Doctations' Surveillance Program makes it easy for doctors to comply with HITECH ACT requirements

Oct 22 2009

Doctations, Inc., an innovative leader in applying Internet technology to improve healthcare, today added its new Surveillance Program functionality to its groundbreaking online healthcare and medical practice management solution. The Surveillance Program makes it easy for physicians to comply with government-mandated HITECH ACT requirements in order to qualify for and receive the ARRA bonus of up to $44,000 through 2016. Simple guarantees are not sufficient for two reasons: 1) “meaningful use” definition is expected to evolve for the duration of the ARRA bonus program and 2) criteria require software compliance and compliance in terms of how the physician and his/her staff use the software.

The new Surveillance functionality is the latest addition to Doctations’ innovative cloud-based solution that enables physicians to manage all clinical and business aspects of their practices online, including securely managing electronic medical records and electronically transmitting prescriptions. The Doctations Surveillance Program enables doctors to meet requirements for the E-prescribing incentive program 2% bonus, comply with the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) for another 2% bonus, qualify to receive up to $44,000 in incentives through 2016 from the High-Tech Bonus (ARRA Funding) program, and avoid escalating non-compliance penalties all without any added administrative burden.

“Congressional initiatives are heavily focused on driving down the cost of healthcare without compromising quality of care by rewarding doctors for embracing cost-saving technologies and improving clinical outcomes,” observed Jerry Kolosky, Chief Operating Officer, at Doctations, Inc. “By implementing the Surveillance functionality, we are providing online tools that make it simple for doctors to meet new government requirements, help ensure positive patient outcomes and receive the associated financial benefits.”

Because the Doctations system is web-based, applications can be updated in real time as needed. This ensures that the network of Doctations subscribers is always current and in immediate compliance with the latest government regulations and requirements. With the Surveillance Program especially, Doctations offers a unique advantage over legacy and premises-based systems where users must wait for onsite implementation of new versions of application software.

“Doctations' Surveillance Program is but one component of our deep commitment to providing healthcare providers an affordable, practical path to true reform. Electronic record keeping, reporting and prescription transmission are just a few of the significant changes that will keep the healthcare industry in a state of transition for some time to come,” added Kolosky. “In addition, standards and compliance requirements are constantly evolving. For example, the ARRA Funding program is still debating the definition of ‘meaningful use’ of EMR applications to qualify for the financial incentives. Because we can propagate changes across our entire online network instantly, our application is “future proof,” meaning we give physicians the ability to comply immediately with whatever those final requirements will be.”

The Doctations application is CCHIT-certified to current standards. In keeping with the company’s dedication to maintaining standards and regulatory compliance, Doctations has committed to updating its application software to meet any new certification requirements that may be added going forward.