PMD template: Time to re-engage, stakeholders say
By Elizabeth Deprey
Updated Fri December 6, 2013
WASHINGTON - A proposed electronic clinical template for power mobility devices (PMDs) is now being tested.
As part of a pilot project that kicked off in November, CMS has begun allowing physicians to use the template to collect relevant information while evaluating a patient's mobility needs.
“It's really important that DME and complex rehab suppliers become engaged in this process,” said Laura Cohen, executive director of The Clinician Task Force. “It's going to be finished with or without stakeholder input—they need to get involved while their input can still be incorporated.”
Cohen is part of a workgroup that has been working for the past year to integrate the template into the electronic health record. Other members of the workgroup include CMS officials and contractors from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
While CMS officials say they are pleased with the progress of the template, Cohen is more cautious. She still worries it will become a tool only for Medicare to “auto-review” claims, instead of a tool to help patients get the mobility equipment they need.
“Making a decision about mobility comes down to a synthesis of materials—I don't know if you can automate that,” she said.
Information about how to take part in the pilot project is available at http://wiki.siframework.org/esMD+Pilots.
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