The last few months have presented the healthcare and education sectors with plenty of newsworthy updates. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced an overhaul to the meaningful use EHR program which removes redundancies. Administrator, Seema Verma, said changes to the program eliminate 25 measures and ultimately save hospitals over 2 million hours of work.
Today, we also highlight some pivotal successes for NHA along with key collaborative relationships between educators and employers who share a common goal of enhancing the success of allied health professionals. Research also supports the important role that industry credentials are playing in today’s workforce and the impact they are having on the healthcare and education sectors.
CMS overhauls meaningful use EHR program, removes redundancies
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, Seema Verma, announced changes to overhaul the meaningful use EHR incentive program. Here are the major highlights.
- Meaningful use is being renamed “Promoting Interoperability”.
- In 2019, hospitals will be required to equip patients with access to their electronic health records on the day they leave the hospital.
- The proposed rule reiterates the requirement for providers to use the 2015 edition of certified electronic health record technology in 2019.
- The agency is proposing to remove 19 measures across the five-hospital quality and value-based purchasing programs, as well as de-duplicate another 21.
- CMS is encouraging hospitals to be more transparent about their pricing by requiring them to post the cost of services online.
- It will emphasize measures that require the exchange of health information between providers and patients and incentivize providers to make it easier for patients to obtain their medical records electronically.
Read more about these changes on Healthcare IT News online >> and Fierce Healthcare >>
Listening is the No. 1 thing consumers want from healthcare providers
At the international 2018 Patient Experience Conference, Jason Wolf, president of The Beryl Institute, presented an overview of a research initiative to determine what the patient experience (PX) means to consumers. The patient experience matters a great deal to consumers. Providing a superior patient experience goes beyond administering medical treatment—it’s about what the patient experiences as a whole. Every touchpoint, from beginning to end—the waiting room experience, initial exam, explanation of diagnosis and treatment, the billing process, and everything in between—matters to the patient and will directly impact their future behavior.
Read more about this research on SMG's online blog >>
Stackable degrees could be the future of higher education, experts say
The alternative credential market is growing and the pace will not slow down, higher education experts said during a Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board briefing last week about the Higher Education Act. One of the panelists, Scott Pulsipher, president of Western Governors University, said that around "two-thirds of jobs are going to require some post-secondary credential, while only about 42% of adults currently have any post-secondary credential of any sort."
Read more about this trend from Education Dive >>
National Healthcareer Association's ExCPT awarded full status in Texas
We are pleased to announce that the TSBP, in collaboration with two independent evaluators, again issued the ExCPT certification program “full award status.” Full award status indicates the ExCPT exam is suitable and acceptable for the examination and certification of pharmacy technicians in the state of Texas.
Get the full details from NHA >>
National Healthcareer Association® (NHA) to launch TEAM Based Care™ product
NHA is pleased to announce the launch of TEAM Based Care™, a new product focused on the evolving healthcare delivery model. TEAM Based Care™ is an online learning and assessment-based certificate program, designed specifically for the patient care workforce, that standardizes learning to align each member of the care team in their knowledge and competency in providing patient-centered care.
Get the full details from NHA >>
Norton Healthcare: Integrating Workforce Investments with Business Impact
CareerSTAT case study “Integrating Workforce Investment with Business Impact: How Norton Healthcare is Making the Case for Advancing its Frontline Workers’ Skills and Careers” documents how Norton uses frontline investment to drive business impact. It explores the tools that inform Norton’s investments, the programs, and partnerships used to develop employees and the ROI measure in engagement, retention, and performance generated from these programs.
Read the full story from the National Fund>>
193 Medical Assistants participate in SOWIB's Medical Assistant Certification program
Over the course of working with area healthcare employers and launching the Southwestern Oregon Healthcare Industry Partnership (SOHIP), one of the first action items identified was to help develop a program that could offer certification to uncredentialed Medical Assistants. SOWIB is now looking into creating a registered apprenticeship program for MAs that would be the first of its kind in the state and offer an alternate path to certification for new staff being hired.
Read the full story from SOWIB >>