MedInformatix Puts Talley Eye Care on Clear Path to Meaningful Use Attestation

EVANSVILLE, Ind., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Talley Eye Care, an Evansville, Ind.-based eye surgery practice, is on course to complete attestation for Stage 1 Meaningful Use by the end of the year using MedInformatix Enterprise Practice Management and Electronic Health Records Version 7.5 software. The system tracks patient health statistics to comply with a federal government directive to convert to electronic health records and features advanced reporting capabilities tailored for specific tests conducted by eye surgeons and optometrists.

A longtime MedInformatix user, Talley Eye already had been using the system to collect about half the patient measures before the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) took effect. The law provides up to $44,000 in federal Medicare incentive bonuses to healthcare providers who use certified technology to capture patient health information. Five cataract and cornea surgeons and optometrists are on track to qualify in 2012.

In October 2012, Talley Eye began its 90-day attestation period collecting required and elective patient health measures, including ophthalmologic-specific data such as optic nerve head findings in glaucoma patients and macular edema in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

MedInformatix's configurable system also furnishes performance benchmarks, generating reports that indicate how many patients undergo surgery after completing a cataract evaluation and how quickly they attain twenty-twenty vision after surgery. Those key statistics reveal whether physicians selected the appropriate lenses to replace natural lenses obscured by cataracts, for example, and gauge patient satisfaction.

"One of the MedInformatix features physicians mention most is the system's capability to measure patient outcomes," said Talley EMR & Reporting Developer Michael Lockard. "Virtually any clinical data recorded in the system can be measured."

Specialized ophthalmologic features in the MedInformatix system include on-screen, side-by-side images of the left and right eye for the slit lamp fundus exam, enabling physicians and clinical personnel to enter test measurements quickly and efficiently.

Additional MedInformatix system capabilities streamline work processes, bolster patient safety and improve cash flow, among them: 

• The E-prescribing module cross-checks eye medications against an active list of medications being taken by the patient for other conditions and alerts staff of potential drug-to-drug interactions and allergic reactions.
• The Patient Portal allows patients to review exam summaries within three days of a visit and patients receive appointment reminder calls, eliminating a task previously divided up among a handful of staff.
• Claims processing functions facilitated through MedInformatix partner and insurance clearinghouse service, ZirMed, verify insurance eligibility, deductible satisfied and copay amount days before patient appointments, and posts overdue payments and receipt of insurance claims in real time.

The improved efficiencies have generated a $1.6 million increase in gross charges and 7,000 additional visits for Talley Eye Care since 2007. The MedInformatix system also has supported physicians traveling to 12 satellite offices to treat patients in rural or otherwise remote locations suffering from a shortage of physicians.

AAO 2012 Exhibit
MedInformatix will be demonstrating its EHR and Practice Management products at the 2012 AAOAnnual Meeting from November 10^th to 13^th in Chicago at Booth 337 in McCormick Place. Find out how to qualify for Meaningful Use with MedInformatix Ambulatory EHR. To schedule a demonstration, please call (310) 348-7367.

About MedInformatix:
MedInformatix, Inc. (www.medinformatix.com) is a leading national provider of fully integrated Electronic Health Records. The products have been built around MedInformatix's 25 years of workflow expertise. MedInformatix's suite of products is designed on a single database using Microsoft SQL. Whether the client is a single physician who went live in 1994, a 13-location cardiology practice, the busiest radiology practice in Manhattan, or one of 15 other serviced specialties, MedInformatix accommodates their needs. MedInformatix can turn the dream of a paperless, integrated practice into a reality.

MedInformatix Version 7.5 is now certified to meet 2011-2012 criteria supporting Stage 1 Meaningful Use requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) as a Complete EHR by the Drummond Group.

This Complete EHR is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ATCB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.
MedInformatix, October 22, 2010, Version 7.5, 1022201024238, Clinical Quality Measures: NQF0013, NQF0421, NQF0041, NQF0024, NQF0028, NQF0038, NQF0059, NQF0061, NQF0064. Additional software used: TrueCrypt v2.0, email software, spreadsheet software.

SOURCE MedInformatix