[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":2388,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"With physicians spending more time entering data into electronic health records and less time engaged in direct patient care, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is making the streamlining of the EHR documentation process and reduction of clinical burden one of the agency\u2019s top priorities.

John Fleming, MD, deputy assistant secretary for health technology reform, is ONC\u2019s point man for working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce the documentation burden on providers.

According to Fleming, about 50 percent of physicians\u2019 time is being spent in the EHR rather than patient care, which is hindering their ability to practice medicine at the top of their license.

To address the problem, Section 4001 of the 21st Century Cures Act directs ONC in partnership with CMS to establish a goal and develop a strategy for reducing regulatory and administrative burdens related to the use of EHRs.

Under this mandate, ONC and CMS have set their sights on reducing the burden of Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes on physicians. E&M coding is the process by which physician-patient encounters are translated into five-digit Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, which are submitted to insurers for payment.

\u201cWhat everybody says is that the one probably biggest burden is the E&M codes,\u201d said Fleming on Wednesday between speaking engagements at the HIMSS18 conference in Las Vegas. \u201cThe E&M codes are really the flashpoint in all of this.\u201d

Last year, the American College of Physicians published a position paper with a set of policy recommendations on reducing excessive administrative tasks, including E&M codes.

On Tuesday at the HIMSS18 conference, CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced the launch of the MyHealthEData initiative aimed at putting patients in control of their own health data. As part of the effort, Verma said the agency will be instituting a \u201ccomplete overhaul\u201d of the Meaningful Use program, including streamlining policies around documentation guidelines for E&M codes to modernize documentation requirements and reduce clinician burden.

Also See:<\/b> Fed initiative to put patients in control of their health data<\/a>

While Fleming noted that CMS and ONC \u201chave not come to any specific solution yet\u201d with regard to E&M codes as part of the MyHealthEData initiative, he added that the current code documentation guidelines were created in 1995 and revised in 1997 and are in desperate need of modernization.

\u201cWe look forward to working with the administration in fleshing out the details to ensure that physicians get to spend more time caring for their patients and less time on administrative tasks,\u201d said David Barbe, president of the American Medical Association, in a written statement. \u201cThere is room for improvement, and we are excited that Administrator Verma agrees.\u201d

\u201cIt\u2019s very proscriptive,\u201d Fleming said of the E&M coding guidelines, adding that \u201cthe runner up\u2014if you will\u2014for the most burdensome (requirements) is quality measurement and quality reporting.\u201d

For its part, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives applauded the administration\u2019s MyHealthEData initiative aimed at working to streamline documentation and billing requirements for providers to allow doctors to spend more time with their patients.

\u201cWe also agree that the Meaningful Use program and Quality Payment Program warrant substantial changes,\u201d said CHIME Board Chair Cletis Earle in a written statement. \u201cWe welcome a renewed focus on interoperability and one that reduces the cost and time required for compliance.\u201d","saveContent":"With physicians spending more time entering data into electronic health records and less time engaged in direct patient care, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is making the streamlining of the EHR documentation process and reduction of clinical burden one of the agency\u2019s top priorities.

John Fleming, MD, deputy assistant secretary for health technology reform, is ONC\u2019s point man for working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce the documentation burden on providers.

According to Fleming, about 50 percent of physicians\u2019 time is being spent in the EHR rather than patient care, which is hindering their ability to practice medicine at the top of their license.

To address the problem, Section 4001 of the 21st Century Cures Act directs ONC in partnership with CMS to establish a goal and develop a strategy for reducing regulatory and administrative burdens related to the use of EHRs.

Under this mandate, ONC and CMS have set their sights on reducing the burden of Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes on physicians. E&M coding is the process by which physician-patient encounters are translated into five-digit Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, which are submitted to insurers for payment.

\u201cWhat everybody says is that the one probably biggest burden is the E&M codes,\u201d said Fleming on Wednesday between speaking engagements at the HIMSS18 conference in Las Vegas. \u201cThe E&M codes are really the flashpoint in all of this.\u201d

Last year, the American College of Physicians published a position paper with a set of policy recommendations on reducing excessive administrative tasks, including E&M codes.

On Tuesday at the HIMSS18 conference, CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced the launch of the MyHealthEData initiative aimed at putting patients in control of their own health data. As part of the effort, Verma said the agency will be instituting a \u201ccomplete overhaul\u201d of the Meaningful Use program, including streamlining policies around documentation guidelines for E&M codes to modernize documentation requirements and reduce clinician burden.

Also See:<\/b> Fed initiative to put patients in control of their health data<\/a>

While Fleming noted that CMS and ONC \u201chave not come to any specific solution yet\u201d with regard to E&M codes as part of the MyHealthEData initiative, he added that the current code documentation guidelines were created in 1995 and revised in 1997 and are in desperate need of modernization.

\u201cWe look forward to working with the administration in fleshing out the details to ensure that physicians get to spend more time caring for their patients and less time on administrative tasks,\u201d said David Barbe, president of the American Medical Association, in a written statement. \u201cThere is room for improvement, and we are excited that Administrator Verma agrees.\u201d

\u201cIt\u2019s very proscriptive,\u201d Fleming said of the E&M coding guidelines, adding that \u201cthe runner up\u2014if you will\u2014for the most burdensome (requirements) is quality measurement and quality reporting.\u201d

For its part, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives applauded the administration\u2019s MyHealthEData initiative aimed at working to streamline documentation and billing requirements for providers to allow doctors to spend more time with their patients.

\u201cWe also agree that the Meaningful Use program and Quality Payment Program warrant substantial changes,\u201d said CHIME Board Chair Cletis Earle in a written statement. \u201cWe welcome a renewed focus on interoperability and one that reduces the cost and time required for compliance.\u201d","order":0,"get_parent":{},"attributes":[],"attributesType":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"dynamicContent":""}]

ONC, CMS set their sights on reducing EHR clinical burden

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