A. Our Solution

abcNetSolutions – offers integrated software, hardware, and service solutions for Medical Offices and Healthcare Providers.

The objectives of this solution are:

• to implement an Electronic Medical Record System that empowers physicians and other healthcare providers to improve the health of their patients,
• to digitize the old paper medical records into data files and store them into the new system, providing a reliable medical history for the patients,
• to improve quality, efficiency, to eliminate errors and to reduce cost,
• to inter-connect medical practices, physicians, pharmacies, and patients.

Our solutions include EMR software designed for small and medium size primary care practices. We've partnered with several EMR providers, to be able to promote to our clients their software solutions. After a comprehensive office analysis, we will make a recommendation based on your needs, and will guide you step by step through the entire implementation and testing process.

Most of the EHR / EMR systems have the following modules (sometimes with a different name):

• Practice Management / Billing System

• Specialty EMR, including ePrescribing

• Patient Portal

• Appointment Scheduler

• Eligibility Verification

• Patient Reminder

• Medical Transcription

• Charge Capture

• Lab Order Integration

• Document Management

• Referral Management

• Medical calculators

Advantages of using an EMR system:

• Two options to choose from: hosted or on-premise solution;
• Easy to customize, very flexible;
• High ROI;
• Reduces administration burdens;
• Powerful enough to cover all medical practice needs. Features:

o Patient portal / PHR (Patient Health Records) lets patients and physicians communicate safely and securely over the Internet to share information and enhance practice efficiency;

o ePrescribe is an easy-to-use, web-based software solution that enables physicians to improve patient care by ensuring the safety of every prescription written. Allscripts ePrescribe is accessible by Internet on computers, handheld devices and cell phones;

o Physician’s Desktop allows them to view the day’s appointments and patient status, including location and time of wait and manage daily common tasks.

As a hardware solutions provider, abcNetSolutions has partnered with several big distributors such as Synnex, Ingram MICRO, and CDW to help with the purchase and installation of any new equipment needed for the implementation.

Our mission doesn’t stop here: we provide on-going support service after the implementation including services such as data backup, scanning records, and general computer support.

B. Why EHR/EMR?

Electronic Health Records or Electronic Medical Records is the aggregate electronic record of health-related information on an individual that is created and gathered cumulatively across more than one health care organization and is managed, consulted and shared by licensed clinicians and staff involved in the individual’s health and care.

In day to day operations, EHR improves the quality of service health centers provide their clients by:

• streamlining charting practices,
• adding information electronically to searchable database records that prevent the potential hazards of handwritten paper files,
• improving patient safety,
• alerting providers to critical information in real time.

In a speech shortly before taking office, President Obama pledged his support for EHR:

"This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests," said Obama. "It just won't save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs -- it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health care system," he added.

And in a disaster situation, electronic records can make the difference between rebuilding and shutting the doors.

C. Stimulus 101

The HITECH Act in the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Obama signed on February 17, 2009, provides an unprecedented opportunity for p hysicians to adopt the Electronic Health Record (EHR) to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of healthcare in America.

• The HITECH Act includes $20 billion for health information technology!!!
• These existing incentive programs can provide an additional 4% incentive to physicians at an estimated impact of $6,000 - $8,000 per physician / year.

Latest News

August 20, 2009 marked the beginning of real deployment of the HITECH Act when we received details about the release of $1.2 billion dollars in direct funding for Health Information Technology (HIT) and Health Information Exchange (HIE) programs.

The government will provide $598 million in fiscal year 2010 to support the creation of 70 HIT Regional Extension Centers, with an average award of $8.5 million. The award sizes can range from $1 - $30 million over four years.

State Health Information Exchange Program:

The government will provide $564 million to support state-level planning and implementation projects to advance health information exchange across the country. The award sizes can range from $4 - $40 million over four years.

Benefits of acting NOW

The rapid ROI for an EHR or EMR is already well documented and significant:

· reducing or eliminating transcription;

· more accurate coding levels through better documentation;

· staff re-alignment;

· increased productivity;

· eliminating charts pulls, supplies and space.

Many groups break even in less than a year and see an ongoing impact of over $20,000/MD/year.

The service is more affordable now, prices will increase dramatically as time goes by and the deadline to adopt an EHR will be closer.

What do practices need to do to get the funding?

• A practice must either accept Medicare or demonstrate a 30% Medicaid mix (20% for pediatricians) to qualify for an incentive payment (and they can only submit under one of the programs).
• They also must truly use a certified EHR (not just implement it), and they must be connected to some other healthcare professional demonstrating data exchange for the benefit of the patient.
• Lastly, they will be required to demonstrate all of the above by some type of reporting requirement that will be determined by the Secretary of HHS in 2010.

To begin with, there are three important things to understand about the program itself:

1. Funding is Front Loaded: While the incentive pool can be up to $44,000 per physician filing under Medicare, $30,000 (close to 70% of the funding) comes in the first two years. It then decreases significantly every year thereafter. In other words, your plan needs to be in place now to ensure you don't miss the window of time when the incentives are the greatest.
2. Medical practices needs to Demonstrate Meaningful Utilization, not just purchase or implement: This incentive is not based on purchasing or implementing an EHR, it is about using one. So your group needs to move fast:

• to ensure you have evaluated your workflows,
• developed your selection criteria,
• selected a vendor,
• developed your implementation plan,
• installed your EHR,
• connected to other healthcare providers and
• have your physicians fully functional.

3. Funding is Time Stamped: Your opportunity is timed-based - for every day you don't implement, you lose a portion of the incentive. Funding decreases over time and goes away after 2015. You are either operational in that time period or you lose the opportunity for the funding. In fact, penalties begin in 2015.