Shared Genius - August 2017

THOMAS... Shared Genius Practice Solutions From one genius to another. Special End of Summer Edition

August 2017 Have you tried these Genius Solutions? We've been working hard adding new features, reports, and generally making eTHOMAS and your office life more awesome & we want to make sure you know about all of it! Here are some outstanding eTHOMAS highlights you might not know about that were added to eTHOMAS from versions 9.5.18 - 9.5.34. Please remember, these aren't all, you can look online in our special help link from within eTHOMAS to access all of this documentation and more. We also have a lot of "How to" and other helpful videos in the same place and on our YouTube channel.

Have You Attested for 2015 yet? You have a week.

A friendly reminder.

Per Medicare's correspondence:

"Eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program must attest using the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System by Friday, March 11, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET."

If you do not attest, you are subject to a Medicare payment percentage penalty going forward.

For More Medicare Information:

Visit the Registration and Attestation page on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website

For ehrThomas Information: Check out our free webinars 

Shared Genius: February 2016

Shared Genius Practice Solutions From one Genius to Another.

February 2016 includes:
New Events, Updates, & connecting with Genius & our help resources made easier.

Available now!

Seminars, Webinars, and Events

Are you ready for a big dose of awesome? Then we have some Genius Solutions for you!    

New Navicure webinar Tuesday, February 16th at 1 pm EST/10 am PST:

8 Best Practices for Collecting from Patients with Deductibles

New ehrTHOMAS webinars (various dates)

New Genius Webinars (various dates)

Two New Genius Focus Groups in March 10 & 16

Shared Genius for September 2015

Shared Genius Practice Solutions From one Genius to Another.

September 2015 includes:
update, upgrade, review, view, prepare, and more!

Available now!

Important DrFirst Info for our ehrTHOMAS Users

Two Important New Items from DrFirst:

1. Enhanced notification system for undeliverable prescriptions
2. Appropriate Use of the Pharmacist Notes (an educational download) 

New Webinar Dates - We're Back!

Ok, you've been wondering.... I've got news!

The ICD-10 weekly webinars are BACK! And start tomorrow. Just like last year, the webinars are free, but you do need to register for them. Yes, there will be a live question and answer session at the end. Get ready now by signing up! The link is always available on the "Events" page and on the "ICD-10" page as well.

Yes - if you haven't seen it - New ehrTHOMAS Meaningful Use webinars are up and available for both Stage 1 and Stage to, with additional webinars for Microsoft's HealthVault. These webinars are also free to you, but again, you need to sign up for any you wish to take.

CMS is Being Loud and Proud Right Now

CMS is Loud about a meaningful use attestation date extension:

If you are an eligible professional, you now have until 11:59 pm ET on March 20, 2015, to attest to meaningful use for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program for 2014.

This extension also allows those eligible professionals, who want to use their one "switch", to switch programs (from Medicare to Medicaid, or vice versa) for the 2014 until the end of March 20, 2015 also. After that time, eligible professionals will no longer be able to switch programs.

Remember Medicare eligible professionals must attest to meaningful use every year to both receive an incentive and to avoid a Medicare payment adjustment.

Also note, if necessary, that this Medicare extension doesn’t affect either the Medicaid EHR incentive or the PQRS date which has been extended to March 20, 2015.

And they are Proud about ICD-10 preparation:

Per CMS, they are ready for ICD-10 and prepared thinking they will be ready for ICD-10 on October 1. They claim they’ve had approximately 660 providers and billing companies who’ve submitted about 15,000 test claims.

“This successful week of testing continues to put us on course for successful implementation of this important initiative that better reflects modern practice of medicine by Oct. 1, 2015.”

Here is the link back to the CMS Attestation website.

Don't Forget the Attestation Deadline - Feb 28th, 2015

If you are participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program as an eligible professional, you have until February 28, 2015 to attest and demonstrate meaningful use of the data you collected during your 2014 EHR reporting period. If you participate in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, you need to refer to your state's attestation deadline.

If you were a Medicare eligible professional and you didn't successfully demonstrate meaningful use in 2013 (or 2014 for first-time participants), without a hardship exception for 2015, then on Jan. 1st, 2015 adjustments (reductions) were made to your Medicare payments.  If you do not successfully demonstrate meaningful use in 2014 (or receive a 2016 hardship exception) you will have payment adjustments applied beginning January 1, 2016 as well (yes, they will be cumulative if you miss both years).

For complete attestation information visit CMS's EHR Incentive Programs page.

You should also be attending our Genius EHR Stage 1 and Stage 2 Meaningful Use +, FREE webinars. 

The 2014 Meaningful Use Deadline is Almost Here, Are You Ready?

ehrTHOMAS Users... Notice! You've only got 2 weeks left Are you MU complete?

December 2014 The Deadline is Almost Here, Are You Ready? In preparation for Meaningful Use (Both Stage 1 & Stage 2 attestation) please remember to print out and send reminders to patients for preventative/follow-up care (Core 12). The threshold for this objective is 20%. This objective must be completed ONCE during the reporting period. It is best to complete this right before the reporting period ends on December 31st, 2014. This reminder report should already have been created during your practice’s training period and/or previous attestations. To print it out, go to Reports > Custom Reports > Select a report > Edit > Print > Send Reminder. Please make sure you print out your reports and keep a copy as a supporting document for your attestation. If there is not a report available, please call Genius Solutions to have one set one up. Got a question? If you have any questions, please call EHR support.

Shared Genius for November 2014

Shared Genius Practice Solutions From one Genius to Another.

November 2014 support special includes:
seasonal patient addresses, patient waiting list, new EHR update, and more!

Available now!

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1. Make sure we have an e-mail address on file for you
2. Check your "junk" folder
3. We have been having problems with comcast, wow/wowway, and recently ATT marking our e-mail's as "spam" and bouncing them. Please make sure that you add us to your e-mail's "ok" list. (I am sending from newsletter2010@geniussolutions.com)

We never sell or rent out your e-mail to anyone.  We send monthly Shared Genius e-mails, occasional product, seminar/webinar, and "you've got to know this now" kind of news.

Whew!

Thanks, Penny (newsletter editor)  :D

Got Scribe?

If not, you might want to consider one (or more).

With documentation becoming more than just a word and EHR becoming a reality, most offices are trying to find ways to work more efficiently.  EHRs just don't seem like awesome replacements for sliced bread, especially if you've been practicing just fine without them for your entire professional career.  However, they are taking over, whether you want them to or not.  One of the best ways to cope with and EHR and its additional documentation and coding, yet still keep your sanity and your patient satisfaction can be for the doctor to continue being a doctor and dealing with patients face-to-face, while someone else scribes (or documents) patient encounters for the doctor – getting down all of the vital patient information, the doctor findings and responses, and any work done, as well as the recommended treatment plan.  

CMS Re-Opens 2015 Hardship Exceptions Through November 2014

Per the ONC:

CMS announced that it is going to reopen the submission period for hardship exception applications for eligible professionals and eligible hospitals, allowing them to possibly avoid the 2015 Medicare payment adjustments for not demonstrating (via attestation) EHR meaningful use with Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT).

The new deadline will be November 30, 2014. (The previous application deadline was April 1, 2014 for eligible hospitals and July 1, 2014 for eligible professionals.)

This is especially noteworthy for anyone who missed attesting for stage 1 year 1 attestation last week.
For more information about the payment adjustments or hardship guidelines, visit the CMS page HERE.

Here is the application form.

New EHR Meaningful Use Webinars

New EHR Meaningful Use (MU) Webinars for Stage 1 and Stage 2 users. Click Here for the New Dates and Times. Additionally... We are in the process of putting a page together for "EHR Meaningful User" under "Resources" where we will have a home for all of the information I'm going to list in a minute, up-to-date schedules for webinars, and a place to put evolving information as it becomes available.

• If you are in Stage 1 Year 1 and started reporting your MU numbers on July 1st, please remember that the end of the reporting period is coming up (October 1st). Additionally, you must attest by Oct 1st to avoid payment adjustments. 
• If you did not start your reporting for MU on July 1st, and are still Stage 1-Year 1, you are still able to receive your incentive payment if you start reporting from Oct1st - Dec 31st.
• If you are Stage 1- year 2,  or Stage 2- year 1, your last reporting period this year is Oct 1st - Dec 31st. If you are a Stage 2 office, it is important that you read up on all the new measures for Stage 2. 
•  It is very important for ALL of you, regardless of what stage you are in, to perform a Security Risk Analysis during their reporting period. This is part of the HIPAA requirements for meaningful use. Here are some good links regarding that measure:

1. http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/SecurityRiskAssessment_FactSheet_Updated20131122.pdf 
2. http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/downloads/14_Protect_Electronic_Health_Information.pdf 

• We have webinars/documents that will help them through whichever stage they are in. (Click here for the webinars and visit the GS website next week for additional information and documents.) 
• Here are some additional helpful links:

1. The decision “Widget” from the CMS website 
2. Available Systems 
3. Also, if your office is "less than prepared" you may qualify for a hardship exemption. Unfortunately, it’s probably too late this year to get it in but just in case for next year - Here is the information.

CMS Issues Final Rule for 2014 EHR Incentive Program Participation

CMS just released a final rule regarding provider EHR incentive program participation for the 2014 program year.

It has been a long haul for those trying to implement and use an EHR program to complete the government’s incentive program.  Especially this year, as the transition from stage 1 to stage 2 meaningful use is supposed to be occurring.  Nothing is ever easy. Even for those providers who started their EHR journeys a couple of years ago, there was change that needed to occur.  Most had hoped that the EHRs they’d invested in would progress and roll with the government changes.  Many found out that this was not going to happen without additional work, frustration, pain, and money from them, so many have dropped out. 

It's Official! ehrTHOMAS is ONC HIT 2014 Certified

Who is ONC HIT 2014 Certified? ehrTHOMAS is!

It is official.  Genius Solutions, Inc.'s ehrTHOMAS has received our ONC HIT 2014 Edition Complete Certification from ICSA Labs.  Yep, we're glowing right now.  Our programming department has been working very hard to not only get ehrTHOMAS ready, but to get it through certification.  Now it's here.

Want to know more about our ONC HIT 2014 Certified Complete EHR?

• Click here for Podiatry
• Click here for Medical +

Oh, and you can call us at 1.586.751.9080/1.800.645.0955 (outside of Michigan) and ask for Sales, they'll be happy to give you a tour!

If you haven't gotten our letter yet, you should shortly.  It is as follows:

Attention: Attestation, ICD-10, and SGR Updates!

 

Ever Attested?

If this is your first year to attest for Meaningful Use – You need to be working it now!  Literally.

Payment Adjustments for NOT being a Meaningful User kick in January 1, 2015.
As part of the 2009 ARRA “Stimulus” program, if you DO NOT attest for meaningful use, by this year, your Medicare payments will be reduced by 1% for each year you are not a meaningful user.  [Up to 5% loss, “depending on the total number of eligible meaningful user providers after 2018”, assuming less than 75% meaningful users the reductions are set to cap off at 5%.]

Genius ICD-10 Seminars- On the Road

Ok, so my hair isn't this short, but we do put this much work into our presentations! :D

We started off last Friday to a packed house of Medical Specialties.  April is already half-full and we are still trying to look and schedule additional seminars as quickly as possible.  So far, here is the current Schedule:

• March 14 was Medical Specialties, in Warren - FULL!
• March 21 is for Podiatrists, in Warren - Still some spaces left.
• March 27 is for Chiropractors, in Warren - FULL!

• April 4 is for everyone, at Soaring Eagle in Mt. Pleasant (We've already exceeded, doubled the size of this one, and exceeded it again) - Super FULL!
• April 16 is for everyone, Troy-  FULL!
• April 23 is for everyone,  Warren - Still have space.
• April 29 is for everyone,  Grand Rapids - Still have space.

We are currently looking at Pensacola, FL in May (still trying to secure a location).
And we are looking for additional areas in Michigan (if you have an awesome suggestion, please feel free to add it in the comments).

For those who aren't in Michigan or Florida, we are also looking at doing some sort of epic online conference for you.... We're still investigating the best way to do this.

As soon as we add more dates and locations, we will definitely post them on the website (under EVENTS), on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Although we do have lots to share, we are looking at what more we can add to help you prepare for ICD-10, HIPAA compliance, and more - I will also let you know if the agenda or guests change as we work towards October and the end of the year.

As always - we are looking forward to visiting with you soon!  :D

Genius Healthcare Office Solutions 2013 Grand Rapids Seminar

Be An Office Hero!

November 7th

@ Grand Rapids Hilton
4747 28th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI  49512
616.957.0100

Morning Seminar Time: 9 am - 1 pm
Afternoon Seminar Time: 2 pm - 4:30 pm 

Click here for more information.
Click here to view and print the event flier with registration.

FAQ: Tablets and THOMAS

Many of you have been asking about using THOMAS with a tablet and the answer depends upon the THOMAS product you are using, your networking and wireless set up, and your patience.
First off, no matter what THOMAS product you are using, you would need to be using Microsoft Server, with a Terminal Server and terminal services, (and good wireless).  Both eTHOMAS and ehrTHOMAS are not natively housed on each computer.  You connect to your server and are using your server as the brains and brawn.  The computer or tablet you are using to input data basically becomes a “terminal” to access and use the product on the server.

Before you finish raising your hand, let me say (for those of you who might use remote desktop to access one computer from another) – technically yes, you could use a remote (like “remote control”) to access and use the program on another computer, but those of you have done it with a regular computer know that both the computer you are using and the computer you are accessing are not available for anyone else to use or access. Both computers are tied up. It also tends to be very slow and gitchy – even with a regular computer.  This is usually not a preferred solution and is generally only even suggested by us if you have to connect to another location’s computer (like when we connect with you for support).  Odds are if you are using more than 3 computers in your office our hardware specialists talked to you quite diligently about terminal services.  If you are using any kind of wireless access in your office – I know they did for sure.

So now what? Now we talk about products:

ehrTHOMAS was designed for touch screen and is designed, from the beginning to be finger friendly.  The size of the screens and buttons in the program are designed for you to use with a tablet.  So yes, if you want to use tablets with your ehrTHOMAS system, contact support and they will help you evaluate your current hardware and networking and let you know what you need to do to set up ehrTHOMAS to use your tablets (as well as any hardware, tablet, and software recommendations they might have).

We’ve been getting asked more and more often lately if there is an eTHOMAS app or if eTHOMAS and be readily used on a tablet device.  eTHOMAS, our practice management system, in its current design, is NOT designed for tablet (i.e. iPad, Galaxy, Kindle, etc.) use.  Can it be done? We don’t recommend it as the current buttons, controls, screens, fonts, and reports were all designed for desktop use.  That being said it is possible to lump through many of the screens, and in a pinch you might have to do this from somewhere if all you have is your tablet and you are the doctor checking on some patient information.  But there are areas that will probably not work right and things you won’t be able to see and access properly, etc.  It doesn’t work well.  You would have to be using remote desktop and explained above, and it can be slow, choppy, and hard to read and use.  We can give you are best hardware advice on it, but we will not recommend eTHOMAS to tablet for now.

Will eTHOMAS ever be tablet friendly?  In its next major version, I would pretty much bet on it.  If you have not had a chance to see or experience our ehrTHOMAS program, I would highly recommend that you schedule a demo.  That is the future of THOMAS and where even our beloved eTHOMAS program will be going as we evolve our programs for both industry and government standards and to make those standards easy for your office to use and grow with.

If you have want to add new equipment, upgrade old equipment, etc. always feel that you can call and talk with our hardware support specialists.  We care.  We’ll make sure that you get what you need to help your office run great and let you be the genius!