If you’re in the market for an EHR system, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) — this is the division of Health and Human Services making computer-related decisions for docs — has released its first list of approved and complete EHRs that have been determined to meet the requirements of “meaningful use.”
According to the ONC, “Only those EHR technologies appearing on the [ONC list] may be granted the reporting number that will be accepted by CMS for purposes of attestation under the …

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Board of Directors has approved a set of requirements that are a comprehensive approach to patient care, quality improvement, supervision, professionalism, transitions in care, and resident well-being. Included are graduated standards for duty hours for the nation’s 111,000 residents training in ACGME accredited teaching institutions.
The standards are based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2008, evidence collected during a 16-month review of the scientific …

By Dena K. Mallin, CPC, PCS
Over the last several months we have seen a continued rise in the denial rate for lack of medical necessity. Many physicians do not understand these denials and find themselves thinking about them from a defensive position.
What is a denial for lack of medical necessity?  Medicare defines medical necessity as:  “Services or supplies that are needed for the diagnosis or treatment of your medical condition, meet the standards of good medical practice in the local area, and aren’t mainly for the convenience of you or …

By Richard Montalbano
For the first time in more than a decade, southeastern Pennsylvania will become the home of a new, state-of-the-art medical center.  Through a partnership established by Albert Einstein Healthcare Network and Montgomery Hospital Medical Center, the new medical center will provide enhanced access to high-quality clinical services to the growing population in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia.
Currently, more than 60 percent of Central Montgomery County residents travel to obtain care at other hospitals in the Pennsylvania suburbs and the city of Philadelphia. The Einstein-Montgomery partnership and this …

By Ken Frantz and Mark Newman

Physicians and other healthcare providers are more concerned than ever about how they will implement electronic health record (EHR) systems in their practices by 2011 to qualify for the first phase of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds and ultimately be eligible for the maximum reimbursement. The systems can be complex, the reporting requirements and processes for demonstrating meaningful use are not yet clear, and the resources to help are still emerging.
With the recent release of the Final Rule for “meaningful use” requirements for …

By Patricia A. Costante
In recent months, there have been several reports published that have forecasted dramatic physician shortages in New Jersey. The New Jersey Physician Workforce Task Force Report published by the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals projects a shortfall of more than 2,800 physicians by the year 2020. Even more alarming is the fact that the 2009 report of the Resident Exit Survey (an annual report prepared by New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals) shows a precipitous decline in the number of graduating medical residents who are choosing …

By Steven H. Snyder, Esq.
The first challenge that faces intended parents in third-party reproduction is finding someone willing to act as a surrogate.  There are, however, several sources that intended parents can use to find an appropriate and reliable surrogate.
The first source is relatives, friends, or co-workers who are aware of the parents’ situation and volunteer to assist them.  One of the advantages of finding a surrogate with whom the parents have an existing relationship is that it maximizes the initial feeling of comfort and trust among the parties.  This initial …

By Robert E. Moffit

Don’t expect doctors to give the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act a clean bill of health. The act will reinforce the worst features of existing third-party payment arrangements in both the private and public sectors — arrangements that already compromise the professional independence and integrity of the medical profession.
Doctors will find themselves subject to more, not less, government regulation and oversight. Moreover, they will become increasingly dependent on unreliable government reimbursement for medical services. Medicare and Medicaid payment, …

By Joseph Lombardi, M.D.
You probably remember the tragic death of actor John Ritter in 2003. Recently, his family partnered with the Thoracic Aortic Disease (TAD) Coalition to shed light on the condition that took his life: aortic dissection. In addition to TAD Coalition’s “Ritter Rules,” which focus on recognizing, treating and preventing the condition, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology also released new guidelines designed to prevent unnecessary deaths.  Aortic dissection occurs when the wall of the aorta, the body’s main blood vessel, splits and blood flows …

By Ashish B. Patel, MD
In radiation therapy, higher doses produce better tumor control. Yet doses typically must be fractionated in order to limit damage or risk to nearby healthy tissue.
Technological developments years ago brought the introduction of noninvasive stereotactic radiosurgery for the brain, with greater beam precision allowing a higher radiation dose to be used in fewer treatments. This precise beam accurately targeted the lesion while posing low risk to surrounding tissue. Stereotactic radiosurgery achieved excellent results in treating certain brain tumors, with control rates equivalent to surgical resection.
Recently, stereotactic …