The number of hospitals using health information technology has more than doubled in the past two years, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced.
From 2009 to 2011, the percentage of U.S. hospitals that had adopted electronic health records (EHRs) went from 16% to 35% according data from a new survey conducted by the American Hospital Association and announced by Sebelius during a Friday speech at a community college in Kansas City, Mo.
And 85% of the responding hospitals said they intend to take advantage of incentive payments made available through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs.
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was part of the 2009 economic stimulus package, authorized incentive payments through Medicare and Medicaid to clinicians and hospitals when they use EHRs in a meaningful way that significantly improves clinical care -- referred to as "meaningful use" regulations.
The program will make available incentive payments up to $44,000 per clinician over five years through Medicare and $63,750 per physician over five years through Medicaid.
So far, CMS has paid a little more than $3 billion in incentive payments to more than 2,000 hospitals and more than 41,000 physicians and other healthcare providers who have started to use EHRs in a "meaningful" way.
Read the full story at: http://tinyurl.com/87rdlqm
Source: MedPage Today
Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations
March 26th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on variations in prior authorization use across Medicare Advantage plans.
Listen
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
FDA Approves Vadadustat for Anemia in Patients With CKD Undergoing Dialysis
March 28th 2024The FDA approved vadadustat (Vafseo), an oral medication, to treat anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis for at least 3 months. This fills a need for a new treatment option as anemia is common in these patients and can significantly impact their quality of life.
Read More
Risk for Second Primary Melanoma Increases After Primary Melanoma Diagnosis as Men Age
March 28th 2024A population-based cohort study out of Norway has found that older men have a higher risk of developing second primary invasive melanoma following an initial primary melanoma, suggesting the benefits of increased surveillance in these patients.
Read More