If you were practicing medicine in October 2015, you undoubtedly remember the tremendous change associated with the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10. All HIPAA-covered entities, including healthcare providers, healthcare clearing houses, electronic health record (EHR) vendors, and other business associates, were required to start using...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CMS), a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is a statewide electronic database that tracks all prescriptions for controlled substances. The goal of PDMPs is to improve the way that opioids and other controlled substances are prescribed,...

EHR vs. EMR: what’s the difference?

On Monday, July 29th the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the much anticipated 2020 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. The 2020 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule includes requirements that will go into effect on January 1, 2020. These requirements concern topics such as...

What is the direct primary care (DPC) model? You may have heard about direct primary care (DPC) at a conference or from a colleague. DPC is a type of primary care where a billing or payment arrangement is made between patients and providers, without sending...