Radiology: Finding New Meaning in “Meaningful Use”

Radiologists in the United States are currently facing a dilemma as far as “meaningful use” (MU) of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is concerned. The American College of Radiology (ACR) IT and Informatics Committee leaders and staff have met the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC) as well as Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) staff to discuss the HR incentive program from the point of view of radiologists, on October 13, 2011. The...

Tackling the Demands Of Gastroenterology Medical Billing in Illinois

Like most of the states in the US, Illinois too boasts of quality medical services. Lying in the Midwest region, Illinois population, being the largest in the region at 12,830,632 as per 2010 census, offers endless opportunities for diverse medical practitioners. Coupled with the demands of the ever-increasing population, Illinois’ robust economy, estimated to be US$652 billion, and per capita income at US$41,411, has greatly been influential...

Effective patient care versus revenue cycle management: physicians perform a balancing act

Physicians in the U.S., despite ranking high for their medical competence, have never been able to fully realize and optimize their medical bill reimbursements owing to an increasingly complex health insurance system that has been constantly evolving, and characterized by:HIPAA Compliant Medical Reporting Stringent Billing and Coding Regimen Technological Interface for Electronic Billing and Coding Multiple-payer Health Care System, both...

The Top 5 States for Physicians to Practice Medicine

The best states in the US for practicing medicine can be determined by taking a holistic view of the state of health care in that particular area and comparing it with other places. Some states are surprisingly physician friendly while some may not be very suitable for physicians in certain specialties. The ranking can be based on factors such as the availability of physicians, disciplinary actions against physicians, the premiums paid...

Upgrading to HIPAA Version 5010

Adhering to the HIPAA 4010 compliance has been a long-standing ordeal for medical billing and coding professionals and now, on January 1, 2012, the electronic healthcare transactions standards change from version 4010/4010A to version 5010 will definitely need a closer look at the compliance guidelines. The healthcare industry and professionals...

Improving Quality And Revenue In Face Of Healthcare Reforms

The recent healthcare reforms proposed by the white house may affect the revenue as well as the quality of the service provided by physicians in the United States. According to a recent survey by Thomson Reuters, almost two-third of doctors in the US fear that health care reforms proposed by Mr. Obama might flood their offices which in turn would mean reduced individual attention to patients. Simply put, doctors would end up working more for lesser...

Impact Of Baby-Boomers Coupled With The Health-Care Reforms

Baby boomers are usually believed to be people born during the post-World War II birth rate boom, lasting from 1946 through 1964. According to a survey conducted by the CDC (Center for disease control), many elderly people started flooding doctors’ offices even ten years ago in 2001. Now since the latest health care reforms would extend coverage to people who previously were denied medical cover due to myriad reasons doctors, hospices, and hospitals...

Delivering Quality Service To Patients At Lesser Costs

The reforms in the health care sector would essentially mean that physicians have to deliver quality service at lower costs. This is inevitable since doctors and hospitals can be penalized for negligence if they end up giving the wrong treatment due to increased work pressure and in order to meet the break-even point. As 45 million uninsured around the country are going to be covered under the reforms by the year 2014, it would become difficult to...