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Meaningful use programs expected to promote better care, outcomes for diabetes
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INDIANAPOLIS — In 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established that all health facilities must implement electronic health records to receive proper reimbursement. Carol Rasmussen, APRN, CDE, FAADE, discussed the meaningful use behind this new venture and its impact on the diabetes field with Endocrine Today at the American Association of Diabetes Educators annual meeting.
“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services want to encourage providers to use electronic medical records and follow certain guidelines through three stages to promote better care, better outcomes, and make things better for the patients,” Rasmussen told Endocrine Today.
Carol Rasmussen
“The ultimate goal is to have this running smoothly, and if people aren’t on-task and haven’t gotten stage one done by the end of 2013, I don’t know that they’re going to be ready. Then, Medicare will start cutting their payments by a percentage. Medicaid is giving people until 2015, and then they’re going to start doing that. It’s a money reimbursement issue. We’ve had some interesting times with this.”
Rasmussen, member of the board of directors for AADE and a family medicine nurse practitioner from Exodus Healthcare Network in Magna, Utah, said the clinics she works for have been using the system for over a year.
From computer crashes to the hardships of training staff members, “it’s been a challenge,” she said. And, while they are not in the final stage of implementing the electronic health records (EHR) program, Rasmussen said it will carry substantial benefits.
“When it does happen, we’ll be able to access patients’ X-rays from the hospital, and their medication lists from another clinic because they forgot to write them down and they need them refilled. But that’s down the road,” Rasmussen said.
Implementing EHR in health facilities has the power to improve quality, safety and efficiency, and reduced health disparities while engaging patients in their own care, she said. Rasmussen said it will also improve care coordination, population health, public health, and will ensure privacy and security at the same time.
From a diabetes provider perspective, Rasmussen said meaningful use has its own benefits, like the ability to track outpatient or inpatient care; HbA1c levels, BP, lipids, microalbumin; eye exams; foot exams and their own general health maintenance.
In her offices, the system is designed to prompt the health care team when health maintenance exams or screenings are due, she said. In addition to the EHR system, Rasmussen’s office uses patient satisfaction surveys for feedback. She recalls when a survey showed patient wait time as an issue. From there, Rasmussen and staff made it a goal to get patients in and out of the office in 55 minutes, from entry to exit, which they accomplished.
Rasmussen said the reasoning for this is not just money reimbursement. “It’s so that we can take care of people, no matter what problems they have. It’s making a big difference,” she said.
And for those providers who have yet to venture into the world of electronic health recording, Rasmussen has some advice: “Be ready for change. It will eventually start to make sense.” – by Samantha Costa
For more information:
Rasmussen C. #T15. Presented at: The American Association of Diabetes Educators 2012 Annual Meeting & Exhibition; August 1-4; Indianapolis.
Disclosure: Ms. Rasmussen reports no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Donna Rice, MBA, BSN, RN, CDE, FAADE
Meaningful use is the plan to improve clinic and patient outcomes by using electronic medical records. Eventually, records may be accessed electronically from other providers, improving a continuum of care. This will also provide a basis for data collection, improving care especially in chronic disease.
The CMS is not going to differentiate if it is an education program, clinic or hospital. Their goal is to create a system that promotes accountable care for providers of service and to also provide a consistent standard of care for patients regardless of condition.
The goals of Stage 1 and 2, at this time, are including diabetes as an early primary focus; other chronic conditions will soon be included. Diabetes is a model disease. If it can work with diabetes, it can work with any other disease.
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