Today’s Top Story
CMS extends attestation deadline for Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the attestation deadline for providers participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program to Monday, March 13, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Participating providers must attest to the 2016 program requirements by that date to avoid a payment penalty during 2018. CMS states that providers who are participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program should refer to their state’s deadlines for attestation information. In addition, providers who are eligible to participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs must demonstrate meaningful use under either Medicare or Medicaid to avoid the Medicare payment adjustment.
View the 2016 EHR Incentive Programs requirements…
Access the attestation system…
Other News
ACA repeal moves forward; speaker promises legislation will be “done this year.”
The Hill reports that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has responded to questions regarding the timing of repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), saying that the legislation will be enacted during 2016. “I think there’s a little confusion here,” he said. “The legislating is going to be done this year. We are going to be done legislating with respect to healthcare and ObamaCare [the ACA] this year. The question is how long does it take to implement the full replacement of ObamaCare?” President Trump recently commented, noting that due to the pace of the legislative process, that ACA repeal may not be completed until “sometime next year.”
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On a related note, Politico reports that the U.S. House of Representatives is currently looking at four ACA replacement measures, with a goal of beginning work in the relevant committees by the end of February.
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Study: How does arthroscopic Latarjet procedure compare to mini-open procedure for patients with anterior shoulder instability?
Findings from a study published in the February issue of the journal Arthroscopy suggest that use of the arthroscopic Latarjet procedure may be associated with less postoperative pain compared to the mini-open procedure for patients treated for anterior shoulder instability. The authors conducted a prospective, comparative study of 58 patients, 22 of whom were treated using a mini-open approach and 36 of whom were treated arthroscopically. At mean 29.8-month follow-up, they found significantly less pain in the arthroscopy group compared to the mini-open group during postoperative week 1, with comparable consumption of analgesics. In addition, the arthroscopic Latarjet procedure resulted in a more lateral coracoid bone block and an improved equatorial position compared to the mini-open technique. Overall, three patients in the arthroscopy cohort and zero in the mini-open cohort underwent revision surgery.
Read the abstract…
Study: Spinal deformity correction linked to acetabular component repositioning for THA patients.
A study published in the February issue of the Journal of the AAOS suggests that spinal deformity correction may cause significant acetabular component repositioning for patients who have undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA). The researchers reviewed data on 27 patients with unilateral THA who underwent thoracolumbar fusions for adult spinal deformity from the pelvis to L1 or above. They found that postoperative acetabular tilt (AT) decreased significantly from baseline, with greater AT changes among patients with three-column osteotomy. Overall, AT was significantly correlated with changes of pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis (LL). AT decreased (ie, retroverted) 1° for every 1.13° of PT or 3.23° of LL correction. The coronal plane acetabular cup abduction angle did not change substantially.
Read the abstract…
AHRQ funds program to encourage adoption of ERAS protocols for surgical patients.
According to The Baltimore Sun, the American College of Surgeons and the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality are recruiting 750 U.S. hospitals to adopt Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols designed to improve outcomes and reduce risks to patients. The effort will begin with colorectal surgery and later expand to orthopaedic, gynecological, bariatric, and emergency surgeries. The project is being funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
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Should e-prescribing systems include provision for “e-discontinuation?”
An opinion piece published in the Feb. 7 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association argues that e-prescribing systems should be developed to include electronic cancellation of medication orders. The writers note that e-prescribing has been linked to a reduction in illegible prescriptions and may reduce medical errors through tools that provide information on allergies, drug interactions, and appropriate dosing. However, they point out that most current e-prescribing systems do not allow so-called “e-discontinuation,” despite the availability of such technology for almost 2 decades, leaving some patients with available prescriptions that should no longer be refilled. “This is not a new problem,” they writers explain, “but it can be compounded by electronic prescribing. At the same time, e-prescribing could be part of the solution, as the technology to solve this problem already exists.”
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Presentation and discussion on proposed hip and knee surgeon rating system to be held at AAOS Annual Meeting.
Two representatives from U.S. News & World Report will present plans for and seek input on a proposed methodology to create a new rating system for hip and knee surgeons. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session and an open discussion period. Participation is free, but limited to hip and knee surgeons only. The event will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 15, at the AAOS Annual Meeting in San Diego. To participate, please register by Feb. 15, 2017.
Register online…
