Event: eClinicalWorks 2009 User Conference

What: eClinicalWorks 2009 National Users’ Conference

Where: The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV


When: September 12 - 15, 2009

Description: eClinicalWorks is proud to announce the second annual National Users’ Conference to take place September 12-15, 2009 at the Venetian in Las Vegas. eClinicalWorks is celebrating 10 years as a company.

Register Here

eClinicalWorks Signs With Correctional Medical Services, Inc.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.—Aug. 31, 2009—eClinicalWorks^®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that the company has entered into an agreement with Correctional Medical Services, Inc. (CMS), a leading provider of health services for prisons and jails nationwide for over 30 years, to provide its electronic medical records (EMR) solution to correctional facilities affiliated with CMS.

CMS facilities using the eClinicalWorks EMR will be able to streamline processes and promote patient care. The system will also permit providers to utilize chronic and preventative care measures, including those that are unique to this setting such as suicide watch alerts and detox monitoring. eClinicalWorks will work with CMS to enhance its Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR) as well as intake process flows and a mental health module.

"eClinicalWorks has always strived to provide the most comprehensive EMR at an affordable price for every market segment," said Girish Kumar Navani, CEO and co-founder of eClinicalWorks. "Our commitment to customers and experience with Rikers Island makes us a logical solution for correctional facilities. We are pleased to be chosen by a national leader like CMS and look forward to working with them."

About Correctional Medical Services, Inc.
Correctional Medical Services, Inc (CMS) has been a nationwide leader for over 30 years in the provision of correctional healthcare services, offering a comprehensive suite of medical, dental, pharmacy and mental health services for the incarcerated population. CMS currently maintains a presence in 17 states and manages medical services for 10 statewide systems. More than 6,000 employees and independent contractors work with CMS nationwide. For more information, visit the CMS Web site at www.cmsstl.com.

About eClinicalWorks
eClinicalWorks^® is a privately held leader in the ambulatory clinical systems market. The company’s unified electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management (PM) solutions are proven for every market segment: large practice groups, including Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC), Electronic Health Records of Rhode Island (EHRRI) and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as medium, small and solo practices regardless of specialty. The company enjoys high profitability with a five-year compounded growth rate of more than 100 percent year-to-year. With an established customer base of more than 25,000 providers across all 50 states, eClinicalWorks has been awarded multiple top industry honors including being named to the Inc. 500 in 2008 and 2007, and a top solution by TEPR for four consecutive years. Based in Westborough, Mass., eClinicalWorks has additional offices in New York City and Alpharetta, Ga. More information on eClinicalWorks can be found at www.eclinicalworks.com or by calling 866-888-MYCW.

Nurse continuing education class to focus on electronic health records

Cloud County Community College issued the following news release:

More than ever, the healthcare industry is making significant progress in the quest for electronic health records (EHRs), in order to improve the quality and safety of patient care while achieving efficiency in the delivery of healthcare.

The purpose of this course, “Electronic Health Records: Are They Really Necessary?”, is to explore the issues related to EHRs: why change, types of EHRs, pros and cons of EHRs, what to expect in the transition process and how to prepare for the transition.

The instructor for this class will be Emilie Hagan, ANP-CNS, CDE, CCM from Valley Center, Kan.

This eight-hour continuing education class will meet from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. September 2,  at the Country Inn & Suites, 2760 S. 9th, Salina, Kan. Registration will begin at 8:30 am.

For further information or to pre-register, please call the Community Education Department 1.800.729.5101 Ext. 370 or 243.1435, ext. 370 at Cloud County Community College.

Rule Requiring Notification of Breaches of Health Information

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued the following statement:

New regulations requiring health care providers, health plans, and other entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to notify individuals when their health information is breached were issued today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

These “breach notification” regulations implement provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, passed as part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The regulations, developed by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), require health care providers and other HIPAA covered entities to promptly notify affected individuals of a breach, as well as the HHS Secretary and the media in cases where a breach affects more than 500 individuals.  Breaches affecting fewer than 500 individuals will be reported to the HHS Secretary on an annual basis. The regulations also require business associates of covered entities to notify the covered entity of breaches at or by the business associate.

“This new federal law ensures that covered entities and business associates are accountable to the Department and to individuals for proper safeguarding of the private information entrusted to their care.  These protections will be a cornerstone of maintaining consumer trust as we move forward with meaningful use of electronic health records and electronic exchange of health information,” said Robinsue Frohboese, acting director and principal deputy director of OCR.

The regulations were developed after considering public comment received in response to an April 2009 request for information and after close consultation with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has issued companion breach notification regulations that apply to vendors of personal health records and certain others not covered by HIPAA.

To determine when information is “unsecured” and notification is required by the HHS and FTC rules, HHS is also issuing in the same document as the regulations an update to its guidance specifying encryption and destruction as the technologies and methodologies that render protected health information unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to unauthorized individuals.  Entities subject to the HHS and FTC regulations that secure health information as specified by the guidance through encryption or destruction are relieved from having to notify in the event of a breach of such information.  This guidance will be updated annually.

The HHS interim final regulations are effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and include a 60-day public comment period.  For more information, visit the HHS Office for Civil Rights web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/

To track the progress of HHS activities related to ARRA, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery. To track all federal activities related to ARRA, visit www.recovery.gov.

VP Biden Announces Availability of Nearly $1.2 Billion in Grants to Help Hospitals & Doctors Use EMR

CHICAGO, IL – Vice President Joe Biden today announced the availability of grants worth nearly $1.2 billion to help hospitals and health care providers implement and use electronic health records. The grants will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and will help health care providers qualify for new incentives that will be made available in 2010 to doctors and hospitals that meaningfully use electronic health records.

"With electronic health records, we are making health care safer; we’re making it more efficient; we’re making you healthier; and we’re saving money along the way, "said Vice President Biden. "These are four necessities we need for healthcare in the 21st-century."

"Expanding the use of electronic health records is fundamental to reforming our health care system," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "Electronic health records can help reduce medical errors, make health care more efficient and improve the quality of medical care for all Americans. These grants will help ensure more doctors and hospitals have the tools they need to use this critical technology."
The grants made available today include:

• Grants totaling $598 million to establish approximately 70 Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers, which will provide hospitals and clinicians with hands-on technical assistance in the selection, acquisition, implementation, and meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems.
• Grants totaling $564 million to States and Qualified State Designated Entities (SDEs) to support the development of mechanisms for information sharing within an emerging nationwide system of networks.

The Extension Center grants will be awarded on a rolling basis, with the first awards being issued in fiscal year 2010. Grants to States will be made in fiscal year 2010. Those interested in applying for these grants may visit http://HealthIT.HHS.gov for more information.

"With these programs, we begin the process of creating a national, private and secure electronic health information system. The grants are designed to help doctors and hospitals acquire electronic health records and use them in meaningful ways to improve the health of patients and reduce waste and inefficiency," said Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. "They will also help states lead the way in creating the infrastructure for health information exchange, which enables information to follow patients within and across communities, wherever the information is needed to help doctors and patients make the best decisions about medical care."

The Department of Health and Human Services will also provide additional assistance to health care providers through the Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC). The HITRC will gather relevant information on effective practices from a wide variety of sources across the country and help the Regional Extension Centers collaborate with one another and with relevant stakeholders to identify and share best practices in EHR adoption, effective use, and provider support.
Attached are two fact sheets on the Health Information Technology Extension Program and the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program.

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The activities described in this release are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To track the progress of HHS activities funded through the ARRA, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery. To track all federal funds provided through the ARRA, visit www.recovery.gov.

South FL Leaders to Revive EMR Efforts

Health leaders in South Florida are reviving efforts to obtain widespread adoption of electronic medical records, hoping now they can land millions from the federal economic stimulus package.

Two projects in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, the other in Palm Beach County -- had ground to a halt in the past year when state seed money ran out, at a time when record-sharing systems were working in test runs but not complete.

Now, the organizers of both projects are meeting again to pursue grants from the $30 billion stimulus fund that President Obama and Congress set aside in February to create a national medical data system. Obama has called for an electronic health record for all by 2014... "It would be a natural fit for us to get the money and resume what we have started," said Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger, a physician who is on the board of the South Florida Health Information Exchange, the group running a project in the Broward and Miami areas. "Why use the money to reinvent the wheel when that has already been done?"

Continuing reading here

Source: Bob LaMendola, South Florida leaders revive efforts to push for electronic medical records, angling for stimulus funds: New life for dormant projects aiming to reduce waste, medical errors, Sun Sentinel, Business and Financial News, (August 7, 2009)

Sens. Specter, Casey Announce Committee Approval of Northwestern PA Health and Education Projects

The office of Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., has issued the following news release:

   U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey today announced that the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved federal funding for several Northwestern Pennsylvania health and education projects. The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2010 Labor, Health, Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

   "I am pleased my colleagues have approved this important funding for Northwestern Pennsylvania," Senator Specter said. "Health and education are our nation's greatest capital assets, and these projects are vital to ensuring quality health care and education for Pennsylvania."

   "I am happy that funding for these vital projects has been approved by my colleagues," Senator Casey said. "These funds will ensure that Pennsylvanians have access to quality health care, job training programs and education. This is great news for Northwestern Pennsylvania."

   The bill must be approved by the full Senate, the House of Representatives and signed into law by the President before funding is final.

   Northwestern Pennsylvania projects in the bill include:

   Healthcare-related

   * $100,000 for Corry Memorial Hospital Association in Erie County for equipment. The equipment will be used in a replacement facility, which will improve access to care for residents of northwestern Pennsylvania.

   * $100,000 for Elk Regional Health Center in Elk County to purchase digital mammography equipment and to provide women with access to mammograms.

   * $100,000 for Ellwood City Hospital in Lawrence County for facilities and equipment. Funds will be used for cardiac lab construction and equipment to provide access to these services in the rural community.

   * $100,000 for Hamot Medical Center in Erie County for equipment, including ventilators and IV pumps, and will be used at various facilities in order to eliminate barriers to care and improve patient outcomes through timelier treatment.

   * $100,000 for Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie County for equipment. Funds will be used for a Practice Management Information System (PMIS) to educate medical and pharmacy students on health information technology, such as electronic medical records and e-prescribing.

   * $100,000 for Meadville Medical Center in Crawford County to upgrade a CT Scanner to provide a non-invasive method of diagnosing illness and injury in an outpatient setting.

   * $100,000 for Sharon Regional Health System in Mercer County to upgrade equipment in the Cardiac Cath Lab in the Heart Center at the hospital, including IV upgrades and cardiac monitors.

   Education-related

   * $100,000 for Mercyhurst College in Erie County for education programs and support services for individuals with disabilities. The pilot program will provide students with counseling support and academic services.