Volume 4 - Issue 6 - August 2009

Editor's Note

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

Welcome to the latest issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin. Below are just a few of the items found in this month's newsletter:

• Our Customer Spotlight column features a conversation we had with Gary Croteau, AVP & CIO at South County Hospital in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Gary emphasizes that people should be the focus when considering technological advancements.

• Rita Calvin from Consultant People talks about Revenue Cycle Optimization in our Guest Spot column this month.

• John Sharpe of Comstock Software is once again sharing his wealth of NPR knowledge in our Tricks of the Trade column. We thank John for his knowledge and tips each month!

• FREE NPR Report Writing! We know an NPR Report Writer who is willing to volunteer her services–up to 20 hours per week–to perform NPR report writing for a facility in need. She is willing to volunteer her services at this time because she is just returning to the MEDITECH field after having worked with another HIS product for the past several years. Her background includes 8 years of MEDITECH MAGIC, Intermediate NPR report writing experience with a primary strength in the Financial/Administrative applications including: ADM, B/AR, PP, MM, ABS, and MRI. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this great offer, please call me at 413-569-1111. I’d be happy to tell you more and put you in touch with her.

• NEW! The MEDITECH Community Bulletin now has a group on LinkedIn and a fan page on Facebook. I invite you to connect with me and join the LinkedIn Group. Also, feel free to become a Facebook friend and join the fan page.  Simply log into Facebook and then search for "the meditech community bulletin".  Once you find the page, you can become a fan, find me there, and add me as a friend.

• NEW! We are now able to accept credit card (or PayPal) payments for Banner Advertising on our site, as well as for Job Postings on our MeditechCareers.com site. With affordable prices, a very targeted audience, and now an easier payment method, we encourage you to learn more about our banner advertising and featured employer advertising.

• All information and content for the September issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin must be received no later than Thursday, August 27th. Thank you.

Enjoy August!
Donna

Customer Spotlight: Technology, It's All About People

A conversation with Gary Croteau, AVP & CIO, South County Hospital

Gary Croteau is the assistant vice president and CIO of South County Hospital (SCH) located in Wakefield, Rhode Island. SCH is an independent, non-profit, 100-bed acute care hospital offering the latest advancements in technology and a comprehensive range of medical and surgical services. SCH has more than 100 physicians in its community and 650 FTE total staff.

SCH prides itself in providing southern Rhode Island with the highest level of expertise, technology, and a comprehensive range of advanced inpatient, outpatient and home health services. We spoke with Gary about his approach toward connecting people and technology, and how he is using technology to improve processes in his organization.

Q: Gary, as CIO, information is your “middle name.” How do you view technology with respect to information in the hospital?

The first words that come to mind when someone says, “technology” are probably “efficient,” “productive,” “frustrating.” You wouldn’t hear “humans” or “people.” Although by its nature, technology should be tailored to benefit people. It is meant to make our lives and jobs easier. And it has for the most part.

Like any innovative MEDITECH hospital, at South County we always want to make sure we are providing high-quality, efficient patient care while maintaining smooth operations. This means the health of the hospital’s business side is just as important as the clinical side. As you would imagine, I take the information technology / information systems side of the house very seriously. But I also consider the human aspect of technology.

Overall, our users are not IT people, and they don’t necessarily need to learn the technical process of generating and accessing reports. They simply need to obtain the information they are looking for quickly and easily. Technology should not be their focus, but rather a critical tool to help them perform their jobs. In addition to accessing and recommending technology for the hospital, my staff provides IT assistance and training to all users throughout the hospital. We want to establish a partnership in their business operations by delivering technology solutions that compliment the department’s business expertise.

Q: In that light, how do you approach technology?

One basic view of our use of technology is the nature of information and access to information are interrelated. The hospital staff and its leadership must be able to find the information they need, when they need it. Technology doesn’t always lend itself to that. For example, email is a great tool for communicating, but it’s not always used most effectively or properly. It is perfect as an FYI, but it isn’t effective for having a meaningful dialogue or for communicating statistics, management reports or policies and procedures to users, staff and management.

Email may be fine for the people who receive the email in that given day but what about new people to the organization? How do they get the information that was sent by email before they joined the organization? A better approach is to publish this information in a way that is accessible to people when they need it, not when someone wants to provide it to you at one point in time. To me, that’s a very basic premise—information when you need it vs. when someone else wants to give it to you.

At South County, we use our Intranet as that basic medium to store and organize content, whether its policies and procedures, changes in the organization, or even those FYI nuggets. If it’s organized and searchable, then people can find it when they need it.

Q: How do your users keep up with the volume of information they must work with?

We have many systems, and the process is different for every single one. There are different passwords, different screens, and different applications. If someone is new to the organization, it can be confusing and frustrating. How will she know what reports are available, and how to access and to produce them? Having report history available on the Intranet page, allows the manager to become acclimated to the environment, what’s expected of her, and what information there is to manage with.

In an effort to organize the back office, the IS staff implemented an automation technology called Boston WorkStation from Boston Software Systems to facilitate and automate many repetitive manual tasks, such as producing daily reports for various departments throughout the hospital, preparing downtime reports in case of a system failure, and ensuring the accurate transfer of online payments made on the hospital’s web site into MEDITECH. By automating workflow, we also maximized the use of our Intranet, giving managers easy online access to payroll and expense reports, and eliminating the hassle that accompanies the paper process.

By automating the reports, the IS staff only has to teach the management team or key users how to access the Intranet and find the reports in a consistent, logical way. Now all reports, be it a current report, last year’s or last month’s report, are archived within the Intranet.

Q: Can you talk about other projects you’re working on that strengthen the people/technology connection?

Another project we are committed to is building interfaces to biomed systems. In organizations that haven’t built these interfaces, staff writes critical patient information on a piece of paper, sticks it in their pocket, walks back up to the documentation systems department and keys in the data.

But the interfaces we have built allow for the transfer of information behind the scenes, without intervention from the staff. This eliminates redundant data entry and the chance for errors in the transcription process. Automating the flow of this information makes the staff more efficient and effective, improves patient safety and reduces medical errors. It also provides timely access to the information being captured at the bedside and pulls all these various systems’ data together for our patient records.

Using Boston WorkStation, we have established a mechanism for patients to access a patient portal to pay their bills online. Technology makes it convenient for patients to connect with the Patient Accounts Department and process payments. It is an automated environment where we use our primary billing system to extract patient statement information to post it as a record for the patient when he accesses the portal. As payments are received, the Boston WorkStation script retrieves the payments and posts them so they are accurate, updated and timely. It doesn’t require staff to enter data, and it provides for a smoother, more efficient process.

Q: What are some of the biggest differences about working in technology today versus when you began at SCH?

When I came to South County nine years ago, we had a mix of old technology, which was difficult to support in a small environment. We were installing new systems to deal with Y2K. I pushed to replace those systems with MEDITECH because it offers us an integrated system, meaning it is designed by one vender and doesn’t require multiple interfaces to work. We push for standards and integrated products whenever possible. By reducing the variety of systems we need to support, we become more efficient. We have found that an integrated solution will be less expensive to buy, manage and support over time. My staff can build a foundation with the one product and not have to learn a new platform or get used to multiple vendors.

This idea of standardization is reflected in most of our decisions. We’re not a large IT/IS staff so we need to maximize our effectiveness. We try to create the most reliable environment and reduce the amount of variables that go into every solution. Whenever a new technology is introduced, we try to establish a best practice for implementing that technology. A good example is with our copiers and printers. We standardized on a vendor and the feature set and now, any employee can use any copier or printer in any part of the hospital. Having a variety of technologies that do the same thing reduces our effectiveness. Standardizing on technologies helps our users to be more comfortable with the tools they are using because they are familiar with them.

Q: Another major initiative at hospitals is electronic medical records. Will SCH be adding an EMR solution?

It is clear that electronic medical records are important for the survival of any hospital.
Along those lines, another one of South County’s goals is to improve communication between the providers and the hospital to exchange patient results. We’re instituting portals in the physicians’ offices, which will allow them to enter their orders online. They will be able to collect office specimens, label them, and, with the use of 2D barcode technology, automate the entry of patient information captured from the physician office system into the hospital registration system. The physician can then receive results back into an Inbox, closing the loop on the order entry/results reporting cycle. This solution will help the physicians track how well patients are complying with their orders and allows us to maintain accurate electronic records for each patient.

Q: Gary, anything else you’d like to add?

In this economic climate, we have to figure out how to get the same things done with fewer resources. We have moved to virtual servers, for example, allowing us to extend our capital investment. We must be diligent and not ignore what is happening around us. As new technologies develop, we need to assess their application to healthcare and use new tools to improve patient care. The new healthcare IT and the economic stimulus program will help us continue down this path.

I’ve seen a dramatic shift in focus for hospital IT. Over the last ten years, there has been a move toward concentrating on clinical systems vs. financial systems. Patient safety is the impetus, and technology plays a key role in improving safety in hospitals. We’re just beginning to understand how to use technology to improve patient safety. As IT people, we need to partner with our users, such as nurses, physicians and administrative staff, to be sure we’re adopting the right technology and implementing it to offer the most benefits to them.

Twenty-five years ago, it was all about the numbers. Now, it’s all about people.

Gary Croteau has 21 years of experience in the healthcare industry. For the past nine years, he has served as the assistant vice president and CIO at South County Hospital Healthcare System in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Croteau is also a steering committee member of the RI Health Information Exchange. He holds a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems from Western New England College.

Guest Spot: Revenue Cycle Optimization

By: Rita Calvin, Consultant, Consultant People, LP

With the pressures facing healthcare industries today to maintain a position of financial strength, proactive accounts receivable management is becoming more and more necessary. However, with a lack of adequate time and resources it is difficult for Patient Financial Services (PFS) Directors to stay on top of the ever-changing environment of the healthcare field. In fact, many business offices are running on auto pilot with processes operating the same way they did years ago.

An antidote to this stagnation is a Revenue cycle optimization project. This effort focuses on maximizing revenue from existing business. Every layer of the business office operation is evaluated for deficiencies and strategic changes are made. Policies and procedures are reviewed along with job descriptions. Many times an outside consultant company is engaged to assist the facility in performing these operational assessments, analyses and process reviews.

Managing the revenue cycle is a constant endeavor. Once an optimization review is completed and improvements achieved, it is critical that the process continue daily. A crucial goal of a quality revenue cycle review is the transfer of knowledge and establishment of tools necessary to carry on this maintenance. Understanding the potential causes of revenue loss is an important first step.

There are many reasons why an organization could be losing revenue. Some of the most common causes are:

PRE-CERTIFICATION AND AUTHORIZATION

If services are not being authorized as required by contract the insurance company may refuse to make payment. This happens when services are scheduled before the pre-certification/authorization was secured. One hospital was able to correct this problem by establishing a set of numbers that began with the letter Z. The scheduling department did not schedule the test until they had a “Z number” from the pre-certification/authorization department.

CHARGE MASTER MAINTENANCE

Another hospital had not reviewed their prices for several years. Most carriers will pay either the charges or the fee schedule; whichever amount is less. The hospital was losing revenue because their charge amounts were set lower than the Medicaid fee schedule for some costly services such as MRIs, CT Scans and Angiograms. Once they re-priced their charges, they were able to recognize higher revenue from Medicaid for these services.

DISCHARGED BY NOT FINAL BILLED

Accounts are held from final billing for a number of reasons. Usually three to five days are allowed for input of charges and coding called “suspense days”. Accounts that are purposely held longer than suspense days are potentially lost revenue since managed care contracts have an established number of days (usually 30, 45 or 60) during which they will accept a claim as timely filing. Missing charges and documentation are issues that cause accounts to be held from final bill. User training will normally resolve these problems but should be ongoing when new employees are hired into the organization.

When the medical coding department is behind in their coding, immediate attention should be given to resolving the backlog. This can be done with temporary personnel or affording overtime when necessary. Health Information Directors should be aware of the number of days allowed for suspense in order to ensure that all claims are coded timely.

DAYS IN BILLING

Missing demographic information and needed attachments (emergency room reports, sterilization forms, etc) are common reasons accounts are held in billing. The number of days in billing is calculated from the time the account is final billed until it goes out the door to the carrier, either by mail or electronically. Since suspense days should be enough time for documentation to get to billing, processes should be reviewed and streamlined to resolve these problems.

CLAIM SUBMISSION VERIFICATION

It is not enough to mail or transmit claims and assume that the carrier has received them. When claims are submitted electronically, the clearinghouse will return a confirmation report to the provider. Some providers do not realize, however, that there is a second level confirmation report that comes back from each carrier, as well. A physician practice was submitting claims but not checking for their second level report. Because they were receiving their first level report from the clearinghouse, it was thought that everything was fine. But, their claims were not getting from the clearinghouse to the carriers. Because this had been happening for several months, the loss in revenue from untimely denials was significant.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Managed care contracts used to be simple and straight forward, but now they are much more complex as facilities struggle to negotiate rates to meet their costs. Carve-out and stop losses are two payment methodologies that are difficult to manage. When contracts are negotiated it is important to ensure that your financial system is able to identify incorrect payments. Accurate proration rules are a good way to accomplish this. A variance report designed to report cases where the actual posted payment does not equal the expected reimbursement is a way to let the system work for you.

How do you know if you are losing revenue due to the above issues or other issues not mentioned here? Some, such as authorization can be obvious, however, many of these reasons are invisible to the PFS Director unless they are brought to the surface through investigative methods. A few of the tools that are used to analyze how well processes and procedures are working are:

• A detailed analysis of accounts receivable aging
• A review of payment vouchers against managed care contracts
• A review of third party payer denials

Once the issues that negatively impact reimbursement have been identified and resolved, how do you know when you might be veering off track?

PFS Directors are realizing the value of a document that reports on a daily basis the performance indicators that are key to the success of their operations. These key performance indicators (KPIs) must be quantifiable and should reflect the organization’s goals. An excel spreadsheet can be used to report KPIs and emailed to all interested parties. Below is an example of a KPI dashboard that gives real time visibility for timely decision making and instant feedback.

When anyone of the KPIs changes significantly, it is an alert to the PFS Director that immediate measures should be taken to investigate and bring it back in line. An example KPI flash report is attached that shows some of the data that is valuable in tracking revenue cycle performance. This example is the summary sheet with monthly totals. Daily sheets can be constructed from this model with daily detail and monthly totals. These can be used to feed this summary sheet.

If practiced consistently, revenue cycle optimization is an important tool for an organization to stay financially viable. A revenue cycle optimization project whether done in house or in conjunction with a consultant is worthwhile for any hospital in order to assure that billing and collecting for services are being performed in an optimal manner. It can make a big difference in the amount of resources your organization has to provide high quality care.

Rita Calvin has been a consultant with CPeople for over three years and has an extensive background in Meditech implementation and expert knowledge in writing proration rules and BAR dictionaries. A former PFS Director, she has conducted many Revenue Cycle analyses for Meditech hospitals. Rita is technically skilled and fluent in .837 conversions as well as implementation of clearing house systems.

Tricks of the Trade: MEDITECH Client Server Not Printing from Windows Remote Desktop

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

Ever finish running a report--where it seems to complete successfully--yet nothing prints? Try this simple workaround and you might find it saves you hours of frustration.

WORKAROUND (Client Server):

1) Open Windows folder: C:\Program Files\Meditech\Print.

2) Double click the VMAGICPPII Application.

Print from MEDITECH again. This time, your report will produce visible results as expected.

If you experience this problem more than once, send an email to your Network Administrator; they will likely be able to resolve this for you, once and for all.

Thoughts or Questions? Email them to John at jsharpe@comstock-software.com.

John Sharpe is President / NPR Consultant at Comstock Software, Inc. Learn more about NPR Report Writing at the MEDITECH NPR Report Writing Blog.

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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.

Yampa Valley Medical Center
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

About the Organization:

Yampa Valley Medical Center serves residents of northwest Colorado and visitors from around the world. We are an independent, non-profit community medical center with 31 inpatient beds and 59 skilled-nursing beds. Our 46-acre campus, situated less than a mile from the world-class Steamboat Ski Area, includes Yampa Valley Medical Center, the Doak Walker Care Center and GrandKids Child Care Center and a medical office building. YVMC opened in 1999 as an outpatient-centered medical center that includes a Level IV Trauma Center, Level II nursery, the latest technology and a beautiful working environment. Yampa Valley Medical Center is truly the heartbeat of the valley.

Yampa Valley Medical Center has received numerous national awards in patient satisfaction as determined by Avatar International, Inc. Avatar surveys patients on behalf of 300 hospitals nationwide. In 2009, YVMC was named an Overall Best Performer for the seventh year in a row, placing among the top 20 hospitals in Avatar’s national database. This award recognizes the highest overall ratings for combined inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory surgery and emergency service. We were one of only two hospitals nationally that have won this award for the past seven years. In addition, YVMC was one of the top four hospitals in the Avatar national database in the category of emergency care, earning the Five Star Service Emergency Care award. We also earned recognition for Exceeding Patient Expectations. YVMC also placed in 2008 in the top 5% out of 220 hospitals and 98,000 employees for Avatar’s Employee Satisfaction poll.

About the Location:

It’s easy to fall in love with Steamboat Springs. There are many mountain towns in Colorado, but none can match our combination of lofty peaks and wide-open spaces, working ranches and sophisticated amenities. Steamboat Springs is located 160 miles northwest of Denver and being in the Rocky Mountains, average about 334 inches of snow annually. We work and play in the most beautiful settings in the world offering may recreational activities all year round including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, and much more. Many who drive down Rabbit Ears Pass and view the beautiful Yampa Valley know immediately that their hearts belong in this very special place. We invite you to make the journey.

About the Department:

The HIS Department supports the clinical departments of YVMC with the implementation and ongoing utilization and maintenance of various clinical software systems with a patient-centered focus within the Electronic Medical Record. MediTech Client Server 5.55 Clinical Applications Implemented - PCS, LAB, ITS, PCM (partial CPOE), LTC, iSite PACS, EDM, ORM. Team size - 2 applications analysts, one financial application analyst, five infrastructure support staff. "Whatever It Takes" attitude!

Position Profile:

The Clinical Applications Analyst is responsible for supporting departments of YVMC with the implementation and ongoing utilization and maintenance of various software systems. Focus on supporting clinical applications with a patient-centered focus within the Electronic Medical Record. Oversight responsibility for clinical application support. Works closely with infrastructure support staff to coordinate project activities and daily operational support.

• Serves as project lead for completion of Computerized Provider Order Entry implementation.
• Serves in coordinator role for all Meditech system upgrades and enhancements to Meditech modules. Works with directors and core team leaders to assure adequate testing and staff training on new software releases is completed. Serves as central point of contact with Meditech for issue resolution. Works with directors and other software vendors working in concert with Meditech to assure compatibility with new software releases.
• Provides technical support for the Meditech and non-Meditech modules within the scope of clinical services. Maximize use of Meditech system by providing process review with department directors and core team leaders. Review with both existing module functionality as well as new enhancements.
• Coordinates all user requests custom programming to clinical services modules, which are outside the scope of normal releases by Meditech. Provides detailed analysis of programming request including functionality assessment, potential impact on users and other modules, and cost of the enhancement. Coordinates the testing and implementation of custom programming once approved and delivered by Meditech.
• Provides technical guidance and support for the continued integration of the Electronic Medical Record. Serves as a resource for the development of the patient-centered EMR through integration and coordinated implementation efforts with other applications, modules and systems.

Qualifications:

• Clinical background required. Nursing degree highly desired.
• Meditech system experience required. Meditech Client Server experience highly desirable.
• 3 to 5 years of user training on hospital information systems software preferred.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work with and train staff and physicians on individual basis or in group settings.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and influence decisions.
• Ability to take call.

How to Apply:

For more information or to apply online, please visit www.yvmc.org/careers.

Email your resume to careers@yvmc.org.

Or send your resume to:

Yampa Valley Medical Center
1024 Central Park Drive
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
FAX: 970-871-2337

Recent News: Hendricks Regional Health Adopts Corepoint Integration Engine to Enhance Their Healthcare Interoperability Initiatives

PLANO, TX, July 20, 2009 -- Hendricks Regional Health, a nonprofit health system in Danville, Indiana, selected Corepoint Integration Engine™, replacing an existing interface engine. A strong initiative to enhance their interoperability throughout their application environment prompted Hendricks Regional Health to move to a new level of performance with their integration platform. Corepoint Integration Engine was chosen for its ability to meet the new interface requirements efficiently and for its capability to manage a growing interface environment proactively.

“We were introduced to Corepoint Health’s integration engine through one of Corepoint’s existing customers, Riverview Hospital, part of the Suburban Health Organization in which we are a member. During the proof-of-concept our most challenging interfaces were easily configured and implemented within Corepoint Integration Engine. Immediately, we were confident that it would provide the stability we required in managing our environment,” said Kim Kiefer, Supervisor – Application Development.

With the deployment of the Corepoint Integration Engine a generational shift has taken place, transforming how Hendricks Regional Health implements and manages their healthcare integration initiatives. “The difference in the implementation experience with our previous interface engine and Corepoint Integration Engine was significant. The manner in which interfaces are developed with Corepoint Integration Engine is a game-changer, reducing cycle times and enhancing productivity. After deployment, Corepoint Integration Engine’s built-in monitoring tools enabled us to proactively manage our entire environment. We are now able to see in real-time which interfaces are functioning properly – a feature unavailable with our previous interface engine,” said Justin Owen, Interface Developer.

Read article...

Recent News: Record Number Of Volunteers Take On Major Certification Update

Adapts Commission’s work to meet needs of government as well as diverse health providers

CHICAGO, IL, July 20, 2009 -- Over 225 volunteers with the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) came together for a kickoff meeting last week in Chicago to update and broaden certification programs for electronic health record (EHR) technologies – some to be launched within 90 days, others in the months to follow.

The meeting was the largest ever for the Commission’s volunteer force, with over 80% of the 265 members serving on 19 work groups attending the 2-day conference. The volunteers represent a wide array of specialties, settings, and populations, enabling the Commission to offer tailored programs to serve their diverse needs.

“The country is clearly at a critical point in advancing health IT to a level that has significant implications for the delivery of health care”, said Susan Kressly, M.D., a practicing pediatrician and member of the Child Health Work Group. “The collective expertise and passion of the volunteers assembled at the kick-off meeting give me great optimism for what is possible. As a pediatrician, I’m excited to be a part of the process and have an opportunity to make sure that the unique health IT needs of children are acknowledged and addressed.”

Read article...

Recent News: CareFusion Expands Pyxis® Perioperative Solutions Offering

Company Unveils New Products and Services to Improve Supply Management and Streamline Workflow at the 47th Annual AHRMM Conference

SAN DIEGO, CA, July 20, 2009 -- CareFusion Corporation , the company that will become publicly traded following the planned spinoff of the clinical and medical products businesses of Cardinal Health, today announced it has expanded its Pyxis® perioperative offerings that integrate with leading operating room information systems (ORIS), incorporate radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology1 and include new services.

“Our Pyxis® Perioperative Solutions provide hospitals with the technology and services necessary to help improve financial performance, increase operational efficiency and ensure regulatory compliance across both their perioperative and medical-surgical areas,” said Rusty Frantz, general manager of Pyxis® Perioperative Solutions for CareFusion.  “By integrating our industry leading supply management platform with leading perioperative information systems and providing the value-added services that help enable our customers to achieve best practice, we are delivering a solution that can provide tremendous benefit across the hospital and healthcare system.”

First-of-its-kind ORIS integration solution for improved workflow
By integrating Pyxis ProcedureStation™ system with a hospital’s ORIS, CareFusion helps streamline workflow and improve revenue cycle management.  The new offering automatically incorporates surgical supply information directly into patient records and increases preference card and case pick/costing accuracy, freeing nurses to spend less time on non-clinical activities and more time with patients. CareFusion’s perioperative integration partners include Picis®, Surgical Information Systems (SIS), Epic, and others.

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Recent News: CHIME Launches First Certification Program for Healthcare CIOs

ANN ARBOR, MI, July 16, 2009 -- The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has launched the first certification program designed specifically for Healthcare CIOs.

The Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO) Program was developed by CHIME in partnership with Castle Worldwide, one of the nation’s leading certification testing companies. The credential will allow Certified Healthcare CIOs to quickly and easily identify themselves as leaders in the industry.

“Becoming a Certified Healthcare CIO is not going to be easy,” said Tim Stettheimer, Ph.D., Sr. VP & Regional CIO, St. Vincent's Health System. Dr. Stettheimer sits on CHIME’s Board of Trustees and is Chair of The Certification Committee. “But it’s important that we keep the bar high so this credential represents the best of the best. We’ve developed a tough but fair program, and I look forward to seeing CHIME members rise to the challenge.”

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Recent News: Surescripts Releases Annual State Rankings and Progress Reports Detailing E-Prescribing Use and Adoption Statistics for All 50 States

Massachusetts Prescribers Now Route More Than 20 Percent of Prescriptions Electronically, Followed by Rhode Island at 17 Percent

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas Accept Safe-Rx™ Award, Highlighting States’ Improved Use of E-Prescribing

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 22, 2009 -- At an event at the National Press Club, Surescripts announced today that Massachusetts ranks first in the nation when it comes to routing prescriptions electronically. According to the results of an annual nationwide audit of electronic prescriptions routed in 2008, it was determined that prescribers in the Bay State sent more than 6.7 million prescriptions electronically, representing 20.5 percent of all eligible prescriptions in the state – as compared to 2.3 percent in 2005. For this accomplishment, Massachusetts was recognized, along with 14 other states, at the fourth annual Safe-Rx Awards.

Surescripts created the Safe-Rx Awards to raise awareness of e-prescribing as a means of enhancing patient safety by providing a more secure, accurate and informed prescribing process.

“Congratulations to all the Safe-Rx Award winners for increasing the use of e-prescribing and for the benefit it has brought to the economy, safety and quality of patient care in communities throughout their states,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts. “And as much as this program is about measuring and recognizing real success, its greater purpose is to highlight the leaders who are driving that success and the stories of how they are doing it. As the numbers and rankings suggest, each year there are more and more examples of how a state and the various stakeholders within the state can work together to drive e-prescribing adoption and use.  We congratulate those leaders and hope that their examples will inspire and inform many more successful efforts in many more states in the year ahead.”

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