The demand for cloud computing is becoming more prevalent as aging hardware needs to be upgraded. Business owners are having to make a financial decision about having an operating expense by using cloud services verses spending a large capital expense for new servers and storage that will just be outdated faster than before. As companies advance in adopting software for their vertical market, the dependency to run their business without interruption becomes very significant. New software for almost every industry is being adopted. Microsoft and other technology companies have developed sophisticated all-in-one point of sale, inventory management and accounting software to even run a basic flower shop. The medical industry is now being incentivized by the government to use new medical records software. Now these companies are more reliant on their IT environment to do business and need IT systems that are not only fast but redundant and highly available.

More and more businesses have multiple offices which also rely on those servers to be available in order to do business. The financial advantages of cloud computing is one advantage but the data center is a secure environment with redundant components all the way from the hard drives to the generators on the building. Server virtualization has changed the market space to who can afford cloud computing. The small business that needs to have redundant system has gone up but the monthly price of cloud computing is going down. As this shift in the market takes place the need for cloud computing management software for companies like CNS is on the rise. CNS has been getting more requests for deploying dedicated virtual desktops which is putting us in a position to use more advanced management software as there will be thousands of virtual machines for end user desktops rather than just the servers.

Check out this local Roseville company that has received venture capitalist funds in a time of tight investments:
Roseville software startup lands first round of funding

Who should attend: Doctors and Practice Managers

We know that your time is very important so we designed this Small Group Forum around your lunch. We have limited seats available; we are trying to keep these meetings small from 6 to 10 Doctors or Practice Managers so that we can have better interaction with you.

CNS will be providing a demonstration of the gloStream Electronic Medical Record Solution which is based on the easy to use Microsoft Office Platform.

Join Todd Krieger, gloStream’s Marketing and Communications Team Leader, for a discussion about the economic stimulus and the EMR incentives included in the law. Todd will cover the specific requirements for EMR use, the payment schedule for Medicare and Medicaid providers, and the requirement necessary for doctors to receive their stimulus funding. Questions and answers will follow the presentation. Register for a session now by clicking a date below:

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer.

Why Choose gloStream?

CNS is proud to partner with the powerful, user-friendly, and cost-effective gloStream, and here’s why…

There are four great reasons to choose gloEMR 4.0. gloStream uses the latest technology and resources available to provide:

-One-click access to comprehensive patient information

-A quick way to document encounters with Microsoft® Word and standards-based templates

-Simplified customizable workflow with great voice recognition

-Round-the-clock local support

gloEMR 4.0 is easy to learn and use. The software leverages the power of  Microsoft products so you can easily configure the gloEMR dashboard and exam notes without the need for expensive re-programming or change request.

Better Workflow

Built-in workflow and collaboration tools help you improve care, enhance efficiency and boost productivity in your practice. gloEMR also harnesses the power voice recognition technology to help you speed detailed documentation, enhance communication with referring doctors, and eliminate costly transcription services. Use a single voice command to close a note or send a referral letter. Saves time, shortens exams and automates many repetitive or common tasks.

Enhanced Patient Care

Patient care is enhanced with simple single-command diagnostic and clinical decisions support tools. gloEMR integrates e-prescribing, patient education information and drug interaction checks. You can also display diagnostic images within individual patient records.

Paperless Office

gloEMR 4.0 also features a complete document management system able to scan and store historical reference information so you can transition to a paperless office.

Integration between gloEMR and other third-party best-of-breed applications is handled through a standards-based HL7 protocol.

Experience the benefits gloEMR 4.0 delivers:

Improved patient documentation

Enhanced workflow efficiencies

Secure, remote access to patient records

Better coding and charge capture

Point-of-care access and communication of patient data

Easy to implement and use in any practice

Increased doctor and patient satisfaction

Enhanced clinical decision support and guidelines

Easier regulatory and reimbursement reporting

Increased revenue

A direct link to hospitals and other care providers

Please contact CNS today so that our team can visit yours and provide you with a free EMR readiness review and gloEMR demonstration.

Delaying the purchase of your EMR? Is the delay due to a lack of funds? If you’re bound by cash flow restraints, or looking for tax benefits and protection from equipment obsolescence, equipment financing may be the right choice for you.

There are a number of leasing companies available to finance EMRs; many distributing start-up offers with very low monthly payments.

One of the most popular is the Practice Builder Lease which deferres your payment for 3 months, then 9 payments at 1% of equipment and installation cost, followed by either another 39 or 51 payments at a higher level.

And with financing, your medical practice may transfer the risks and uncertainties of ownership to the finance company while concentrating on using the technology as a productive part of business. Leasing is a great way to jump-start the EMR procurement process. In addition, the government is providing up to $44,000 in incentives if you act before 2011. So you can finance to purchase now then when you get your incentive payments, you can pay them off!

Choosing to implement an EMR system and deciding which one is best for your practice is just the beginning. Training, support, and other services are imperative to a successful EMR implementation, yet they are some of the most overlooked costs involved with an EMR acquisition. By financing you can have everything involved with your EMR purchase bundled into one accountable monthly lease payment. This will make budgeting for all costs associated with EMR procurement easy and manageable. Leasing will also protect you from technological obsolescence, a concern for any physician investing in technology solutions.

EMR Financing Benefits
Some other benefits of leasing EMR equipment include the following:

• 100% Financing — Leasing usually does not require a down payment so it is equivalent to 100% financing. Any capital that would have been used for a down payment can be reinvested into the business.

• Speed — Leasing can allow you to respond quickly to new opportunities with minimal documentation and red tape. Many leasing companies approve applications within a few hours.

• Asset Management — A lease provides the use of the technology solution for specific periods of time at fixed payments. The leasing company assumes and manages the risk of technology ownership. At the end of the lease, if the physician elects to return the technology, the leasing company is responsible for the disposition of the asset.

• Flexibility — As your practice grows and your needs change, you have the flexibility to add or upgrade technology at any point during the lease term.

• Upgraded Technology — An EMR can make your practice more efficient. Technology solutions that could depreciate quickly should be leased to limit your risk of getting caught with obsolete equipment. Plus, leases make it easier to upgrade or add technology solutions to meet ever-changing needs.

• Tax Treatment — The Internal Revenue Service does not consider certain leases to be purchases but rather tax-deductible overhead expenses. Therefore, medical practices can deduct the lease payments from income, thus reducing the net cost of the lease.

• Tax Benefits — Leasing companies can pass the tax benefits of ownership to you in the form of lower monthly payments.

• Expense Forecasting — When you lease EMR equipment, you can accurately forecast the cost requirements since you know the amount and number of lease payments required. Also with leases, there are no floating fees.

• Immediate Write-Off of Spending — With leasing, payments are treated as expenses on the income statement, so the technology solution does not have to be depreciated over an extended term.

• Flexible End-of-Term Options — There are typically three flexible options at the end of a term. You can either return the equipment, purchase the equipment from the leasing company, or extend the lease for an additional period of time.

• Easier Financing than Loans — With a lease, you can avoid requirements like compensating balances, large down payments, client list reviews, and cash flow projections, making the finance process faster and easier.

So You Want to Lease…What’s the Next Step?
The next step is choosing a leasing company. Look for a company that understands your practice’s objectives, is experienced with EMR technology, and has a long term commitment in the relationship. Also important to consider is the financial strength of the leasing company, as their risk of owning the equipment needs to be taken under consideration.

Many EMR providers partner with a leasing company, making it even easier for physicians to get information about their financing options.

In addition, numerous resources are available that provide more information about leasing or aid physicians in the search for a leasing company. For example, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), a nonprofit association representing companies involved in the equipment leasing and finance industry, has developed Choose Leasing, available at www.chooseleasing.org.

Choose Leasing answers commonly asked questions about leasing and discusses important points to note before signing a contract. The site also offers a search engine for finding nearby or specialty leasing companies.

Questions to Ask
As with any purchase decision, it’s important to get as much information as possible before making a commitment. To help guide people through the process of leasing, the ELFA has developed the following list of 10 questions to ask before signing a lease.

These questions take into account the before, during, and after stages of a lease and should help provide the information needed to make a sound financial decision. Also, physicians should always talk with a tax advisor before making a decision.

Before
1. How am I planning to use this technology?

2. Does the leasing representative understand my business and how this transaction helps me conduct business?

During
3. What is the total lease payment and are there any other costs that I could incur before the lease ends?

4. What happens if I want to change this lease or end the lease early?

5. How am I responsible if the equipment is damaged or destroyed?

6. What are my obligations for the equipment (such as insurance, taxes, and maintenance) during the lease?

7. Can I upgrade the technology or add equipment under this lease?

After

8. What are my options at the end of the lease?

9. What are the procedures I must follow if I choose to return the equipment?

10. Are there any extra costs at the end of the lease?

So stop delaying the purchase of your EMR.  You’re no longer bound by cash flow restraints if you choose equipment financing. Jump-start your EMR procurement process today, finance your purchase then pay it off with your incentive payments.

President Obama signed the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus plan into law on February 17, 2009 and has promised to spend a total of $50 billion over five years to improve efficiency within health care. Additionally, he plans to offer $17 billion dollars through Medicare and Medicaid to encourage service providers and physicians to adopt certified EMR.

Eligible professionals include doctors of medicine, osteopathy, dental surgery, dental medicine, optometry, and chiropractors.

How can you benefit?

Those providers who are not adopting EMR by 2015 will see reductions in their Medicare reimbursements of 1% in 2015, 2% in 2016 and 3% in 2017. The possible incentive offered  before 2015 will be a maximum of $44,000 per physician, depending on when providers implement EMR. In order to receive the full amount physicians must implement EMR technology by 2012; therefore, no payment will be made available after 2015.

Eligible professionals who are meaningful users of certified EHR technology will receive Medicare incentive payments according to the following  schedule:



Medicaid Incentives

• Incentive payments are provided for eligible providers who are meaningful users of certified EHR technology
• Eligible providers can receive (not in excess of) 85 percent of net average allowable costs for certified EHR technology

–     To determine costs, the Secretary of HHS will study EHR adoption requirements

• Payment structure:

Providers receive incentives either from Medicare or from Medicaid under the stimulus package, because they cannot get both as per the law notes.

Defining “Meaningful Use”

You can start earning incentives in 2011 by demonstrating “meaningful use” of EMR. Physicians can earn from $2,000 to $18,000 in a given year. In short, a “meaningful user” is an eligible professional who demonstrates:

–     Use of electronic prescribing functionality,

–     Their EHR is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of health information to improve the quality of healthcare, and

–     Submits information on clinical quality measures.

How do doctors demonstrate “Meaningful Use”?

–     An attestation (witness statement)

–     Submission of claims with appropriate coding (such as a code indicating that the patient was seen using a certified EHR)

–     A survey response

–     A report

–     Other means specified by the Secretary of HHS

In order to provide information about receiving incentive payments, HIMSS has a few suggestions:

• Rely on CCHIT as the certifying body for EMRs
• Adopt metrics that can demonstrate meaningful use, and make them increasingly more stringent over two years or so
• Work with HITSP and IHE to make sure systems are interoperable
• Close the existing gap between “certified EMR technologies,” “best of breed,” and “open source” technologies

As per the law defines, eligible providers will be treated as a meaningful user of EMR technology if they meet the following three criteria:

• Uses a certified EMR in a meaningful manner, which includes the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing)
• Uses a certified EMR that can accommodate the electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care
• Submit information on clinical quality measures, as chosen by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, for the reporting period

Eligibility of the provider

• Physicians, nurses and midwife nurses who are not hospital based and whose patient volume is at least 30 percent attributable to Medicare, are eligible for up to maximum 85 percent of their net allowable technology costs, which is subject to specific annual limits.
• Medicaid incentives will be available only to non-hospital based clinicians, encompassing dentists, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants practicing in rural health clinics.
• Medicaid incentives range up to $65K over a five-year period.
• Acute care hospitals with Medicaid patient volume of 10 percent or more and children’s hospitals with any Medicaid volumes are also eligible.
• Medicaid has not mentioned any penalties for lack of adoption of EMR.
• After obtaining start-up funds, providers who will prove “meaningful use” can be eligible to receive payments up to $10K annually for an additional four years.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that approximately 90 percent of doctors and 70 percent of hospitals will be using EMR within the next decade, as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Don’t wait! Start weighing your options today. Look for technology with a balanced architecture (a mix of discreet data elements and free flow text). Look to CNS for local support. You have to show meaningful use before 2011. With 750k-1 mil doctors in cue to get deployed there will be a wait – beat the rush.

To schedule a one-on-one conversation or group demonstration with a gloStream EMR expert, contact CNS today!