Positioning Your Podiatry Practice EMR for 2014

Big changes have been happening in the healthcare industry in the last few years, revolutionizing the care delivery process, the role that patients play in their care, and how medical records are stored and managed. With all of these changes taking place recently it should come as no surprise that 2014 is poised to be another important year, not only for podiatrists but for all doctors. Physicians will finally be able to start attesting to Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program on January 1st, for one, meanwhile undertaking preparations to meet the October 1, 2014 deadline to switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 diagnosis and procedure coding.

For podiatrists, using fully integrated podiatry EMR software will make it easier to affront the many challenges that next year will bring. Here’s a run-down of some of the more important things your practice should prepare for as 2014 draws near:

Attesting to Meaningful Use In 2014

The EHR Incentive Programs have been around for about two years now, and slowly but surely healthcare professionals have gotten the hang of the attestation process. If you are a Meaningful Use veteran in your second, third, or even fourth year of participation, you may have already grown accustomed to the full year reporting periods which are required for Stage 1 after the first year of attestation.

Next year, however, is going to be different as eligible hospitals and healthcare professionals can get started with Stage 2. In 2014 only, all providers – regardless of what stage they are on – are required to demonstrate meaningful use for just 3 months (90 days). The purpose of the universal 3-month reporting period in 2014 is to give all healthcare professionals time to implement and/or upgrade their certified electronic medical record software to meet meaningful use requirements going forward.

For podiatrists participating in the Medicare program, the reporting period is fixed to the quarter of either the calendar year (for eligible providers) or fiscal year (for hospitals and critical access hospitals). This is not the case for those participating in the Medicaid program only.

If you are new to Meaningful Use, make sure you decide ahead of time which program you are going to participate in – and find out when you can start the reporting process. If you are ready to move on to Stage 2, check with your EMR vendor to make sure your podiatry EMR software meets the Stage 2 requirements.

Preparing for ICD-10

Getting your podiatry practice ready for 2014 means making the necessary preparations to switch to ICD-10 before October 1st. Though the CEO of the Medical Group Management Association referred to ICD-10 as one of the most expensive and complicated changes the healthcare industry has faced in decades, with proper planning the transition doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. If your practice is already using ICD-10 ready practice management software together with a podiatry EMR, the only thing you will have to worry about is getting accustomed to the new codes. Like with any new change, this will happen with patience over time.

Interested in learning more about our podiatry EMR software, Meaningful Use, or ICD-10 preparations and its potential costs? Call 480-782-1116 to talk to one of our representatives today!