MADISON, N.J., May 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics® (NYSE: DGX) today announced that Care360 user Paulo Andre, M.D., a neurologist in Framingham, MA, was the first Care360 EHR customer to successfully complete the attestation process for demonstrating Meaningful Use of an electronic health record with an ONC-ATCB certified complete EHR* in accordance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) EHR incentive program.
Dr. Andre was the 25th physician in the U.S. to attest on the CMS web-based Registration and Attestation System when it became available in April.
"Care360 EHR product trainers provided the tools that made it easy for me to prepare for attestation," Dr. Andre said. "They walked me through the steps necessary to track and report 90 consecutive days of patient treatment, and gather background information to meet the specified Meaningful Use requirements. There were no surprises during the 60 minutes it took me to attest on the CMS website."
In order to assist providers in demonstrating that they have successfully used Care360 EHR in a meaningful way, a new set of reporting tools were introduced at the beginning of the year. The Meaningful Use reporting module makes it easy for physicians to see if they are on target for meeting the requirements, and to run reports when the time comes to attest.
Dr. Andre began using Care360 EHR in his neurology practice in October 2009. His practice started with ePrescribing and then migrated to the full EHR with clinical documentation tools and clinical messaging in January 2010. Dr. Andre's neurology practice is affiliated with the MetroWest Medical Center, and Care360 EHR is used by more than 80 physicians in the MetroWest Accountable Health Care Organization, LLC, a physician-hospital organization comprised of primary care physicians and specialists in small practices in the Boston metropolitan area.
"Dr. Andre has helped Care360 EHR achieve another milestone by demonstrating how easy it is to use our innovative software tools that focus on the clinician, and that are specifically designed to fit into practice workflows in a cost-effective way," said Richard A. Mahoney, Quest Diagnostics vice president of Healthcare Information Solutions and president of its MedPlus healthcare information technology subsidiary. "Quest Diagnostics continually strives to enhance our already dynamic EHR solution to provide relevant clinical data on medications, medical history, treatment plans and other quality measures needed by physicians like Dr. Andre to qualify for available government incentives."
To be eligible in the first year of Federal incentive payments, the reporting period for Dr. Andre to demonstrate Meaningful Use of Care360 EHR certified technology was 90 consecutive days within the calendar year. In 2011, Medicare eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals are eligible to receive more than $44,000 over five years under the Medicare Incentive Program.
Adoption of the Care360 EHR Web-based solution continues to grow among small to medium-size physician practices across the nation. Approximately one third of U.S. physicians and many of the country's leading hospitals, health plans and regional health exchanges currently rely on healthcare information solutions developed by Quest Diagnostics and MedPlus to document and monitor diagnostic, prescription and clinical data to provide better patient care.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
About Care360 EHR
Care360 EHR is a web-based, modular architecture that allows physicians to transition key activities from paper to electronic management in a step-wise approach. Care360 EHR has a wide range of capabilities including electronic lab order management, clinical messaging, ePrescribing, clinical documentation tools, document management and multi-system interoperability – providing what physicians need at the point-of-care. For more information, visit www.Care360.com/EHR.
About Paulo Andre, M.D.
Dr. Andre is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Framingham and Natick, MA. He is the medical director for the MetroWest Accountable Health Care Organization, and received his medical degree in 1993 from the New University of Lisbon - Faculty of Medical Sciences in Portugal. Dr. Andre completed his residency at Tufts Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and his internship at Caritas Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston.
*This Complete EHR is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by, the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable certification criteria for eligible providers adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. Quality measures certified are all 44 Eligible Provider measures.
Date Certified: March 31, 2011. Product version: 2011.2. Certification number: CC-1112-936980-1.
Quest Diagnostics Contacts:
Glen Brandow (Media): 973-520-2800
Kathleen Valentine (Investors): 973-520-2900
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics