DocuTrac will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th in honor of Independence Day. We will re-open on Wednesday July 5th at 9:00 AM ET. We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and happy holiday! July is National Watermelon Month in the US. The harvesting of watermelon peaks during this month, and nothing beats a cool, refreshing slice of watermelon in the heat of the summer. The month of July signifies Americana and the height of summer with 4th of July picnics, fireworks, hotdogs, and watermelon. New Cloud Service for QuicDoc® OfficeDocuTrac is pleased to be offering the latest innovation in Cloud Access Technology for our QuicDoc® Office users. This new service will provide you with the ability to connect seamlessly to your billing and EMR applications on the fastest available machines in the Cloud. Designed specifically for solo providers and small group practices, this will bring enterprise functionality to every provider at a price that is competitive. To find out more call the DocuTrac Sales Department at 800-850-8510. Tracking CEU Credits in QuicDoc Pro and QuicDoc EnterpriseIf you are catching up on your required CEU credits this summer, QuicDoc has an easy way to track them. You can record the name of the program, start and end dates (if more than one day), the location, the number of credits, and you can include a note for comments or reminders. Professional Edition users can access the Continuing Education Credits window from the Users menu in the Users view, Select CEUs for….(your name). Enterprise users, when logged on as a provider can access the Continuing Education window from the User Information view by clicking the Add button on the bottom of the screen. Click here for our full newsletter |
Category Archives: Newsletters
June 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
June is National Safety Month |
Injuries are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages – and they are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. Since June is National Safety month, it is the perfect time to learn more about important safety issues like prescription painkiller abuse, transportation safety, and slips, trips, and falls.According to the National Safety Council, impaired driving, i.e. driving while drunk, drugged, or distracted are the number one causes of fatalities on the road. To learn more about unintentional injury and death in homes and communities, on the road, and at work, visit the National Safety Council website.
Enterprise ForumOur QuicDoc® Enterprise forum is designed to provide pertinent topics, tips, and posts to help our Enterprise customers get the most out of their QuicDoc Enterprise Edition EMR. On the forum, Enterprise customers can exchange helpful ideas and information on using QuicDoc to its full advantage. You can register for the Enterprise forum at http://www.docutracinc.com/forum/default.aspx CPT Code Knowledgebase Article for Office Therapy®Our Technical Support Department has had a number of calls about adding CPT code modifiers in Office Therapy®. Now we have a new Knowledgebase article with step by step instructions on how to set up a CPT code with a modifier, which you can access here. If you need further assistance, please call our Support Department at 888-308-9683. Click here for our full newsletter |
May 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
May Awareness Month |
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is also National Foster Care Month which is especially significant to the DocuTrac team.Last May we honored Dan Hall, a programmer here at DocuTrac. Dan and his wife Tina are the adoptive parents to six very special children. After a long, emotional, and stressful battle, Dan and Tina were awarded adoption of Isabella Marie Hall in Florida on March 29th. We admire Dan and Tina for their persistence, commitment, and continuing dedication in providing care and nurturing to special needs, adoptive/foster children, and we congratulate them on the adoption of their new family member Isabella.
Memorial Day ClosingAmericans have been observing Memorial Day since 1868, nearly 150 years ago. This year Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 29th. DocuTrac will be closed in observation of this day as we honor the deceased veterans of all the wars fought by American forces. We will reopen on Tuesday the 30th at 9:00 AM ET. We hope you have an enjoyable and safe Memorial Day. Professional Edition Software Updates Coming SoonWe’ve added new functionality, flexibility, and performance improvements to QuicDoc® and Office Therapy®. QuicDoc V12 Office Therapy V12 When updates are available, they will be posted on our Updates page. Click here for our full newsletter |
April 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
April Awareness Month |
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month in April. Their goal in sponsoring the month of awareness is to reduce the stigma of alcoholism and encourage communities to focus on problems and issues surrounding alcoholism, such as drinking and driving especially among teens. During the month of April, we also focus our awareness on other areas in behavioral health. April is National Autism Awareness Month, National Occupational Therapy Month, and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
DocuTrac Webinars and YouTubeSubscribe to DocuTrac YouTube & Webinars. For informative videos about QuicDoc® and Office Therapy® Professional Editions, subscribe to DocuTrac’s YouTube channel and receive alerts whenever something new is posted. Subjects include e-Prescribing, Custom Note Templates, Insurance Claim Filing, Backup/Restore, and more. Many of our monthly webinars are recorded and posted on our website. To check our recorded webinars click here. When a Provider leaves your Practice or AgencyWhen someone in your practice or agency terminates employment or contractual obligations, and you no longer want them to have access to patient and provider records, it’s important to make the provider/user inactive in your software. If you are a Cloud customer, contact our Sales Department as soon as possible to have Cloud credentials deleted for terminated individuals. Inactivating or disabling credentials for terminated providers and office personnel will lock them out of the system and help to prevent breaches. If the individual had e-Prescribing rights, call DocuTrac to disable their account so they can no longer prescribe medications through your practice or agency. Additionally, if the terminated individual has access to other logon credentials, such as other active providers or office assistants, then those passwords will need to be changed in order to assure the lock out of unauthorized individuals. See the section below on the repercussions of failing to terminate and monitor users’ rights of access as required by HIPAA rules. Call DocuTrac Sales at 800-850-8510 to have Cloud and e-Prescribing accounts disabled.
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March 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
During the month of March we celebrate the contributions of social workers to our society. Social workers improve the welfare of communities, individuals, families, and groups promoting development, empowerment, and beneficial change. This month we pay special tribute to our customers who are social workers and honor all social workers for their relentless efforts and dedication to the well being of others.Jane Addams was an early influence on professional social work here in America. She was a founder of the U.S. Settlement House movement, and was one of the first women to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize. For more information on the history of social work, visit the Social Work History page on the National Association of Social Workers website.
Vista Support Ends in AprilExtended support for Windows Vista operating system will end April 11, 2017. Next month Microsoft will no longer provide any security or reliability patches for Vista. What this means is that you will no longer receive updates that can protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software that can steal your personal information or your clients’ protected health information. If you are using a computer with Vista, you need to update your operating system in order to help remain HIPAA compliant. View the Windows lifecycle fact sheet. Auto-Renewal for Professional Edition SoftwareMaintenance Auto-Renewal for technical support is a convenient service designed to automatically extend your software Annual Maintenance each year at the time of renewal. This eliminates the need for you to track renewal dates and saves you time. Auto renewal assures that your software is up-to-date and that you will never have to pay for upgrades. Since maintenance is required for customers who use credit card processing, e-prescribing, call reminders, e-filing, and Wiley treatment planners, as well as for those with Cloud access, Auto-Renewal is especially convenient. Click here for our full newsletter |
February 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
During the month of February we honor the many important achievements of African Americans and their valuable contributions to society. The American Psychological Association features prominent African-American Psychologists in their series on Ethnicity and Health in America.
Among them is Francis Sumner, PhD., who is considered the “Father of Black Psychology.” Dr. Sumner received his Ph.D. after serving in WWI. He later founded the psychology department at Howard University and served as chairman from 1928 until his death. Also highlighted is Inez Beverly Prosser, Ph.D., who, in 1933, was the first African American woman to earn a doctoral degree in psychology.
For more information on these two influential Psychologists, read Francis Sumner, PhD, and Inez Beverly Prosser, PhD, written by Logan Wright, Ph.D.
New Releases for Client Server, Professional Software
Client-server, professional edition software customers, who are current on maintenance, are entitled to the latest versions of QuicDoc® and/or Office Therapy®. Since most changes are available in automatic updates, you may already be running the most current version.
The latest version of QuicDoc is 11.5.3 released on January 16th. The latest version of
Office Therapy is 11.07.3 released on December 22nd. You can find your version number by selecting the About menu item from the Help menu in your program.
Updates can be found on our Support page. Whenever you update, be sure to first
backup your databases. If you have any questions, please call our Support Department
at 888-308-9683.
Client Reviews
With so many people sharing their experiences on the web, both good and bad, there’s no way to control what your clients may post in a review about your services.
You can, however, gain insight on their views to find out what is working well and where improvements are needed by surveying your clients towards the end of therapy. This allows you to not only minimize negative postings on the web, but to gain market leverage.
QuicDoc® Professional and Enterprise software both have a built-in Patient Satisfaction Survey for just this purpose. The survey assesses the following:
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• Access to Care
• Physical Surroundings
• Technical Quality
• Outcomes
• Interpersonal Care/Communication
• Overall Satisfaction.
To access the survey, select Patients Satisfaction Survey from the QuicDoc Assessments menu.
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January 2017 EMR and PM Newsletter
New Year 2017 |
Happy New Year! We have so much to celebrate in 2017, and many reasons to be thankful. This year marks DocuTrac’s 24th Anniversary, and we are very proud and grateful to have worked with each and every one of you over the years.Respect, collaboration, and commitment are the values that have guided our company since its beginning twenty four years ago, and these values will continue to define and shape our future. We hope to make 2017 the best year yet, and it is our hope that DocuTrac makes it easier for you to do what you do best. We value your loyalty and are committed to providing you with the best possible products and services.
Kudos for Technical Support ServiceWe recently surveyed customers who used our technical support services. Overwhelmingly the response to the survey was very positive. Our Technical Support Staff received a rating of 100% for their courtesy, knowledge, and helpfulness. Better yet, there were zero responses indicating dissatisfaction. We are proud of our support staff and commend them for their dedication and commitment to providing the best technical service possible. TriZetto vs. Free ClearinghousesIn today’s always-changing health care industry, you may find that a “free” clearinghouse costs you much more in lost time, resources, and revenue. Here are few things our partner TriZetto® wants you to know. TriZetto provides first-class, US based support with a high first call resolution rate. They also have an average 98% first time, clean acceptance rate for claims. TriZetto’s electronic eligibility verification has over 1,000 eligibility connections increasing patient satisfaction, and providing an average annual savings of $3,700 per physician. TriZetto’s claim file reconciliation report summarizes all claim activity to minimize lost claims. If there are claim denials, a denials management and automation system helps you understand the reasons, prioritizes opportunities for appeal, and automatically generates appeals. TriZetto is fully integrated in Office Therapy® so you can easily submit claims and process remittances. For more information visit TriZetto on our website. Click here for our full newsletter |
December 2016 EMR and PM Newsletter
Holiday Thank You |
This holiday season is the best time to express our gratitude and thanks to you, our loyal customers. We appreciate your confidence in our Company and your continued support. All of us at DocuTrac wish you a safe and Happy Holiday Season, and a healthy, prosperous New Year!Holiday Closings: DocuTrac offices will be closed on Monday, December 26th and will reopen on Tuesday, December 27th at 9:00 am ET.
For the New Year, we will be closed on Monday, January 2nd and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3rd at 9:00 am ET. Social Security Number Removal InitiativeHere’s some advance information about changes regarding the use of Social Security Numbers. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) requires us to remove Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards by April 2019. A new randomly generated Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) will replace the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) on the new Medicare cards for transactions like billing, eligibility status, and claim status. You can prepare for this change by visiting the overview and provider web pages, which include information on:
It’s time to look at your practice management systems and business processes and determine what changes you need to make to use the new MBI. Customize Your Statements in Office Therapy®Did you know that Office Therapy allows you to easily customize your statements by choosing different options and settings? You can choose the exact look and information you wish your Clients to see. You can even add your own company logo. Here’s an easy to follow article explaining how to create the exact statements you wish to send to your Clients. Click here for our full newsletter |
November 2016 EMR and PM Newsletter
Do you know about Giving Tuesday? |
“You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.” Bill GatesFor resources and to learn more visit https://www.givingtuesday.org/
Thanksgiving ClosingThanksgiving gives us all the opportunity for some well deserved down time to spend with family and friends. DocuTrac offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24th and 25th, and will reopen on Monday, November 28th. We are, as always, thankful for you our loyal customers, and we hope you have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! |
MIPS and Medicare Reimbursement
According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, it’s expected that most behavioral health organizations billing for Medicare Part B will be subject to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2017. The following describes clinicians who are MIPS eligible.
“Clinicians that will be counted for the 2017 reporting year include physicians (including psychiatrists), nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Social workers and clinical psychologists may be added in 2019.” We will keep you posted.
“Maximum and Minimum MIPS Payment Adjustments are based on 2017 calendar year reporting, MIPS eligible clinicians will receive up to a 4 percent payment adjustment in 2019. Adjustments may be positive, negative or zero. The range of payment adjustments will reach +/- 9 percent by 2022. Clinicians may earn an extra bonus of up to 10 percent for exceptional quality from 2019 to 2024. All MIPS adjustments are budget neutral, which means that total upward and downward adjustments will be equal.”
CMS has been reviewing public comments and a finale rule is expected to be issued this month. For more information and further details, read the full text on MACRA’s Quality Payment Program: What Does it Mean for Your Agency’s Medicare Reimbursement?
Click here for our full newsletter
October 2016 EMR and PM Newsletter
Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of (some form of) physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.”During the month of October, we celebrate those who have survived domestic violence, mourn those who’ve died because of the violence, and honor and support those who work to end domestic violence. For resources and to learn more visit http://ncadv.org/. |
ICD-10 Code Changes
There have been numerous revisions, deletions, and additions to the ICD-10 since being released in October 2015. Of those changes, only a handful applies to behavioral health. Updates for QuicDoc and Office Therapy will include these code changes. If you need the changes before we release the updates, you can easily modify your ICD Listing. These coding updates can be found on the American Psychiatric Association site.
If you need assistance in updating your lists in QuicDoc Pro and/or Office Therapy, call
888-308-9683. For assistance with QuicDoc Enterprise call 888-206-1270.
ICD-10 Grace Period Ended
The one-year grace period for filing insurance claims using ICD-10 coding ended on October 1st. That means that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require that all claims be coded accurately with the specific, correct ICD-10 codes.
If you are not already filing claims with the highest level of specificity, you may find that your claims are being rejected. Each claim needs to be coded to the level of certainty known for the session encounter.
For more information visit HealthcareITNews ICD10 Watch.
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