Featured Speaker(s): Gayle R. Lee, JD; Steve Levine, PT, DPT, MSHA

Description and Objectives: Upon completion of this audio conference, you will be able to:

1. Identify the new therapy cap amount for 2012.
2. Determine the impact on your practice of CMS's changes to the physician fee schedule payment amounts.
3. Comply with new provider enrollment rules.
4. Decide whether to participate in the PQRS program.
5. Cite the latest government activities regarding the therapy cap, audits, and other initiatives.

Agenda: Not Available

Featured Speaker(s): Helene M. Fearon, PT and Steve Levine, PT, DPT, MSHA

Description and Objectives:

Objectives for the 2-Part Audio Conference include:

• Understand the definition of Medical Necessity in private pay and apply the definition to your practice environment.
• Understand the importance of justifying medical necessity in your documentation and how the federal False Claims Act may be used against you in an audit.
• Understand the requirements of skilled care under Medicare and ensure you have the information to justify compliance with these requirements.
• Understand how diagnosis (ICD.9) codes are used by auditors to identify claims for review.
• Understand how to justify time and the number of units billed for PT and OT visits.
• Ensure your documentation justifies the need for direct contact as defined by CPT codes.

Agenda: Not Available

Featured Speaker(s): Helene M. Fearon, PT and Steve Levine, PT, DPT, MSHA

Description and Objectives:

Objectives for the 2-Part Audio Conference include:

• Understand the definition of Medical Necessity in private pay and apply the definition to your practice environment.
• Understand the importance of justifying medical necessity in your documentation and how the federal False Claims Act may be used against you in an audit.
• Understand the requirements of skilled care under Medicare and ensure you have the information to justify compliance with these requirements.
• Understand how diagnosis (ICD.9) codes are used by auditors to identify claims for review.
• Understand how to justify time and the number of units billed for PT and OT visits.
• Ensure your documentation justifies the need for direct contact as defined by CPT codes.

Agenda: Not Available

Featured Speaker(s): Helene M. Fearon, PT, and Stephen M. Levine, PT, DPT, MSHA

Description and Objectives: With increasing demands on the physical therapist and their need to demonstrate the provision of skilled care and improved functional outcomes in the medical record, along with the alarming increase in audits and investigations related to medical necessity and fraud, waste, and abuse in physical therapy services, there is clear evidence that effective and efficient documentation of physical therapy services is essential for successful and compliant practice. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is developing a new demonstration initiative that aims to reward delivery of high-quality care supported by the adoption and use of electronic health records in physician practices, and research about and conversion to electronic documentation systems is clearly where the future of documentation in health care lies.

Statistics point to the fact that fewer than 15% of physical therapists currently use a form of electronic documentation, and those that do generally indicate dissatisfaction with one or more aspects of their current system! Research indicates that electronic health records offer much promise to improve information management for physical therapists. This audio conference will highlight issues related to the transition to or improvement of all aspects of Health IT. Benefits that have been identified from the use of HIT include increased operational efficiency, improved reporting, improved quality of care, data accuracy, and improved payment for services. However, these benefits will likely occur only with the selection of a system that meets the challenges specific to the profession of physical therapy. To insure your success in this transition from hand written, and often inferior, documentation, there is a real need for physical therapy providers to understand some basic information related to electronic health records, including:

• Common terminology used in relation to HIT;
• Understanding the current health policy environment related to health information technology and physical therapy;
• Common Audit Flags that occur with existing electronic documentation systems; and
• A Checklist of suggested Criteria that physical therapy providers should review prior to purchasing an electronic documentation system.

This 2-Part audio conference series, provided by two of the leading experts in the areas of coding, billing, documentation, and regulatory compliance, will introduce important information related to the next generation of documentation in physical therapy services, and provide information critical to the successful transition from handwritten to electronic documentation focusing on improved efficiency and compliance.

Audio Conference Objectives:

• Acquire recommendations to assist in effectively transitioning to an Electronic Medical Record
• Understand common audit flags related to electronic documentation systems that are likely to cause an audit, medical review, or likely denial of payment from payers
• Be able to begin critically assessing your current electronic documentation system for situations that are likely to contribute to claims or documentation audit flags
• Understand basic criteria that every physical therapist or physical therapy provider should expect when beginning the search for an electronic documentation system
• Begin prepare and plan for the inevitable transition from hand written documentation to an electronic system
  

Agenda: Not Available

Featured Speaker(s): Helene M. Fearon, PT, and Stephen M. Levine, PT, DPT, MSHA

Description and Objectives: With increasing demands on the physical therapist and their need to demonstrate the provision of skilled care and improved functional outcomes in the medical record, along with the alarming increase in audits and investigations related to medical necessity and fraud, waste, and abuse in physical therapy services, there is clear evidence that effective and efficient documentation of physical therapy services is essential for successful and compliant practice. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is developing a new demonstration initiative that aims to reward delivery of high-quality care supported by the adoption and use of electronic health records in physician practices, and research about and conversion to electronic documentation systems is clearly where the future of documentation in health care lies.

Statistics point to the fact that fewer than 15% of physical therapists currently use a form of electronic documentation, and those that do generally indicate dissatisfaction with one or more aspects of their current system! Research indicates that electronic health records offer much promise to improve information management for physical therapists. This audio conference will highlight issues related to the transition to or improvement of all aspects of Health IT. Benefits that have been identified from the use of HIT include increased operational efficiency, improved reporting, improved quality of care, data accuracy, and improved payment for services. However, these benefits will likely occur only with the selection of a system that meets the challenges specific to the profession of physical therapy. To insure your success in this transition from hand written, and often inferior, documentation, there is a real need for physical therapy providers to understand some basic information related to electronic health records, including:

• Common terminology used in relation to HIT;
• Understanding the current health policy environment related to health information technology and physical therapy;
• Common Audit Flags that occur with existing electronic documentation systems; and
• A Checklist of suggested Criteria that physical therapy providers should review prior to purchasing an electronic documentation system.

This 2-Part audio conference series, provided by two of the leading experts in the areas of coding, billing, documentation, and regulatory compliance, will introduce important information related to the next generation of documentation in physical therapy services, and provide information critical to the successful transition from handwritten to electronic documentation focusing on improved efficiency and compliance.

Audio Conference Objectives:

• Develop an understanding of all of the various terms utilized in the IT arena (EHR, EMR, IT, HIT, NHIN, ASP, etc.)
• Understand how new initiatives related to HIT under the Obama Administration is likely to impact physical therapist practice
• Explain the current initiatives under the Medicare program related to HIT and the potential impact of these initiatives on physical therapist practice
• Review and understand APTA’s position related to HIT when considering a transition to electronic documentation
• Learn where to find information on the progress of HIT related policy, specifically as it pertains to the provision of outpatient therapy services
• Understand the need for physical therapy providers to begin to think about transitioning to an electronic documentation system

Agenda: Not Available