 
 
The Meaningful Use Workgroup of ONC’s Health IT Policy Committee plans functionality goals for MU Stage 3. ONC releases “Certification Guidance for EHR Technology Developers Serving Health Care Providers Ineligible for Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Payments,” designed to help developers of EHRs for providers who don’t usually fall under HITECH (mental and behavioral health, non-acute care settings) design systems that are interoperable with HITECH-influenced EHRs. Innovation and Research
A study published in JAMA finds that implementation of EHRs  Kaiser Permanente Northern California in 2004-2009 was associated with a slight but statistically significant reduction in ED visits (519 vs. 490 visits per 1,000 patients) and hospitalizations (251 vs. 239 per 1,000 patients) for diabetic patients. Office visit rates exhibited no association. Another JAMA published study finds that EHR-powered small practices produced slightly better outcomes working under a pay-for-performance program. Mike Wasser creates the very cool BloomAPI v 0.1.0, a free self-hostable API that queries the automatically updated latest version of the National Provider Identifier database. It also supports simple and complex online queries. You’ll be interested if you want to look up doctors in real time by name, ZIP Code, address, or NPI. Brian Norris (@Geek_Nurse) follows up his Tableau-powered MU attestation slicer and dicer with one on data breaches. He seems to enjoy tearing into large, publicly available data sets to provide new insights and the results are cool, so he might accept suggestions (that’s where the breach idea came from). A keyword-based search of online help wanted ads finds that healthcare IT-related job postings have increased by 86 percent since HITECH passed. Southern Polytechnic State University in Atlanta will host the CDC Health Game Jam September 20-22, challenging entrants to quickly produce games that address CDC’s health priorities, such as disease prevention and healthy lifestyles. Technology
The European Patent Office will grant PeriGen a patent that covers specialized techniques for displaying patient data to help OBs recognize trends and deviations from normal conditions. Streamline Health Solutions releases its dual coding enhancement for the eCAC and eAbstract applications that allows users to assign ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes simultaneously. Other
A HIMSS Analytics survey on clinical and business intelligence finds that only 9 percent of respondents plan to buy a dedicated solution that integrates with their EHR, but among those who do, Truven, Elsevier, and Cognos, all of which significantly trail buying whatever their EHR vendor offers. A debt collection agency that previously worked for the University of Chicago Physicians Group announces that an incorrect security setting on its Web server opened up information about 1,344 still-active claims to anyone who happened to find it. The problem was reported by a debtor who noticed that they could see the information of other debtors. Hospital bond ratings may suffer from the costs and problems introduced by an Epic implementation, but the bonds of Dane County, WI (home of Epic) enjoy a AA+ rating from Fitch because of Epic’s employee growth. Speaking of Fitch bond ratings, Mary Washington Healthcare (VA) gets a low rating and downgrade after a $28 million profitability hit in FY2012 due to a billing systems conversion and another $2 million drain due to CPOE implementation, causing the hospital to write off $25 million. I believe both systems are Siemens Soarian. Weird News Andy wonders what the funniest or most interesting things providers have experienced from their patients as in this story , where a man coming out from surgical anesthesia notices a woman next to his bed and says, “Man, you are eye candy. Whoa. You may be the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. Are you a model?” When reminded that the eye candy in question was in fact his wife of six years, he exclaimed, “"Oh my God, I hit the jackpot.”
Sponsor Updates
Capario announces it is ready to begin ICD-10 testing and offers customers an online ICD-10 submitter testing tool at no charge. Aprima Medical integrates NoteSwift into its EHR system. A Forbes article on the use of IT to advance the delivery of healthcare highlights QPID Health, which it calls a “promising startup software development firm.”
Convergent Revenue Cycle Management will offer RCM solutions to Siemens customers. HIMSS Analytics reports that Imprivata OneSign is the most widely selected SSO solution among hospitals using EpicCare. ZirMed will offer tools to help providers transition to ICD-10. ATT offers a white paper discussing how providers can use a collaborative care approach to earn incentives and prepare for accountable care. Sumit K. Nagpal, president and CEO of Alere Accountable Care Solutions, shares his thoughts on how the use of technology can improve patient outcomes. Etransmedia CEO Vikram Agrawal discusses the lack of access to qualified programmers. Greenway Medical adopts the EHR Developer Code of Conduct issued by the HIMSS EHR Association. Divurgent posts tips for go-live personnel on how to make the most of relationships with recruiters. HIStalk sponsors listed on the 2013 InformationWeek Top 500 include: ATT, CommVault, Emdeon, Informatica, InterSystems, McKesson, MModal, NTT Data,  TriZetto and Xerox. The CSI Companies acquires IT staffing firm Anteo Group. The GE Foundation awards The Guideline Advantage an $880,000 grant to provide 12 FQHCs with quality improvement technology from Forward Health. Billian’s HealthDATA hosts an #HITchicks tweet chat September 19 to discuss four gender-related HIT topics. Nuance partners with Hyland Software to enable eCopy ShareScan to scan directly into Hyland’s OnBase EMC system. Benson Area Medical Center (NC) reports that it has reduced IT costs and improved security of patient data by utilizing the e-MDs EHR software within the ClearDATA HealthDATA cloud platform. Contacts


News 9/11/13 |  HISTalk

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Morning Headlines 9/11/13 |  HISTalk

HealthStream Acquires Baptist Leadership Group, Enhancing its Patient      Experience Solution for Healthcare Providers
September 09, 2013 04:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--HealthStream, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSTM), a leading provider of talent      management and research solutions for the healthcare industry, today      announced that its Patient Experience Solution has been enhanced through      the acquisition of Baptist Leadership Group (BLG), a consulting practice      owned by Pensacola, Florida-based Baptist Health Care. HealthStream      gains a comprehensive suite of assessment tools and training curricula,      along with a staff of experienced coaches and experts—all focused on      patient-centered performance excellence in healthcare. “In the era of pay-for-performance, quality is the number one issue      facing healthcare—and our individualized coaching and innovative tools      have been supporting many of the nation’s top health systems achieve      performance excellence for over a decade,” said BLG’s President Emeritus & former CEO of Baptist Health Care, Al Stubblefield. “We share      HealthStream’s long-standing vision to improve the quality of healthcare      as our mission has always been to ‘help healthcare organizations improve      the quality of the patient experience.’ We are excited that our clients      will benefit from expanded opportunities as part of HealthStream as our      BLG team continues to provide the same outstanding service.”
The CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems)      surveys and the potential financial impact of value-based purchasing      have elevated the patient experience to one of the most pressing issues      currently facing healthcare organizations. For hospitals and health      systems, CMS requires the submission of data for a series of quality      measures—which include the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of      Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey—that are then used to impact      the amount of reimbursements, which can also include financial penalties      for underperformance. Since the HCAHPS survey solicits feedback from      patients regarding their stay in a hospital, efforts by caregivers to      ensure that patients’ experiences are positive have taken on added      importance. To support hospitals in improving their patients’ experiences,      HealthStream has developed a unique approach with its Patient Experience      Solution that focuses on improving the skills and competencies of      care-givers as well as providing insightful analytics from its deep      database of healthcare organizations across the industry. As a      CMS-certified HCAHPS provider, HealthStream delivers innovative      benchmarking reports and a corresponding mobile application that      organizations can use to compare their patient feedback relative to      others. To further assist healthcare organizations in understanding how      to improve their patients’ experience, HealthStream offers an innovative      training curriculum and courseware for hospital employees. The      acquisition of BLG expands HealthStream’s solution set to further assist      organizations in improving their performance and, in turn, improving      their HCAHPS scores. BLG utilizes evidence-based tools, tactics, and      best practices that were pioneered and successfully “road-tested” at      Baptist Health Care, a nationally known leader in performance excellence      in healthcare. Founded in 2000, BLG has a diverse array of products and services used      by hospitals and health systems throughout the U.S. Some of BLG’s      offerings include a Leader Performance System™, a web-based system to      help healthcare organizations implement a goal-setting and evaluation      process that aligns individual leader goals with the annual goals of the      organization and Daily Line-Up™, a web-based employee communication      system. Some of their training materials include RELATE™, an online      course for improving patient communication, Vital Conversations™, a      performance management tool that teaches healthcare leaders how to      retain, develop, and discipline staff members, and Purposeful Rounding™,      a performance management tool that teaches healthcare leaders how to      engage employees and retain their top performers. Overall, BLG provides      healthcare organizations with a comprehensive roadmap that includes      high-impact products, services, and coaching to craft a strategy that      drives performance. “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Baptist Leadership Group’s      clients and employees to HealthStream,” said Robert A. Frist, Jr., Chief      Executive Officer, HealthStream. “We are excited to add BLG’s impressive      products and services to our patient experience solution as we work      together to help healthcare organizations attain patient-centered      performance excellence. BLG adds an important component to our overall      strategy for our patient experience solution as we believe that      improving the quality of patient care and, in turn, patient experience      is linked to supporting the people who deliver care.”
Terms of transaction:
HealthStream purchased substantially all of the assets of Baptist      Leadership Group for approximately $8.5 million, subject to a working      capital adjustment, where $8,000,000 was paid in cash and $500,000 was paid in HealthStream’s common stock. About HealthStream
HealthStream (NASDAQ: HSTM) is dedicated to improving patient outcomes      through the development of healthcare organizations’ greatest asset:      their people. Our unified suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS)      solutions are used by, collectively, approximately 3.3 million      healthcare employees in the U.S. for training & learning management,      talent management, performance assessment, and managing simulation-based      education programs. Our research solutions provide valuable insight to      healthcare providers to meet HCAHPS requirements, engage their      workforce, and enhance physician alignment. Based in Nashville,      Tennessee, HealthStream has additional offices in Laurel, Maryland,      Austin, Texas, and Brentwood, Tennessee. For more information, visit http://www.healthstream.com or call 800-933-9293. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve      risks and uncertainties regarding HealthStream. Investors are      cautioned that such results or events predicted in these statements may      differ materially from actual future events or results. This information      has been, or in the future may be, included in reliance on the “safe      harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of      1995. Investors are cautioned that such results or events predicted in      these statements may differ materially from actual future events or      results. The Company’s preliminary financial results, while presented      with numerical specificity, are forward-looking statements which are      based on a variety of assumptions regarding the Company’s operating      performance that may not be realized, and which are subject to      significant uncertainties and potential contingencies associated with      the Company’s financial and accounting procedures and other matters      referenced from time to time in the Company’s filings with the      Securities and Exchange Commission. Consequently, such forward-looking      information should not be regarded as a representation or warranty by      the Company that such projections will be realized. Contacts


HealthStream Acquires Baptist Leadership Group, Enhancing its Patient Experience Solution for Healthcare Providers

HealthStream Acquires Baptist Leadership Group, Enhancing its Patient      Experience Solution for Healthcare Providers
September 09, 2013 04:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--HealthStream, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSTM), a leading provider of talent      management and research solutions for the healthcare industry, today      announced that its Patient Experience Solution has been enhanced through      the acquisition of Baptist Leadership Group (BLG), a consulting practice      owned by Pensacola, Florida-based Baptist Health Care. HealthStream      gains a comprehensive suite of assessment tools and training curricula,      along with a staff of experienced coaches and experts—all focused on      patient-centered performance excellence in healthcare. “In the era of pay-for-performance, quality is the number one issue      facing healthcare—and our individualized coaching and innovative tools      have been supporting many of the nation’s top health systems achieve      performance excellence for over a decade,” said BLG’s President Emeritus & former CEO of Baptist Health Care, Al Stubblefield. “We share      HealthStream’s long-standing vision to improve the quality of healthcare      as our mission has always been to ‘help healthcare organizations improve      the quality of the patient experience.’ We are excited that our clients      will benefit from expanded opportunities as part of HealthStream as our      BLG team continues to provide the same outstanding service.”
The CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems)      surveys and the potential financial impact of value-based purchasing      have elevated the patient experience to one of the most pressing issues      currently facing healthcare organizations. For hospitals and health      systems, CMS requires the submission of data for a series of quality      measures—which include the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of      Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey—that are then used to impact      the amount of reimbursements, which can also include financial penalties      for underperformance. Since the HCAHPS survey solicits feedback from      patients regarding their stay in a hospital, efforts by caregivers to      ensure that patients’ experiences are positive have taken on added      importance. To support hospitals in improving their patients’ experiences,      HealthStream has developed a unique approach with its Patient Experience      Solution that focuses on improving the skills and competencies of      care-givers as well as providing insightful analytics from its deep      database of healthcare organizations across the industry. As a      CMS-certified HCAHPS provider, HealthStream delivers innovative      benchmarking reports and a corresponding mobile application that      organizations can use to compare their patient feedback relative to      others. To further assist healthcare organizations in understanding how      to improve their patients’ experience, HealthStream offers an innovative      training curriculum and courseware for hospital employees. The      acquisition of BLG expands HealthStream’s solution set to further assist      organizations in improving their performance and, in turn, improving      their HCAHPS scores. BLG utilizes evidence-based tools, tactics, and      best practices that were pioneered and successfully “road-tested” at      Baptist Health Care, a nationally known leader in performance excellence      in healthcare. Founded in 2000, BLG has a diverse array of products and services used      by hospitals and health systems throughout the U.S. Some of BLG’s      offerings include a Leader Performance System™, a web-based system to      help healthcare organizations implement a goal-setting and evaluation      process that aligns individual leader goals with the annual goals of the      organization and Daily Line-Up™, a web-based employee communication      system. Some of their training materials include RELATE™, an online      course for improving patient communication, Vital Conversations™, a      performance management tool that teaches healthcare leaders how to      retain, develop, and discipline staff members, and Purposeful Rounding™,      a performance management tool that teaches healthcare leaders how to      engage employees and retain their top performers. Overall, BLG provides      healthcare organizations with a comprehensive roadmap that includes      high-impact products, services, and coaching to craft a strategy that      drives performance. “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Baptist Leadership Group’s      clients and employees to HealthStream,” said Robert A. Frist, Jr., Chief      Executive Officer, HealthStream. “We are excited to add BLG’s impressive      products and services to our patient experience solution as we work      together to help healthcare organizations attain patient-centered      performance excellence. BLG adds an important component to our overall      strategy for our patient experience solution as we believe that      improving the quality of patient care and, in turn, patient experience      is linked to supporting the people who deliver care.”
Terms of transaction:
HealthStream purchased substantially all of the assets of Baptist      Leadership Group for approximately $8.5 million, subject to a working      capital adjustment, where $8,000,000 was paid in cash and $500,000 was      paid in HealthStream’s common stock. About HealthStream
HealthStream (NASDAQ: HSTM) is dedicated to improving patient outcomes      through the development of healthcare organizations’ greatest asset:      their people. Our unified suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS)      solutions are used by, collectively, approximately 3.3 million      healthcare employees in the U.S. for training & learning management,      talent management, performance assessment, and managing simulation-based      education programs. Our research solutions provide valuable insight to      healthcare providers to meet HCAHPS requirements, engage their      workforce, and enhance physician alignment. Based in Nashville,      Tennessee, HealthStream has additional offices in Laurel, Maryland,      Austin, Texas, and Brentwood, Tennessee. For more information, visit http://www.healthstream.com or call 800-933-9293. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve      risks and uncertainties regarding HealthStream. Investors are      cautioned that such results or events predicted in these statements may      differ materially from actual future events or results. This information      has been, or in the future may be, included in reliance on the “safe      harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of      1995. Investors are cautioned that such results or events predicted in      these statements may differ materially from actual future events or      results. The Company’s preliminary financial results, while presented      with numerical specificity, are forward-looking statements which are      based on a variety of assumptions regarding the Company’s operating      performance that may not be realized, and which are subject to      significant uncertainties and potential contingencies associated with      the Company’s financial and accounting procedures and other matters      referenced from time to time in the Company’s filings with the      Securities and Exchange Commission. Consequently, such forward-looking      information should not be regarded as a representation or warranty by      the Company that such projections will be realized. Contacts


Acquired

Baptist Leadership Group (BLG) is a consulting practice owned by Pensacola, Florida-based Baptist Health Care providing Patient Centered Excellence Consulting. The company's tools, tactics and best practices are evidence-based, outcomes driven, and tested and proven at its living laboratory at Baptist Health Care. The company provides custom, individualized coaching that produces measurable, sustainable increases in patient satisfaction, employee engagement, quality outcomes, and profitability.

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