Avicenna Medical Blog

DeAnn Dennis

Recent Posts

Care Management Weekly News Update - 2/17/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Feb 17, 2021 @ 12:05 PM

GAO: VA Should Resolve EHR Issues Before Roll-Out Continues

In an October 2020 briefing to Congress, the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended thatthe Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) postpone deployment of its new EHR system in new locations until all critical issues that might affect the success of the deployment are resolved.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 2/11/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Thu, Feb 11, 2021 @ 11:04 AM

Healthcare Can Save $16.3B Automating Administrative Transactions, Report Finds

Each year, the US healthcare industry spends $39 billion on 9 administrative transactions, according to a new report from CAQH.  The 2020 CAQH Index also uncovered that by automating these transactions, the industry could save $16.3 billion annually–a 42% cost reduction.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 2/3/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Feb 03, 2021 @ 11:42 AM

Top Social Determinants of Health Barring Patient Care Access

Convenient and comprehensive patient care access is the hallmark of good patient engagement and healthcare. But far too often, roadblocks get in the way of that seamless access, including a number of social determinants of health.  Income, racial bias, geography, and transportation serve as key social determinants of health hampering patient care access.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 1/27/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jan 27, 2021 @ 11:29 AM

These Are Some of Docs' Top Priorities in 2021: MGMA

The results from the "MGMA Stat 2020 Year in Review," a culmination of MGMA's national weekly polls of more than 4,800 healthcare leaders on the biggest issues and trends in medical practice management, found more medical practices say promoting staff morale through efforts to restore bonuses in 2021 will be instrumental as holding social gatherings will remain difficult throughout the year.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 1/20/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jan 20, 2021 @ 12:22 PM

FDA Action Plan Puts Focus on AI-Enabled Software As Medical Device

The agency plans to take a "multi-pronged approach" to advancing oversight of machine learning-enabled devices – with an eye toward ensuring patient safety, algorithm transparency and real-world results. The AI/ML-Based Software as a Medical Device Action Plan is a project of the Digital Health Center of Excellence at FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, which launched this past September.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 1/13/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jan 13, 2021 @ 01:17 PM

What Doctors Wish Patients Knew To Make the Most of Telehealth

The use of telehealth and telemedicine has skyrocketed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to payment and regulatory changes designed to make it easier for patients to get high-quality care while staying safe at home. Knowing how best to use telehealth will help patients continue to receive the care they need, even from a distance.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 1/06/21

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jan 06, 2021 @ 11:41 AM

Digital Health—The Need To Assess Benefits, Risks, and Value

Digital health is a broad spectrum of measurement technologies that include personal wearable devices and internal devices as well as sensors in people, homes, cars, and communities. Digital health can help identify health risks and assist with diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of health and disease conditions. Digital health has potential to improve health management, but the current state of technology development and deployment...

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 12/30/2020

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Dec 30, 2020 @ 10:20 AM

Self-Referral, Anti-Kickback Changes: What Doctors Should Know

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released final rules pertaining to efforts to reform regulations related to physician self-referral and the anti-kickback statute (AKS). The reforms aim to advance the transition to value-based care and improve patient-care coordination.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 12/23/20

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Dec 23, 2020 @ 03:16 PM

New Bill Would Expand Telehealth Options for MAT, Substance Abuse Programs

A new bill before Congress aims to allow healthcare providers to use telehealth in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs for substance abuse and provide Medicare coverage for audio-only phone calls. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) 2.0 bill increases funding authorization levels established in the original CARA legislation in 2016 adding measures to tackle the growing opioid abuse crisis.

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Care Management Weekly News Update - 12/16/20

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Dec 16, 2020 @ 11:41 AM

CMS Finalizes Telehealth, RPM Coverage in 2021 Physician Fee Schedule

The 2021 Physician Fee Schedule, unveiled on Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, aims to build upon the momentum for telehealth adoption seen during this year’s coronavirus pandemic. With health systems and hospitals rapidly embracing connected health, the agency has been under pressure to improve access and reimbursement guidelines.

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