Featuring posts written by the DoseSpot e-Prescribing Integration Team!

Setting the “Stage” for MU3: Details on Federal Approach Expected Soon

Posted: March 9th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Incentives, Public Policy, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

As the days of March begin to pick up, so do developments in the Healthcare IT arena. Washington insiders recently began speculating that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will release Stage 3 meaningful-use (MU3) rules later this month. Per usual, ideas are already circulating as to what these rules will—and should—include.

According to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the third stage of the incentive program will have a primary focus on data-sharing, or interoperability (a surefire MU3 “buzzword”). While rules provide adequate guidelines for adoption, many healthcare professionals would like to see actionable results—such as Athenahealth’s Vice President of Government & Regulatory affairs, Dan Haley. In a recent article published in Modern Healthcare, Haley stated that the rules for MU3 should also require the “actual sharing of records rather than merely [setting] standards for how to accomplish interoperability…Providers should be able to see in one place a summary of a patient’s longitudinal health history…Without the need to [access] multiple systems.”

In addition to MU3 implementation suggestions, many healthcare professionals have expressed interest in seeing new tech-savvy “bells and whistles.” Some are pushing for better “unique device identifier” support, which would allow public health officials to track specific devices through the vast healthcare system. Another purported new standard for technology could be the inclusion of “patient-generated health data” from devices including fitness monitors and health-tracking apps, which may help clinicians track the day-to-day lifestyles of patients in innovative ways. Stay tuned for the official release of MU3 requirements towards the end of this month!

SOURCE: Modern Healthcare 

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


Taking a Peek at Patient Engagement in Beantown: Beth Israel’s New Pilot Study

Posted: February 6th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, Incentives, Public Policy | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Further initiatives to end incessant EMR entry during medical appointments may now be in place within one of Boston’s own. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) recently received a $450,000 grant from the Commonwealth Fund to solidify a program allowing patients to add to and update their own medical records during visits. This program, called OurNotes, is an extension of the larger and well-known OpenNotes initiative. The idea for OpenNotes began 5 years ago and quickly mobilized into an approach that gives patients access to their physicians’ visit notes. OpenNotes has spread rapidly across the U.S. and is now used by more than 5 million patients and providers nationwide.

Throughout this pilot, Beth Israel will collaborate with a number of health sites and providers across the country, including Pennsylvania-based Geisinger Health System, Seattle-based Harborview Medical Center, Seattle’s Group Health Cooperative and Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri. The OpenNotes initiative started making waves in Boston during the 2012 calendar year, when researchers conducting a survey at BIDMC found that patients with access to clinicians’ notes were more engaged and witnessed more positive health outcomes. Results from this year-long study included data from more than 13,500 primary care patients and 100 physicians.

The OurNotes Pilot will initially focus on primary care, with the intent to later expand into other specialties. Jan Walker, RN, MBA and co-founder of OpenNotes hopes that the pilot will further increase patient engagement and improve adherence to medications. Walker also stated that patients in the OurNotes pilots at both BIDMC and additional sites will have access to other parts of their medical records, including problem and medication lists. After this initial phase of testing, each of the five sites will have the opportunity to develop its own prototype for further implementation.

SOURCES: mobihealthnews and OpenNotes.org

For more information on the OpenNotes initiative, check out Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s official press release here!

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


2015: Is the “Year of the Telemedicine” Upon Us?

Posted: January 15th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Telehealth | Tags: , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Have you texted, web chatted or Skyped with your doctor lately? You may want to, as health professionals and digital health entrepreneurs alike are predicting great things for telemedicine in the coming year. There’s no disputing that telemedicine “went big” in 2014—with provider communication, patient engagement and care coordination products dominating the digital health space, remote care and patient-to-provider telemedicine services proliferated virtually every area of the market. This “boom,” however, is expected to intensify in 2015 with ambitious predictions already circling within the wide and wonderful world of healthcare.

According to a recent article published by VentureBeat, there are several key indicators that 2015 will be the year that telemedicine has a takeoff of epic proportions. Check out the numbers:

  • As of 2016, the global telemedicine market is predicted to be $27 billion with Virtual health Services accounting for $16 billion.
  • By 2018, 65% of interactions with healthcare organizations will be done via mobile devices.
  • Rock Health, a San Francisco-based digital health accelerator and seed fund, estimates that $4.1 billion of new capital in 2014 was invested in digital health—up from less than $1 million in 2011 (Forbes Magazine).

With the aforementioned financial gains on the near horizon, major players in the healthcare space—such as providers and insurance companies—can expect worthwhile benefits:

  • Remote patient-to-provider virtual consults have the potential to reduce the need for all in-person doctor visits by up to 93%. This translates into savings of about $103 per primary care visit and $1,067 per emergency room visit. Your wallets will be thanking you!
  • 50% of all doctor visits can be conducted virtually and 70% of all electronic health record (EHR) visits can be conducted remotely.

Finally, the patient—posited at the center of care—wins in the grand scheme of telehealth, as on-demand and high quality care becomes a reality. With a vast and continuously growing population of aging Americans, proponents of virtual visits point to the advantages conferred to those lacking easy access to a doctor’s offices, namely the elderly, the frail and those in rural areas. Telehealth is certainly headed in a strongly positive direction. Will predictions prevail? Only time will tell!

SOURCES: VentureBeat and Forbes Magazine 

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


The U.S. Dental Market: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Headed

Posted: January 2nd, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, Controlled Substances, Dental, In the News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

As 2014 comes to a close, one industry in particular deserves a contemplative glance—the U.S. dental system. Projected to “evolve more in the next 20 years than in the previous 50,” U.S. dental care is changing quite dramatically and failure to change with it (listen up, stragglers) may result in decline and stagnation. Key research bodies are proud to release their 2014 research reports, highlighting where the U.S. dental industry has been—and where consumers can expect it to go in the coming years. Take a look at some key industry-shifting trends below:

Group practice growth

As group practices continue to grow, the days of solo practices being the dominant model for dental practices are dwindling. There are a number of reasons why consolidation and acquisition are the future of dentistry—first, dentistry always seems to follow medicine. Other reasons include rising costs, third party pressures, severe fragmentation of the dental industry and massive dental school debts.

Influence of PPOs

Fee-for-service (FFS) dentistry and PPOs will continue to be a hot topic in the field of dentistry. Dental insurance expert Teresa Duncan states the obvious—patients will “vote with their wallets” as typical American consumers do. According to Duncan, “what will separate successful offices is the ability to provide quality service and a great patient experience…half the battle is accepting that [one’s] business model must shift to accommodate industry changes.” To all dentists out there, keeping an eye on this trend in 2015 is advised.

Medical-dental collaborations

Expect to see more dental and medical cooperation towards things that will help both sides as well as their patients—such as EHRs. Collaboration between physicians, dentists and other allied health professionals to promote a holistic, integrated approach to caring for patients is a major goal for 2015.

Technology as a window of opportunity

CAD/CAM technology in dentistry is expected to continue its boom in 2015 with a larger number of dentists using tablets to improve patient care and satisfaction. The idea of Google Glass helping dentists may take off after the New Year, as dental students at the University of Michigan have already formed a dental consulting company to pinpoint exactly how this innovative technology may be useful to dental practices going forward.

The more educated patient

Patients will continue to utilize the internet for information about dental health and clinician feedback, along with “shopping” for dentists. Ratings sites seem to be everywhere and prove to be very powerful, so clinicians should be cognizant of word-of-mouth in the coming year. Social media is everywhere!

SOURCE: Dental Products Report 

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


“Stuck in the 70’s:” Modern Medicine, the FDA and Medical Device Legislation

Posted: December 19th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Public Policy, Telehealth | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Will Congressional bills slated for 2015 review finally bring medical device regulation into the 21st Century?

The year was 1976. Apple was founded, bell bottoms were in, Jimmy Carter was elected President and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began its first regulatory measures on medical devices.  The notion of “tech-savvy” Americans had not yet come to fruition, nor had the ubiquity of iPhones and tablets—in fact, no consumer would have known what to do with such a device during this era. Today, increasing numbers of hand-held devices allow us to connect with providers, manage and track medications and organization medical records. In 2013 alone, the Apple Store reported 97,000 mobile health apps in use and over 60% of physicians were using tablets. With these solid numbers marked in the medical sphere, why is the FDA still stuck in 1976?

In a recent article released by Forbes Magazine, John Graham illuminates the FDA’s continued regulation of novel, cutting-edge medical devices under outdated amendments and what this antiquated authority means for new health tools. According to the FDA’s original amendments, a medical device is an “instrument, apparatus, implement, machine…or related article, including any component, part or accessory…” Technologies of the 21st century, namely smartphones, smartwatches and tablets, don’t seem to fit within this definition in any regard.

Despite the amendments’ verbose restrictions, the FDA has informed patients and providers alike on how it intends to regulate new technologies. With the final guidance for medical mobile apps passed in 2013, the FDA intends to focus its regulatory oversight on only a subset of mobile medical apps that present a risk to patients if they do not work as intended. In the final guidance, the FDA defined the term “mobile medical app” and Congress defined the technologies subject to FDA regulation.

While it appears the FDA is making strides in the right direction, many find its law-related verbiage unsettling. Early-stage startups remain weary over the FDA’s “enforcement discretion,” which includes the self-perceived ability to withhold smartphones, tablets and more. After much discussion at last week’s mHealth Summit in Washington, DC, the consensus is this: the FDA cannot be expected to generate consistent regulatory standards without appropriate legislation. Fortunately for the medical sphere, this may be resolved in the next Congress with the following propositions:

MEDTECH Act: would legislate that electronic health records (EHRs) and other technologies that only store and communicate information are exempt from FDA regulation.

SOFTWARE Act: would define the term “medical software” as software distributed directly to consumers and not integrated with a drug or device but includes the use of a drug or device. Such software would be subject to FDA regulation. The bill also includes the terms “clinical software” (used by medical professionals) and “health software” (used by consumers to store and communicate data but doesn’t include the use of a device). Both clinical and health software would not be subject to regulation.

SOURCE: Forbes Magazine

For more information on the FDA, legislation and the future of U.S. health innovation, click here!

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


“The Digital Doc” today’s mhealth, and what doctors are saying about it

Posted: July 17th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Newsletter, Telehealth | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Mobile health (known as mhealth) is one of the fastest growing markets today, and has been referred to by techies and health professionals alike as the “invisible link” between patients and doctors. With mobile applications at their disposal, doctors can more easily provide care with services moved to the cloud, allowing data to be accessed anywhere, anytime. Exactly how prevalent are these apps in the doctor’s office? Take a look below to find out.

In a recent study conducted by MedData Group, a healthcare marketing firm in Massachusetts, 2/3 of American doctors surveyed use mhealth apps while on the job. Nearly 50% of these doctors say they use mobile apps to look at medication interactions.

These percentages are expected to change over the next 12 months, with an anticipated increase in the number of doctors using apps that allow for EHR access. Many of these EHR apps will reduce time-consuming administrative work that doctors are currently subjected to.

According to Juniper Research’s latest report on the mhealth market, mobile apps are enhancing overall consumer engagement in healthcare by increasing information flow. Costs are being lowered by better decision-making, fewer in-person visits, greater treatment adherence, and remote monitoring. As of now, the overarching conclusion in the mhealth sphere is this: doctors are open to adopting a wide variety of mhealth technologies, if they see a clear benefit.

THE FINANCIAL FACT$:

  • According to the Global Mobile Health Market Report 2013-2017 by research2guidance, the mhealth market will reach $26 billion USD globally by 2017
  • Juniper Research’s latest report on the mhealth market forecasts cumulative cost savings of up to $36 billion USD globally over the next 3 years
  • Consumers are currently driving much of the demand for mhealth technologies and applications

SOURCES: Huffington Post and Xconomy

For more information on physician interactions with mobile and connected health platforms, check out MedData’s official report here.

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


What do e-Prescribing and the World Cup have in common?

Posted: July 3rd, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, Controlled Substances, In the News, Newsletter | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

The World Cup has us all thinking from a more global perspective.  Whether you call it soccer or football, the sport continues to gain popularity worldwide.  Also increasing prevalence across nations is e-Prescribing.  According to a recent market report by Transparency Market Research, the global e-Prescribing market is expected to reach $887 million by 2019, up from $250.2 million in 2013.  It’s not yet in the billions like the World Cup but it’s an impressive figure and speaks to the momentum health IT is gaining.

The report highlights that while Europe is the largest market for e-Prescribing, North America is currently the fastest growing e-Prescribing market in the world.  The remarkable growth is in large part due to the various government programs requiring e-Prescribing integration to improve care quality and reduce errors.  Government initiatives are also contributing to increased usage across Asia.  We forecast that industry adoption in North America will continue to increase as physicians want the capability to send prescriptions for controlled substances electronically (EPCS).

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


Digital Health Funding Soars

Posted: July 2nd, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Standards, Telehealth, Venture funding | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

RockHealth recently published their Digital Health Funding – Midyear Review and I’ve highlighted some key findings below:

In 2013 digital health companies raised $2 billion in venture funding…first six months of 2014 digital health companies have already raised $2.3 billion.

rockhealth, venture funding, digital health, startup, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, dosespot, telehealth, telemedicine

So where’s all the money going?

rockhealth, venture funding, digital health, startup, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, dosespot, telehealth, telemedicine

Here is the full report:

 

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

 

 


Healthcare Startup Spotlight: Medicast

Posted: June 26th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Telehealth | Tags: , , , , , , , | No Comments »

 

Startup: Medicast
Website: www.medicast.co
Funding: $1.4 Million as of May 20, 2014
Overview: Medicast is a technology healthcare service that connects patients with nearby on call doctors on-demand to deliver affordable, high quality and compassionate care in the comfort of the patient’s home, workplace, or hotel–all within 2 hours.
Services: Medicast’s highly trained, professional and skilled physicians have expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and geriatrics, and provide services ranging from simple check-ups to urgent/immediate care. In addition to ordering new or refill prescriptions, our doctors are able to provide certain oral medications and intramuscular injections.
Platforms: Available on iOS, via the web, and directly through the phone (call center).
Current Cities: South Florida / Miami & Los Angeles / Orange County
Coming soon: San Francisco & New York City

Sources: angel.co/medicast & medicast.co

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.


Surescripts Publishes the 2013 National e-Prescribing Progress Report

Posted: June 25th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Basics, In the News, Newsletter, Public Policy, Standards | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Surescripts recently published their annual National Progress Report highlighting advances in e-Prescribing throughout the United States. Without a doubt e-Prescribing is ‘here to stay’ and DoseSpot continues to be at the forefront of e-Prescribing integration services.

Below are a few key figures from the National Progress Report:

#1. More than 1.04 Billion e-Prescriptions were sent in 2013.

2013 e-Prescribing adoption

 

#2. 699 Million medication histories were delivered which often assist in limiting drug-drug interaction errors.

Medication History for e-Prescribing

 

#3. Office-based physician adoption continues to grow and currently stands at 73%.

office based e-Prescribing adoption

 

#4. 95% of pharmacies have adopted e-Prescribing.

Surescripts pharmacy e-Prescribing adoption

 

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.