The Month of February

February is the shortest month of the year, and has events like the Super Bowl and the Grammy and Oscar awards that can spark our interest. Valentine’s Day, a highlight of the month, when we exchange candy, flowers, and gifts with loved ones, falls on a Wednesday this year. Learn more on the customers and history of Valentine’s Day at A&E’s History site, Valentine's Day page.

During the month of February we honor the important achievements of African Americans as we celebrate Black History Month. The National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in September of 2016, is devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Visit their web site to learn more.

150 Provider Behavioral Health Group Selects
TheraManager DocuTrac!

The merger of TheraManager and DocuTrac last summer brought together two worlds of fabulous human resources, software programs, and business partners. In working with our thousands of clients across the country, we are leveraging these expanded capabilities to maximize the benefit for each group.
We are also able to bring feature-rich customized solutions to
new clients.

We are thrilled to announce that TheraManager DocuTrac was recently selected as the new practice management and EMR software solution for a large behavioral health group in the Northeast that runs a school services program, residential and day support programs, an outpatient practice, and an intensive outpatient practice (IOP).

Check Your Passwords

Seasonal Affective Disorder

During the darker days of winter, more people report feeling depressed and tired, and some may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). According to the American Psychiatric Association,”About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. It is more common among women than men.”
An article in Psychology Today states that many people with SAD report at least one close relative with a psychiatric disorder, most frequently a severe depressive disorder (55 percent) or alcohol abuse (34 percent).

More information on the SAD can be found at Psychology Today and at the American Psychiatric Association web site.

Medicare Beneficiary Identifier

In two months CMS will start mailing Medicare cards with new Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) to everyone on Medicare. The 11 digit MBI will replace the Social Security Number (SSN)-based Health Insurance Claim Number for transactions like billing, eligibility status, and claim status after a transition period.

CMS plans to have a transition period where you can use either the HICN or the MBI to exchange data. The transition period is scheduled to begin on April 1st and run through December 31, 2019, providing for an extended time to comply.

You can visit the Social Security Number Removal Initiative (SSNRI) Home and Provider web pages and Subscribe to the weekly MLN Connects newsletter for updates and new information.

Note Cloning: Pros & Cons of Copying-and-Pasting

Article by Arnie Schuster, Ph.D. Chair TheraManager DocuTrac
Progress note cloning is becoming more controversial and in the spotlight in the wake of efforts to limit billing fraud and increased litigation involving documentation in electronic medical records. While there has been speculation that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) could restrict copying and pasting, many believe that is unlikely. In one study, it was found that 90% of the physicians used copying and pasting in their progress notes.

On one hand, there are parts of the record that are static and do not change. In behavioral health, more so than a medical practice, for the most part the patient’s diagnosis is constant. Certainly, their family, social, and medical history don’t change. If a parent is noted as being an alcoholic, you don’t need to change or re-write it in every note. In these cases, if re-entering that in a progress note, copy-paste or “carry-over” as it works in QuicDoc® is a big time-saver.

Whole note copy-paste or areas such as a mental status or medications, however, could be problematic. Consider “carrying over” a mental status indicating the patient’s mood was euthymic, but in a narrative it is noted the patient is increasingly depressed. This kind of inconsistency could be a powerful weapon in the hands an attorney if you have to defend an action, or be an embarrassment in an audit.

Keys in protecting yourself if you use cloning in whole or part:

Review content carefully if using copy-paste and modify as needed.
        Do not simply clone and move on.
Only clone where the content is more static, but still review.
Don’t copy whole notes from one session to the next, nor from one patient to the next.

What is your view on note cloning? We are interested in your opinions and ideas and would like to present them as part of an ongoing dialog and discussion for a follow up to this article. Please send feedback and comments to support@quicdoc.com and let us know if you want your comment to be posted anonymously or with your name. Thank you.

Limited Time Offer

LIMITED TIME OFFER! For customers using RETIRED versions of QuicDoc and/or Office Therapy software, purchase an Annual Maintenance plan and receive the upgrade to our latest version for $199.00 (a regular $499.00 value)!

LIMITED TIME OFFER! For customers using SUPPORTED versions of QuicDoc and/or Office Therapy software, purchase an Annual Maintenance plan and receive the upgrade to our latest version FREE!
To take advantage of these great offers call 877-206-1181!

Wise Words

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor even touched,
but just felt in the heart." Helen Keller

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