The American College of Physicians has published a guide on understanding the Patient Care Medical Home (PCMH) model.  Briefly, PCMH is a team-based approach and a personal physician provides care throughout a patient’s lifetime to maximize health outcomes.  The PCMH team provides all of a patient’s health care needs or otherwise arranges care with other…

PA-SIIS

The Pennsylvania Statewide Immunization Information System ("PA-SIIS") is a web-based statewide immunization registry which collects vaccination history information.  PA-SIIS compiles immunization information from health care providers and creates a current and comprehensive immunization record.  PA-SIIS helps health care providers administer appropriate immunizations to their patients. 

For more information: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pa_statewide_immunization_information_system_%2528pa-siis%2529/14281.

PA-NEDSS

Pennsylvania’s version…

Experts Say Medical Office Embezzlement Common At Medical Practices, Particularly At Start Of Year.

American Medical News (1/17, Elliott) reported that medical office embezzlement "is common at medical practices, and experts say the risk is especially high at the beginning of the year." This is because "patients are paying an ever-larger share of their…

Ray v. Pinnacle Health Hospitals, Inc. is an interesting physician discrimination case, not because it presents new concepts, but more so because of the use of the hospital’s quality assurance data in the discovery and summary judgment process.

The Third Circuit is merely affirming the grant of summary judgment by the United States District…

Information is available about signing up for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs, as administered by CMS, at the CMS website. Under these programs certain incentive payments are available to eligible health care professionals and hospitals that can demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.  Participation may begin as early as 2011. 

For more…

Ellison v. Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, a malpractice case brought in the Western District of Pennsylvania against hospitals in Buffalo and Pennsylvania, is a case in which the parents of the plaintiff were seeking production of “a nurse’s handwritten notice relating to the medical care and treatment provided to a minor while…

Proposed regulations for the Affordable Care Act were announced today.  Insurers in all states are now required to publicly justify any unreasonable rate increases starting in 2011.  For 2011, proposed rate increases of 10 percent or higher will be publicly disclosed and thoroughly reviewed.

Links:

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/12/20101221a.html

http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2010/12/21/white-house-white-board-health-reform-rate-review

http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-32143_PI.pdf

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