The road to meaningful use: Benevis announces national certification of Boomerang electronic health records (EHR) system
Companies look to boost the clinical and financial impact of the dental EHR
As use of the dental electronic health record (EHR) continues to increase, companies are looking for ways to stay on the cutting edge of the technology. But as the technology evolves, so too do regulatory requirements. If the past ten years are any indicator, staying in-step with legislative changes looks to be a key challenge as the EHR market evolves over the next decade.
In an announcement earlier this week, Marietta, Georgia, based Benevis shared information on the certification of its Boomerang EHR system. The system is now certified by the Drummond Group's Electronic Health Records Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB) program. The Drummond certification allows Benevis to market its product as compliant with criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Just as importantly, it signifies that Benevis, a practice-services company, can keep up with ever-changing policy and practice management requirements.
The Drummond Group’s ONC-ACB certification program confirms that an EHR meets meaningful use criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology. The certification allows health-care providers to provide meaningful use data through the use of EHRs, a critical component of the federal government’s efforts to improve clinical care delivery.
Dentists who participate with Medicare or Medicaid can receive incentive payments for the use of EHR systems. However, those systems must be certified under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) EHR Meaningful Use Incentives Program. The Drummond Group certification allows just that.
Benevis CEO Tom Nance called the certification process “rigorous,” but “important to further strengthen the quality of our EHR system, achieve meaningful use for our affiliate providers, and ultimately improve patient care.”
Specifically, Boomerang met the requirements for EHR Modular (Ambulatory) certification. The Boomerang electronic dental records system allows affiliate dentists to maintain and share data for improved clinical outcomes, audit dental records, and ensure clinical compliance in a secure environment. Under the Boomerang system, patients have the flexibility to be seen at any affiliated location.
Benevis, formerly NCDR LLC, is a comprehensive practice services company that provides non-clinical, business support services to many of the nation's leading health-care organizations. The company traces its roots to 2002, when it was created to support the non-clinical needs of its first client, Kool Smiles, in Atlanta, Georgia. Kool Smiles offices are located primarily in underserved communities that have historically lacked access to dental care.
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Zachary Kulsrudis senior editor in PennWell Corporation's Dental Group and managing editor of Dental Economics. He covers industry developments for Apex360 and DentistryIQ.com. Email him at [email protected].
Editor's note: This article first appeared in the Apex360 newsletter. Not a subscriber? Go here to sign up for the latest industry updates, delivered twice a week to your inbox.
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