Easy access to more thorough prescribing history boosts members’ clinical decision-making and improves patient health outcomesThe Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS), representing more than 6,000 physicians in Connecticut, has selected DrFirst, a leading provider of e-prescribing and patient medication management solutions, as the vendor of choice for its robust e-prescribing tool, iPrescribe, for its members.iPrescribe, for iOS or Android smartphones, will provide Connecticut physicians with seamless and automatic access to prescription data from the Connecticut Prescription Monitoring and Reporting System (CPMRS) with one click for more informed decision making at the point of care. With trustworthy, patient-level prescribing history, iPrescribe …

Proposed changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program would streamline clinician billing and expand access to high-quality care Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed historic changes that would increase the amount of time that doctors and other clinicians can spend with their patients by reducing the burden of paperwork that clinicians face when billing Medicare. The proposed rules would fundamentally improve the nation’s healthcare system and help restore the doctor-patient relationship by empowering clinicians to use their electronic health records (EHRs) to document clinically meaningful information, instead of information that is only …

PAI's QPP Tip of the Month: An Updated Look-Up ToolCMS updated the Quality Payment Program (QPP) Look-Up Tool with 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility and Qualifying Alternative Payment Model (APM) Participant (QP) data. You can enter your National Provider Identifier (NPI) to determine: 1) whether you are required to participate in MIPS in 2018 and 2) your Predictive QP status. You can also check 2018 MIPS eligibility at the group level and APM Predictive QP status at the APM entity level by logging into the QPP website with your Enterprise Identity Data Management credentials and the Taxpayer Identification Number …

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted new resources on CMS.gov to help eligible clinicians and groups understand their Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, performance feedback, and payment adjustment, as well as the targeted review process.The new resources include: MIPS Performance Feedback Fact Sheet: Offers an overview of what performance feedback is, who receives the feedback, and how to access it on the Quality Payment Program website. Targeted Review of the 2019 MIPS Payment Adjustment Fact Sheet: Details what a targeted review is and when and how to request a targeted review. Targeted Review of …

CSMS advocated for ethical prescribing guidelines to be met. Public Act 18-166 became effective on July 1, 2018. Section 2 of this act places into law language limiting how and when any prescriber can prescribe for immediate family members. CSMS worked with legislators, other professions with prescribing abilities, the HAVEN program, the administration, and the Department of Consumer Protection to ensure that language was consistent with AMA guidelines for ethical prescribing.Under the new law, prescribing practitioners generally may not prescribe, dispense, or administer schedule II to IV controlled substances to themselves or immediate family members. An “immediate family member” is …

CSMS Fighting for You, Your Practice and Your PatientsYou have helped the practice of medicine and advanced quality care for the residents of our state by being an active member of CSMS. Your membership makes a difference and our voice at the Capitol was loud and victorious during this short, tumultuous session. Please see many of the successful achievements we have made on your behalf this year in Hartford.CSMS Legislative Successes CSMS successfully lobbied to prevent the establishment a $1,000 penalty for each failure to check Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), regardless of intent or situation. This success alone could …

The June/July issue of Connecticut Medicine, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) focuses on the rapidly evolving role technology plays in the practice of medicine.“Connecticut Medicine is proud to present a special issue which provides information and insight into many facets of health information technology, ” states Editor Michael M. Deren.Strides have been made by hospitals, physicians, and clinics to store patient data in their individual electronic medical record systems (EMRs). Recently, however, the focus has shifted to developing the ability to share patient data securely between the various institutions. The advent of a health …

Laura McCrary, Ed.D, Senior Vice President of KaMMCO and Executive Director, Kansas Health Information Network, Inc. (KHIN) was recently interviewed (June 2) on WTIC 1080 AM Healthy Rounds program with Dr. Anthony Alessi. She discussed the importance of an effective HIE, like CTHealthLink, and how it can positively impact patient care and physician practices. Listen to the full interview (segments 1 & 2) here:[playlist ids="10596,10593"]

The Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS), in conjunction with the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Professional Association (CTACS) will host a Stop the Bleed training on June 18 from 11:00 a.m. – noon, for employees of 127 Washington Avenue in North Haven and throughout the greater New Haven region interested in learning to prevent rapid blood loss in the event of an accident, attack, or natural disaster.“Stop the Bleed provides vital training in treating victims of not only unspeakable tragedies, but from everyday accidents,” comments EVP/CEO of CSMS, Matthew Katz. Stop the Bleed is the national awareness …

CTHealthLink, in association with the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS), is pleased to announce that the Connecticut State Medical Society- Independent Practice Association (CSMS-IPA) has partnered with the physician-led, statewide interoperable health information exchange (HIE).“We are excited about of our recent collaboration with CTHealthLink,” comments Neysa Guerino, Executive Director of CSMS-IPA. She added, “through CTHealthLink we can now provide our physicians with reliable, tested, HIE technology that will help them in their practice. Physicians will also benefit by utilizing the quality metrics and analytics, with the CSMS-IPA’s assistance, designed to help them navigate changes in the healthcare system.”Participation in the …

CMS has released the Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File (PUF) and Referring Provider Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Public Use File (PUF) with data for 2016.The Physician and Other Supplier PUF contains summarized information on Part B services and procedures furnished to Medicare beneficiaries by physicians and other healthcare professionals. The data includes information on utilization, payment, and submitted charges organized by National Provider Identifier, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code, and place of service. The new 2016 dataset includes information on more than 1 million distinct health care providers who collectively received $96 billion …

Having accurate and reliable information at the point of care is critical to improving patient outcomes. The clear solution to this problem would be a comprehensive Health Care Information Exchange (HIE).Connecticut physicians now have access to an HIE through CTHealthLink.Click here to see what Connecticut Physicians and Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) members have to say about CTHealthLink.CSMS, in partnership with KaMMCO Health Solutions (KHS) has established CTHealthLink, a physician-led HIE, utilizing a model with a proven track record. The technology comprises an interoperable HIE, a personal health record for patients, extensive data analytic tools, including certified electronic clinical quality …

Please participate in the Physicians Foundation’s sixth biennial physician survey. Its purpose is to examine the morale, career plans, and practice metrics of today's physicians - and to give physicians a voice! The goal is to produce a "state of the union" of the medical profession that can have a significant impact on both policy and public perceptions. The survey is expected to take around 10 minutes to complete. It will be open through June 5th and can be accessed using this link: https://amnhealthcare.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6nkaYL4Qul3mdgNAs they have done in past years, Merritt Hawkins will dis-aggregate the survey responses by state and …

The Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) in partnership with Connecticut Drug Card reminds physicians that patients who are not insured or who take prescription drugs that are not covered by their health insurance plans, can use the Connecticut Drug Card to obtain discounts of up to 75 percent off the retail price for FDA-approved medications.Connecticut Drug Card has been working closely with the CSMS, as well as numerous clinics and hospitals around the state to distribute free discount prescription cards so that all Connecticut residents will have access to this free program. The program can also be used by people …

You can now log in to the CMS Quality Payment Program website to check your group’s 2018 eligibility for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).After logging into the feature using your EIDM credentials, browse to the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) affiliated with your group, and you will be able to click into a details screen to see the eligibility status of every clinician based on their National Provider Identifier (NPI) and find out whether they need to participate during the 2018 performance year for MIPS.Don’t have an EIDM account? Start the process now! Refer to the Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) …

CSMS Fighting for You, Your Practice and Your PatientsYou have helped the practice of medicine and advanced quality care for the residents of our state by being an active member of CSMS. Your membership makes a difference and our voice at the Capitol was loud and victorious during this short, tumultuous session. Please see many of the successful achievements we have made on your behalf this year in Hartford.CSMS Legislative Successes CSMS successfully lobbied to prevent the establishment a $1,000 penalty for each failure to check Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), regardless of intent or situation. This success alone could …

CSMS Testimony on Health Care Related Legislation The following bills were not voted on during the legislative session, but CSMS provided support/argument for them. We will continue to advocate for you, your practice and your patients as bills are presented.SENATE BILL 164 An Act Raising the Legal Age to Purchase Tobacco to Twenty One and HOUSE BILL 5293 An Act Concerning the Sale of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Vapor Products – Prohibits sale of tobacco products to those under 21 and requires face to face sale of nicotine containing vape products.SENATE BILL 401 – An Act Concerning the Use …

HARTFORD, CT. – With the generous support of Z-Medica of Wallingford, CT, The Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, the Connecticut ACS Committee on Trauma, and The Connecticut Orthopaedic Society donated two wall mounted Bleeding Control Stations and a Stop the Bleed training kit to CT Department of Public Health on April 25th. The kits contain tourniquets, QuikClot® Bleeding Control Dressing™, protective gloves, and compression bandages and will be installed at DPHs office in Hartford. The training kit will allow DPH staff to conduct their own training classes.At the same time the group provided Bleeding Control training to …

In late April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced proposed rule changes directly aimed at empowering patients and reducing administrative burden for physicians. These changes are tied to CMS’s ongoing commitment to interoperability, patient data access and system-wide health information exchange (HIE).The meaningful use EHR Incentive Programs will now be known as “Promoting Interoperability”, and the Merit-based Incentive Payment Program (MIPS) Advancing Care Information performance category will be known as the “Promoting Interoperability performance category” to maintain alignment across both programs.The goal is to put patients first so they may access high quality care, benefit from more …

Twenty-two percent decline in opioid prescriptions over four years announced by IQVIA. Connecticut has seen a 27.3% decline. Connecticut has had one of the most significant reductions in prescribing (27.3%) over the last few years and saw an 11% reduction in the last year alone (2016 to 2017). The Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) has made significant efforts in education and outreach to prescribers. Our Opioid Committee is pleased with this verification of these efforts but believe more can be done.In 2014, CSMS launched an Opioid Committee and has worked with the AMA and other state medical societies to address …