MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'consultant'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:12:19 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050924&cid=t_167352_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F12%2Fdo-you-need-to-hire-pediatrics-practice-management-consultant%2F Written By Chip Hart I will never forget the scene. I was the lonely consultant in the dark and shag-carpeted basement “conference room” of a large pediatric practice and was giving them a stern lecture about their pricing. The practice hadn’t updated its prices in years and was undoubtedly losing money. Lots of it. After my explanation of RVUs and why 105% of Medicare wouldn’t cut it, the senior partner – well, the loudest one, anyway – looked me in the eye and said, “OK, that sounds smart, let’s just raise our prices.” It was the response I was hoping to get. The youngest and newest partner jumped in quickly, “What?! How can you listen to this guy?” Uh oh, I thought. His voice cracked, “…I’ve been telling you this same information for almos... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050924 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:00:45 +0100 5050924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028713&cid=t_167352_123_f&fid=39036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpediatricinc.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F12%2Fdo-you-need-to-hire-pediatrics-practice-management-consultant%2F Written By Chip Hart I will never forget the scene. I was the lonely consultant in the dark and shag-carpeted basement “conference room” of a large pediatric practice and was giving them a stern lecture about their pricing. The practice hadn’t updated its prices in years and was undoubtedly losing money. Lots of it. After my explanation of RVUs and why 105% of Medicare wouldn’t cut it, the senior partner – well, the loudest one, anyway – looked me in the eye and said, “OK, that sounds smart, let’s just raise our prices.” It was the response I was hoping to get. The youngest and newest partner jumped in quickly, “What?! How can you listen to this guy?” Uh oh, I thought. His voice cracked, “…I’ve been telling you this same information for almos... Pediatric Inc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028713 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:00:45 +0100 5028713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028545&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fx2jHPP4ONKE%2F I can’t remember exactly where I saw someone talk about the “WIIFM” (What’s in it for Me) principle, but it really is an important principle that when understood can have an amazing impact for good. This post isn’t about whether you should live a life asking WIIFM. I’ll leave that question to people much smarter than me. Instead, I want to look at how applying the WIIFM principle to others can help those working on a successful EHR implementation. In most cases I’m talking about, the WIIFM should be changed to “What’s in it for Them?” Understanding the answer to this question can help you as an EMR consultant, an EMR vendor or even a practice manager or doctor that’s trying to work through an EMR implementation. One of the f... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028545 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:48:02 +0100 5028545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975983&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FGtKVYCOyv1U%2F I know I’ve written about ERP and EMR before, but the more I think about the EMR selection and implementation process, the more I see the same issues that are experienced with an ERP implementation. The one issue that is a bit different about EMR versus ERP is that there are only a small handful of ERP vendors to choose from. However, we have 300-600 to choose from in the EMR world. That’s an important and challenging difference. However, the similarities to ERP are many. One of the most striking is how the EMR like the ERP is something that’s going to be used and have an effect on the entire organization. As such, the need to manage the participation of multiple stakeholders is so key. The key to a successful ERP implementation is to have a great project leader.  Some... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975983 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:50 +0100 4975983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803274&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FMUB3BdSehPE%2F Much ink has been spilled discussing why physicians are resistant to adopting EMRs. The thing is, it’s really no mystery.  Researchers have arrived at what seem like sensible answers to the question, including a) problems changing their work habits, b) fear of the unknown and c) struggles with kludgy interfaces. So, why not take these problems on directly? While we can’t get inside clinicians’ heads and tell them how to think, we can address their issues concretely. If the anecdotes I hear are accurate, many are pushed into EMR use and forced to do all the adapting, rather than getting the help they need. So how can we help? Obviously, physicians and other clinical staffers need access to accessible, intelligent training — ideally, both Web-based and live — a... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803274 Mon, 09 May 2011 03:18:19 +0100 4803274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747722&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F04%2F22%2Fim-a-plumber-despite-just-wanting-to-be-an-emr-blogger%2F About a month ago, the market finally fell enough for my wife and I to buy our first house. It’s pretty exciting to finally be able to do it since we pretty much tried to buy a house every year since we moved to Las Vegas 6 years ago. Thankfully, we never did until now (although that’s another story). After purchasing the home, I found myself spending a fair amount of time having to repair a number of things around the house. One day I pretty much spent all day being a plumber as I (and a nice friend) replaced the garbage disposal, fixed a leaking sink, replaced the mechanism (whatever it’s called) in the toilet. Turns out that none of these things are really all that difficult. Although, it definitely had the initial learning curve for me to realize that it’s prett... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747722 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:57:58 +0100 4747722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532257&cid=t_167352_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F28%2Fmoving-in-the-right-direction-my-new-role-at-psych-central%2F Oprah Winfrey told the 1997 graduating class of Wellesley College that failure is God’s way of saying “Excuse me, you’re moving in the wrong direction.” She also said that when you are doing what you were created to do, it should feel like breathing. The talk show host was spot on with me because the last six months as a strategic communications consultant (whatever the hell that is) at a large consulting firm felt like 175 days of suffocation. The more I tried to fit in with all the Harvard MBAs, the more awkward I felt (as a theology major). The more I studied the various models of change management and how to direct a government agency from vision to implementation, the greater gap I felt between who I was and what I was doing for a steady paycheck. I didn’t ma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532257 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:45:58 +0100 4532257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501649&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FhHPAaFVwK7E%2F Today I have a special shirt made just for HIMSS, thanks to the great people at Enterprise Software Deployment. If you see me at HIMSS, check out my shirt. It has the top 10 real reasons I’m at HIMSS listed on the back of the shirt. My favorite is #4 Booth babes. I’ll post the full top 10 later tonight. Also, be sure to check out Enterprise Software Deployment at HIMSS if you need a great EMR consultant or if you’re looking for a position doing EMR consulting. You can find them at Booth #2777. Here’s their HIMSS exhibitor description: At ESD, our goal is to ensure successful implementation of a new EHR system or upgrade from start to finish in healthcare organizations around the globe. Our services include Clinical Transformation, Legacy System Support, Training, Su... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501649 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:13:22 +0100 4501649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338064&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FylTLrL6wBdI%2F Yesterday I was attending a conference that had almost nothing to do with EMR. However, in one of my conversations a young girl told me that her dad was a doctor. She went on to tell me how it is all that her dad can talk about her.  He was trying to convince himself why he should ignore the stimulus money and not do EMR. Of course, this part isn’t that interesting since I think we all know many doctors who are doing something similar. What was very interesting was that the daughter of this doctor explained how she was trying to convince her dad why he should do EMR. In fact, she suggested that she might have read my EMR site before because she’d done searches to learn more about EMR so that she could convince her doctor father to use an EMR. This discussion of why you shoul... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338064 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:41:02 +0100 4338064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302161&cid=t_167352_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F31%2Fworkarounds-that-work-russell-bishops-wise-advice-for-2011%2F Here’s an appropriate post for New Year’s Eve! How to organize your life! So that everything that happens in 2011 will fit into a nice, neat category. Sort of. My only resolution this year is to become more organized in the way I work and live so that work and life are less on my mind during the times that I’m supposed to be chilling with the kids or hanging with friends. I hereby declare that I am guilty of the perspective of just getting through something to get to the other side, where things will be peaceful. I’m constantly wishing for a date in the nearby future, where the specific problems and complications of today won’t be there. But that attitude robs me of so many teaching moments of today. Thus, next year, I am going to try my best to be as organiz... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302161 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:00:37 +0100 4302161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265914&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FfFyyf5rn0Fg%2F A reader of EMR and HIPAA asked the following interesting question: I was wondering if you had or heard of anyone coming up with a way to measure if the EHR implementation was successful. Other than “its in!”. Im trying to help some clients define this but cant seem to find anyone who has done this. Im thinking something like: Were all staff trained prior to go live? Were project goals achieved? etc Here’s my response that I hope you’ll find useful as well: It’s an interesting question. I’d suggest you download my free EMR Selection e-Book. In the book, I cover the various areas where a practice can get benefit from implementing an EMR. I suggest that each practice evaluate which of the benefits they are looking to achieve with their EMR implementation. ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265914 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:45:58 +0100 4265914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018266&cid=t_167352_118_f&fid=39279&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffoxepractice%2F%7E3%2F6_KsMQ5cTP4%2Fsocial-network-use-among-seniors Well, I sure didn’t until I read an article the other day which said that “middle boomers” are those individuals who were born between 1952 and 1958.  I quickly realized that I was a member of this group, one which apparently, differs distinctly from the youngest and oldest boomers, so called “bookends”.  We middle boomers (can I call us “mb’s” for short?) number 29 million, comprise 38% of all baby boomers and make up 10% of the U.S. population, which makes us mb’s the largest of the three baby boomer segments. A recent MetLife study shows some interesting characteristics for us mb’s: Most middle boomers consider themselves in good health but many are concerned about their ability to afford rising health care costs. Only 8% of middle boomers are fully retired and... Fox ePractice blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018266 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:41:19 +0100 4018266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938401&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F09%2F03%2Femr-consulting-business-model%2F I’ve been thinking about the EMR consulting business model for a long time (check out my first post on EMR consulting back on October 27, 2006). My personal career path has taken me a different direction. I do some occasional consulting for people, but it’s not really my core business. Unfortunately, I don’t scale very well. With that said, I think there’s definitely a business model for a company that does EMR consulting. In fact, today I learned that one of my advertisers and also an EMR consulting company, Enterprise Software Development, was ranked #561 out of the 5000 fastest growing companies in America (see press release). That’s right. I guess EMR consulting is a good enough business that they can use an EMR consulting business to become one of the fas... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938401 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:30:02 +0100 3938401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899475&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F7h_f816QJjI%2F Every couple months I get someone asking me if I could recommend any good EMR vendors. It makes complete sense why someone would ask this question. They want to try and narrow their search down from the 300+ EMR vendors that are out there. That’s an incredibly daunting number to consider and so everyone’s trying to narrow down their EMR vendor search (see also my previous top rated EMR companies post). The problem with this question, is that the answer is different for every clinic. Why? Because every clinic has very different needs and every EMR vendor has very different capabilities. The key is to be able to match the capabilities of the EMR vendor with the needs and culture of the clinic. EMR software is not like email. I can easily recommend that a business who wants an ema... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899475 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:03:28 +0100 3899475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3743581&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FxzQwu7BkKz4%2F This weekend I decided to look back at some random posts. Yes, call it my deep dive into the over 800 different EMR blog posts I’ve done on EMR and HIPAA. No sense in good quality posts not being seen. Lies from Meaningful Use Consultants – Yes, the title is a bit sensational, but I was (and still am) aghast at the amount of misinformation (and lies) that are out there misleading the unsuspecting. Expect this to increase in 2011 as the EMR stimulus money starts rolling out. I’d love to post the first picture of someone getting their EMR stimulus check. Too bad it will be part of their Medicare reimbursement. Word of Caution: Be Careful with what you hear! Converting Data from Old EMR to New EMR – I loved this email. The way he describes the difficult process of conv... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3743581 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:32:00 +0100 3743581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3641150&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fthe-frank-sinatra-principle%2F What does Frank Sinatra have to do with your practice? Follow his lead and you may see your case acceptance numbers rise dramatically. Using the Sinatra Principle, Ken Runkle presents 4 Proven Steps to increasing case acceptance that will have more patients saying “Yes!” right away. Read the entire article. Listen to the companion audio portion at The Paragon Podcast. (Source: dental blog for dentists about dentistry) dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3641150 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:40:06 +0100 3641150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603596&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffrom-winnie-the-pooh-edward-bear-and-primary-care%2F2010.05.26 Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.  – From A.A. Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner.” Internists, I expect, will identify with Edward Bear. Richard Baron’s study in the NEJM on the amount of work he and his colleagues do outside of an office visit — the “bump, bump, bump” of a busy internal medicine (IM) practice — has resonated with many of his colleagues. Jay Larson, who often posts comments on this blog, did a similar analysis for his general IM practice in Monta... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603596 Wed, 26 May 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3603596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595717&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fbanta-consulting-group-purchases-speaking-consulting-network-scn%2F NEWS! One of Linda Miles’ most successful ventures, Speaking Consulting Network, was created in 1996 to bring together the wisdom and knowledge of mentors in the speaking and consulting field once a year. Corporate sponsors, editors, and meeting planners gather with dental consultants and writers for an annual cruise. Networking at the seminar leads to excellent opportunities throughout the year. Members stay in touch with one another, mentor newcomers, and receive leads from their involvement with SCN. Linda Miles, a renowned dental consultant, retired from Linda L. Miles & Associates last year after selling the business to Dr. Rhonda Savage. Mrs. Miles held on to SCN a little longer, but recently Lois Banta of Banta Consulting Group purchased SCN. Banta Consulting offers top-of-the... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595717 Tue, 25 May 2010 13:56:24 +0100 3595717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3577512&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2F5-tips-to-remember-when-creating-digital-case-presentations%2F Here are a few tips to help you stay on the right path when it comes to creating powerful and effective digital case presentations. Less is more.  Too much animation, sound effects, objects, text, etc., can overwhelm your patient, diluting your overall message. The total amount of time you or a team member should invest into one digital case presentation is approximately 35 minutes. Use PowerPoint templates to minimize the time you put into creating the presentation.  Why reinvent the wheel? When altering an image to show potential cosmetic results, remember the purpose is to give the patient an idea of what he or she would look like with cosmetic dentistry.  It is not a diagnostic tool. The patient photos need to show his or her teeth.  Sounds simple and like common sense.  However,... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3577512 Tue, 18 May 2010 17:53:04 +0100 3577512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3563960&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-doctors-consider-a-career-change%2F2010.05.14 What awaits some physicians who decide to quit medicine: Source: A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor *This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3563960 Fri, 14 May 2010 14:10:10 +0100 3563960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556197&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FOCLOMf7dIcU%2F When I wrote my previous post about EMR consultant challenges, I thought it might be valuable to create a list of possible ways to do EMR consulting. This list is just off the top of my head, so please feel free to add other EMR consulting opportunities that exist out there in the comments: EMR Selection – Consult on selecting the right EMR. EMR Implementation – Consult on the best way to implement the EMR. Map EMR workflows to their existing paper workflows. Meaningful Use – Consult a practice on how they can achieve meaningful use and get the EMR stimulus money. EMR Vendors – Consult EMR vendors on their software, their marketing, etc. IT Consulting – Consult practices on the right IT infrastructure to support an EMR in their practice. EMR Review – Review an already implemen... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556197 Tue, 11 May 2010 15:37:15 +0100 3556197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533976&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fthe-secret-of-successful-dental-teamwork%2F Emphasizing the Strengths; the Secret of Successful Dental Teamwork “Every team works best when the members of the team have clearly defined and understood roles. Some do one thing, others do another. One isn’t better or more important than the other, just different. When teams operate out of their strengths and in their roles, they win”.  These are the words of famous American motivational coach, Chris Widener.  And they are never truer than in the business of dentistry. We are all very aware of the economic downturn we are facing today and likely feeling the effect in our own businesses.  Many practices are reporting a higher than usual cancellation rate and a plummeting case acceptance rate.  What can we do to combat this trend? Do we lower our fees?  Do we cut back on ou... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533976 Wed, 05 May 2010 14:34:38 +0100 3533976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533944&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F05%2F04%2Femr-consultant-challenges%2F Everyone has been touting all the tremendous opportunities that are out there for EMR consultants and healthcare IT people. No doubt, there’s a lot of action right now around EMR. However, I’ve started to see many EMR consultants starting to wonder where the fountain of youthwork is that they heard was coming for EMR consultants. EMR consultants face a really interesting challenge. The small clinics usually can’t afford the services of a consultant (or feel that they can’t) and the large clinics have their own in house resources and so their reticent to pay an outside EMR consultant to come into their practice. Where does that leave the EMR consultants that heard there’s this amazing need for help with EMR selection and implementation? Not an easy problem to s... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533944 Tue, 04 May 2010 15:06:04 +0100 3533944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490711&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F04%2F16%2Fadvice-to-karen-bell-cchit-head%2F I previously posted about the new head of CCHIT, Karen Bell. Most of you probably know that I’m not a huge fan of CCHIT, but I’ve decided that I’d like to give Dr. Bell some advice for CCHIT. Free consulting. How cool is that? Here we go… If Dr. Bell really wants to solidify CCHIT’s position in the EHR world she’ll find a way to show that the CCHIT EHR certification improves usability, EMR implementation success, reimbursement, etc. CCHIT has some vague terminology about the “assurances” that CCHIT certification provide. Unfortunately, they end up being empty assurances about things that doctors don’t really value. I’d be really impressed to see an independent study done on the EMR implementation success of CCHIT certified EHR ver... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490711 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:47:29 +0100 3490711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3326943&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fend-of-nursing-rise-of-doctorlite.html For Dawn Chapman, going back to school opened new doors in her nursing career: “I’ve had the most exciting last few years as a result of choosing, in my fifties, to get a degree.”After completing her State Registered Nurse (SRN) training in 1971, Dawn went to work and by the 1990s was a ward sister managing a 66-bed unit. At the end of the decade, she changed her job and became a Nurse Practitioner at Cambridge’s Addenbrookes Hospital’s breast unit, training under two consultants and examining symptomatic patients. Her expertise in breast examination was put to good use in reducing waiting times. In preparation for the new role, Dawn attended an A11 breast examination course at London’s City University and this experience, along with the Project 2000 initiative, prompted her to... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3326943 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:41:00 +0100 3326943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311642&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fcelebrate-ibclc-day-on-march-3-2010%2F The 9th annual IBCLC Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. The day recognizes the important role that International Board Certified Lactation Consults play in supporting breastfeeding mothers and babies. The year 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) and the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE) and hence the lactation consultant profession with the theme “IBCLCs: Experience You Can Trust.” ILCA offers free downloadable items, some of which are available to everyone and some only to ILCA members. To honor a lactation consultant in your life, you could buy one of the promotional items in the ICLA store. The New York Times recently ran a timely feature on lactation consultant Freda Rosenfeld... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311642 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:37:54 +0100 3311642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142655&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FGoH2I9Xj3GU%2F As I’ve suggested in my previous posts, I’m planning to do some future blog post analysis of the Meaningful Use Interim Final Rule that was recently released by ONC. However, I can’t help but comment on the amount of legalese (is that even a word) that surrounds these types of regulations. The meaningful use interim final rule (PDF of rule) is 556 pages long. The “Standards & Certification Interim Final Rule: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology” (PDF of rule) otherwise known as the EHR certification requirements is a mere 136 pages. Yep, that’s a full 692 pages. Granted much of it can quickly be ignored (ie. the glossary, background, etc). However, it’s no... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142655 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:56:09 +0100 3142655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899082&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdr-rhonda-savage-on-dentists-financial-policies%2F In this month’s dentaltown.com print edition, DentalBlogs contributor and “great mind” Dr. Rhonda Savage shares her insight into what makes dentists’ financial policies successful. Her practical advice and tips can help you develop a great financial policy that will “keep your patients coming back.” Dr. Savage recommends that the doctor get and stay involved in the accounting of his or her office. The dentist should manage the practice effectively and know which employee to speak with about any patient or issue. This management structure, according to Dr. Savage, will reduce stress and promote professionalism and accountability. Another important issue is your financial guidelines. Dr. Savage points out topics and ideas you may not have yet considered in... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899082 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:37:28 +0100 2899082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890737&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FHwOughndQNk%2F No one asked (well at least not publicly), but I wanted to share my opinions on what EMR vendors should be doing in regards to EHR certification. I guess you could say this is a small sample of the advice I’d offer as an EMR vendor advisor albeit not EMR vendor specific and with less detail. Take it for what it’s worth. If I’m an EMR vendor today, I’d definitely avoid going out and getting either the CCHIT Certified 2011 or the Preliminary ARRA 2011 EHR certifications. One reader of this site emailed me an estimate of $100,000 up front and $9,000 renewal fee per year for the CCHIT certifications they were considering. Certainly it could be less if you just go with the Preliminary ARRA certification, but regardless the cost is quite large. Instead, I’d take a m... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890737 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:25:41 +0100 2890737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828357&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Flina-miles%2Flinda-miles-dr-rhonda-savage-on-dental-benefit-plans%2F TWO SIDES OF THE MANAGEMENT COIN: DENTAL BENEFIT PLANS STAFF’S VIEWPOINT: BY: Linda Miles, CMC DOCTOR’S VIEPOINT: BY: Rhonda Savage, DDS Dental insurance can be a frustrating topic for dentists and dental team members. In this article, we’ll review common concerns from both sides, then present an end-of-the-year insurance benefits template that you can use for your insurance patients. Staff’s Viewpoint “There are just too many insurance plans to keep track of. Why don’t the patients understand their dental benefits?” “I get so weary trying to explain these benefits.” “It is so time-consuming to do pre-authorizations, and 80% of the patients still say ‘no’ to treatment after we wait for weeks to get the responses back. What a waste of time!” “Doc... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828357 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:03:02 +0100 2828357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766164&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Flina-miles%2Flinda-miles-dr-rhonda-savage-on-dental-case-acceptance%2F Verbal Skills on the part of the Doctor and the Team Staff Viewpoint by Linda Miles - Doctor’s Viewpoint by Dr. Rhonda Savage Patients build trust based on how they perceive the dentist. Does he or she treat their employees well? Is the doctor warm, caring and empathetic? Do you have your patient’s best interests at heart? In addition, many dentists have employees who are empathetic and care about their patients, but they have trouble expressing warmth. How many of you have known someone who knows dentistry perfectly but doesn’t understand the human side of case acceptance? Doctor’s Viewpoint: (Rhonda Savage) You may have spent years focusing on the technical side of dentistry and are very knowledgeable about it, yet its warmth and a relationship that our patients need and want. It... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766164 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:32:58 +0100 2766164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757948&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fcranham%2Fcranham-on-important-planning-for-new-and-seasoned-dentists%2F The most important thing young dentists can think about, beyond gaining clinical expertise and good business practices, is a long term financial plan. I use Cain Watters & Associates, which helped my wife and me establish goals for retirement, as well as life insurance and disability insurance. Security for your family must be worked into your budget, as should disability planning. Having a fixed point in time when you can retire or only work because you want to, not because you have to, gives great peace of mind. These things are possible for dentists, and the earlier you start, the better. I began at 34 and just turned 48, and despite highs and lows, I’m still on course to retire or choose at 55. But I can’t imagine quitting at 55! When a seasoned dentist like myself looks toward... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757948 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:41:24 +0100 2757948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2741458&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FHh57XlFxoWI%2F I’m really coming around on this fact. I’m not sure I should, but I am. I’m beginning to realize how big of an impact for good or bad that all this EMR stimulus money can have. Now, don’t get me wrong. I think long term there’s a lot of other benefits to EMR and I think there’s a strong case that can be made for implementing an EMR based on other EMR benefts. However, I’m starting to realize that to a large extent it is about the money. Before the EMR stimulus came to the forefront of the EMR and HIT world, I would often be asked about EMR adoption and the trends that I’d seen in EMR adoption. I’d then start to describe that about 4 years ago when I started blogging about EMR, doctors and practices were asking the question “Should... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2741458 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:16:15 +0100 2741458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734123&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FbkDV7zHG0Cs%2F Ok, I know I should see this coming and just expect it. However, it doesn’t make it any more right or me any more upset that this kind of shady practices occur. Yes, today I received my first notification that some EMR Consultant…errr…should I say Meaningful Use consultant…err…should I say liar…was giving detailed recommendations to a practice on how to meet meaningful use. The sad part is that the practice didn’t know that nothing is final with meaningful use and may not be until middle of 2010 and so they were handing over their money. Looks like I need to add meaningful use consultants to my list of Big Winners from the ARRA EHR stimulus money. Of course, if you’re reading this blog, you’re not likely to be the one being duped. So, t... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734123 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:30:17 +0100 2734123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734157&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fsmart-dentists-overcome-the-recession%2F In “Dentists work on reducing costs” by Arlene Furlong, an article posted on the American Dental Association’s website, we’re told that dentists are making these changes to weather the economic storm: Adding or Adjusting Hours of Operation Adding Services Hiring Associates (for extended hours & services) Do More General Dentistry Cut Overhead Cut Staff Hours Fully Use Assistants & Hygienists Tips from the experts include… Change your hours to three full days rather than four short days. Open the office early – those appointment times always book up! People work 9-5 and don’t want to dip into paid time off (or unpaid) to go to the dentist, so make sure your hours accommodate the working class – the people who have money to spend at your office. Book up empty sched... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734157 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:04:40 +0100 2734157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2724826&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fsay-what-a-little-breastfeeding-humor%2F Ranging from just plain wrong to downright raunchy, lactation consultants (LCs) get called a lot of different names. Some are misguided, some are terms of endearment. These names provide a little breastfeeding humor to augment enhance brighten up your Friday! Name tag photo by Sanja Gjenero Thanks to all the Lactnetters for sharing these substitutes for “Lactation Consultant”: Location consultant (This is probably the most common. One woman was even listed under the real estate section in her local chamber of commerce directory!) Lactitian Lactitionist (as in “nutritionist”?) Lactritionist “The lactose intolerant – I mean the lactose tolerant – oh you know, what you are!” Breast Lady Milk Lady Itty Bitty Titty Committee (now that had to have... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2724826 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:29:54 +0100 2724826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719791&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2009%2F08%2F11%2Fproblem-with-emr-selection-process%2F I read a number of online forums and blogs about EMR. Most of the time I’m amazed at all the smart people that are participating in the discussion of EMR. However, occasionally I come across comments that just make me cringe. Here’s one of those comments about the EMR selection process: Key factors to consider are cost of licensing; maintenance and any other cost of ownership fees; types of service level agreements (SLAs); redundancy/mirror imaging (ability to minimize downtime or restore system in minimal time or an alternative process for business continuity); types of technical environment/architecture required; security and access points; implementation costs (avoid customization or keep them to a minimum whenever possible); maintenance costs for customizations, which vendo... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719791 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:07:56 +0100 2719791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2601972&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fhelpful-skills-of-breastfeeding-counselors%2F Welcome to the Women’s Health Blogfest featuring posts from registered dietitians and lactation professionals. First I want to share how breastfeeding counselors use their unique skills to help support breastfeeding mothers. At the end of this post, watch for links from over 40 participating bloggers! It’s true of nearly any profession. The keys to success are not technical knowledge or even years of experience. As I law student, I was not asked to memorize all the rules of federal, state, and local law. That would be impossible! Instead I was taught how to get at the heart of an issue and how to research and interpret the applicable laws. As a parent, I don’t need a Ph.D. in psychology or years of mothering under my belt. Mainly I need a sympathetic ear and a few resourc... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2601972 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:28 +0100 2601972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580373&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdb-column-two-sides-of-the-management-coin%2F True Teamwork How to bring the staff and doctor(s) together Staff Viewpoint by Linda Miles – Doctor’s Viewpoint by Dr. Rhonda Savage Life would be great, at times, if it weren’t for other people! Yet it is through relationships with others that you’ll often obtain the greatest rewards! Your dental office is where you spend many hours of your life. Getting along and working productively is so important, yet many offices experience stress because team members argue, give each other the silent treatment or allow someone else to do all the work. How well does your team work together? Can you depend on each other? Trust and respect one another? Trust and respect are two essential key elements for a dental office. Staff Viewpoint by Linda Miles: Why do I have to work with her? She’s on... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580373 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:08:23 +0100 2580373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405759&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdb-column-%25e2%2580%2593-two-sides-of-the-management-coin-2%2F No-Shows and Failed Appointments Staff Viewpoint by Linda Miles - Doctor’s Viewpoint by Dr. Rhonda Savage STAFF VIEWPOINT (Linda Miles) The Dental team members in some practices have no idea that their compensation is very closely associated with effective use of the dental chair time during the workday. It is no mystery to me why some practices have 10 wasted chair hours per day (doctors and hygiene), while others have only 2 hours throughout the day, which, in most cases, is normal. In some practices, the staff feels so overwhelmed with busyness that they find themselves secretly hoping for a no-show or failed appointment, which is the ONLY way they can possibly catch up. Some team members remain neutral and are not stressed about it, but often think, “There is nothing I can do ab... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405759 Mon, 11 May 2009 13:18:33 +0100 2405759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2381362&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FyNahKMohJgM%2F Some of you might remember that I relatively recently wrote an article about types of EHR consultants for MDNG magazine. It was a fun article to write. Considering my word limitations, I had to limit it to just a very specific topic. However, I still have a bunch of other commentary on EHR consultants that I plan on posting either on this blog or as an e-book eventually, but I digress. What I thought was pretty cool about MDNG was that they took my article and not only published it online and as the cover story of the magazine, but they also did a podcast of a doctor reading my article on EHR consultants. I love their use of technology in this way. I wish computer voices would improve and then I could easily publish this whole blog as a series of podcasts. Would be pretty cool. Related p... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2381362 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:52:05 +0100 2381362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2320740&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fa-dental-blogs-exclusive-interview-with-dr-paul-homoly%2F Dr. Paul Homoly, CSP, is well known throughout the dental field for his motivating and practical in speaking, consulting, coaching, and writing. He is the only dentist to hold the title Certified Speaking Professional, and through his company, Homoly Communications Institute in Charlotte, NC, he provides many consultative products, as well as on-site and telephone coaching, workshops, and seminars. In this interview, DentalBlogs extracts some invaluable advice on case presentation and setting dental fees - topics that can help you succeed during the economic downturn! DB: Dr. Homoly, tell our readers about your journey from chairside dentist to internationally known speaker. PH: I had been speaking and consulting prior to my retirement from dentistry. I practiced from 1975to 1995. In 1993... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2320740 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:03:26 +0100 2320740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306801&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fbreastfeeding123%2Fcontinuing-education-resource%2F Lactation consultants and medical professionals should bookmark a fantastic resource for finding continuing education opportunities: www.breastfeedingconferences.com. As Pamela K. Murphy prepared for the IBCLC exam, she recognized the need for a one-stop site for health care professionals to access worldwide breastfeeding education opportunities. Graphic by Sachin Ghodke She created a site that lists upcoming breastfeeding education events including conferences and classroom, at-home, and online education courses. Educators can click a button on the site to list events, and those seeking continuing education credits can search the site by state, region or type of continuing education credit. Because the site depends on conference organizers to list their events, the site does not claim to ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306801 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:00:23 +0100 2306801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2288987&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F5RF4gmcjn6k%2F A recent comment asked me what I thought about this person becoming essentially an EMR selection consultant. I started to reply in the comment, but it got so long that I decided that it was worthy of it’s own post. Plus, then all the EMR and HIPAA readers can provide other counsel and advice in the comments which will probably be even more valuable than what I have to offer. Considering so many people are losing jobs and searching for new emr jobs (no, I wasn’t paid for that link, but I was paid for the EMR Jobs ad on this page), I think this post is timely. So, the follow is my advice to Jim about becoming an EMR selection consultant. Jim, I think there are a lot of doctors that could use this type of service. There are 4 things I think our worth mentioning to you. 1. Are doct... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2288987 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:34:03 +0100 2288987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2259658&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdb-column-%25e2%2580%2593-two-sides-of-the-management-coin%2F Numbers and Overhead Staff Viewpoint by Linda Miles - Doctor’s Viewpoint by Dr. Rhonda Savage Knowing the numbers and overhead control in a dental office is important for both the staff and dentist. To control overhead, the staff must be aware of the numbers. Oftentimes dentists hesitate to share financial information with the team because of confidentiality concerns. However, if your team is capable of patient privacy, they are likewise capable of keeping the business information about your practice under wraps. You will be amazed how sharing the information can empower your team to work together for the greater benefit of the dental practice. STAFF VIEWPOINT (Linda Miles) We’ve all heard the phrase, “what gets measured improves.” “Why then does our doctor not want to share pra... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2259658 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:05:19 +0100 2259658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2234037&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FWPMvDueuZ08%2F Tags: IBCLC, IBCLC Day, IBCLC Day 2009, international board certified lactation consultant, lactation-consultantShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2234037 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:23:20 +0100 2234037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2224525&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D612 John Lynn at EMR and HIPAA wrote a great article about choosing EHR/EMR Consultants: Does Your EHR Consultant Have Your Best Interest in Mind? I believe people who are thinking about choosing a consultant, should take a couple of moments to read it. One of the reasons I love this article is because it re-affirms a conscious choice Ben & I chose with TempDev: not to be involved in the selection process. We are both very comfortable with NextGen and while we know other EHRs we would be completely biased towards one EHR. For this reason, we decided it wouldn’t be ethical for our company to be involved in selection. One selection and contracts are signed our company can bring vendor relationships to the client to help them with thorough implementation and optimization experience. We ... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2224525 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:07:44 +0100 2224525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216452&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FjasomQbcoWo%2F I mentioned previously that I was working on an article about EHR consultants. I wanted to sincerely thank all those people who commented on EHR consultants and sent me feedback on things I should include in my article. As you’ll see, I used a lot of the feedback that you gave me to form the article. That’s really the power of the internet to bring a bunch of bright people together to create something of far greater value than I could have created on my own. Thank you for your feedback. I’m told the Magazine has been sent to the presses and those of you who get MDNG magazine will see my article soon (hopefully someone will get one to me). The cool thing is that my article is the cover story for the February issue of MDNG. For those that don’t want to wait for the ma... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216452 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:47:59 +0100 2216452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2206854&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FlOYv4dUcGW4%2F International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Day 2009 is Wednesday, March 4, 2009. The theme for the 7th annual celebration is “IBCLCs: Beyond Borders,” which recognizes the work done by IBCLCs around the world. Take the fun IBCLC Trivia Quiz to find out just how many IBCLC’s there are in how many nations around the world! I scored a whopping four out of eight correct and learned some interesting facts. :) Are you planning or attending an IBCLC Day event? Leave a comment! Tags: IBCLC, IBCLC Day 2009, international board certified lactation consultant, lactation-consultantShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2206854 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 08:32:59 +0100 2206854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182644&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F538437771%2Fmoral-distress.html When Doctors and Nurses Can’t Do the Right ThingThe writer, a physician, Pauline W. Chen, M.D, describes her experiences of witnessing what an ethics consultant she knew called “moral distress.” The ethics consultant, also a medical doctor, stated that this was a growing concern at her hospital. Moral distress is the feeling of being trapped by competing demands from bureaucracy, family, and professional peers that forces doctors and nurses to compromise their commitment to what is best for patients.Dr. Chen described a scenario that involved a very talented nurse who possessed tremendous perspicacity regarding clinical situations. She noticed over the years, however, that this nurse’s communication style devolved from sharp insight to vague non-commitment when communicating with d... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182644 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:15:43 +0100 2182644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144462&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fkeeping-you-plugged-in-adapting-to-change%2F Dr. Larry Emmott is a technology consultant for dentists. He has seen many practices make the leap to high tech, both in the front and back office. Dr. Emmott says, “The changes are not revolutionary, but evolutionary.” Making a dramatic transition involves training, practicing, and getting the whole team on board. How can you keep your dental team from dragging your dream of hi tech down? Motivate: If your team is not on board with the change, your new venture is doomed. Prepare your team for the new technology before you bring it into the office. Explain how the time and money you invest in learning new systems now will pay off with big returns in the future. The office will run more smoothly, which means everyone’s job – as will practice growth - will be easier. Focu... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144462 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:30:34 +0100 2144462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2115514&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Flarry-emmott%2Fdb-keeping-you-plugged-in-how-to-effectively-add-new-dental-software-to-your-practice%2F You’ve found the perfect software for the office, and you’re pumped. This could revolutionize your practice! Before you get too far into your daydream of perfect communication, a full schedule, and a happy, thankful staff who adores you, consider six essential elements that will be imperative to the success of your software. 1) USE - How to open the software, find a patient, and find procedures or appointments 2) CHARTING - How to enter treatment, create treatment plans, enter procedure notes, link to diagnostic aids 3) FINANCE - How to make an estimate, submit insurance claims, bill, and enter payments 4) SCHEDULING - How to create and locate appointments 5) COMMUNICATION - maintaining patient contact and insurance information; sending correspondence for insurance, recall, c... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2115514 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:38:38 +0100 2115514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1930171&cid=t_167352_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdentists-shouldnt-twiddle-thumbs-in-economic-slowdown%2F There’s always room for improvement. At DentalProductsReport.com this month, Ginny Hegarty, a consultant, speaker, and coach - and president of Dental Practice Development. Inc. - offers wise advice for dentists. She recommends the philosophy that “Simple Works.” By getting back to basics and working from the foundation up, you can use the time during this economical slowdown to crank up your team’s habits and stake a claim on the road to excellence. It’s always a good idea to… Implement a scheduling plan that allows sufficient time for new patients AND allows you to meet your goals Offer payment options that provide fair, flexible financing solutions WITHOUT risking your practice’s finances Evaluate your case acceptance ratio and work o... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1930171 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:02:04 +0100 1930171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730792&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FUcm0SmVdUsA%2F As students young and old head off to school this September, we’re calling for Carnival of Breastfeeding submissions related to the subject of Learning about Breastfeeding. Potential subjects include: - Books on breastfeeding - Taking a breastfeeding class during pregnancy - Training to become a breastfeeding peer counselor, La Leche League Leader, or lactation consultant - Attending a breastfeeding support group - Breastfeeding education in the schools: elementary school, high school, nursing school, or medical school - A person who taught you about breastfeeding by her example or by being of support to you. If you would like to submit your own post on Learning about Breastfeeding, email me your submission by September 15, 2008, for consideration for the carnival on September 22, 2... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730792 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:52:37 +0100 1730792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1554593&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F322833860%2F According to The Breastfeeding Answer Book, a paladai is a feeding device used traditionally in India. It is a “low bowl with a spout, shaped like ‘Aladdin’s lamp.’” It has advantages over cup feeding in that it helps babies take a higher volume of milk in the least amount of time, and it reduces milk spillage. Counseling the Nursing Mother: A Lactation Consultant’s Guide mentions this supplemental feeding technique: The paladai — a cup feeding device — has been used to feed babies in India for many years. It is gaining recognition in the Western world as a helpful lactation device (Sideman, 1999). If you are unsure about a cultural practice, do not hesitate to ask your client. Most families are receptive to explaining cultural practices to p... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554593 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:53:23 +0100 1554593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344719&cid=t_167352_158_f&fid=36160&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeinstitute.com%2Fcaregivingminutes%2F%3Fp%3D52 www.popeinstitute.com When speaking to families about my being an elder care specialist and aging in place consultant, they always marvel at the availability of such a resource and thank me for my commitment to advocating for seniors and their families. Families I work with are always grateful to know that I am there to help them find solutions and manage the challenges that come with caring for a sick, disabled, or elderly loved one. I wish I could tell you that Pope Institute is the only elder care company around. I wish I could tell you I work with millions of families each year (imagine the improvements in quality of care if that were the case). I wish I could tell you that your family is the exception and you will never need an impartial elder care specialist to help you mana... CaregivingMinutes™ by Pope Institute blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344719 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:08:32 +0100 1344719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1306522&cid=t_167352_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F03%2F16%2Feffective-therapy-requires-collaboration-between-therapist-and-patient%2F This article points out that while leaving one therapist for another is always an option, it may be discouraging to have to start over with a new therapist, especially if a significant amount of time has been put in to establish the patient/therapist relationship, so it’s best to try and reconcile the communication problems rather than start all over with another therapist. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1306522 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:39:50 +0100 1306522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237801&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F236577509%2F The sixth annual IBCLC Day is March 5, 2008. It’s a special day to promote the credential for internationally board certified lactation consultants, educate the community, and celebrate! For more information and free downloadable materials, visit the IBCLC Day page from the International Lactation Consultant Association. Tags: breastfeeding, IBCLC, IBCLC Day, lactation, lactation-consultantShare This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237801 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:02:30 +0100 1237801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177930&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F223101939%2F A new breastfeeding book debuts next week. The ABCs of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience is written by neonatal nurse practitioner and internationally board certified lactation consultant Stacey H. Rubin. The website for the book offers a sample chapter on “The Signals That Will Let You Know When to Feed Your Baby”. The book appears to have an easy-to-read style peppered with stories and examples from the author’s interaction with her clients. I found myself nodding in agreement with the Rubin’s recommendations. How nice to read the following passage: Libraryjournal.com reviewer Rebecca Raszewski also enjoyed Rubin’s stories, saying: Her fascinating client stories, interweaved throughout, effectively illustrate the i... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177930 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:48:13 +0100 1177930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1162477&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2008%2F01%2F19%2Fbenefits-of-using-an-emrehr-consultant-improved-clinical-buy-in%2F Part five of our five part series on the benefits of an EMR or EHR consultant is improved clinical buy-in. Improved Clinical Buy-In Hiring a proven EMR consultant alleviates fear and increases clinical buy in. However, more importantly, EMR consultants are able to provide a clinic the tools needed to show an EMR implementation’s ROI. EMR consultants should do a comprehensive analysis to show how an EMR implementation will reduce costs, increase revenues, and better care for patients. Quantifying the potential returns on an EMR investment generates significant buy in at all levels of a clinical organization. See other parts of Benefits of using an EMR/EHR Consultant: Benefits of Using an EMR/EHR Consultant - Selection Process Benefits of Using an EMR/EHR Consultant - EMR Training Bene... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1162477 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:32:17 +0100 1162477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1161993&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2008%2F01%2F18%2Fbenefits-of-using-an-emrehr-consultant-comprehensive-technology-support%2F Part four of our five part series on the benefits of an EMR or EHR consultant is comprehensive technology support. Comprehensive Technology Support By providing a comprehensive set of technology support, a technical EMR consultant can alleviate doctor’s concern over the implementation of new technology. An EMR consultant’s proven track record of implementing these health care related technologies in doctors’ offices allows them to do it in a robust, efficient, and cost effective manner. Doctors save time searching through the numerous technology choices because EMR consultants can point them to the best brand of technology or even to technologies the doctor didn’t know existed. See other parts of “Benefits of using an EMR/EHR Consultant: Benefits of Using an E... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1161993 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:17:45 +0100 1161993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1155761&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2008%2F01%2F16%2Fbenefits-of-using-an-emrehr-consultant-clinical-process-mapping%2F Part three of our five part series on the benefits of an EMR or EHR consultant is clinical process mapping. Clinical Process Mapping One of the hardest things for a doctor new to EMR to do is see how their current clinical processes will work electronically in an EMR. To alleviate this fear, EMR consultants can first map out a doctor’s clinical processes. They can then use their experience with other EMR implementations and show how current clinical processes will be done using an EMR. This will save doctors a lot of time mapping out these processes. It also provides a clear understanding of what a doctor’s clinic will look like electronically. However, the most important part of this process is that it provides a way to find problems that may occur with an EMR before you&#8217... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1155761 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:13:16 +0100 1155761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146113&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2008%2F01%2F12%2Fbenefits-of-using-an-emrehr-consultant-emr-training%2F Part two of our five part series on the benefits of an EMR or EHR consultant is EMR Training. EMR Training Using an EMR consultant’s experience in successful EMR implementations, they have a strong ability to train doctors on EMR and other related technologies. Some of this training occurs in an initial meeting where they discuss challenges related to EMR selection and implementation. EMR consultants also provide ongoing training on how to best use their EMR in their clinic. Furthermore, EMR consultants can train clinical staff on using the various technologies associated with using an EMR. See other parts of “Benefits of using an EMR/EHR Consultant: Benefits of Using an EMR/EHR Consultant - Selection Process (Source: EMR and HIPAA) EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146113 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:54:33 +0100 1146113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146114&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2008%2F01%2F11%2Fbenefits-of-using-an-emrehr-consultant-selection-process%2F A while back I wrote something about why having an EMR or EHR consultant could be beneficial to a doctor looking to implement an EHR. Here’s the first part of a five part series on reasons why I think a well qualified, experienced EMR or EHR consultant is valuable. The first part is how an EMR or EHR consultant helps with the selection process. EHR Selection Process By first evaluating a doctor’s needs and preferences EHR consultants are able to eliminate a majority of the EHR companies and provide doctors with a short list of high quality EHR vendors to evaluate. By providing a smaller pool of EHR vendors, doctors are more comfortable with the selection process and don’t get discouraged seeing hundreds of EHR vendors that don’t meet their needs. EHR consultants als... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146114 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:59:53 +0100 1146114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1124505&cid=t_167352_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2F209489789%2F Medela put together a video in honor of the field of lactation consultants. Lactation consultants who need a pick-me-up, or candidates striving to become lactation consultants, could get a lot of affirmation and inspiration from this thoughtful tribute. Watch “One Mother at a Time” (click on your choice of media player: QuickTime or Flash). Share This (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1124505 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:42:11 +0100 1124505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1012272&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F11%2F07%2Ffree-emr-by-medicare%2F I’ve been working with John Deutsch of EMR Experts, Inc. and I invited him to be a guest blogger on my blog. Here’s an article John sent me about the Free Vista EMR offered by the government. While I think the news about Vista being free came out about 2.5 years ago, the information about adopting it is still VERY relevant. Probably because the EMR adoption level is so low. Enjoy John’s take on the government’s “Free EMR.” Is anything ever free these days? Maybe so. Instigated by the incredibly slow adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) by doctors across the nation, Medicare is announcing it will begin offering doctors free electronic medical record software solutions. Both upfront and ongoing costs have been critical factors in the lagging EMR a... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1012272 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:24:15 +0100 1012272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=974091&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F10%2F23%2Femr-software-selection-websites%2F I get quite a few emails from people that are interested in having me write something about their company or website. I always welcome those emails as long as they are not spam to hundreds of websites. I must get 100s of emails asking me to buy lists of doctors. Do they really think if they keep sending me spam emails that I’ll finally change my mind and buy one of their lists. Never. I already have thousands of doctors reading my blog. I don’t need some snail mail method of communicating with doctors. I digress, but my point is that if someone wants to contact me, then they better use something that doesn’t look like spam and looks like they took time to look at my website. Once such email did just that. I could tell it was more than the average spam. How many other peop... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=974091 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:46:13 +0100 974091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=861593&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F09%2F10%2Femrs-compared-to-cars%2F When I was replying to a comment made on my previous post, I came up with an analogy that was so good that I decided to make it into a post. Here’s what some people might say about an EMR: An EMR isn’t nearly as good as a paper chart, because I can’t draw my cute male and female symbols. (*This was an actual quote from someone I worked with) Hearing something like the above made me think of this analogous statement: A car isn’t as good as a horse, because a horse can go into tight places. Of course we could come up with a number of reasons why a paper chart is better than an EMR. However, the same could be said about why having a horse was better than having a car. However, no one is wishing that we were riding horses around instead of cars. There are pros and cons to e... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=861593 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:54:01 +0100 861593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=789134&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F08%2F08%2Fmy-theory-of-5-emr-systems%2F I personally have a theory on doctors selecting an EMR system. I call it “My Theory of 5.” It goes like this. I believe that after a short discussion with a doctor’s office, I could give them a list of 5 EMR systems to evaluate. My guarantee is that Any of the 5 suggested systems can work for their doctor’s office. Furthermore, I also guarantee that every one of those 5 EMR systems will cause them a certain number of headaches and challenges. However, in the end if they are willing to adapt and learn the new system, they will be happy they decided to use an EMR. It’s a pretty simple system that I’ve only used one time. That’s why I call it a theory. It worked well for the doctor that used it. I gave him a list of 5 systems to evaluate. We talked a ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=789134 Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:17:47 +0100 789134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=777539&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F08%2F03%2Fdetermining-proper-electronic-check-in-forms%2F As I pointed out in my previous post on patients filling out forms electronically, it is absolutely essential that your EMR software supports a robust set of preferences for determining which forms a patient should fill out. Let’s take three example forms to illustrate most of the needed options: HIPAA privacy form, Health History form, Consent for Pap Smear. All of these forms need to be filled out in different intervals. HIPAA Privacy Form I think that in most cases, the HIPAA privacy form is something that just has to be filled out one time. Once I’ve filled it out, then I don’t want to have to ever see that form again. What does this mean for the EMR self check in kiosk? That means the computer has to check my account and know if that form has been filled out already ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=777539 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 19:48:32 +0100 777539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=776050&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F08%2F02%2Fself-check-in-patients-electronic-paperwork%2F It looks like my previous post about Digital Signatures in an EMR drew quite a bit of interest looking at the stats. Really this isn’t surprising. How long have we been signing things electronically at Walmart. Longer than I can remember honestly. Sure, Walmart is worth billions of dollars, but the technology isn’t that expensive. The real advantage that Walmart has is a great legal team. Setting the legal items aside, the technology of a digital signature is not rocket science by any means. In fact, it’s the legal questions that are harder mostly because there just hasn’t been much case law that has dealt with it. Just as a thought, I would highly suggest that whoever reads about this talks with a good legal team before implementing it. Of course, reading the comme... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=776050 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 06:14:10 +0100 776050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=734429&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Fan-emr-documentation-wiki%2F I’ve previously talked about having a HIPAA wiki for your offices HIPAA documentation. I still think that’s genius. However, I’ve extended that idea a lot more into having an offices internal documentation, policies and procedures and any other documentation on a wiki. It just makes sense. It’s the best way to keep things updated and accessible. No, those pile of word documents that people can search isn’t even close to as powerful as a wiki. Even if you have version control and use sharepoint. Today I started thinking about how every EMR vendor should have an EMR documentation wiki for their software. I know my EMR vendor gave us a manual that was outdated before it could be printed. A paper based manual for EMR should not be useful for you. If it is, then yo... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=734429 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 03:25:31 +0100 734429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=622958&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2007%2F05%2F17%2Fquestions-to-ask-during-an-emr-site-visit%2F There are a ton of questions that you should ask when doing an EMR site visit. Yes, I’m not going to even address that you should do a site visit. If you don’t think you should, then just plan on your EMR implementation to fail. Ok, that might be a small exaggeration, but not by much. A site visit to see the EMR software working and to ask questions from actual users of the system should be an essential part of any EMR selection process. Here’s a few questions you might want to ask when you’re doing an EMR site visit (Thanks Elsie): * Was the amount and quality of training sufficient? * How did you go about minimizing productivity loss during implementation? * Are interfaces with lab, PMS, etc. functioning to your expectations? * Where there any unexpected costs? ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=622958 Fri, 18 May 2007 06:50:03 +0100 622958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=610989&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2007%2F05%2F08%2Fshort-list-of-emr-benefits%2F In my business plan I made a short list of benefits that can come from implementing an EMR. • Avoid Medical Mistakes – there have been 44,000-98,000 deaths due to medical errors • Reduce Costs – An EMR significantly reduces and often eliminates transcription and medical records costs • Increases Revenue – Complete and proper documentation with an EMR can allow doctors to charge insurance companies a higher rate while avoiding liability • Precise Medical Record – An EMR makes a record more legible, accessible and consistent • Meet Standards – An EMR is required for some accreditation standards and helps meet legal and regulatory requirements • Improve Efficiency – Being able to share and access patient data quickly from any location improves the clinical workflow an... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=610989 Wed, 09 May 2007 02:41:03 +0100 610989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=547070&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2007%2F04%2F16%2Fquoted-in-an-article-on-emr-consulting%2F I want to thank Selena Chavis for writing a good article on EMR consulting in For the Record Magazine. It was interesting to see how she would integrate the things I told her into an article. The other gentleman in the article made some good points. Here’s one interesting point: Bryson acknowledges that he has witnessed a reluctance on the part of physicians to pay for outside consulting services. “Everything [in the EMR process] is so cost-prohibitive right now. I hear physicians say, ‘I don’t really want to pay these guys $10,000 to do this—I’ll do it myself,’” he says, adding a warning that without knowledge of the inner workings of the technology field, expensive errors can be made. “For them to make the right decision is paramount. There are monies to be saved b... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=547070 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:26:47 +0100 547070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=506549&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2007%2F03%2F27%2Fmy-emr-consulting-business-plan%2F I know I’ve talked about being an EMR consultant, but now I’ve taken some really serious steps to doing EMR consulting full time. Last week I submitted a business plan to the Nevada Governor’s Cup. It’s a pretty exciting competition. Unfortunately, I have to wait until April 3rd to find out if I make the finals. There is $100,000 in prize money at stake so you can imagine I’m pretty nervous about making the finals. I think I did a pretty good job of showing how the EMR consulting business can be scalable. However, I’m not sure that the judges will understand how important and essential regular windows update, antivirus and adware spyware scans are to a doctor’s office. Add in backup verification and you pretty much have a lock with a doctors office... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=506549 Wed, 28 Mar 2007 05:50:05 +0100 506549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=462357&cid=t_167352_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Fadministrator%2F2007%2F02%2F21%2Fpreliminary-questions-for-an-emr-vendor%2F In my recent post about EMR site visits, I got a comment from prakash about what questions a doctor should ask an EMR vendor. He gave me the following list of preliminary questions: What is the cost per physician license? Do you have any existing clients in our specialty? Does your system come pre-loaded with templates for my specialty? Is your company the developers of the software or is it re-branded from another vendor? Is your system client/server based or ASP based? Does your system include practice management software? How many clients does your company have? Is your system HL7 compliant? How long has your company been in business? Is your development done overseas? Is support done overseas? Is your software CCHIT certified? If not, why? How often is the software updated? I don&#8... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=462357 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 02:56:45 +0100 462357