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ONC’s Security Risk Assessment Tool

ONC’s Security Risk Assessment Tool

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ONC releases a new version of Security Risk Assessment Tool (Version 3.4).

 

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) developed the SRA Tool to help small- and medium-sized healthcare providers identify and assess risks and vulnerabilities to electronic protected health information (ePHI). The tool is a software application that organizations can download at no cost. This tool further enhances the user experience and helps covered entities navigate risk assessment requirements under the HIPAA Security Rule.

Version 3.4 contains several key updates based on user feedback, including a remediation report, which allows users to track responses to vulnerabilities inside the tool and log remediation efforts. In addition, the tool now contains a glossary and tool tips section, where users can learn more information and easily navigate the tool’s features.

“As hacking and ransomware attacks continue to increase within the health care sector, it’s now more important than ever for organizations to improve their cybersecurity,” HHS stated in a press release.

To download, please visit: https://www.healthit.gov/topic/privacy-security-and-hipaa/security-risk-assessment-tool

Giving Patients Instant Access to Medical Records

Giving Patients Instant Access to Medical Records

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The ability for patients to access their medical records on their smart devices at anytime has become the norm after the 21st Century Cures Act was passed in 2016. For years, there was a concern of patients being able to view their results prior to the ordering clinician, leading to the possibility of putting the patient in distress if their results were abnormal.

A recent study published in the JAMA Network, an open access medical journal created by the American Medical Association, had 8,000 patients that accessed their test results in an online portal and found that more than 95% wanted to continue to receive their results via a patient portal, no matter if those results were normal or abnormal.

If you’re a medical care provider and believe the provider-patient relationship is of the utmost importance, implementing an online patient portal at your practice is a great benefit for you and your patients. At Criterions, we provide our customers with the necessary tools to build those relationships with your patients, with the Criterions Patient Portal at the top of the list.

 

Criterions Patient Portal features and benefits include:

  • Online patient scheduler: Patient’s can schedule their own appointments online versus calling the office to do so, saving your staff time with phone calls and voicemails. This also optimizes your calendar capacity at your practice by showing patients real-time availability.
  • Online payments: Patients have the ability to pay their bills in the patient portal, providing them an additional convenient payment option.
  • Patient insurance information & demographics: Patients can input or update their insurance and personal information prior to their visit, saving time with the check-in and check-out process.
  • Prescription and Pharmacy Information: If ordering your patients any medication, they have the option of providing pharmacy information and checking the status of their prescription order on their own time.
  • Patient Medical Profile display: Patients can easily and quickly access test results, view their visit summary, check their medications, and more. This gives complete healthcare tranparency between you and your patient.
  • Direct Messaging patients: Send your patient’s direct messages within the portal of important practice updates and information, send appointment reminders, and verify information prior to their visit.
  • Patient pre-visit documentation: You can send your patients pre-visit documents like consent forms and questionnaires before they step foot in your office. Your patients will spend less time in your waiting room and more time with their provider!

 

The Criterions online Patient Portal gives your patients instant access to their medical records, provides your patients autonomy and transparency over their health information, reduces your staff’s workload to focus on tasks that help increase office efficiency, and gives your patients an another payment option to increase revenue.

 

 

If you would like to implement the Criterions Patient Portal at your practice, please contact our Sales Department at Sales@criterions.com or fill out the form below to get started.

 

 

Article Resources:
https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/information-blocking/new-study-shows-patients-prefer-immediate-access-to-test-results-and-have-unmet-information-needs
https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/information-blocking/new-study-shows-patients-prefer-immediate-access-to-test-results-and-have-unmet-information-needs

Criterions EHR Interoperability

Criterions EHR Interoperability

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What is interoperability?

Interoperability for EHRs is an important aspect of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery. Interoperability refers to the ability of different EHR systems to exchange and use patient health information (PHI) with each other seamlessly, regardless of the vendor or system used. When EHR systems are interoperable, healthcare providers can access complete and accurate patient information in real-time, which can help improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

 

Interoperability for EHRs involves several key approaches, including:

  1. Adopting standardized data formats: EHR systems must use standardized data formats and codes to ensure that information can be easily shared between systems. Examples of these standards include SNOMED CT, LOINC, and HL7.

 

  1. Implementing health information exchange (HIE): HIE is a secure electronic system that allows healthcare providers to exchange PHI across different EHR systems. Implementing HIE can help improve care coordination and reduce duplication of services. Criterions Software has implemented secure exchange of patient data with Healthix to improve the quality and efficiency of care.

 

  1. Encouraging EHR system vendors to promote interoperability: EHR vendors must play a role in promoting interoperability by building interfaces and features that support data sharing and exchange. Criterions Software has an ever-increasing list of Labs, Imaging Groups, and Public Health organizations to which you can connect your Criterions EHR.

 

  1. Addressing privacy and security concerns: Interoperability must be balanced with patient privacy and security concerns. Measures such as encryption, authentication, and access controls should be in place to protect PHI. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a feature in the Criterions EHR application. When utilized, it adds a layer of protection to the sign-in process while accessing the application.

 

  1. Incentivizing interoperability: Governments and healthcare organizations can incentivize interoperability by offering financial or other benefits to healthcare providers who demonstrate interoperability. This can encourage more providers to adopt EHR systems that are interoperable.

Interoperability for EHRs can be a complex process, but it is essential for improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. It involves adopting standardized data formats, implementing health information exchange, encouraging EHR vendors to promote interoperability, addressing privacy and security concerns, establishing data governance policies and, incentivizing interoperability. By taking these steps, Criterions Software has enabled healthcare providers to ensure that patient information is easily accessible, accurate, and secure, which can lead to better clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes.

 

 

For more information on Criterions EHR solution, please fill out the form below and we will be in touch shortly!

 

Case Study: NY Firefighter Heart & Lung

Case Study: NY Firefighter Heart & Lung

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How Criterions helps the New York Firefighter Heart & Lung Institute care for 9/11 First Responders

Background

Robert Brown started his career as a New York Firefighter in 1996 and worked his way up as Lieutenant at the New York Fire Department, dedicating his life to helping others. He was amongst the First Responders after the horrific 9/11 event and saw firsthand how the hazardous toxic dust and chemicals effected the rescue and volunteer teams. They suffered tremendous damage to their physical and mental health during that time.

Mr. Brown wanted to give back to his firefighter community and founded the New York Firefighters Heart & Lung Institute in 2002. At that time, he was working for North Shore Cardiac Imaging as a Physician Assistant, and his newly founded institute was a part of the North Shore organization. New York Firefighters Heart & Lung is a medical center “designed by firefighters for firefighters” that offers the best healthcare experience for firefighter professionals and are dedicated to serving their needs and family’s needs every day. They specialize in cardiac and pulmonary testing, cancer screenings, orthopedics and much more.

Criterions Electronic Health Record and Practice Management solutions have been apart of their journey since 2014, making it possible for Mr. Brown to treat thousands of firefighters since. Mr. Brown separated New York Firefighters Heart & Lung from North Shore Cardiac Imaging in late 2022 and is now the sole provider at his institute, bringing the Criterions integrated EHR and PM solutions with him.

 

“Going into this and separating, I thought it was going to be really hard to get on board with an EMR and meeting all requirements we needed, but Criterions made it seamless and implementation got us up and running in no time.”

 

Long-Term Success

The costs to start a healthcare practice, large or small, are enormous. Affordability is a very important consideration when choosing the various software you need to run your office efficiently, especially when you are a sole provider like Mr. Brown who offers his services at minimal out of pocket expenses for his firemen and firewomen patients.

 

“It’s very affordable we think, even including features like bulk emailing and text messaging.”

For any practice to be successful in the long run, growth is essential. Expanding your services, hiring more office employees, or moving to a bigger office location, like Mr. Brown just did, are all crucial tactics for progressing your medical practice. When it comes to training new hires on EHR or PM systems, Criterions takes pride in providing an inclusive training program to our customers. Our training and education programs offer a variety of instructor-led training events and online resources to accommodate your needs, ensuring office staff members get the most out of utilizing our products.

 

“We like Criterions because it’s very easy to use and to train new hires on the software because it’s not as complex as other EHR systems. A lot of features and modules are easy to understand and make sense of in the Criterions system.”

 

Since implementing Criterions EHR & PM software, NY Firefighters Heart & Lung has been able to increase communication with their patients by utilizing the bulk email feature, email appointment reminders, and the patient portal. Their patients use the Criterions Patient Portal to view their medical records and results, schedule, and change their appointments online which has helped increase office workflow and patient engagement.

They’ve also seen a decrease of no-shows due to the flexibility of online scheduling capabilities for their firefighter patients, who are sometimes on duty in the firehouse for long shifts with limited time to call the practice during office hours if needing to reschedule or cancel their existing appointments.

 

“Overall, it’s been a good experience with Criterions. We almost never have any issues using the software. Support gets back to us in no time. Training department is always really helpful, and I would recommend their product.”

 

NY Firefighter Heart & Lung has helped thousands of firefighter professionals throughout their years and will continue to provide the best possible healthcare experiences for years to come. Together, Criterions will support their services as Mr. Brown grows his practice and takes on more patients by helping to improve patient engagement and experience, as well as increasing workflow efficiency for their office staff.

 

Fore more information on Mr. Brown's mission at The New York Firefighter Heart & Lung Institute, please visit their website at: https://www.fdnyheart.com/

 

 

Interested in learning how Criterions software can benefit your practice? Fill out the form below:

Why you should become FHIR API compliant

Why you should become FHIR API compliant

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What is FHIR API?

As part of the 21st Century Cures Act, signed by Congress in 2016, a data standard called the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource was created and supported by HL7 International. The intricacy of healthcare data was taken into consideration when developing FHIR, which uses a cutting-edge, web-based methodology to connect several distinct pieces. FHIR API involves the access and exchange of data from healthcare providers to their patients.

Consider how simple it is to find information in real-time on things like travel costs, hotel availability, or delivery tracking. The same goal of FHIR is to enable developers to create uniform "browser" applications that allow access to data regardless of the EHR operating system that supports the user's infrastructure.

FHIR Resources

The resource is key in this. A FHIR resource can be a standalone data packet with metadata, text, or specific data pieces. It can also be packaged into collections to produce clinical papers, much like the Consolidated Clinical Data Model. The SMART on FHIR API standard allows individuals to download their health records and share readily available health data. It also provides a health app interface based on open standards including HL7’s FHIR, OAuth2, and OpenID Connect. For example, the SMART on FHIR API is built into major EHR products, has been used by Apple to connect its Health App to hundreds of healthcare systems, and is used for apps launched on Microsoft products.

 

Advantages of FHIR API:

  • Focus on Patient’s Experience: When data is shared with patients, they have more control over their records, which boosts their confidence in healthcare services and practitioners.
  • Automated Data Structuring: Automated data structuring provides support for service providers and healthcare professionals. Data sharing between patients and providers results in a value-based strategy where the emphasis is on improved care coordination, patient experience, and management, as well as cost savings.
  • Enhanced Data Management: Data is stored in a variety of forms and is gathered from several sources with varying dimensions and volumes, including surveys, wearables, medical records, and claims data. By accessing real-time records, which guarantees data accuracy, FHIR helps to improve data management.
  • Efficient Collaboration: Patients receive a complete picture of their clinical data through FHIR. A good example is the Health app for iOS from Apple. It obtains patient information via FHIR from EHRs and other medical facilities, combines it with information from the user's phone, and creates a comprehensive picture of the patient's health.

 

We’re all used to the federal government creating directives that carry a “carrot & stick” approach, but when it comes to the FHIR API requirement, it’s just the stick. Practices can incur severe penalties for noncompliance. The good news is that  Criterions has partnered with a 3rd party organization to facilitate the requirements imposed- EMR Direct. Please click here for more information on EMR Direct.

 

For more information on FHIR API or to sign up, please fill out the form below.

 

Important Notices:

1) FHIR API went into effect for medical practices January 1st, 2023.

2) There is a 90-day grace period before penalties can incur.

3) Additional information can be found here.

 

Effective Patient Interaction

Effective Patient Interaction

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Effective patient interaction technologies can enhance the patient experience

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare organizations across the country realized they needed to change their already stressed patient intake processes in order to lower the more immediate danger of transmission. This is when the need to minimize wait times first became apparent. According to data, protracted wait times frequently lead to a negative patient experience, which is something that every healthcare institution wishes to avoid. Many healthcare organizations and medical practices simultaneously were experiencing staffing issues.

Organizations that pivoted using portal automation and engagement tools saw decreases from 30-minute wait times on average to less than 10 minutes. Moreover, patient satisfaction was improving as patients were embracing the notion of participation in their own care, filling out paperwork online and at their convenience and in the comfort of their own homes. Here are just a few simple steps that can help to reduce wait times, help to improve patient satisfaction while at the same time helping to reduce cancellations and no-shows. And, as we know, a reduction in no show visits is also of financial benefit to the practice.

Three easy ways to streamline the patient check-in experience within Criterions:

Automated Appointment Reminders

Criterions’ Text Appointment Reminders act as an integrated tool for confirming appointments and enhancing communication between your office and your patients.

 

Electronic Intake Forms, Questionnaires, and Consent Forms

Criterions’ Patient Engagement Module provides the ability to send patients customized questionnaires, which can be linked to appointment type and sent automatically through the patient portal. Patients can fill out the form and sign for consent prior to their appointments and at their convenience. Completed and signed documents will then be available within the EHR.

 

Automated Check-In

Patients can receive a check-in confirmation text one hour prior to their scheduled appointment allowing them to confirm using their phones, thus starting the visit with your practice.

 

 

If you would like more information on how to set up automations within the Criterions EHR system to assist your office staff, please email SUPPORT HERE or fill out the form below and we'll be in touch shortly.

Request a Demo!