CMT & RMT Practice Exams

In the News: Credentialing Practice Exams Coming Soon

AHDI will soon be releasing Credentialing Practice Exams for both the RMT and CMT. These exams, developed by the same group of professionals who developed the exams, will simulate a real test environment, complete with the hands-on experience of the Kryterion testing platform. After taking a practice exam, you will be provided feedback on objectives from questions answered incorrectly so that you have a guide on which skills you need to brush up on before taking the real exam.

Look for the RMT Practice Exam to be available in March, and the CMT Practice Exam to follow in April. Check www.ahdionline.org frequently for our most recent updates.

Is the ONC doing all they can to ensure that digital medical records don’t take taxpayers for a ride?

“Some digital records software marketed to medical professionals may be encouraging use of elevated billing codes that pay fatter fees, according to the nation’s top health information technology official. That could undermine cost savings the government expects to achieve by adopting the digital systems”.

Is this what we all signed up for?

By Fred Schulte for The Center for Public Integrity

The Obama administration is forging ahead with a multi-billion dollar plan to shift from paper toelectronic medical records, despite continuing concerns the program may be prompting some doctors and hospitals to improperly bill higher fees to Medicare. An investigation into those billing questions — which convened a hearing Wednesday — has yet to produce much in the way of results, and critics are questioning the seriousness of the efforts.

Some digital records software marketed to medical professionals may be encouraging use of elevated billing codes that pay fatter fees, according to the nation’s top health information technology official. That could undermine cost savings the government expects to achieve by adopting the digital systems.  READ ARTICLE…

KBOR Approves MDS Scribe Program

Medical Assistants and Medical Transcriptionists, the time is right and the outlook is good!   Kansas Board of Regents stamped their blessing on the Accelerated Medical Scribe programs at MDS of Kansas December 2012.   This comes on the heels of approval from the American College of Clinical Information Managers, ACCIM.    Remember, ACCIM is the only governing body that has set a certification process.

If you are looking for an interesting career in healthcare with good pay, benefits and high industry demand, you are needed!

Calling on  Medical Transcriptionists, Medical Assistants, or various other allied health professions … classes starting in February and we already have strong interests from our medical friends in the community!

Medical Transcription Lawsuit Exposes Inherent Dangers To “Care-Then-Document” Model

This is a MUST read …

This case exposes the liability of documenting after the physician patient encounter, which is the historical practice of medical transcription companies.”

“Real time, onsite medical scribe documentation, alongside the physician, adds to increased operational productivity and patient safety protocols within the EHR environment.”

continue reading … 

MDS SCRIBE PROGRAM APPROVED BY ACCIM

MDS proudly announces approval from the American College of Clinical Information Managers, ACCIM, for our Medical Scribe (CIM) accelerated programs!  ACCIM is the only governing body that has set a certification process.   Our programs have been submitted to Kansas Board of Regents and we anxiously await approval to add these 2 new programs to our current MLS/MT.    The time is right … the outlook is good!

Medical Scribe Study Finds Scribe Use May Extend Physician Careers 85%

“With respect to productivity (agree or strongly agree), 64.2% felt that they had higher relative value units and 79.4% were able to treat more patients per hour with scribe utilization. The majority of respondents (74.8%) felt that scribes were very or extremely beneficial when transitioning to use of an EMR. Respondents who were previously using an EMR without scribes indicated that there was a large positive impact of scribe utilization on EMR experience with respect to relieving the stress of documentation (87.4%), being able to “focus on being a physician” (78.8%), quality of life (77.9%) and patient care (77.3%).”

Medical Transcription – Quality before Quantity

It has always been very important to me to remember that the patient is first.  We have an obligation to get it right … this is their story.   It is oftentimes easy for the MT to focus first on their paycheck and second on their job. 

Here’s a good article to read on productivity, using expanders and shortcuts and the importance of keeping the patient’s history and record first and center!  Remember … your spouse, child, mother, and even YOU are the patient. 

Productivity in Medical Transcription and Documentation – Expand Responsibly

Medical Scribe Program

Are you a Medical Transcriptionist or Medical Assistant?   If so, you are wanted!

I bet you did not know these facts: 

-The need for healthcare services is growing due to the aging population in the U.S.

-The U.S. Government is spending $26B to implement electronic health records nationwide

-Electronic health records … 2013 will be a crucial year for physicians to avoid possible pay reductions under quality reporting and health information technology programs

-Hospitals, medical offices and doctors need Allied professionals, just like you, and they need you NOW!

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/11/12/gvsa1112.htm

EHR and Medical Scribes

Are you currently a Medical Transcriptionist or Medical Assistant looking for a new direction?  We have a solution – medical scribe.   A medical scribe is similar to a medical transcriptionist and a medical assistant rolled into one.

The merging of advanced technology, EHR, with continued emphasis on efficient and accurate health documentation has created a new career in the allied health profession.  While actually not entirely new, the need for clinical documentation specialists who offer services in real time for medical providers is becoming more prominent as healthcare providers seek ways to be more efficient and compliant with new regulations.

Health Information Managers, also known as “medical scribes” offer an efficiency that enhances patient care.  The physician or clinician is able to focus more of their time and energy on patient communication, diagnosis and treatment, than on administrative tasks such as dictating and ordering diagnostics.

The increased use of electronic medical records has made the health records system more complicated for many providers.  A clinical information manager, also called a “scribe”, is a medical language specialist who accompanies a physician into the exam room and inputs clinical information into a medical record database as instructed by the practitioner. They may also input ancillary orders and track results to assist the practitioner in the administrative duties of patient care. They provide an interface between a busy physician and the EMR software, which allows the physician to focus on direct patient care and diagnostic decision-making.

ONSITE, REAL-TIME, AT THE POINT OF CARE, HEALTHCARE DOCUMENTATION .. that is the role of a Medical Scribe (CIM).