October 10, 2012
Anesthesia Business Consultants (ABC) announces today that it will provide all physicians who successfully attest to the first reporting period of the EHR Incentive Program through F1RSTUseTM with an iPad pre-loaded with ABC’s F1RSTUse Meaningful Use EHR system, as well as other tools designed to meet the operational and regulatory requirements for the CMS EHR Incentive Program.
The F1RSTUse platform, a partnership between ABC and DR Systems, is a combination of a complete electronic health record (EHR) (CHPL Product Number: IG-2630-12-0006) developed by DR Systems combined with the full EHR administrative capabilities of ABC. DR Systems’ original design was for the radiology market, but through this exclusive partnership, it has been customized for the anesthesiology and pain management industries and is now available to anesthesiologists under the name F1RSTUse.
>DR Systems is one of the most respected names in enterprise medical imaging information systems (RIS, CVIS, PACS), and in 2011 was named the #1 ranked PACS vendor by KLAS®.
>ABC has designed F1RSTUse so that implementation is effortless—there is nothing for anesthesiologists or their practice to buy up front, nothing to install on a computer.
How F1RSTUse Will Help You Claim Your EHR Incentive Program Dollars
To satisfy Meaningful Use requirements, practices must collect specific health information on each outpatient encounter and complete other patient communication-related workflows. F1RSTUse is enabled to do just that. ABC’s personnel guide clients through the compliance process and support data management activities. The unique combination of the DR Systems’ eHR and Health Companion personal health record (PHR) enables compliance in a highly-efficient manner, resulting in improved patient satisfaction.
The Meaningful Use information collected at each encounter is sent to ABC, who enters it into F1RSTUse. ABC also assists the practice with enrolling in the Meaningful Use program, tracks the practice’s progress toward meeting program requirements, and attests on the client’s behalf with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). ABC is compensated only if and when the practice receives its payments from the government.
“F1RSTUse is the first EHR platform built exclusively for anesthesiologists and pain management specialists that will satisfy Stage 1 Meaningful Use requirements,” said Bryan Sullivan, Vice-President of Clinical Technologies at Anesthesia Business Consultants. “We are making implementation of this system as free of administrative burdens and technological hurdles as possible. We understand that even an easy-to-use system such as this one represents a change in routine so we have done all we can to bear the burden.”
Most anesthesiologists are eligible for anesthesiology incentive payments from the CMS. Anesthesiologists have to qualify as soon as possible to earn the maximum incentive payment, because the total incentive payment is reduced each year. Failure to comply with Meaningful Use requirements will eventually subject anesthesiologists to possible financial penalties.
“Anesthesiologists benefit in multiple ways by deploying a system such as F1RSTUse,” said Murray Reicher, MD, FACR, DR Systems’ co-founder and chairman. “First, they actually improve patient care and the efficiency of their anesthesiology workflow, including the collection of patient information and integration of that information with the EHR. Secondly, they earn a substantial, five-figure incentive payment that far exceeds the cost of the system.”
There are three important features to F1RSTUse that make it a practical solution for anesthesia:
- F1RSTUse is entirely web-based and requires no infrastructure support from the hospital, practice or provider, regardless of whether the anesthesiologists chart on paper or on an electronic anesthesia record.
- F1RSTUse combines EHR technology with the Health Companion PHR system that is available to patients and enables anesthesiologists to meet the follow-up required by some of the Meaningful Use measures.
- All management activities are handled by ABC.
The eHR from DR Systems is 2011/2012 compliant in accordance with criteria adopted by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification is the official designation necessary for the eHR to enable providers to qualify for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
What does the iPad do for me?
The F1RSTUse system is designed to be exclusively implemented as a way for physicians to meet the Meaningful Use objectives. When combining F1RSTUse with myAnesthesiaTM, our mobile anesthesia EMR, ABC’s registered providers will have the ability to document their anesthesia care while simultaneously completing meaningful use objectives. Anesthesia providers and practices can now support all facets of their operations with the iPad provided by ABC.
“We have long been focused on progressing our client’s capabilities in respect to technology and this innovative next step showcases that commitment,” says Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC. “I am proud to make the software and hardware accessible to all meaningful users of F1RSTUse to ensure that they meet the needs of the current and future demands on their time.”
About DR Systems, Inc.
DR Systems is the leading independent provider of enterprise imaging and information management systems for integrated healthcare networks, hospitals, and diagnostic imaging centers. For over two decades, the company has helped more than 600 hospitals and imaging centers lower their cost of operation by improving management of patient information, eliminating ancillary IT systems and interfaces, and increasing workflow speed, while also providing better clinical quality and patient care.
KLAS® has recognized DR Systems and its Unity™ PACS as the #1 ranked PACS vendor and product in its “2011: Best in KLAS Awards – Software & Services Report.” The company received the #1 overall PACS vendor ranking in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2010, as well as 2011. For more information, call 800-794-5955 or visit www.drsys.com.
Please contact meaningful.use@anesthesiallc.com for more information.
