Health Information Technology

Navigating the secure management and exchange of health information.

Successful practices in the current health care environment depend upon technology in its many forms to keep track of payments, patient information and to communicate with physicians and patients.

Below is helpful information and resources to assist you in establishing effective processes related to the management and sharing of health information.

Cybersecurity and Risk Assessments
HIPAA requires that covered entities and its business associates conduct a risk assessment of their healthcare organization. A risk assessment helps reveal areas where your organization's protected health information (PHI) could be at risk.

Direct Messaging
Instructions for updating NPPES with your digital address (direct address, digital end point) in compliance with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) requirement to provide this information under the Cures Act Final Rule. Verify if your digital address has been updated in NPPES in this CMS report.

Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Texas law e-prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) mandate went into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. EPCS software products and pricing, rule regulations and waiver exemption information will be updated as details of the requirement are developed.

EHR Best Practices
Includes information on scribes, copy/paste best practices, as well as tips from physicians on how they were able to improve the use of their Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

EHR Switches and Transitions
What physicians and practices should know about switching and transitioning to a new EHR system including cost comparisons, data migration plans and post-implementation guides.

EHR Vendor Comparison Tools
Access assessments of EHR products that have a solid Texas market base. These assessments include most used vendors in Texas, side-by-side summary comparisons, vendor pricing comparisons, and EHR vendor profiles.

Health Information Exchange (HIE)
A Health Information Exchange allows healthcare providers to access and share patient medical record data securely and electronically. Most EHRs are unable to communicate with each other therefore having an HIE helps practices receive important information on their patients that would otherwise not be easily available. Greater Houston Healthconnect is this regions HIE and serves 60+ counties in South East Texas.

Information Blocking
ONC Health IT has released requirements for physicians in order to prevent “information blocking”, which refers to the restriction of sharing and accessing secure electronic health information. Read this page for more information about deadlines and how to comply with these requirements.
 

Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is increasingly being adopted as a telehealth service that allows physicians to monitor and treat patient symptoms outside of a traditional health care environment by using connected medical devices. This service has provided physicians the ability to expand their range of care, see cost reductions and improvements in patient outcomes.

Telemedicine-Telehealth 
Telemedicine involves the diagnosis and treatment of patients through telecommunications technology. It is a subset of telehealth, which includes other types of technology-enabled care, such as promoting health and wellness, remote patient monitoring, provider-to-provider remote communication, and mobile health.