Topics:
- Introduction to Advancing care information
- Why the change to ACI?
- Why is it important?
- How is it different from meaningful use?
- What steps to take about this new information?
Are you wondering what is advancing care information and how is it different from meaningful use? In this blog post, we will give you a clearer idea of the importance of advancing care information in healthcare. We will also talk about what steps to take with this new information! So, read on!
What is advancing care information?
What is advancing care information? Today, healthcare providers are using technology to exchange patients’ health information. This is known as “advancing care information” (ACI).
ACI is a term used to describe the type of clinical data that needs to be exchanged between providers in order to deliver coordinated and quality patient care.
Facts about advancing care information
ACI is part of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, (MIPS). Statistically speaking, advancing care information makes it focused on the interchange of health data securely.
Moreover, it ensures the usage of certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT). It encompasses the same concept of meaningful use with less burdensome technology. Here are some advancing care information facts:
- ACI is similar to meaningful use.
- Four required objectives are mentioned for a base score in 2017: Health Information Exchange, patient access, e-prescribing, and security risk analysis.
- CMS awards a bonus score for enhancement activities that use CEHRT. In addition to reporting to clinical data registries and public health.
Why the change to advancing care information?
It’s true that advancing care information is similar to meaningful use! However, the ACI is viewed as more connected and simpler while being more flexible.
Moreover, the ACI is designed to simplify requirements, support patient care, and be flexible to meet the needs of physician practices. ACI emphasizes measures that support improved patient engagement and connectivity. It also provides more flexibility for physicians regarding reporting quality care and certified EHR use.
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Why is it important?
Why ACI is important? First off, the purpose behind it is to align payments with quality care that’s patient-centered in the first place!
Secondly, ACI provides better flexibility for doctors in terms of reporting their work. Certified EHRs are involved too! Thus, the advancing care information proposal simplifies requirements firstly. Secondly, it supports patient care and thirdly fulfills the needs for doctors’ practices.
How is it different from meaningful use?
Now, how is it different from meaningful use? Below are four initial differences between ACI and meaningful use:
- For meaningful use, the healthcare staff had to measure all requirements and report all objectives. However, the number of measures for clinical quality is lower with ACI. New ACI measures emphasize HIE and security measures. As well as interoperability. In addition, computerized provider order entry measures and clinical decision support are optional.
- Meaningful use has been an all-or-nothing approach. But with ACI, it’s more flexible now and can be adapted for different situations based on your needs!
- In ACI, the eligible medical staff can choose which clinical quality measures are most important.
- ACI is aligned with other reporting programs, which is not the case with meaningful use.
What steps to take about this new information?
Now, what steps to take about this new information? Clearly, the next steps with this information would lead us to the application process.
And, when it comes to the application, you will probably be going to ask what version of ACI should you implement? So, here’s what you need to know:
MIPS eligible doctors can report the ACI objectives and measures when they obtain one of the following:
- The union of certified EHR technologies from editions 2014 and 2015 supporting these measures
- EHR technology validated to the 2015 Edition.
To meet the requirements for each of the ACI measures
To meet the requirements for each of the ACI measures, rely on validated technology that meets all requirements, including:
- E-prescribing
- Patient access
- Security Risk analysis
- Summary of care
- Accepting and requesting a summary of care
By now, you are definitely aware of the ACI importance in healthcare! If you need further information on this subject, reach out to the Ambula Healthcare team: (818) 308-4108! Check out how much is an EMR system for ASCs?
