News 2/7/13

Forbes recognizes Kareo as the 58th most promising privately held, high-growth company in the country.

CAQH launches a universal electronic funds transfer (EFT) enrollment tool for allows providers to enroll with multiple payers through a single online process.

AHRQ and CMS announce a new EHR format for children’s health that includes recommendations for child-specific data elements such as vaccines, prenatal and newborn screening tests, growth data, and child abuse reporting. The format is designed for EHR developers and providers who wish to augment existing systems with additional features or to build new EHR systems for the care of children.

United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley (CA), an FQHC, selects WellFx’s online social platform for its patients and employees.

EClinicalWorks will invest $25 million over the next year to enhance and expand its patient engagement tools under its Health & Online Wellness (healow) business unit. The first product is a soon-to-be-available free mobile app for patients.

The Boston Globe, by the way, profiles eClinicalWorks and the launch of its patient engagement initiative.

Navicure extends its partnership with the MGMA AdminiServe Partner Network through 2015, which gives association member preferred pricing for Navicure’s claims management technology.

An AHIP survey finds that the percentage of medical claims filed electronically has increased from 44 percent in 2002 to 94 percent in 2011. In 2011, 93 percent of electronic claims and 79 percent of paper claims were processed within two weeks.

The Charlotte Observer looks at the shared medical appointment model that allows a single provider to treat a group of patients with similar medical conditions. Proponents say the model allows more patients to see a physician on shorter notice and gives patients the opportunity to learn from one another. Zeev Neuwirth, MD, CMO for Carolinas HealthCare’s physician services group, likes the shared appointment model, saying,

“Our research shows that patient satisfaction was as good as, if not better than, if patients are seen individually. And the outcomes are the same.”

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