e-MDs and Primaris Offer Missouri Clients Free Assistance in Earning Additional Quality Incentives

AUSTIN, Texas, July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- e-MDs, the provider of the nation's most highly rated EHR, and Primaris, Missouri's federally designated Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) are working together to offer e-MDs users in Missouri free assistance with earning incentives under the Physician's Quality Reporting System (PQRS) for 2011 and 2012.

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As a public service pursuant to their contract with the federal government, Primaris will work together with e-MDs to assist e-MDs users interested in reporting selected Preventive Care measures under the PQRS program in the following ways:

• enable EHR functionality needed to conduct PQRS EHR Reporting
• identify exactly where and how to record specific data elements for each preventive care measure
• establish workflows to allow efficient and consistent data capture
• develop routine reports that allow monthly monitoring of PQRS measures
• implement a continuous quality improvement program to improve performance rates
• submit data to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive incentive payments
• share best practices and expertise from topic experts on new developments in prevention services (for example, the CDC and physician specialists)
• provide assistance based on practice needs

Consistent with national healthcare goals to expand EHR use and functionality, CMS is encouraging providers to begin reporting PQRS using the EHR option.  e-MDs users are in a unique position to participate in this initiative because Solution Series™ is one of only 27 EHR systems qualified to report PQRS using the EHR option in 2011.  While PQRS reporting can be daunting and meticulous, e-MDs and Primaris will lead physicians through all necessary steps to ensure successful reporting.  PQRS is important to providers who have successfully implemented a qualified EHR, offering financial incentives to eligible providers for participation.  Failure to report PQRS will result in payment penalties beginning in 2015.

"The upcoming QIO 10th Scope of Work brings exciting opportunities for physicians to receive help from Primaris with various CMS incentive programs," stated Sandra Pogones, Program Manager of Physician Services for Primaris.  "When effectively implemented, the processes of quality measurement, monitoring and improvement become extremely motivating to the entire care team.  EHRs simplify these processes and empower physicians to better understand their practices by delivering actionable information."

"We are pleased to offer our Missouri clients the benefit of free assistance for earning incentives along with Primaris," stated Michael Stearns, MD, President and CEO of e-MDs, Inc.  "We intend for our customers to reap all the possible benefits of EHR implementation and Meaningful Use, be it improved patient care, streamlined billing procedures or financial rewards from the government.  Primaris is an organization committed to helping clients realize those same advantages."  

For more information on how to receive PQRS assistance, please visit www.Primaris.org or contact Sandra Pogones at Primaris: [email protected].

For more information on CMS incentive programs, please visit www.cms.gov.

To learn more about e-MDs, please visit www.e-MDs.com.

About e-MDs

e-MDs is a leading developer of integrated electronic health records and practice management software for physician practices and enterprises.  Founded and actively managed by physicians, the company is an industry leader for usable, connected software that enables physician productivity and clinical excellence.  e-MDs software has received continual top rankings in physician and industry surveys including those conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians and KLAS.  For more information, please visit www.e-mds.com, http://www.facebook.com/emdsehr, and twitter.com/emds.  

About Primaris

Primaris was founded in 1983 by the Missouri State Medical Association, Missouri Hospital Association and Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.  Among other roles, Primaris serves as the federally-designated Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for the state of Missouri.  The mission of QIOs is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, economy and quality of services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries.  QIOs provide free services related to specific initiatives to providers.  

SOURCE e-MDs