• Futura Mobility Earns a Spot on Deloitte’s Fast 500 for 2015

    Futura Mobility, a leading mobile technology solutions company based in the greater Philadelphia area, announced that it has once again earned a place on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in North America.

    This honor solidifies Futura Mobility as one of the fastest growing enterprise and healthcare mobility companies in the country. Futura Mobility’s revenue grew nearly 154 percent from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2014, an impressive feat in a fiercely competitive climate.

    “We are honored that Deloitte has recognized our business for our significant growth accomplishments,” said David Gulian, CEO of Futura Mobility. “Our carefully executed expansion is indicative of our ability to adapt to market challenges and customer demands as we strive to deliver nothing but the highest quality solutions and services.”

    Futura Mobility serves the needs of customers in various industries including enterprise, logistics, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. Some of the customers mentioned by Gulian that have helped contribute to Futura’s growth include large corporations such as Reynold’s Consumer Products and Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, and Mercedes-Benz USA as well as healthcare providers such as Kaiser Permanente, Cleveland Clinic, Inspira Health Network, Main Line Health and Cooper University Hospital.

    About Deloitte’s 2015 Technology Fast 500™
    Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies – both public and private – in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2011 to 2014.

    In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company’s operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least $50,000 USD or CD, and current-year operating revenues of at least $5 million USD or CD. Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America.

    About Futura Mobility
    Futura Mobility is a leading enterprise provider of end-to-end mobile technology solutions, delivering continuous service from design through development, deployment, and support. Using its proprietary Mobile Managed Services Platform, Futura Mobility currently supports more than 2,500 healthcare and enterprise clients and 250,000 devices across North America. Futura Mobility is part of a family of companies which includes Futura Services and Pursuit Healthcare Advisors. For more information, please visit www.futuramobility.com and www.EHi360.com.

    Posted 11.24.2015

  • M*Modal Expands its Fluency for Imaging Reporting Suite to Improve Documentation Quality & Support the Move to Value-Based Care

    Fluency for Imaging is the top-scoring front-end speech solution in the KLAS diagnostic sub-segment

    FRANKLIN, TN – November 24, 2015 — M*Modal, a leading provider of clinical documentation and Speech Understanding™ solutions, today announced that it will showcase improvements to its market-leading Fluency for Imaging™ reporting suite at RSNA 2015, booth #1729. M*Modal will demonstrate several new advancements that focus on improving the clinical quality of documentation and supporting the radiologist’s workflow as the industry moves towards value-based care.

    To support the dual goals of payment modernization and improvement in clinical quality, M*Modal now offers an integrated solution to provide operational, clinical and financial metrics in real-time that will benefit the entire imaging enterprise. M*Modal’s new analytics offering, M*Modal ScoutTM, is integrated within Fluency for Imaging to optimize efficiency and user experience.

    M*Modal’s proven Computer-Assisted Physician Documentation (CAPD) functionality continues to help radiologists improve the quality and completeness of the report as they document the interpretation. The M*Modal closed-loop clinical documentation system delivers automated, evidence-based and true real-time feedback on, for example:

    • Critical findings with an integrated, automated Critical Test Result Management (CTRM) workflow
    • ICD-10 related specificity including acuity
    • Laterality and gender mismatches
    • Documentation completeness and best practices to support the ACR Imaging 3.0TM initiative

    The M*Modal software is continually updated with the latest documentation guidelines as more use cases are added to support radiologists in their reporting workflow.

    Additionally, M*Modal is introducing the seventh generation of its cloud-based Speech Understanding engine which delivers superior out-of-the-gate speech recognition accuracy and performance.

    “M*Modal’s voice recognition accuracy is outstanding, which allows me to read with continued focus. In addition, the Computer-Assisted Physician Documentation (CAPD) real-time feedback has saved me many times from right/left mistakes and calmed my fears of ICD-10 documentation specificity,” said Dr. Arif S. Kidwai, MD, MBA, President, St. Johns Radiology Associates, serving Flagler Hospital.

    “We are excited to demonstrate new, innovative improvements to our market-leading solutions. M*Modal Imaging Solutions take into account every click, step and second because we know radiologists do. Our goal is to not only improve radiologists’ efficiency but also to provide them the right, summarized information so that they can make better decisions faster to improve patient outcomes,” said Scott MacKenzie, CEO of M*Modal.

    To see the M*Modal Imaging Solutions suite at work, please visit booth #1729 at the RSNA Annual Meeting from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, IL.

    About M*Modal
    M*Modal is a leading healthcare technology provider of advanced clinical documentation solutions, enabling hospitals and physicians to enrich the content of patient electronic health records (EHR) for improved healthcare and comprehensive billing integrity. As one of the largest clinical transcription service providers in the US, with a global network of medical editors, M*Modal also provides advanced cloud-based Speech Understanding™ technology and data analytics that enable physicians and clinicians to include the context of their patient narratives into electronic health records in a single step, further enhancing their productivity and the cost-saving efficiency and quality of patient care at the point of care. For more information, please visit www.mmodal.com, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

    Posted 11.24.2015

  • Merge Healthcare eviCore healthcare Partner to Streamline Medical Imaging Prior Authorization Process for Providers & Payers

     Partnership will expand Merge’s iConnect® Network Services to include 90 million insured individuals currently served by eviCore’s payer clients

    CHICAGO, IL – November, 23 2015 — Merge Healthcare, an IBM Company (NYSE: IBM), has entered into an agreement with eviCore healthcare that will automate and streamline the process providers undertake to obtain imaging study prior authorizations from payers. The agreement is intended to benefit payers, providers and imaging centers by consolidating multiple prior authorization processes into Merge’s iConnect® Network Services (iCNS), a comprehensive technology-based solution which electronically routes imaging study orders, manages incoming prior authorizations and communicates medical imaging results among healthcare professionals in a HIPAA-compliant manner.

    “The overall cost to the healthcare system of all practice interactions with health plans, including authorizations, is estimated between $23 billion and $31 billion annually [1],” said Justin Dearborn, chief executive officer of Merge Healthcare. “The Merge-eviCore agreement is intended to benefit providers and payers by applying a technology-based solution to what has been a largely analog process. In doing so, Merge and eviCore expect to bring a new level of operational efficiency to imaging centers and referring physicians, with the potential to help lower the risk of providers going unreimbursed for medical payment claims based on incomplete or absent prior authorization documentation.”

    Starting in 2016, referring physicians, hospitals and medical imaging centers that work with Merge can access prior authorization information for more than 90 million insured individuals currently served by eviCore. Since Merge’s iCNS is vendor neutral, even medical imaging providers not yet working with Merge are expected to benefit from the enhanced iCNS platform, which will be designed to accommodate virtually any Radiology Information System (RIS) or Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS), as well as multiple payer processes.

    “eviCore handles thousands of prior authorization cases per day, and the associated process to manage them has to date required a tremendous amount of manual effort from providers and payers,” said Matt Cunningham, executive vice president of M&A integrations and value improvement programs at eviCore. “We chose Merge as our partner to address this challenge because Merge is the only company with infrastructure in place to enable automated ordering, prior authorization and imaging results delivery for the entire marketplace. The potential benefits for our payer clients and the providers they serve are considerable.”

    Prior authorization programs for medical imaging services, also known as pre-certification programs, are commonly required by payers. The programs are designed to promote effective use of imaging services and confirm the medical necessity of a requested radiology service. Prior authorization requirements vary among payers, but studies show it can take up to an additional 10-20 hours a week per physician. In 2013 alone, an estimated 97 million prior authorization requests were made for medical imaging services such as computed tomography scans (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRIs), medical ultrasonography and more.

    [1]  Casalino, Larry. “What Does It Cost Physician Practices To Interact With Health Insurance Plans?” Health Affairs, Aug. 2009. Web.

    About eviCore healthcare
    eviCore healthcare offers proven, diversified medical benefit management solutions that help clients reduce costs while increasing quality of care for their members. The company provides these solutions to managed care organizations and risk-bearing provider organizations serving commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid populations. Powered by a team of specialized medical professional resources, extensive evidence-based guidelines, and advanced technologies, the company supports clients by ensuring the right evidence-based care is delivered at the right time to the right patient at the right site of care. Flexible medical benefit management solutions are offered in: Diagnostic Testing and Imaging; Cardiology; Comprehensive Musculoskeletal and Pain Management; Medical and Radiation Oncology; Sleep Services; Lab Management; and Post-Acute Care (including participating in the CMS Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative). eviCore is proud to help over 90 million Americans receive higher quality, lower cost healthcare. For more information, please visit evicore.com.

    About Merge Healthcare
    Merge, an IBM Company, is a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare. Merge’s enterprise and cloud-based technologies for image intensive specialties provide access using a standard internet browser or mobile device. Merge also provides clinical trials software with end-to-end study support in a single platform and other intelligent health data and analytics solutions. With solutions that have been used by providers for more than 25 years, Merge is helping to reduce costs and improve efficiencies, which enhances the quality of healthcare worldwide. For more information, visit merge.com and follow them on Twitter @MergeHealthcare.

    Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
    The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words “will,” “believes,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “expects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.

    Posted 11.23.2015

  • UC San Diego Health Selects Merge Healthcare Solutions to Help Improve Enterprise Imaging Workflow & Patient Experience

    Implementation of Merge’s iConnect® Access & iConnect® Enterprise Archive solutions will provide UCSD clinicians easy access to medical image data, which can enable more efficient healthcare delivery

    CHICAGO, IL – November, 19 2015 — Merge Healthcare, an IBM Company (NYSE: IBM) and a leading provider of clinical systems and innovations that seek to transform healthcare, entered into an agreement with UC San Diego Health for Merge’s iConnect® Access and iConnect® Enterprise Archive. UC San Diego Health is a tertiary, multidisciplinary health system integrating research, teaching and clinical care at locations in Hillcrest and La Jolla, CA.

    UC San Diego Health sought a technology solution that would simplify medical imaging workflow and enable clinicians to easily follow the path of their patients. “Collaborating with Merge Healthcare is a big step towards further ensuring that our clinicians have access to medical imaging information when they need it,” said Tom Hamelin, ‎senior director responsible for Imaging Informatics at UC San Diego Health. “Connecting our clinicians to a complete image management option allows them to access current and historical images at the point of care and gives them the flexibility to view images using a standard internet browser.”

    “We are honored to work with UC San Diego Health, San Diego’s only academic health system and a leading destination for individuals requiring complex, multidisciplinary care,” said Justin Dearborn, chief executive officer of Merge Healthcare.

    About UC San Diego Health
    UC San Diego Health is the region’s only academic health system and is dedicated to delivering outstanding patient care through commitment to the community, groundbreaking research and inspired teaching. It ranked #1 in San Diego for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 in US News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” issue. UC San Diego Health is composed of UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest and Thornton Hospital, Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Jacobs Medical Center (opening 2016) and the Outpatient Pavilion (opening 2017), all in La Jolla, as well as other primary and specialty practices located throughout Southern California. For more information, visit health.ucsd.edu.

    About Merge Healthcare
    Merge Healthcare, an IBM Company, is a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare. Merge’s enterprise and cloud-based technologies for image intensive specialties provide access using a standard internet browser. Merge also provides clinical trials software with end-to-end study support in a single platform and other intelligent health data and analytics solutions. With solutions that have been used by providers for more than 25 years, Merge is helping to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and enhance the quality of healthcare worldwide. For more information, visit merge.com and follow them on Twitter @MergeHealthcare.

    Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
    The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words “will,” “believes,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “expects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.

    Posted 11.19.2015

  • INSIDE CHIME: Making the Case to Streamline Meaningful Use

     

    Inside CHIME - header

    11.19.15 by Charles Christian, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO, FHIMSS
    CHIME Board of Trustees chair; vice president of technology and engagement, Indiana Health Information Exchange

     

    In a letter to federal policymakers, CHIME called for eliminating the pass/fail approach to Meaningful Use and reducing the reporting burden on providers.

    Earlier this week, CHIME urged policymakers to streamline the Meaningful Use program and reduce the reporting burden on providers. In a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt, we noted that the current regulatory framework could stymie efforts to move to value-based reimbursement. The comments were in reply to a request for information (RFI) from the agency regarding implementation of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and implementation of alternative payment models for physicians.

    In its RFI, the agency indicated a willingness to move away from the current pass/fail approach to determining if a provider has achieved Meaningful Use. As you know, providers are required to meet multiple measures and objectives. With limited exception, failure to hit any of the regulatory thresholds is deemed a failure and puts the provider at risk of a financial penalties. CHIME expressed support for transitioning eligible professional to a more flexible Meaningful Use compliance model and finding physicians successful if they meet 75 percent or more of the requirements. We also made the case for shifting eligible hospitals off of the existing all-or-nothing approach.

    Our letter also encouraged CMS to reduce the reporting burden by eliminating redundant measures and data collection requirements. We pointed out that many CHIME members submit more than 20 reports across federal, state and private sector program for various clinical quality measures each month. Hours of work and expertise are required to comply with these reporting demands and such burdens are exacerbated by a lack of technical harmonization. The goal, our letter stated, should be to eliminate duplicative quality measures and reporting requirements.”

    For a copy of CHIME’s letter, click here.

    More Inside CHIME Volume 1, No. 5:

    Posted 11.19.2015

  • INSIDE CHIME: New Board Members Poised to Shape AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT Groups

    Inside CHIME - header

    gmcculloch 11.19.15 by George McCulloch, FCHIME, CHCIO
    Executive Vice President, Membership & Professional Development, CHIME

     

    Leaders in applications, security and information technology will help the AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT groups grow their professional development and educational offerings.

    The Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Applications (AEHIA), Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Technology (AEHIT) and Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS) — and their respective foundations — recently announced newly elected members to their boards of trustees.

    These groups were launched in 2014 to offer educational and professional develop programs for senior healthcare leaders in information technology, applications and security. In fact, we held the first AEHIX Fall Forum last month in Orlando. All three groups have experienced sizeable growth during the past two years. Both AEHIA and AEHIT boast nearly 200 members each, while more than 400 security officers have joined AEHIS. The new board members will help guide the organizations as they continue to grow and evolve to meet member needs, as well as help inform policymakers and the public on key issues impacting health IT.

    For a complete listing of the AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT board members, click here.

    More Inside CHIME Volume 1, No. 5:

    Posted 11.19.2015

  • CynergisTek Extends Virtual CISO Service to Business Associates; Adds GetWellNetwork to Growing Client Portfolio

    Healthcare Data Privacy & Security Firm Meets Demand for HIPAA Expertise & Audit Support by Business Associates

    AUSTIN, TX – November 17, 2015 — CynergisTek™, an authority in health information security, privacy, and compliance, today announced that it has extended its Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) Service to serve business associates (BAs) of healthcare provider organizations, as well as covered entities. The service integrates CynergisTek’s experienced security professionals into an organization’s existing information security program to ensure effective management and regulatory compliance. Additionally, the company announced that GetWellNetwork, the leader in Interactive Patient Care™ (IPC) solutions, is the first BA to employ its vCISO service for expert support and advisement on maturing and managing its information security program.

    Like healthcare providers, BAs face more security threats and regulatory requirements to protect personal health information than ever before, but many lack the internal resources and tools required to properly secure their infrastructures. GetWellNetwork selected CynergisTek as a security partner based on its specialized expertise in healthcare and commitment to working as an extension of the existing IT team. Specifically, CynergisTek will assign a senior information security consultant to serve as GetWellNetwork’s vCISO, providing ongoing guidance throughout the process of defining, deploying and managing an information security program.

    “Security has become a critical element of doing good business with providers. It’s not the result of concerns regarding forthcoming HIPAA audits. It’s simply the right thing to do.” said David Bennett, chief information and innovation officer of GetWellNetwork. “We realize the need for a dedicated role to oversee information security and think CynergisTek’s vCISO resource will serve us well in analyzing our current state of security and in developing a strategy for improving the overall program.”

    CynergisTek’s vCISO service is a three-year program designed to provide information security expertise and advice that supports an organization’s Chief Information Officer, Security Officer, and other key staff. The assigned vCISO is responsible for presenting security priorities, regular status updates and documented plans of action. This enables continual improvement of the organization’s security program based on its unique needs.

    “BAs are the fastest growing segment of our new clientele, and we expect that trend to continue as requests for demonstrable safeguards and attestations of compliance from providers increase and the audits get closer,” said Mac McMillan, CEO of CynergisTek. “Providers are getting smarter and tougher on how they give access to their protected health information and therefore, BAs need to be smarter too. We are happy to offer GetWellNetwork the value-add of our service and to guide them on the road to solidifying the integrity of their business and assuring their clients’ commitment to information security.”

    About GetWellNetwork
    GetWellNetwork®, Inc. provides patient engagement solutions that help health care providers engage, educate and empower patients along the care continuum. Their patient-centered platform, delivered across multiple technology platforms including mobile devices, computers and televisions, enables providers to implement a revolutionary care delivery model called Interactive Patient Care™ to improve performance and patient outcomes. The company further extends the value of existing IT investments by integrating seamlessly with electronic medical record and patient portal applications. GetWellNetwork is recognized by KLAS® as the leader in the Interactive Patient Systems category. Learn more at www.GetWellNetwork.com.

    About CynergisTek
    CynergisTek is a top-ranked information security and privacy consulting firm. The company offers solutions to help organizations measure privacy and security programs against regulatory requirements and assists in developing risk management best practices. Since 2004 the company has served as a partner to hundreds in the healthcare industry. CynergisTek is also dedicated to supporting and educating the industry by contributing to relevant associations such as HIMSS, AHIMA, HFMA, HCCA, AHIA, AHLA, IAPP and CHIME. CynergisTek was recognized by KLAS®, as one of three firm provider organizations turn to most for privacy and security assistance in its groundbreaking report released in May 2014, entitled “Security and Privacy Perception 2014: High Stakes, Big Challenges.” For more information visit www.cynergistek.com, call 512.402.8550 or email [email protected].

     

    Posted 11.19.2015

  • CynergisTek CEO Elected to Board of Trustees for CHIME’s Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security

    Industry Thought Leader, Mac McMillan, to Further Support Association by Providing Guidance on Key Issues Impacting Healthcare IT Security

    AUSTIN, TX – November 12, 2015 — CynergisTek™, an authority in health information security, privacy, and compliance, today announced that its CEO, Mac McMillan, has been elected to the board of trustees for the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS). In this role, McMillan will help the organization continue to evolve to meet member needs by providing ongoing healthcare information technology (HIT) security guidance. McMillan will also help inform policymakers and the public on key issues impacting the HIT industry.

    Launched in 2014 by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives’ (CHIME), AEHIS is the first professional organization representing chief security officers (CSOs) in the healthcare setting, aiming to provide educational resources and support for addressing important industry-specific privacy and security issues. AEHIS also offers CSOs and other top-ranking information security leaders in healthcare opportunities for professional development and networking. McMillan’s position on the board of trustees is his latest contribution to AEHIS, coming on the heels of his keynote addresses on cybersecurity at the organization’s 2014 and 2015 breakout events. CynergisTek has also been a foundation member of AEHIS since 2014.

    “Mac’s involvement in AEHIS and his continued support has been instrumental in building a strong foundation, and we are glad to have him on the board of trustees as we continue to expand,” said George McCulloch, Executive Vice President, Membership & Professional Development, CHIME. “Mac is well-respected within the healthcare industry as a trusted expert on a wide range of information security issues, making him a valuable asset to both the organization as a whole, and to our individual members.”

    McMillan is a nationally renowned expert in information security and regulatory compliance in healthcare, and contributes regularly to several industry trade publications, blogs and newsletters. He brings nearly 40 years of combined intelligence, security countermeasures and consulting experience from both government and private sector positions and has worked in the healthcare industry since his retirement from the federal government in 2000.

    “We have always been committed to furthering educational initiatives in healthcare privacy and security, particularly those that support both the industry at large and individuals serving in information security positions across the nation,” said McMillan. “Today it’s more important than ever that CIOs and CISOs have opportunities to continuously educate themselves and collaborate with peers, and AEHIS is making that happen. I’m honored to have been elected to the board of trustees and look forward to contributing my experience and knowledge in the coming years.”

    About CHIME
    The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,700 CIO members and over 150 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.


    About AEHIS
    AEHIS is the only professional organization focused on supporting the healthcare industry’s security executive community. AEHIS provides professional development and educational resources on important healthcare security issues, as well as an environment where /security leaders can communicate with, inform and educate one another. For more information, please visit aehis.org.
    

    About CynergisTek
    

    CynergisTek is a top-ranked information security and privacy consulting firm. The company offers solutions to help organizations measure privacy and security programs against regulatory requirements and assists in developing risk management best practices. Since 2004 the company has served as a partner to hundreds in the healthcare industry. CynergisTek is also dedicated to supporting and educating the industry by contributing to relevant associations such as HIMSS, AHIMA, HFMA, HCCA, AHIA, AHLA, IAPP and CHIME. CynergisTek was recognized by KLAS®, as one of three firms provider organizations turn to most for privacy and security assistance in its groundbreaking report released in May 2014, entitled “Security and Privacy Perception 2014: High Stakes, Big Challenges.” For more information visit www.cynergistek.com, call 512.402.8550 or email [email protected].
    

    				
    Posted 11.19.2015
    											
    		
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    					Healthcare CIOs Discuss Challenges and Priorities for Coming Year				
    				
    Impact Advisors & Scottsdale Institute publish report on findings
    

    CHICAGO, IL & MINNEAPOLIS, MN – November 18, 2015 — This past September, eight CIOs from some of the nation’s leading healthcare organizations convened at the annual Scottsdale Institute Fall CIO Summit to discuss the most important IT related challenges their health systems are facing and the strategies to position their organizations for success over the next year. The Summit was hosted by the Scottsdale Institute, a not-for-profit membership organization of health systems advanced in IT, and sponsored by Impact Advisors, a leading provider of healthcare information technology consulting services. The conversations and key findings from the Summit are outlined in the report, “The New World of the Health System CIO: Consumers, Consolidation and Crooks.”
    

    “We are pleased to continue to bring the nation’s leading CIOs together to discuss challenges that affect their health systems,” said Shelli Williamson, Executive Director of Scottsdale Institute. “We know that now, more than ever, their leadership, time and focus will be instrumental in the success of their organization.”
    

    The CIOs in attendance included:
    

      

    • David Bensema, MD – Baptist Health Kentucky
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    • Kyle Johnson – Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems
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    • Jonathan Manis – Sutter Health
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    • Bill Russell – Saint Joseph Health System
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    • Bruce Smith – Advocate Health Care
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    • Subra Sripada – Beaumont Health
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    • Jim Veline – Avera Health
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    • Laishy Williams-Carlson – Bon Secours Health System
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    The group identified five challenges that are consuming a majority of their time and creating the most angst. Those challenges include new payment models; optimization; mergers and acquisitions; security and competing for and retaining patients and consumers. The CIOs also identified key focus areas and strategies to help address those challenges. The group concluded that leadership skills, taking risks and innovation will be crucial to the success of their health systems over the coming years and beyond.
    

    “Most, if not all, organizations today are facing growing information technology needs in the face of shrinking margins,” said Andy Smith, President and Co-Founder of Impact Advisors. “We are confident that the priorities and focus areas this group identified for the coming year will be useful for all CIOs facing similar challenges.”
    

    A copy of the report, “The New World of the Health System CIO: Consumers, Consolidation and Crooks,” is downloadable for free at www.impact-advisors.com and at www.scottsdaleinstitute.org. Dr. Tonya Edwards, Physician Executive at Impact Advisors, prepared the report on behalf of Scottsdale Institute and Impact Advisors.
    

    About Impact Advisors, LLC
    
    Impact Advisors, a distinguished healthcare information technology consulting firm, improves its clients’ healthcare delivery through technology. As a trusted healthcare leader, the firm helps hospitals and health systems maximize clinical and operational performance with its Best in KLAS® strategic advisory, implementation and optimization services. Since its inception, Impact Advisors has consulted to more than 140 hospitals and health systems nationally and internationally. The firm has earned a number of industry and workplace quality awards including Best in KLAS® for seven consecutive years, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, Crain’s Chicago Business Fast Fifty and Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com.
    

    About Scottsdale Institute
    
    The Scottsdale Institute (SI) is a not-for-profit membership organization of prominent healthcare systems whose goal is to support its members on their journey to clinical integration and transformation through information technology. SI facilitates knowledge sharing among an exclusive group of senior executives as well as among their teams across the enterprise. They provide intimate and informal forums that accomplish this goal through collaboration, education and networking. For more information visit www.scottsdaleinstitute.org.
    

    				
    Posted 11.18.2015
    											
    		
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    					To Support Value-Based Reimbursement, CHIME Calls for Streamlining the Meaningful Program				
    				
    ANN ARBOR, MI, November 17, 2015 – As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) advances alternative payment models for physicians, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) today urged policymakers to streamline the Meaningful Use program and reduce the reporting burden on providers by better aligning quality measures.
    

    CHIME supports transitioning eligible professional to a more flexible Meaningful Use compliance model, shifting away from the current pass/fail construct and finding physicians successful if they meet 75 percent or more of the requirements. Eligible hospitals should also be moved off of the existing all-or-nothing approach, CHIME Board Chair Charles Christian and CHIME CEO and President Russell Branzell noted in a letter to CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt. CHIME’s comments were in reply to a request for information (RFI) from the agency regarding implementation of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and implementation of alternative payment models for physicians. The new payment system, referred to as MIPS, was enacted earlier this year as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which did away with the troubled sustainable growth rate used to determine physician payment.
    

    To fulfill Meaningful Use objectives, providers are required to meet multiple measures and objectives. With limited exception, failure to hit any of the regulatory thresholds is deemed a failure and puts the provider at risk of a financial penalties. In its RFI, CMS indicated a willingness to move away from pass/fail and adopt a weighted approach for physicians. CHIME supports such a move, but believes it should apply to hospitals as well.
    

    “We have previously advocated for the removal of the pass/fail methodology of the Meaningful Use program,” Christian and Branzell wrote, noting that the pass/fail methodology often pulls resources away from other critical areas, including pursuing interoperability and adopting other solutions that can advance patient care.
    

    In its letter, CHIME also encouraged CMS to reduce the reporting burden by eliminating redundant measures and data collection requirements.
    

    “Many CHIME members submit more than 20 reports across federal, state and private sector program for various clinical quality measures each month. Hours of work and expertise are required to comply with these reporting demands and such burdens are exacerbated by a lack of technical harmonization,” Christian and Branzell wrote. “The goal should be to eliminate duplicative quality measures and reporting requirements.”
    

    For a copy of CHIME’s letter, click here.
    

    About CHIME
    
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,700 CIO members and over 150 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
    


    
Contact
    
    Matthew Weinstock
    
Director of Communications and Public Relations, CHIME
    
734.249.8917
    
[email protected]
    

    				
    Posted 11.17.2015
    											
    		
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    					Huntzinger Management Group Named One of the Fastest Growing Consulting Firms				
    				
    SCRANTON, PA – November 17, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Huntzinger Management Group, Inc. (HMG) – a leader in healthcare advisory, managed services, implementation and supplemental staffing services – announced that it was recognized as one of the consulting industry’s fastest growing firms by ALM’s Consulting magazine.
    

    HMG’s 269 percent revenue growth rate earned it the 10th spot on the list of the nation’s top 50 fastest growing firms, which included consulting organizations of all sizes, across every sector, ranked by their revenue growth from 2011 through 2014. Consultingmagazine unveiled the winners Nov. 6th at the annual Consulting Summit held at the University Club in New York.
    

    “We are proud to be recognized by this achievement, as it’s a direct reflection of our dedication to our clients and their business objectives, which continue to earn us the referrals that grow our company,” said Robert Kitts, HMG’s founding partner and Chief Executive Officer. “Being named to the 50 Fastest Growing Consulting Firms is also a testament to the talented team of healthcare professionals at HMG who work tirelessly to deliver impressive results and expand the services that we offer, which has really been the fuel for our tremendous growth.”
    

    The Fastest Growing Firms will be featured on www.consultingmag.com and in the December issue of Consulting magazine. A listing of the award recipients can be found here.
    

    About ALM
    
    ALM is a global leader in specialized industry news and information. Trusted reporting delivered through innovative technology is the hallmark of ALM’s award-winning media properties. Headquartered in New York City with 18 offices worldwide, ALM brands have been serving their markets since 1843. ALM was named among Folio: Magazine’s Top Places to Work in Media in 2014. For more information, visit www.alm.com.
    

    About The Huntzinger Management Group, Inc.
    
    HMG provides advisory, managed services, implementation and supplemental staffing services to the healthcare industry. We focus on clinical and operational business performance optimization by ensuring alignment between IT, clinical, and ambulatory areas to position our healthcare clients for the future. For more information, visit www.huntzingergroup.com.
    

    				
    Posted 11.17.2015
    											
    		
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    					Guthrie Wins Spok Innovation Award for Unique Approach to Patient Satisfaction				
    				
    SPRINGFIELD, VA – November 16, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Spok, Inc. announced today that Guthrie, an integrated health system based in north central Pennsylvania and south central New York, is the winner of the 2015 Spok Innovation Award for creatively using Spok® solutions to improve patient satisfaction.
    

    Guthrie was selected as this year’s Spok Innovation Award winner for the inventive way it is delivering periodic updates to patients’ families during lengthy surgical procedures. Family members at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA are given a tablet loaded with the Spok Mobile® secure texting app in the waiting room, and Guthrie’s operating room nurses send them timely updates about the patient’s care and progress. Nurses launch these messages from any computer in the hospital via Guthrie’s Spok web directory, which delivers messages to a variety of endpoints, such as pagers, wireless IP phones, smartphones, and in this case, tablets.
    

    “Guthrie’s Surgical Services team came to me for help with improving their patient satisfaction scores, emphasizing family communication as a primary focus,” said Tonya Barnett in the telecommunications department at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital. “We’ve had very positive feedback from patients and their families, as they can easily look back at past messages and have the information and timestamps they need to pass along to other family and friends.”
    

    The tablets are also loaded with news, games, and social media apps to pass the time while families wait for news about their loved one. Nurses can also let families know when it’s a good time to step out for a walk or to get a bite to eat, which helps them manage their time and ease anxiety. The feedback from patients and their families has been so positive for Guthrie Surgical Services that the health system is currently looking to roll the program out to other areas of the hospital.
    

    Barnett accepted the award on behalf of Guthrie during the opening session at Connect 15, Spok’s annual conference, held this week in Nashville, TN. Nominations for the 2015 Spok Innovation Award were open to all Spok customers, and the winner was selected by Spok’s Strategic Advisory Council.
    

    “It’s difficult to be in a waiting room and wonder how a friend or loved one is doing during a surgical procedure,” said Hemant Goel, president of Spok. “We commend Guthrie for their creative approach to bridging the information sharing between the operating room and the waiting room to keep patients’ families informed of the care their loved one is receiving.”
    

    About Guthrie
    
Guthrie is a non-profit integrated health system located in north central Pennsylvania and Upstate New York, serving patients from an 11-county service area. Guthrie is comprised of a research institute, home care/hospice, hospitals in Sayre, PA, Corning, NY, Towanda, PA and Troy, PA, as well as a multi-specialty group practice of more than 290 physicians and 175 mid-level providers in a regional office network encompassing sub-specialty and primary care sites in 23 communities throughout Pennsylvania and New York. Guthrie offers a wide range of services and programs designed to enhance the health and well-being of those it serves.
    

    About Spok
    
Spok, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Spok Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPOK), headquartered in Springfield, VA, is proud to be a leader in critical communications for healthcare, government, public safety, and other industries. They deliver smart, reliable solutions to help protect the health, well-being, and safety of people around the globe. Organizations worldwide rely on Spok for workflow improvement, secure texting, paging services, contact center optimization, and public safety response. When communications matter, Spok delivers. Visit spok.com or find them on Twitter @Spoktweets.
    

    Spok is a trademark of Spok Holdings, Inc. Spok Mobile is a trademark of Spok, Inc.
    

    				
    Posted 11.16.2015
    											
    		
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