Why shouldn't pharmacists have access to patient records?

Why shouldn't pharmacists have access to patient records?
An evening of discussion around pharmacists' access to the electronic patient record was hosted by the RPS London Central LPF at Portcullis House on 6 January 2016. … “We're getting there,” said Sandra Gidley, chair of the RPS English Pharmacy Board.
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Letters: Message for RBI board
With reference to "Rajan bats for more powers to RBI board" (January 13), first, congratulations to Business Standard for the brilliant coverage of an important message on several crucial issues concerning the management of Indian financial sector and …
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AdvisorsMD Releases White Paper – 4 Reasons Why Specialty Physicians are Feeling the Squeeze with Patient Referrals

Daphne, AL (PRWEB) February 13, 2013

AdvisorsMD CEO Bricken McKenzie explains the new obstacles that specialized physicians face when it comes to networking with reference suppliers.


Throughout the landscape of health care, competition for patient referrals is becoming more intense. Specialists who once found inappropriate to promote to their physician colleagues are now discovering it is necessary to stay afloat. Here are four reasons why the specialty practices are struggling to connect with their physician colleagues to receive these valuable references for patients:

# 1 – Hospital systems are on a buying spree private practice.

With health reform looming, hospital administrators expect to see a record number of new patients as more people get health insurance and seek primary care. With many US regions that already suffer from a primary care physician shortage, these doctors are becoming a rare commodity in the health care sector. In 2010, for the first time, the number of new physicians have joined practices belonging to the hospital exceeded the number of first-year practitioner who became employed by medical groups belonging to doctors. The buying frenzy was so fierce that some hospital administrators believe that if they do not buy physician practices in their community, the medical center in the street will. According to a Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) National Survey: in 2002, about 20 percent of physician practices surveyed were owned hospital; in 2008, more than 50 percent of the practices of physicians surveyed owned hospital; and 2012, the number of respondents belonging to hospitals has increased to over 69 percent.


volume of patients is one of the key factors for the sustainability of long-term hospital. The directors believe that they have more influence on doctors employed doctors in private practice. Ultimately, the hospital that sees the highest number of insured patients in the most efficient manner, wins. In the most competitive markets, seven of the 10 patients admitted to a hospital used to come from within the network of the hospital doctors; the other three percent are from admissions and emergency room admits a projection of private practices.


Not only do health systems and hospitals buy more medical practices – and lead their doctors employed to keep all of their patient referrals in-house – they are also increasingly closing the admitting doctor released from hospital altogether and using their own on-site to oversee hospital inpatients. These factors make it difficult for specialists to keep the lines of communication open with primary care physicians.


# 2 – The treatment options are expanding at an exponential rate.

The number of specialists (and sub-specialists) categories has almost doubled over the past 15 years, more referrals diluted patient. According to the American Board of Medical Specialists, one pediatrician can receive certification in up to 20 different subspecialties. These specialized certifications may seem attractive to a health care provider, but sub-specialists have the additional burden to convince doctors that their new treatment option is superior to an existing protocol. When primary care physicians are overwhelmed with patient care, the time they have to learn new subspecialties is extremely limited.


# 3 – Doctors are not networked by traditional means. Historically, references have been treated by a more direct professional network. Specialists would meet internists and family physicians as they have been rounded in hospitals, attend conferences, and sometimes social events. It was a way to keep organic suppliers in the know about the latest treatments, procedures and diagnostic tools available to patients.


Today, many of these channels have disappeared. Conferences and events where medical doctors met once moved online. Doctors struggling with declining reimbursements and rising costs do not have time for bonding recreation. Health care consumers have a world of options when it comes to primary health care. They may appear in a facility for emergency care in the street, get vaccinated against the flu at the grocery store, or have a ear infection diagnosed and treated at the local pharmacy; others are self-diagnosing online and bypassing primary care altogether. The image of the patriarchal family doctor omniscient took the edge.


# 4 – Specialty doctors practices are in a dilemma as to whether they were to sell their practices or to remain independent.

private practices are facing cuts in reimbursements, increasing the number of uninsured patients, and uncertainty on the reform of health care. With increasing government audits and the impending charge of information systems, many private physicians yield to offers of economic certainty and reduction of hours that the hospital staff. As doctors employed, they are promised a better life, more resources, and the ability to devote more time to patient care.


In addition to the financial security and a better quality of life, access to specialized gains for treating physicians already affiliated with the hospital network. These hospital networks are constantly trying to avoid removal “leakage.” Smart Health Systems will do all they can to ensure that the references of patients stay within their network. Specialists who do not work under a large umbrella network will continue to see challenges in communication with primary care physicians. In both cases, these organizations need help getting their message.


Links doctors Solution-

bonds of highly qualified doctors give positive results the organizations they represent. Consumers of health care want to believe that primary care physicians refer them to a specialist, as they have first hand knowledge of this specialist skills. Unfortunately, the charges mentioned earlier, make that almost impossible. Specialists will not receive references if providers do not know about them. Those wishing to stay afloat should establish a comprehensive plan referral generation and empowerment of the individual within their practice to implement this plan.


Enter the liaison physician. Large health care networks have used for years and links independent specialized practices see the value of a seller engaged. There are a growing number of links independent doctors who provide contractual services to regional hospitals, ancillary providers and private clinics in a certain market sector.


The most effective routes to stick to a comprehensive business development plan for the previous reporting database, payer mix, and market share. Often doctors connections can make an educated guess when it comes to developing an appropriate awareness strategy. Using MDreferralPRO Web application, the connections can create predictive analytics-based marketing plans that are exclusive to the organizations they represent. MDreferralPRO allows connections geographically target areas and identify untapped sources of reference by name, specialty and location. They can identify suppliers should be a top priority, and where they should focus their efforts to generate more revenue. The program also identifies the external service providers have targeted patients, and whether or not these reference models are increasing or decreasing.


A good doctor bond is one that is sure of himself and has a wide knowledge of practitioners / organizations it represents. The best connections can get in front of all the people who influence a referral, whether planners, nurses, nurse practitioners or MD. They need to have a clear communication strategy and a defined list of people they want to achieve before you start. Hospitals and specialty practices that invest in bonds doctors will see a marked increase in their patient referrals if these connections are given the right tools to do their job. Links physicians who are armed with MDreferralPRO continue to keep their busy doctors see new patients. Health organizations that believe references come to them without any business development effort may be looking at an empty waiting room.


About AdvisorsMD – AdvisorsMD health council was created to meet the needs of hospitals and specialist physicians’ offices throughout the country. As we have seen doctors inundated with increasing responsibilities for compliance, electronic health records and insurance reimbursements, we have seen that these health care providers were pulled out of their true vocation, which was give patients the highest quality care.


About the author – Richardson “Bricken” McKenzie, IV, MBA is the founder and CEO of the consulting firm of AdvisorsMD health. He is a member of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), Fellow of the American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE) and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).

clear = “all”

Palomar Health Now Testing DIRECT Messaging Technology for Secure Exchange of Patient Information among Health Care Providers

San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) April 16, 2013

Palomar Health, the largest health care district in California, is piloting a clinical messaging infrastructure that enables the secure exchange of electronic health record information across its 2,200-square mile trauma area in Southern California.

The system uses the DIRECT Project’s protocols for secure messaging and the HPDPlus specifications for online physician directories, which have been proposed as national standards to facilitate secure patient data exchange among independent health care providers.

The participating health care organizations include all three Palomar Health hospitals- the new Palomar Medical Center and Palomar Health Downtown Campus in Escondido and Pomerado Hospital in Poway, in addition to Arch Health Partners, the Arthritis Care and Research Center, Escondido Pulmonology Medical Group, Graybill Medical Group, North County Internists, and Palomar Medical Group. The outpatient facilities range from solo practitioners to large multi-specialty physician groups.

“We believe the potential of the DIRECT Project and HPDPlus standards has yet to be fully realized, and we seek to explore the utility of these standards in our community, as well as explore ways in which they may be improved,” Palomar Health Chief Innovation Officer Orlando Portale said. “In particular, we want to establish a reference model for DIRECT Messaging that could be shared with other healthcare organizations throughout California.”

The technologies being piloted enable the secure electronic delivery of inpatient and emergency department discharge summaries to primary care physicians, as well as the exchange of referral requests and consult notes between primary care physicians and specialists.

“It is exciting to see the first stages of the exchange of health information within our physician and healthcare community,” stated Alan Conrad, M.D., Managing Partner of North County Internists in Poway.

The purpose of the pilot is to assess the feasibility and soundness of the DIRECT and HPDPlus standards as the bases for a practical, cost-effective, and non-proprietary infrastructure for health information exchange (HIE) within and among medical communities, Portale said.

The pilot is primarily funded by a grant from the California Health Care Foundation under a contracting agreement with Sujansky and Associates, both based in Northern California, to provide project management and software integration services. Other organizations that have contributed technology and expertise include GSI Health in Philadelphia, Mirth Corporation in Costa Mesa and Sparseware in Carlsbad.

“This project is a great opportunity for the Palomar Health community and the broader HIE audience to road test the DIRECT Messaging model,” Sujansky and Associates President Walter Sujansky said. “We expect the project to show the value of DIRECT Messaging today, as well as the ways the model may be improved in the future.”

For more information about the project, please visit: http://www.sujansky.com/projects_DIRECT_pilot.html

About Palomar Health

Palomar Health is the largest public health-care district by area in California and the most comprehensive health care delivery system in northern San Diego County. It is governed by a publicly-elected board of directors, and its primary service area in Inland North San Diego County has more than 500,000 residents.

A Magnet® recognized health care system, Palomar Health has several facilities, including hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in Escondido and Poway as well as Palomar Health expresscare health centers in Escondido, Rancho Penasquitos and San Elijo Hills in San Marcos in North San Diego County and Temecula in Riverside County.

Palomar Health provides medical services in virtually all fields of medicine, including primary care, heart care, emergency services, trauma, cancer, orthopedics, women’s health, rehabilitation, robotic surgery and bariatric surgery.

For more information about Palomar Health, please visit http://www.PalomarHealth.org.







National Study Explores How Technology Supports Patient Engagement Strategies

Auburn, CA and Little Rock, AR (PRWEB) October 23, 2013

A recent study focusing on health information technology (HIT) trends for health care professionals showcases how HIT systems are influencing provider strategies to engage patients and promote better clinical outcomes. This is one of several findings in a new Trend Report published by sponsors of the 2012 Health IT Survey: TCS Healthcare Technologies (TCS), the Case Management Society of America (CMSA), and the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP).

The newest release in a nine-part series, Trend Report #5: Patient Engagement Strategies, reveals how HIT is strengthening provider-patient communications to enhance patient engagement levels. For the first time in the Health IT Survey series, the most recent study asked respondents about their use of new technology to aid with patient monitoring, including patient medication and treatment adherence. To view the report, click here.

“Knowing what types of technology patients currently use, coupled with a firm grasp of the direction IT trends are headed, is invaluable information for care managers and other health care professionals as they fine tune their outreach strategies to keep patients engaged,” says Rob Pock, founder and president, TCS Healthcare Technologies.

The Trend Report identifies some interesting communication and technology trends since the 2010 and 2012 surveys asked participants many of the same patient engagement questions. The study also looks at key sub-verticals in the care management space, which further showcases different trends in how the U.S. health care delivery system works with patients.

The majority of 2012 survey respondents report that most of their clients/patients rely on advice from: primary care physicians (86%), specialist physicians (70%), care managers (69%) and family or friends (59%). These findings are similar to the 2010 survey results, but with a slight uptick in all categories.

“While traditional communication methods such as phone and face-to-face advice from physicians and care managers still dominate the field, the use of new HIT applications and solutions including smartphones, social networking and text messaging is quickly increasing,” notes Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, CMSA executive director. “The acceptance of email communication is a perfect example of how care managers can adopt new technologies that patients are comfortable with, and focus their efforts directly on patient guidance and engagement. This shift is also indicative of where we need to more diligently address issues and barriers associated with mobile applications, HIPPA restraints, as well as enhance financial and performance alignment to support advancing technology innovations.”

For the first time in the HIT Survey series, respondents were asked about the use of new technology to aid with patient monitoring, including patient medication and treatment adherence. While a majority of respondents report still using the telephone to monitor patients, remote monitoring solutions appear to be gaining traction. For example, one in four respondents report using heart rate/blood pressure monitoring devices, and one in five respondents report using lifestyle monitoring devices such as pedometers or meal trackers along with medication reminder IT solutions.

This is the third time TCS, CMSA and ABQAURP have joined forces to sponsor the bi-annual survey, with the first survey conducted in 2008. By comparing data from all three surveys – 2012, 2010 and 2008 – the series of 2013 Trend Reports reveals several emerging patterns in health IT use and perception.

“In an increasingly mobile and technology-driven society,” says Joel V. Brill, MD, “providers and their patients now have the ability to utilize tools that were previously unavailable or underutilized in order to open a two-way line of communication with their patients, thereby creating a deeper level of engagement that allows patients to become more meaningfully involved in their own care.” Dr. Brill is a member of the Board of Directors of ABQAURP and medical director of FAIR Health.

“This Health IT series has been designed and supervised by a panel of leading experts in the field,” says Garry Carneal, JD, MA, who has supervised the research project since 2008. “What makes this study so helpful is the tracking and reporting of key health IT trends over a period of time. This information should empower clinicians and others to make more informed decisions about how to adopt and implement new IT solutions in health care.”

Trend Report #1: Introduction & Methodology Overview provides a background on the survey methodology, participants and sampling technique. All of the published Trend Reports can be viewed or downloaded on a complementary basis at http://www.tcshealthcare.com in the News section, or by visiting http://www.cmsa.org.

Trend Reports #6-9 will be published over the next several months. Those interested in receiving copies of the remaining reports as they become available can sign up in the Trend Reports section of http://www.tcshealthcare.com under the News tab. The TCS website also contains other valuable resources and information, including links to the webinar series showcasing the results of the survey.

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About the Co-Sponsors

TCS Healthcare Technologies (TCS) is a leading provider of software and clinical solutions that support and improve population health management strategies for health plans, insurers, providers, third-party administrators, medical management companies, and others. TCS is recognized as one of the premier health care software companies in the United States designing, offering, and hosting a number of products and services. The TCS Acuity Advanced Care® application provides a comprehensive and integrated care management software system for Utilization Management (UM), Case Management (CM), Disease Management (DM), and Prevention/Wellness (PW) services.

For more information: (530) 886-1700; http://www.tcshealthcare.com.

American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP), is a non-profit education and certification board that has certified over 9,800 physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in Health Care Quality Management (HCQM) and Patient Safety. Established in 1977, ABQAURP is the nation’s largest organization of interdisciplinary healthcare professionals. ABQAURP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) as a provider of Continuing Medical Education, and by the Florida Board of Nursing as a provider of Nursing Credit. For more information: (800) 998-6030; http://www.abqaurp.org.

Case Management Society of America (CMSA), established in 1990, is the leading non-profit association dedicated to the support and development of the profession of case management. CMSA serves more than 11,000 members, 20,000 subscribers, and 75 chapters through educational forums, networking opportunities, legislative advocacy and establishing standards to advance the profession.

For more information: http://www.cmsa.org; Twitter @CMSANational.