by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 30, 2016 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The Hyperbaric oxygen therapy prior authorization project has been in effect a little more than a year and CMS is in the process of reviewing its impact to prepare an interim report. As the Medicare coffers dwindle, we have to ask ourselves how we can best utilize...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Dec 2, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
This 51 year old man has horribly painful ulcerations on the plantar surface of both feet. He was cured of Hepatitis C with Sofosbuvir a year ago. The ulcer did not improve with prednisone, cyclosporine, or topical Aczone gel. After multiple biopsies the lesion was...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 5, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
Here’s a L’Nard splint to protect heels from pressure ulcers. They’ve been around for decades, but they are still the best way to protect the heel from pressure. Caroline Fife, MD I’ve got a NEW Facebook Page – be sure to follow me there too! Twitter/CarolineFifeMD ...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 29, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Nutrition & Wound Healing, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
Earlier this month, I showed you some photos of a malnourished patient who I think has improved because of Argenaid. While there may be some things in the past that I miss, I confess that in the past I did not pay sufficient attention to nutritional issues. I’m...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 26, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
On September 28, 2015, CMS made available the 2014 Supplemental Quality and Resource Use Reports (QRURs) to every medical group practice and solo practitioner nationwide. Providers are identified in the Supplemental QRURs by their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)....
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 28, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
ICD-10 is almost here. In a previous blog I discussed the unique thought logic that would be required to correctly code “late effects of radiation” in ICD-10. Now I am just going to say it—best of luck to those of you who do not have Intellicure. Intellicure is using...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 21, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented a prior authorization model for non-emergent hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey. It is the position of CMS that it can reduce spending on HBOT services while...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 14, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, Quality Payment Program, US Wound Registry
Are you thinking that PQRS is only for practitioners? More and more hospitals are on the hook to get PQRS right. This year, the Physician Quality Reporting System payment “adjustments” officially move from the incentive to the penalty phase. I’ve talked a lot about...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 8, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Today, not one but 2 different companies talked to me about their new anti-biofilm treatment. Their mechanisms of action are entirely different. The only things they have in common are that they are both colorless and applied topically. Both companies (who had no...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 7, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy, Miscellaneous Musings, Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers, US Wound Registry
The drug industry, patients and consumers are urging the FDA to find better ways to integrate the patient perspective in drug development, as well as a way to use “real world” data in drug development. It will be interesting to see how the FDA reacts to the growing...
