Dermatology and Promoting Interoperability: Tips for Your Practice
There's been some debate around the notion of dermatology as value-based care. While some argue that the segment is not an effective model for VBC, others, like Dr. Robert Colton, disagree. Colton wrote, "By relying on collected historical data and prioritizing quality of care over quantity of care, a value-based approach to dermatology cuts down on check-ups and incentivizes more effective medical solutions." (Medpagetoday). We tend to believe Dr. Colton. Dermatology is moving toward value-based care, and for good reasons. It makes sense for the evolution of dermatology and the way patients live now.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been a big proponent of VBC, releasing the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2016 as part of the Quality Payment Program. MIPS aims to promote interoperability, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes. Dermatologists can participate in MIPS by reporting on four categories: quality, cost, advancing care information, and improvement activities.
The "advancing care information" category is where things can get a little tricky for dermatologists. It’s tricky because interoperability - the ability of different electronic health record (EHR) systems to communicate with each other - is still a bit of an issue in the industry. Dermatologists who use specific EHR systems may find it challenging to meet the advancing care information requirements because their system is not as interoperable as others.
So, what can dermatologists do to promote interoperability in their practices? Here are a few tips:
Look for certified EHRs: Dermatologists should look for certified EHR systems that meet specific standards for interoperability. The certification means that the EHR system meets those standards. Sunset legacy systems. Aim for the cloud; cloud-based systems solve many health technology challenges.
Use data sharing platforms: Dermatologists can promote interoperability using data sharing platforms like Omny Health. Omny's massive data repository specifically for dermatology allows dermatologists to securely and efficiently share patient data with other providers, which can help improve care coordination.
Implement health information exchange (HIE): This process allows different healthcare organizations to share patient data. Dermatologists can participate in HIE by connecting their EHR system to an HIE platform. This will enable patient data to be shared with other providers in the network, which can help improve care coordination and patient outcomes.
Work with a MIPS consultant. An experienced MIPS consultant can help you choose the right strategies to ensure your interoperability activities yield revenue for the practice. They also alleviate some pain of trying to DYI your interoperability compliance tasks.
Dermatologists looking to promote interoperability in their practices and join the value-based care revolution can use these tips to get started. Implementing these changes can help dermatologists meet the advancing care information category requirements and improve patient care. Chirpy Bird HIT welcomes your questions about promoting operability in your dermatology practice. Email us your comments or contact Chirpy Bird to take advantage of our value-based pricing. See what we did there?
