February 2015 Deadline for Medicare and Medicaid Professionals Encourages Technology in Healthcare Marketing
Gilbert, Arizona (PRWEB) February 14, 2015 -- Doctors and hospitals who are participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs must meet critical reporting deadlines in 2015. This year, they are asked to demonstrate Meaningful Use under Stage 2 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also referred to as Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ObamaCare. Last Thursday, January 29th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes to Stage 2 requirements, allowing providers to continue to meet requirements for Meaningful Use of electronic health records in 2015 and beyond. Despite this change, providers continue to work diligently on their electronic communications with patients.
A stage 2 core objective includes “Use secure electronic messaging to communicate with patients on relevant health information,” and covers the providers’ websites. 910 West, a marketing agency in Gilbert, Arizona, has been working with several organizations to help them meet Meaningful Use through electronic technology. These new websites realize the goals to better engage patients and their families, improve population health outcomes, and empower individuals.
East Valley Docs – Recognizing the needs of local families to find quality, safe and affordable health care, the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and 910 West collaborated on creating EastValleyDocs.com. This website is designed to ease the search for experienced professionals who are invested in their patients’ health care and their community. As the East Valley gains notoriety for its expanding healthcare industry, this portal also serves as a conduit between businesses and the education community to support college and career readiness.
Valley Heart is a local cardiology office that needed to reach out to patients in order to meet ACA reform requirements. Their new website provides office information as well as resources for a healthier heart. Office visits are less confusing due to the inclusion of detailed maps and instructions. Patients are more educated due to resources such as ASHLine, Heartistry, and MerckEngage.
Aurora Naturopathic Physicians Group is dedicated to providing natural healthcare options to everyone. They specialize in treating sports injuries, autoimmune disorders, and digestive issues, providing cash labs as well as IV drips. Their new website better reflects the friendly professionalism of their healthcare team, the depth of their offerings, and offers patient resources for healthcare concerns in their areas of specialization. The Patient Portal meets CMA requirements to simplify and ease access to healthcare and information in a secure manner.
AZ Chiropractic is working to make the whole person healthy. Their website now reflects the depth of their offerings—massage therapy, laser treatments, and chiropractic services—providing details on the health issues addressed and patient expectations of each modality. To enable their website visitors to find the best care available, the website also includes referrals to complementary healthcare offices.
Heart Health Organization (H2O) is a group of cardiologists on a mission to better the outcomes of heart patients through teamwork and education. Each of the 30 cardiovascular specialists representing 15 separate practices is considered a leader in their area of expertise. This alliance was formed in March 2013 due in part to provisions of the Affordable Care Act. 910 West provided that platform by creating their new website, which includes quality metrics, Ask the Expert articles from the doctors, and blog posts on how to be heart healthy.
Without these websites, consumers would not know about each of these healthcare providers’ diverse services and would be missing key sources of healthcare information. In their own words, “CMS believes that EPs, eligible hospitals, and CAHs are in the best position to encourage the use of health IT by patients to further their own health care.”
Melissa Perkins, 910 West, http://910west.com, +1 (817) 845-1596, [email protected]
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