Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/170082
Spine Advocacy & Policy creation of specialty-centered computer programs is progressing slowly. Unfortunately, he says, meaningful use is being monitored to establish provider quality of care. Spine specialists are being told that these quality measures will be published even though proof that being in compliance with these requirements to give higher quality of care has not been scientifically established. "Typically when I make morning rounds, I meet with each patient for 15 minutes to discuss their surgery, examine their wound and answer questions they may have about their symptoms or care," Dr. Finkenberg says. "That's 12 minutes with the patient and three minutes on completing the progress note in the chart. Hospitals struggling to implement EMR systems are incurring growing pains, which are altering the physician-patient relationship. I now spend three minutes with the patient and 12 minutes with the computer. This time is now spent navigating through the EMR system trying to make sure the correct orders are being documented, nurses are being made aware of important treatment changes and labs/test results are being discovered." Some Healthcare analysts believe physicians will play a different role in our healthcare system in the future. They will no longer be expert diagnosticians honing bedside history and physical examination skills, but instead will become health information managers. "Everyone in medicine understands the need for eliminating duplication of effort, sharing medical history and diagnostic information, but none of us got into this occupation to be information managers only for our patients," Dr. Finkenberg says. "There is a lot more to being a doctor, and we don't want to give up that portion. When I talk to people in CMS, they also want to preserve the physician-patient relationship. They are interested in making the EMR systems an asset that simplifies the paper work, allows for decreased errors and affords time to establish better physician-patient relationships." 11 "We think doing away with the exemption is a mistake that could affect the quality of care for patients," Dr. Finkenberg says. "As an orthopedist and spine specialist, I frequently care for the elderly and disabled. It is not uncommon for them to require an X-ray, therapeutic injection, brace or ambulatory aid. Patients with spinal injuries need immediate care, and to have them sent some place else to get these diagnostic or therapeutic treatments is difficult for patients and their family. Many people forget that patients don't always drive themselves to their appointments. Getting rid of the exemption would require patients to get X-rays or diagnostic tests in another location across town or maybe even farther away. "We think there is a way to monitor costs by better identifying Medicare fraud and abuse and requiring utilization outliers to undergo a review process after established norm limits for that subspecialty have been exceeded," he says. "The goal is to improve the value and quality of care and NASS believes this can be done without taking away the diagnostic and treatment facilities that streamline care and benefit patients." n register today! 11th Annual Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Drive ASC Conference June 13-15, 2013 in Chicago The Best Business Conference for Spine and ASCs Featuring 50+ Physicians Speaking, 90+ Sessions Featuring keynote speakers Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K), Geoff Colvin, Brad Gilbert, Forrest Sawyer and more than 135 speakers. Currently spine specialists are modifying EMR programs set up for primary care physicians and with every modification, the system can go down for several days. "It's incredibly frustrating," he says. "It takes us away from the patient and puts us in front of a box." 6. In-office ancillary services. Recent requests from the Senate Finance Committee to score the removal of the in-office ancillary services exemption to Stark Law relating to physical therapy, clinical laboratory services and advanced diagnostic imaging have some fearing the exemption may be eliminated in the future. The Government Accountability Office released a report focused on physician-owned practice utilization of advanced imaging. For more information visit www.beckersspine.com.