Hackers in the healthcare space can be some of the most ruthless in the business. Pretty much by definition, hackers are cold, heartless, unscrupulous menaces on “bullet headed” missions to get into their targeted systems to extract and exploit data.

Large corporate offices and small, local businesses alike are anxiously awaiting the day when they are cleared to reopen their doors. Medical practices are in the same boat, waiting to be able to see patients, deliver the services they need, and at the end of the day, contribute to that bottom line.

Telemedicine (or telehealth) has been around for several years. But the coronavirus pandemic has propelled telemedicine services into being the leading vehicle for remote healthcare. While it may be the leading vehicle, it’s not the only vehicle for diagnosing and treating patients remotely.

Viruses. Spyware. Ransomware. Hacking. Intrusions. All are extremely damaging, especially when healthcare systems are involved. That's because they not only compromise sensitive and confidential financial and operational information, but they put patients' personal health information (PHI) at risk, as well.

Most people in healthcare have heard of Health Level 7 (HL7) but not all may be familiar with it on a super-technical level. Still, most at least know HL7's needed for interfacing different healthcare-related systems, and that they'd only want to implement software that is HL7-compliant.

With portable computing available to anyone with a smartphone or laptop and near-ubiquitous broadband connectivity, solutions like telemedicine sound perfect for organizations that are focused on streamlining services for patients and cutting down on expenses.

Reimbursements and Impatient Receivables With insurance reimbursements decreasing, providers are becoming impatient about ever-increasing patient responsibility amounts after insurance. Two things are needed: a way to ensure maximizing insurance reimbursements without over-coding, and an ability to accurately determine - in advance - what the patient will owe.

According to a recently released report from the Center on Addiction, only RI provided comprehensive addiction treatment coverage in the two 2017 ACA plans reviewed. CA, MN and OR offered at least one plan with comprehensive coverage. The remaining 46 states did not offer any comprehensive addiction treatment coverage plans.

Substance abuse treatment centers are finding it’s become a complicated - even dangerous - world of reduced insurance reimbursements resulting in continually increasing patient / client receivables. In some cases, personal responsibility amounts are equaling, or even exceeding, what insurance reimburses.

When ADS began in 1977 “mips” was a typo for “maps.” A “good patient experience” meant he or she survived. “Mobility” meant you were able to make an appointment from a pay phone.