EPtalk by Dr. Jayne 2/26/15

I literally had almost 100 people forward me news articles about the CMS announcement pushing the Medicare Meaningful Use attestation and PQRS reporting deadlines to March 20. Although no specific reason was announced, possibilities include winter weather emergencies, the fear (or reality) of attestation site glitches, the complexity of preparing reports and audit documentation, and lack of vendor readiness as possibilities. Buried below the fold of several articles was the fact that this does not impact the Medicaid Incentive Program, so I hope those practices realize they’re still on the hook for the original deadline.

The hideous cold and repeated snows pounding a good chunk of the country have put a cramp in the style of many fitness enthusiasts. Although I once had a serious dislike of treadmills in general, I’m glad that I finally got one at home at least to be able to get some miles in despite the cold. I might have been more fond of treadmills sooner had I known about iFit, which allows compatible fitness equipment to automatically deliver uphills and downhills to match real-world routes while showing pictures from Google street view.

I’ve now run through Ireland, Paris, Norway, and my own neighborhood and definitely like it better than the standard programs on the treadmills at the gym. Once people’s New Year’s resolutions start failing, used equipment will start popping up for sale and I’m glad I have something to talk about with patients who think walking on a treadmill is boring. I also found a National Geographic “Everest” video workout on the site and although it bested me the first time, I’ll be back for more. Having the ability to track and quantify my efforts to stay in shape has been a benefit for me, although I draw the line at sharing every workout to Facebook.

A reader who has picked up on my running habit shared these high-tech socks from Sensoria that use sensors and conductive fibers to gather information about a runner’s speed, distance, steps, and how their feet strike the ground. They debuted at the recent Consumer Electronics Show and are from the same people who brought us shirts and running bras to sync with heart rate monitors. A magnetic anklet communicates with Android and Apple devices to provide real-time feedback. I’m not sure I want my socks to coach me and they aren’t cheap, so I think I’m going to take a pass this time. I do enjoy reading about wellness-related tech, so keep sending your finds.

I do some volunteering at a local school and they asked me to speak at an upcoming career day. When I get requests like that, I always have to ask whether they want me to talk about my “doctor job” or my “computer job” or both. When I decided to become a family physician, I never imagined myself on the cutting edge so I was happy to come across this piece on physician informaticists to help explain exactly what it is that I do all day. Apparently UCLA is thinking outside the box and is making their informaticists available for consultation with other Epic customers. It looks like a win-win situation to me – in addition to assisting other organizations, their team can also bring back successful approaches from other sites.

NCQA is offering the opportunity for the public to provide feedback on proposed change to 2016 HEDIS measures. There are a handful of proposed new measures and changes to several existing ones, so plan to get your comments in before the March 18 deadline.

Speaking of deadlines, Friday is the cutoff for HIMSS hotel changes. I’m mixing it up this year and staying somewhere swanky with a couple of my gal pals since I was able to get ridiculously cheap airfare. Although registration for HIStalkapalooza is closed, I know Mr. H is poring over the guest list and I’m looking forward to seeing many of you there (anonymously, of course). The event is one of the most fun parts of being on the HIStalk team, although I am feeling the pressure when it comes to finding a pair of outstanding shoes. Maybe Sensoria should make an insert to gather data on what happens to the feet of fashionable ladies and gents out for a night on the town.

Have you put together your HIMSS wardrobe plan yet? Email me.

Email Dr. Jayne.