Azalea Health Innovations Friends Newsletter – January 2010
IN THIS ISSUE
* Welcome
* Spyware Advice!
* Billing Tip – Global Period Modifiers
* Meaningful Use Update
* Upcoming Events
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Welcome
Greetings to all of our Azalea Health Innovations friends. We hope 2010 will be a wonderful year for all of our readers.
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Spyware Advice!
As a technology company we receive many questions and requests from clients and friends regarding Spyware. Spyware is unwanted software that attaches itself to your computer usually through Internet browsing. Spyware can severely slow down or even completely enable your computer from working properly. We felt that it is very important for us to give our readers few tips to keep their computers spyware free. “The best offense is great defense” – Preventing spyware starts by awareness. Here are some tips to keep you safe while surfing the Internet:
-Update your operating system security patches regularly
-Download programs only from trusted sources
-Be very careful with certain free programs
-Don’t be tricked into clicking to install spyware; some dialog boxes may have a prominent statement that says, “Click here to close window,” or “Click here to clean your computer” then in less prominent text adds, “and install software.” This could be the spyware itself.
For more information please go to: http://www.AntiSpywareCoalition.org/
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Billing Tips – Global Period Modifiers
Many practices don’t realize that usage of a 58, 78, or 79 modifier is needed in order to get paid for certain services performed within a global period of another procedure. Outlined below are the modifiers and how to use them.
58 Modifier – Defined as “staged or related procedure or service by the same physician during the post-operative period.” Using the 58 modifier indicates that the procedure or service was 1) planned or staged, 2) for therapy following a surgical procedure, or 3) more extensive than the original procedure
78 Modifier – Defined by CPT as “unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by the same physician following initial procedure for a related procedure during the post-operative period.” Keep in mind that to use this modifier, the procedure or service must take place in an Operating Room or Endoscopy suite. Also this procedure must be related to the first one and involve a complication that has developed since the original procedure.
79 Modifier – Defined by CPT as “unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the post-operative period.” This modifier should be used when services or procedures are performed during a global period of another unrelated procedure. For example, if a patient is being treated for leg pain the week after major shoulder surgery, then a 79 modifier is warranted for use on the leg pain visit.
More questions on Modifier usage? Please feel free to contact us at http://www.azaleahealth.com/contact
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Meaningful Use Update
ONC contends with right balance in EHR standards
Federal health IT policymakers said yesterday they crafted a set of more flexible standards for electronic health records systems to make it easier for providers to qualify for meaningful use when the first phase of the health IT incentive program starts next year. See full report http://www.govhealthit.com/newsitem.aspx?nid=73027
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Upcoming Events
AHI will be exhibiting and the following conferences in 2010. If you will be in the area, please stop by and say hi!
-ACC (American College of Cardiology) 2010 Conference. This event is being held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA, on March 14th-16th, 2010
-CLMA (Clinical Laboratory Management Association) ThinkLab 2010 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 4-5, 2010.
-MGMA (Medical Group Management Association) 2010 Conference. This event is being held at the Ernest N. Memorial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA, on October 24th-27th, 2010
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Thank you!
Azalea Health Innovations, Inc.
100 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31601
Toll Free: 877-777-7686
Local: 229-269-4620
Toll Free Fax: 866-683-8679
Web: http://www.AzaleaHealth.com
Email: info@azaleahealth.com
Click the links below to stay in touch:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Azalea-Health-Innovations/145238319941?ref=ts
http://twitter.com/azaleahealth
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