(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written by Vicki J. Brown, director of HIM Solutions Marketing, Nuance Communications.)As we reflect on National Medical Transcription Week, May 19-25, 2013, I can't help but think about the waves of transition this industry has experienced in the past decade and lessons learned from our customers. I also ponder ...

(This sponsored blog was written by Lee Ann Bryant, associate product manager, HealthStream.)With small and medium practices in mind, CMS has put together the following checklist of ICD-10 tasks, including estimated timeframes for each task. Depending on your organization, many of these tasks can be performed on a compressed timeline or performed ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written by Peter Tippett, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and vice president of the Innovation Incubator, Verizon.) The long-awaited Final Rule implementing HITECH Act amendments to HIPAA simplifies outsourcing in health IT by requiring business associates to safeguard protected health information in the same ...

By Lee Ann Bryant, associate product manager, HealthStream With so much uncertainty and overwhelming change associated with a transition to ICD-10, how could we ignore the potential risks involved? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offers some helpful steps that facilities can use to properly prepare and hopefully mitigate ...

(This guest blog was written from HIMSS 2013 by Adrianne O'Brien of Executive Insight.) We're blogging from the annual HIMSS conference in New Orleans! A group of healthcare/hospital CIOs navigated the miles of exhibit space at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the 32,718 registered attendees to present a panel discussion on the findings ...

By Lee Ann Bryant, associate product manager, HealthStreamAlthough nearly all healthcare providers are aware of the Oct. 1, 2014, deadline, studies show that most are unprepared for this transition. Recognizing that these changes require widespread education and planning initiatives beyond just the coding population, Centers for Medicare and ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written from AHIMA's Health Information Integrity Summit by Sandra Kersten, MPH, RHIA, AHIMA director of HIM Solutions.) The American Health Information Management Association's Health Information Integrity Summit: The Quest for Safe, Usable, Quality Data in EHRs opened Thursday in Chicago with great insights ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written by Massoud Alibakhsh, president and CEO of Nuesoft Technologies Inc., Marietta, Ga.)Although ICD-10 finally has an official deadline, many physicians remain concerned about the impact the new coding system could have on their practices. Nuesoft has compiled a summary listing five of the top concerns ...

(Editor's note: This guest blog was written by Chris Powell, president of Precyse, Wayne, Pa.) On Aug. 24, the CMS published a rule finalizing the compliance deadline for converting to the ICD-10 system of diagnostic and procedural coding to Oct. 1, 2014, from Oct. 1, 2013. HHS said the extra time would allow healthcare organizations - ...

(Editor’s Note: This guest blog was provided by Keith Fulmer of Kforce Healthcare Solutions.)As the Oct. 1, 2014, ICD-10 deadline approaches, small hospitals and critical access hospitals will likely face challenges and significant changes to their operational, technology and financial processes. Although ICD-10 presents complex concerns for small ...