Some EHR vendors have released Stage 2-certified versions of their prod- ucts. Physicians can check the certified health product list (CHPL), http://bit .ly/18FUPrE, to see if their vendors have upgraded. Certification ensures the prod- uct has all the necessary capabilities, functionalities, and security required to successfully attest to meaningful use. During attestation, the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires physicians to give CMS an EHR Certification ID for the EHR technology used to demonstrate meaningful use. EHR products that do not meet all of the CMS-required criteria to demonstrate meaningful use will not have a CMS EHR Certification ID. To get the certifi- cation ID for a product, physicians can consult instructions for using the CHPL website,
http://bit.ly/15Atb0E. For assistance with the EHR incentive
program, physicians can turn to one of four Texas regional extension centers
(RECs). The RECs can help physicians navigate the complexities of the pro- gram. Check out TMA’s REC Resource Center,
www.texmed.org/rec, for REC service area information.
A list of upcoming state and federal health information technology (HIT) compliance deadlines and related re- sources is available on TMA’s Deadlines for Doctors webpage,
www.texmed.org/ deadlines. For more information, contact TMA’s HIT Department at (800) 880- 5720 or
HIT@texmed.org.
and implement electronic health records (EHRs).
Since 2008, medical practices’ annual IT expenditures per full-time physician have climbed about 28 percent, from a median of $15,211 in 2008 to a report- ed $19,439 in 2012, according to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Cost Survey Report: 2013 Report Based on 2012 Data.
Physician practices also reported in-
MGMA: Practices report rising IT costs
Information technology (IT) costs are on the rise as physician practices adopt
creases in median staffing costs from adding business operations, clinical, and ancillary support professionals to the practice. Total business operations staff per 10,000 patients increased about 9 percent since 2011. This indicates physi- cian practices and hospitals are invest- ing in sophisticated, knowledgeable, and certified staff to manage physician services.
Staff costs are on the rise as practices
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hire additional personnel to manage operations and contend with a complex regulatory environment. Increased staff- ing costs may have also been incurred as practices seek to improve their patients’ experience and satisfaction with their visits beyond the time spent with the clinician.
“The patient’s experience extends far beyond the exam room,” said Kenneth T. Hertz, principal for the MGMA Health Care Consulting Group. “It’s important to consider how items such as schedul- ing availability, insurance verification and benefits determination, refill re- minders, access to patient portals, and other technology enhance your patients’ experience. If you’re devoting resources to employing a team of professionals that can manage and make improve- ments on these fronts, you’re working to be more patient-centered overall.” The MGMA Cost Survey Report fea-
tures data from 2,411 groups. The report categorizes data by specialty, organiza- tion ownership, and geographic section. It features data on staffing ratios, medi- cal revenue, total operating costs, and accounts receivable. n
Crystal Zuzek is an associate editor of Texas Medicine. You can reach her at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1385, or (512) 370-1385; by fax at (512) 370-1629; or by email at crystal .
zuzek@texmed.org.
54 TEXAS MEDICINE November 2013
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