Language Engine (LE) in the Orion Health™ Health Information Exchange (HIE) enables seamless data exchange by mapping data from disparate systems to standardized terminologies. This ensures that all the various terms and synonyms that physicians and other clinicians use to describe the same condition are linked, which facilitates effective, accurate and efficient communication, documentation and analytics throughout the care delivery cycle.

Volume 6 - Issue 1 - February 2011

Editor's Notes

Industry Spotlight: 'Meaningful Use' the MEDITECH Way -- Part I

Guest Spot: Meaningful Use -- Have the Right Answers! (Part I)

Vendor Spotlight: Iatric Systems Ready to Rock HIMSS11

Tricks of the Trade: Scheduling MEDITECH Reports in Client Server 5.6

Featured Employer: Sponsored by MeditechCareers.com

Senior Systems AnalystFirelands Regional Medical CenterSandusky, Ohio

About the Organization:

About the Location:

Position Profile:

Qualifications:

How to Apply:

Recent News: Happenings in the MEDITECH & Health IT Community

Worth a Read: Articles of Interest to the Health IT Field

Columns

Upcoming Events

Senior Systems Analyst
Firelands Regional Medical Center
Sandusky, Ohio