The NeuroVascular Quality Initiative™ (NVQI™) Launches First Procedure Module: Acute Ischemic Stroke
Chicago, IL and West Lebanon, NH Oct 25, 2014 – The Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) and M2S announce the launch of the NeuroVascular Quality Initiative™ (NVQI™), a multi-module registry system designed to track performance and outcomes data across a variety of neurovascular conditions. The launch debuts the Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) module, which will be used to track and benchmark clinical performance at the center level and nationally, providing valuable insight into the effectiveness of endovascular interventions and associated devices in treating a condition known to be the nation’s fourth leading cause of death. As of today, NVQI is officially enrolling hospitals and specialists in the AIS module.
As neurointerventional procedures (minimally invasive techniques designed to treat endovascular conditions of the brain and spine), have changed the treatment landscape over the past two decades and offered thousands of patients quality treatment alternatives to traditional medical approaches, NVQI is designed to track the success of these procedures, as well as demonstrate areas for improvement. Specifically, NVQI will collect detailed data on:
• Patient demographics including age, weight/height, and co-morbidities
• Patient history including pre-op medications, pre-stroke status and key time metrics associated to patient arrival and imaging
• Procedure details including treatments and devices used and medications given
• Follow-up including 14 day, 30 day, month and 1 year follow up
NVQI will be governed by the SNIS Patient Safety Organization (SNIS PSO), which oversees the data sharing arrangements and patient safety initiatives conducted within the NVQI. The importance of the PSO structure is that it protects all comparative analyses generated within the PSO from legal discovery in state and federal court. Furthermore, it permits the collection of patient identified data for quality improvement purposes without requiring consent from individual patients or prior approval from an Institutional Review Board.
“By encouraging the collection, aggregation, benchmarking, and analysis of clinical data, NVQI will assist SNIS members in understanding and improving patient outcomes in a safe environment. NVQI will also permit tracking of new devices and device efficacy in a real world setting which is a critical need within this evolving field,” said Peter Rasmussen, MD, Medical Director of SNIS PSO.
Gregory Lange, CEO of M2S, adds, “The NVQI Registry, supported by the M2S PATHWAYS platform, can provide, for the first time, both the breadth and depth of real time clinical data to assist hospitals and quality departments, as well as physicians, improve care for stroke patients.
Looking forward, the SNIS PSO is already planning its next-stage launch of two modules dedicated to cerebral aneurysms and cerebral arteriovenous malformations, scheduled for later this year. Additional considerations for modules include diagnostic angiography and spinal disease.
SNIS PSO has chosen M2S as the technology vendor to host the NVQI. All data will be securely stored within the M2S PATHWAYS quality improvement data platform. M2S specializes in cloud-based quality improvement registries for data collection and reporting, offering several unique features designed to maximize reporting as well as ease of use by specialists enrolled in registries hosted on M2S PATHWAYS.
Author: Julie Kaloides
CareCloud Partners with Precyse for Physician Office ICD-10 Education
Company offers providers comprehensive ICD-10 training
Wayne, PA and Alpharetta, GA Oct 23, 2014 — CareCloud, the leading provider of cloud-based practice management, electronic health records (EHR), and medical billing software and services, has partnered with Precyse/HealthStream to offer its clients a powerful and unique ICD-10 education program for the physician office/ambulatory market. Precyse and HealthStream have teamed together to offer a unique and comprehensive ICD-10 education solution that is delivered exclusively through HealthStream’s workforce development platform. CareClouds thousands of medical provider clients in 48 states will join the more than 1.6 million learners already using the Precyse University ICD-10 education solution. CareCloud has offered clients leveraging its cloud-based platform access to the following revolutionary benefits and features of the Precyse University Physician Office ICD-10 Education Solution:
• A single solution for all ICD-10 education needs within a practice or clinic;
• Diversified education providing each impacted population with the specific tools and training needed to be successful in ICD-10;
• Myriad of advanced courseware, applications and tools to make education more practical, accessible and relevant to physicians’ concerns, needs and time constraints; and
• Exclusive access to Precyse University’s expansive, one-of-a-kind ICD-10 education program.
“With the ICD-10 transition just months away, we understand that many providers are still concerned about being prepared to make the switch,” explains, Kathleen Thompson, Senior Director of Product Management for CareCloud. “Through our partnership with Precyse/HealthStream, our clients will receive a comprehensive solution for successful migration to ICD-10 in their coding and clinical care workflows, while realizing the benefits of sustained reimbursement levels, improved outcome indicators and fewer claim denials.”
Precyse and HealthStream have partnered to offer a one-stop solution for all of the ICD-10 education needs within physician practices, clinics, and other ambulatory settings. With Precyse’s innovative ICD-10 education programs and HealthStream’s market leading platform for workforce development, healthcare providers have made the ICD-10 solution from Precyse and HealthStream the healthcare industry’s top choice.
“The Precyse University ICD-10 Physician Office Solution is built to fully prepare physicians and all members of their offices and/or clinics for the new world of ICD-10,” explains Thomas Ormondroyd, vice president and general manager of Precyse Learning Solutions. “Although ICD-10 seems daunting and burdensome, it actually offers tremendous opportunity to optimize reimbursement, minimize denials and appeals and improve clinical care through more valuable and detailed data. Our solution is designed to ease the change to ICD-10 and have physicians and their staffs ready for its arrival.”
Unlike its competitors, the Precyse University solution is fully built and tested with more than 300 courses, applications and tools specifically for physicians’ needs. In addition, most courses are mobileready for use on a computer, iPad® or mobile device to make education available anywhere and at any time. Innovative tools and resources such as video games, labs, simulators and animations are available as well.
Recent Acquisition of Global Response Further Expands IMGs Global Footprint into Europe
Indianapolis, IN Oct 20, 2014 – Indianapolis-based, International Medical Group®, Inc. (IMG®) is further expanding its global footprint with a recent acquisition of Wales based company, Global Response Ltd.
With over 70 years of senior management expertise, Global Response provides emergency medical assistance and logistical support to travel insurance policy holders and corporate clients who become sick or injured while traveling overseas. “Global Response is one of the most innovative medical assistance providers in the world,” said R. Brian Barwick, President and CEO of IMG. “The expansion of our 24/7 emergency assistance and claims handling services will further strengthen IMG’s full service approach to being there for our members, wherever they are in the world.”
Since 1999, Global Response has been providing medical assistance on a global scale to leisure, corporate, and NGO members. As an independent, 24/7 assistance and claims company, Global Response caters to a diverse range of insurers and brokers within the U.K. travel market. Global Response was awarded the prestigious International Travel Insurance Journal Award for Claims and Assistance Company of the Year, in 2011.
“Global Response has been delivering brilliant, dependable medical assistance on a global scale for more than 15 years,” said Mark Somers, Managing Director of Global Response. “Becoming integrated with IMG’s family of companies will provide us with the resources to expand our global footprint.”
Both companies agree the ultimate goal of this acquisition is to provide support and service, which will overcome language, currency, time, and cultural challenges. “Global Response will retain their independence, but will now have access to IMG resources, including our significant in-house case management and cost containment expertise, as well as our buying power within the U.S. healthcare system,” finished Barwick.
Quantum Health CEO Kara Trott named 2014 Smart 50 Winnner
Columbus, OH Oct 15, 2014 – The Oswald Companies and Smart Business have named Kara Trott, founder and chief executive officer of Quantum Health, a recipient of the 2014 Smart 50 Award – an award recognizing the 50 top executives of the smartest companies in central Ohio. The award was presented at an event in Columbus on October 14.
Throughout her career, Trott has had success designing and executing research-based consumer intercept strategies for major consumer brands like Citibank, Ford, Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola. She brought this same expertise to healthcare in the late 1990s.
In 1999, Trott founded Quantum Health – the first company in the healthcare industry to apply consumer behavior mapping strategies. Using proprietary research, Quantum Health established a best-in-class model for consumer care coordination and navigation based on how people experience their healthcare journey, what they need and how best to connect with them.
As part of a self-funded company’s healthcare benefits plan, Quantum Health offers a single-point-of-contact connecting employees to a multidisciplinary team using Real-Time Intercept™ to proactively address their needs and concerns throughout their healthcare journey. Quantum Health has had average membership growth of 40% in the last four years, with 53% of clients lowering their healthcare costs in Year 1 over the prior year, and an overall membership satisfaction rate of 94%.
“I’m honored to be among the Smart 50 this year,” Trott said. “This is an exciting time for Quantum Health, and it’s wonderful to have our team and business model recognized in this way.”
Precyse Earns High Marks in KLAS CDI Report
Precyse ranked number one for firms offering both CDI and CAC solutions
Wayne, PA and Alpharetta, GA Oct 15, 2014 — Precyse, an industry leader in Health Information Management (HIM) performance solutions, is pleased to announce Precyse’s Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) services received high scores in a recent KLAS report, titled “CDI Services 2014: Providing Light to Documentation Darkness.” Overall Precyse ranked the highest among firms that offer both Computer-Assisted Coding (CAC) and CDI solutions, and scored well above the market average for CDI Training and CDI Software/Tools categories.
Many providers interviewed prefer a CDI vendor who also provides a CAC solution, which is in line with Precyse’s current day offering of a single, integrated CDI and CAC technology solution, plus enabling services, to enhance data access and communication among coders, CDI specialists, and clinicians. One Precyse client explained, “One thing I liked about Precyse, when we looked around, was that their CDI and computer-assisted coding tools were on the same platform. I felt that would be very important for the synergy between the coders and the people doing the documentation.”
The role of CDI continues to evolve, driven by a focus on reimbursement, quality care and Value Based Purchasing reporting. Precyse incorporates people, processes and technology to provide the specificity of documentation that is required by ICD-9-CM, eases the transition to ICD-10, and supports Meaningful Use and other quality care initiatives. Organizations that improve clinical documentation by investing in CDI programs with training and process improvements that build a strong foundation and support best practices stand to gain significant improvements today and will be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.
Other areas praised by clients in the report include Precyse University education software, training, peer-to-peer education and overall ICD-10 preparedness. As one client explained, “Precyse has done a good job with ICD-10 preparedness. They gave us some clues as to how CDI would impact us in the ICD-10 world, and they helped convert all of our queries into ICD-10-compliant language with the level of detail we needed.” In the report most clients touted Precyse’s, “breadth of resources and strength of their clinician support.”
Chris Powell, CEO of Precyse, stated, “Our emphasis on fully understanding our client’s current challenges and business processes, and then applying the wide breadth of our portfolio – targeted education, leading practices consulting, and integrated, enabling technology – is helping our customers succeed through a very challenging time in the history of healthcare.”
Oasis Outsourcing Launches Client-Paid ID Theft Product
West Palm Beach, FL Oct 13, 2014 – Oasis Outsourcing, one of the nation’s largest Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), has launched a client-paid identity theft product (ID Commander) through its Oasis Power Buys program. This benefit gives clients the ability to provide identity theft protection to their employees at 60% less than what an employee would pay individually.
“The collection of Oasis Power Buys products have been well-received by our client employees who have made individual purchases,” said Ruth Cyrus, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Oasis Outsourcing. “Since identity theft is not only one of the fasting growing crimes, but also one that requires a substantial time investment (frequently during work hours), the client-paid ID Commander offering provides a return on investment to our clients. Providing identity theft protection for employees is perceived as a value-added benefit by employees and allows them to remain focused on their jobs while professionals do the legwork required should a breach occur.”
The Oasis Power Buys program encompasses a group of need-based products designed to provide employees with peace of mind at prices far below market value. Employees can elect the products online and conveniently pay through payroll deduction. Products include identity theft protection, credit monitoring, roadside assistance, technology support and more.
Quantum Health Appoints Shannon Skaggs as Chief Operating Officer
Columbus, OH Oct 7, 2014 – Quantum Health, the leading consumer care coordination and navigation company, today announced that it has appointed Shannon Skaggs to the role of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Skaggs, who brings a decade of experience in the unique care coordination and navigation space, will manage the operational strategy and the refinement of the Quantum Health model.
“Shannon is a seasoned expert in the healthcare innovation and product development space, and that expertise has made him a valuable asset to Quantum Health for the past decade,” said Kara Trott, founder and chief executive officer, Quantum Health. “Shannon’s appointment is a direct reflection of our growth and our focus on the future. We’re very excited to have him in this new role.”
Skaggs will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of all care coordination programs, as well as managing all of the organization’s information technology and marketing communications efforts. In his new role he will also refine the operational strategy and implement new programmatic strategic initiatives.
Over the past several years, Skaggs has served as the vice president of product development, providing oversight and critical expertise to the organization as it engaged in a rapid growth period. Prior to his time in that role, Skaggs served in a number of other leadership roles within the organization, including time as the director of account services and the vice president of the client development group. Shannon’s background prior to joining Quantum Health was in information technology and user design.
Quantum Health Appoints Shannon Skaggs as Chief Operating Officer
Columbus, OH Oct 7, 2014 – Quantum Health, the leading consumer care coordination and navigation company, today announced that it has appointed Shannon Skaggs to the role of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Skaggs, who brings a decade of experience in the unique care coordination and navigation space, will manage the operational strategy and the refinement of the Quantum Health model.
“Shannon is a seasoned expert in the healthcare innovation and product development space, and that expertise has made him a valuable asset to Quantum Health for the past decade,” said Kara Trott, founder and chief executive officer, Quantum Health. “Shannon’s appointment is a direct reflection of our growth and our focus on the future. We’re very excited to have him in this new role.”
Skaggs will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of all care coordination programs, as well as managing all of the organization’s information technology and marketing communications efforts. In his new role he will also refine the operational strategy and implement new programmatic strategic initiatives.
Over the past several years, Skaggs has served as the vice president of product development, providing oversight and critical expertise to the organization as it engaged in a rapid growth period. Prior to his time in that role, Skaggs served in a number of other leadership roles within the organization, including time as the director of account services and the vice president of the client development group. Shannon’s background prior to joining Quantum Health was in information technology and user design.
Precyse HIM Technology Platform Continues to Expand its Footprint
The industry’s only integrated technology platform for inpatient and outpatient coding and CDI – precyseCode™ and precyseCDI™ offers additional functionality with easier to use interface
San Diego, CA Sep 30, 2014 — The use of precyseCode™ and precyseCDI™ by provider organizations continuous to grow. Precyse’s single, consolidated platform offers both inpatient and outpatient computer-assisted coding (CAC), and clinical documentation improvement (CDI) workflow supported by state-of-the-art Natural Language Processing (NLP). The technology and Precyse’s unique ability to offer associated services helps minimize denials, reduce audit risks, and improve coding compliance.
Nationally, Providers are starting dual coding programs to ensure their coders have hands-on coding practice before the proposed ICD-10 implementation in October 2015. Dual coding allows providers to analyze for documentation gaps, identify educational opportunities and the potential impact on contract and reimbursement.. Client facilities using precyseCode and precyseCDI are taking advantage of the technology’s dual coding capabilities, which are complemented by Precyse’s dual coding services. “The technologies are helping our clients lower their coding error rates and reduce the number of queries back to the physician for clarification or correction,” comments Chris Powell, CEO of Precyse. “Since AHIMA October 2013, we’ve experienced 26 percent growth in our CAC/CDI technology client base.”
Adds Debra Stenner, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, “Hospitals using Precyse’s technology have experienced significantly higher productivity rates. One client reported a 50 percent increase in productivity with the use of precyseCode for same day surgeries (SDS) and expects the number to grow.”
Precyse University Courseware Enhancements Ready Facilities for ICD-10
Healthcare education leader collaborates with providers to take advantage of ICD-10 delay and improve documentation for each specialty.
San Diego, CA Sep 29, 2014 — Precyse University, the most innovative, complete and widely adopted on-site, online and mobile ICD-10 education solution, continues to support its growing population of more than 1.6 million learners by offering more courseware to support improved clinical documentation. This unique and comprehensive ICD-10 education solution is delivered exclusively through HealthStream’s workforce development platform. “Our clients are interested in clinical documentation improvement training for a number of reasons,” explains Tom Ormondroyd, Vice President and General Manager, Precyse Learning Solutions. “There is a large consensus that regardless of an ICD-10 deadline, improvingdocumentation has a significant positive impact on patients, healthcare providers and facilities. That’s the focus that keeps the momentum going and supports healthcare facilities in achieving better outcomes.”
Clinical documentation training enhances the skills of providers, and results in more accurate coding, and reimbursement, whether coders are using ICD-9 or ICD-10. A growing number of provider facilities recognize the process of documentation accuracy and integrity as crucial to helping them meet numerous goals.
Precyse University’s solution offers foundational and specialty courses to help organizations move forward with documentation improvement plans and education. Each program is filled with tips, strategies and readiness information for documentation and coding best practices. Due to the ICD-10 delay, the Precyse University solution has been enhanced to focus on optimal documentation and processes that maximize performance in an ICD-9 or ICD-10 world. Precyse has released additional coding tools and courseware to help maintain skills for those coders who have already completed their education and risk losing this knowledge. The focus of Precyse University is to encourage impacted populations to stay the course with their ICD-10 training programs, and focus on accurate and complete documentation for each specialty to minimize the risk of falling behind.
“Precyse University is innovating courseware and programs to help clients through this time period. We’re building and shaping content to help them navigate the delay and be best prepared for a successful transition,” summarizes Ormondroyd. “This is an unexpected opportunity for provider facilities to improve their documentation.”