Health Care Reform: The Rural Perspective

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"Who Moved my Cheese?" - MU 2 Attestation Problems continue... Next in "The Perfect Storm" in Healthcare Series

By James Blandi posted 09-12-2014 02:13 PM

  


The Perfect Storm in Healthcare series:  IT Post # 1 - Who Moved My Cheese?

September 12, 2014

 


 

 


MU 2 Attestation.

The problems...

 

Problematic Components: The impact of ACA and CMS mandates are universal; providers must evaluate a VBP program, manage an EHR/EMR selection, consider an acquisition/partnership/alliance, participate in an HIE, manage Big Data, HIPAA & data security, optimize the supply chain and staffing, consider outsourcing services, manage the ICD 10 and MU 2 attestation delays, and manage a population health strategy and its associated risk, among others - all in an effort to reduce health care costs while improving patient outcomes. This avalanche of capital intensive projects has collided to create the perfect storm.

 

Break out component - EHR/EMR:  Because of this collision, can health care providers really focus on the individual components as needed?  Some have and some have not!  EHR/EMR for example; colossal failures and victories have emerged. MU 2 provider attestation is paltry and numbers are not good.   Providers are either screaming to get help from their vendors with little forthcoming, scrapping their EHR and starting over with another vendor, or aligning with another provider to adopt their EHR/EMR (crazy as that sounds its happening).  MU 2 challenges continue. With an October deadline, now delayed, most healthcare providers are still finding they cannot meet the 5% Patient Engagement and the Interoperability requirements.

 

·         Patient Engagement: MU 1 attestation was a piece of cake - right?  What’s so difficult about 5% Patient Engagement?

 

·         Interoperability: Disparate vendor EHR pricing differentials, lack of affordable vendor IT support, complexities in use and integration, IP issues with “closed networks”, and cross communication platforms that don’t work, etc.. What do we do?  Who do we turn to for advice?  Unless there is a magic wand (I'm not aware of one - please tell me differently) that can be waved to make MU 2 and beyond a reality, we're in for quite a ride...

 

Governments subsidize, vendors design solutions to meet the demand, and providers implement them.  Buyers beware – Right?  Trust but verify – Right? Then, why can’t a uniform solution be mandated and developed?  It’s usually the same answer - "Follow the money".  It's the 1849 US gold rush for vendors and providers!  I guess it’s a form of stimulus…?  Learn More

 

 


The Costs.

 

Leadership Turnover:  I'm in sales - I make calls - I blog.  My LinkedIn network has Blown Up with people changing jobs, more now than ever before.   I "Pay it Forward" to help as best I can.  But the turnover in health care leadership is crazy! 

 

Money: The toilet flushing sound that you hear is the wasted $$$ from the countless demands of “The Perfect Storm”.  For example, EHR. Poor performing EHR’S are not a solution, they are excuses.  Bad EHR’s can decrease staff productivity, increase frustration and decrease self-worth, or result in M&A’s so providers don’t have to pay for another EHR (seriously?), or the scrapping of the entire first EHR/EMR and implementation of new second system, and there’s more. These poor performing EHR’s, and ICD 10 and MU 2 attestation delays have cost providers in the Billions of dollars!  All of this work and frustration to “mine for the government cheese".  A great book and video comes to mind - "Who Moved My Cheese!"

 

Pulling it all together:  5% Patient Engagement is an educational "process".  It’s a full contact sport, not a paper handout, about next steps in the patients care cycle and beyond.  First point of contact, however, usually is the Primary care physicians' office personnel.  Your design should begin with your Physician Engagement Plan – broaden your plan to include education on Patient Engagement. Have the PCP teach their patients/customers how to use a phone or computer, perhaps involve their families in their care.  How about creating an Educational CD or Video series (in multiple languages) located on a laptop or iPad in the physician’s office to teach them what their responsibilities are and what they need to do next.

 

And for Pete’s sake – “K.I.S.S.”, need I say more? Physicians – listen…  On my EHR - I got this comment from my PCP on a recent blood test "Test results are normal"… that’s it!  I see the various tests… But do lay consumers know what their blood tests really mean when they review them?  I don't!  My response; “So I won’t die?  What a relief!!”  I need more info and engagement!  “Normal as compared to what?  Do I need to change anything?  Now that I am engaged in my own health as a consumer, managing out of pocket expenses, I'm a shopper which makes me want to know more, and where I can buy health related services at the best value - transparency and sharing of information.  Educate me to use you and not somebody down the street.

 

Interoperability at its core should be simple in form and design – use common sense.  What should have been developed by CMS was a "uniform standard" for an open network platform EHR/EMR (that horse is out of the barn, however) from which all innovation was to be developed.  An EHR that is both user and patient friendly, integrates and plays nice with others in the "sand box", is scalable, and is both HIPPA compliant, secure and part of a larger picture for HIE.  Widgets are nice, but seriously?  We need ‘basic blocking and tackling” – please don’t tell me it does this and that (awe cute..!) – can it attest to MU 2?  The 7 P's – Isn’t that what all of this is about - Saving Lives!  Money is tight – I get it!  LFC Capital can help guide you to better financial solutions.

 

Solution - Quit treating your staff and physicians like mushrooms (keeping them in the dark and feeding them a load of...)!  Be Bold!  Be Courageous!   Involve everyone in searching for the solution - hire good consultants and good lawyers!  Health care needs leadership and it needs COURAGE (follow the link it’s a great read) to move this ahead!

 

We've come this far, shouldn't we do whatever it takes to improve patient care and save lives?

 


       Possible Solutions:

       LFC Capital and our partners


We've strategically aligned with specialists' from a broad range of expertise to assist you in developing strategies to address Clinical, Operational and Financial performance!  Use us, abuse us, and bounce ideas off of us – we’re here to assist in the development of solutions in whatever capacity you need! 

 

LFC Capital specializes in Asset Finance, Acquisition, Lifecycle Management and Disposition strategies. Call or email us today!  Try LFC out, it doesn't cost you anything to put us on your bid list, and besides, if LFC is good enough for a large New England, investment grade, health system to use for their leasing needs – Why aren’t you?

 

 

James Blandi

Managing Director, Healthcare

312.228.1358
 
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