New name, new savings at Office Depot |
|
The Physician Alliance's Affiliate Partner, Office Depot, rebranded their business saving program to ODP Business Solutions.
TPA members can enjoy great savings with the new program. Check out some of the benefits:
- Up to 55% off office supplies
- Up to 55% off cleaning & break room items
- 10% off branded and 20% off private brand ink & toner
- Average 10% off more than 200 technology items
- Free next-day shipping on orders of $50 or more
- Copy & print discounts
- Customize pricing for the items you buy most often
Things to know:
-
If you already have an online Office Depot business account, you do not need to do anything. The account will automatically transition to the ODP Business Solutions system. Access your account here.
-
In-store savings cards will be valid through 2022. However, you will receive greater savings when purchasing online through a business account.
- Office Depot partnered with Excelerate America for management and marketing of ODP Business Solutions. TPA members may see this name on the ODP website and in promotions so we wanted to share to lessen confusion.
Click here to learn more and open an ODP Business Solutions account.
For questions or additional information on the program, please contact TPA's representative: LaShauna Hill, Lashauna.hill@officedepot.com, 855.337.6811 Ext.12734
|
|
Save your spot at important diagnostic coding webinar |
|
Did you know this year's ICD-10 diagnostic codes are valid only through Sept. 30, 2022? Join The Physician Alliance at this live webinar to learn about important updates to codes used for discharges and patient encounters.
Lunch with the Coder: ICD-10 updates for 2023
Sept. 21, 2022; 12-12:45pm
Attendees will:
- learn about key 2023 coding changes
- get official coding guideline updates for fiscal year 2023
Please note: webinars are complimentary and open to The Physician Alliance members only.
|
|
Are you paying the price for overlooking chronic conditions? |
|
One of the easiest ways to succeed in healthcare incentive programs may be related to diagnosis coding. However, many physicians overlook diagnoses that have the potential to increase incentives.
Diagnosis codes contribute to the patient’s risk adjustment factor (RAF) score. A patient’s RAF score is based on health conditions that map to a hierarchical condition category, or HCC, as well as demographic factors. Accurate RAF scores are critical to healthcare organizations since they ensure there is funding to provide high quality patient care and can significantly impact risk-based contracts. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Blueprint for Affordability is a risk-based contract that focuses on balancing the financial responsibility for managing the cost and quality of health care.
Some of the top missed diagnosis codes: Think TOAD (transplant, ostomy, amputation, dialysis)
A transplant will affect the future care of the patient. Even in the absence of transplant complications, many transplant patients require close monitoring and long-term medication use for the remainder of their lives. [e.g., Z94.0 kidney transplant status]
Ostomy status is another overlooked opportunity for capturing a HCC level diagnosis code. Remember to code for this condition when a patient presents with a current ostomy. [e.g., Z93. 3 colostomy status]
Many patients with amputations suffer from mobility and circulatory problems that can create challenges with treatment options. It is important for physicians to document amputation with laterality. [e.g., Z89.432 left foot amputation status]
For patients who are on dialysis, it is required to report the stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in addition to the dialysis status. [Z99.2 dependence on renal dialysis]
Review these questions:
• What life-altering chronic conditions does the patient deal with every day?
• How are the conditions being managed? Does the patient see a specialist?
• Do these conditions affect the patient’s current treatment plan that you are creating?
• What impact does the condition have on the current illness or the reason for the visit today?
When you review those questions, did you think about a diagnosis that contributed to your medical decision-making but wasn’t the direct reason for the visit? A physician often has to look at test results, consult reports, and medications before decisions can be made for correct course of treatment. Medication interactions may be one of the main concerns for patients with multiple chronic conditions.
These decisions are made on behalf of patients based on the data their physicians review.
Practices should take the time to evaluate patients’ medical records before the end of the year to check for missed opportunities to capture a HCC level diagnosis on current patients!
This article first appeared in the Coding Corner section of the spring edition of The Pulse quarterly newsletter. Click here to read in full and view related codes (page 4).
|
|
How to protect your patient's protected information |
|
Healthcare breaches continue to occur at an alarming rate and Protected Health Information (PHI) is a highly valued target. Over the last few years, physician practices have faced a pandemic, increased use of telehealth, changing regulations, government audits, and skyrocketing breaches.
While many physicians don’t have time to prioritize their privacy, security and compliance, it is essential to make time.
So, how can you protect your practice’s PHI from ransomware, hacks, and audits?
1. Start with a risk assessment. Make sure the practices’ risk assessment is up to date, inventory is complete, and employees are trained on minimizing risk exposure. Ensure that all policies and procedures accurately depict day-to-day activities.
It’s also a good idea to do vulnerability testing and perform necessary security updates and maintenance. Ensure that firewalls, cyber insurance, encryption, and offsite backups are sufficient to protect your data.
2. Next, make sure to revisit all the practices’ existing contracts and business associate agreements. To avoid costly fines and potential breaches, these should be updated with current regulations and properly reflect your agreement with your vendor. The vendor should be contractually obligated to have appropriate protections in place, such as certain security measures, cyber insurance, heightened standards, and possibly indemnification.
3. Finally, and possibly most importantly, staff needs to be trained regularly on risks and policies. Staff should be familiar with all policies and procedures, breach readiness, how they can anonymously report concerns, and more.
Even small, internal breaches can result in fines, penalties, patient notifications, and loss of trust. Taking steps to protect PHI now may save money, time, patients, and even your practice, in the future.
Source: One of TPA's Affiliate Partners, Rickard & Associates can provide extensive legal knowledge on a variety of business issues to TPA members.
|
|
The latest healthcare news |
|
|
|
Featured Affiliate Partner: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE: Coverys offers TPA members exclusive, company-direct pricing, easy application process, flexible coverage options, risk analytics, risk management services and more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
