Measuring the Impact of EHRs

Eeric Truumees, MD

According to a 2016 study on physician activities in the clinic setting, "ambulatory care in the United States has been subject to dramatic pressures in the past decade to cut costs, meet regulations, and transition to electronic health records (EHRs)." EHRs have been heralded as both time savers and space savers, eliminating the need for bulky paper records and enabling physicians and their staff to more effectively identify and follow a patient's treatment.

Orthopaedic Participation in APMs: What Are the Options?

Richard Weil, PhD; John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) ushered in the largest change to physician payments in more than a generation. As has been widely reported, the Quality Payment Program (QPP) replaces the sustainable growth rate formula with two payment tracks: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM). Although these two tracks are presented as separate and distinct, a closer examination of the Final Rule (Nov.

Advancing Care Coordination Through More Episodic Payment Models

John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA

On Dec. 20, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Final Rule (CMS-5519-F) for new mandatory bundled payments focused on cardiac care. The rule also expanded the mandatory Comprehensive Care For Joint Replacement (CJR) model for orthopaedic care. The new programs were originally scheduled to begin July 1, 2017; however, a recent rule has delayed the models until Oct. 1, 2017, and potentially to Jan. 1, 2018.

Coding for Closed Treatment of Fractures

William R. Creevy, MD; M. Bradford Henley, MD, MBA, FACS; Margaret M. Maley, BSN, MS

Coding for closed treatment of fractures is nuanced and complex, which can lead to confusion. This article clarifies previously published guidelines on how to code for this form of treatment.