by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 10, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Lymphatic Imaging & Lymphedema, Miscellaneous Musings
Welcome to “what is it Wednesdays” in June. What is this growth on the anterior thigh of a morbidly obese patient? It’s a form of “massive localized lymphedema” (MLL). They have been called “pseudosarcomas” because they are sometimes mistaken for malignant tumors....
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 9, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Tuesdays in the month of June, I’m offering some straight talk about a few of the MANY ways in which payment for hyperbaric oxygen therapy is going to change and FAST. One of those is Hyperbaric Facility Accreditation. Utah has required UHMS accreditation for...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 5, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Good morning and Happy Friday! Friday’s on the blog are reserved for “Ask the Physician Friday.” If you have any questions for me please feel free to leave them in the comments below, ask on Twitter (@carolinefifemd), or on Facebook (Woodlands Wound...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 3, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Lymphatic Imaging & Lymphedema, Miscellaneous Musings
Welcome to “what is it Wednesdays” in June. What is this growth on the arm of a morbidly obese patient? It’s a form of “massive localized lymphedema” (MLL). They used to be considered rare but I am seeing it more and more often. Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 2, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Tuesdays in the month of June, I’d like to have some straight talk about a few of the MANY ways in which payment for hyperbaric oxygen therapy is going to change and FAST. All payers, commercial and Medicare/Medicaid are establishing specific criteria for hyperbaric...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | May 26, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I completed my review of the Novitas LCD for “bioengineered skin” otherwise known as cellular and/or tissue based products (CTPs). The documentation required by the Novitas LCD requires clinicians to specifically address the circumstances as to why the wound has...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | May 19, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Quality Payment Program
I wonder how many “eligible providers” are doing point of care documentation? That means in the room with the patient. To reap the benefits of health care information technology, you have to do point of care documentation. You need to use electronic prescribing so...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | May 12, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I’d like to have some straight talk about the Hospital Based Outpatient Clinic, electronic medical records, and the misconception that two people can chart in an EHR at the same time in that setting. The hospital based outpatient wound and hyperbaric department...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 8, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
This patient has a venous ulcer but he has also had prostate cancer with pelvic radiation and renal cell cancer with a lymph node biopsy on the left groin. He has lymphedema in the leg where he has this stasis ulcer. Watch the fluid weeping out of this ulcer....
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 6, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality, Fight the Good Fight
I just got back from the National Quality Forum meeting in Washington, DC. I’ll spend Mondays in April telling you what I learned about the conference, the theme of which was “Tackling Costs: The Quality Solution.” The Kaiser Foundation estimates that the average...
