What’s New January 2006

General
  		• We wish you all a Happy, Business Rewarding and Clinically Satisfying New Year.
  		• There are some very attractive enhancements to TheraManager this month, but our big holiday gift to you is the Advantage ver 8 database engine. We have to purchase this upgrade for you, which is a significant use of your support and update fees. All users of this server will require a new authorization code from us before they can download this month's update. They will also need to download the updated engine from the website. Solo users without networking, will have the benefits of the new engine, but this will come automatically with the current update and needs no special effort on their part.
  		• There are improvements for everybody in this version and we would like everybody to take advantage of those. We would also like everybody to be using the new Advantage engine so please do the update during January.
  		• Thanks again for your continuing input and do pass this email on to your colleagues.

    EMR
  		• After adding the split screen last month so that the user can work with 2 notes at one time, there was a noticeable increase in the time it took for the EMR Screen to open, particularly when there were many existing notes. This screen has been modified and now opens immediately regardless of the number of notes.
  		• The new Summary record has been reconfigured to always be the first medical record.

    Appointments Screen
  		• The Posting of a No-Fee Appointment has been changed to allow a specific CPT code to be posted but without a charge.

    Accounting
  		• The arcane rules issued by CMS on 3/28/05 related to completing the CMS-1500 forms for Medicare have been implemented for all users rather than only for those states, where claims are being rejected. These rules relate to Boxes 4, 6, 7 and 11 on the form and are detailed below.
    • Item 4 - If there is insurance primary to Medicare....list the name of the insured here. When the insured and the patient are the same enter the word "SAME". If Medicare is primary, leave blank.
    • Item 6 - Check the appropriate box for patient's relationship to insured, when item 4 is completed.
    • Item 7 - Enter the insured's address and phone number. When the address is the same as the patient's enter the word "SAME". Complete this item only when items 4, 6 and 11 are completed.
    • Item 11 - If there is insurance primary to Medicare enter the insured's policy or group number and proceed to items 11a-11c. Items 4, 6 and 7 must be completed. If there is no insurance primary to Medicare enter the word "NONE".
  		• Whilst on the subject of the CMS-1500 form, we made a change that always shows the form on the Print Preview Screen, but If you want to print it then you must check the Print CMS-1500 form on the Printing system menu.
  		• Earlier this year a bug briefly crept into an update and caused some CPT records not to be advanced to the next status following an insurance payment. Any "stuck" records can be corrected automatically by visiting the Batch Print Screen and clicking the Check Status Button.
  		• In order to accomodate a few insurance companies that require different provider PINs for different locations, a feature was added to enable this. It is a seamless change but it can be invoked at the Orgns/Plans | Organizations Screen by selecting the location in the new Location Drop-down Box, otherwise all locations have been set with the preexisting PINS.
  		• An advance reminder to reset the YTD totals before doing any posting in the New Year.

    Prescriptions
  		• Preprinted prescription blank sheets for the new California requirements that work with TheraManager are available from American Security Rx in San Diego on 1-877-290-4262.
  		• The Discontinued Column in the Prescriptions Grid was changed to allow editing and will no longer automatically show the date when the specific prescription was marked as finished.
  		• Our last set of changes disabled direct faxing from the Prescriptions Screen. This has now been reenabled. Sometimes it takes a problem to highlight the advantages of a feature. In this case, the solo psychiatrist who flagged the problem claimed that direct faxing saved 20mins a day!
    TheraManager is generally exceptionally smart, easy-to-use and accurate, but if you find it to be dumb, difficult, devious or defective in any area, or you have ideas for features, or need training please contact support@theramanager.com or call 908-273-9410.
    Earlier newsletters are on the website for reference.
    If you have never downloaded TheraManager, go to our website and download the Trial that will include all these new features, or call 800-913-4294, if your original trial has expired.
    Our customers continue to convert from many other programs and we can make the switch easy for you with an import of your existing patient data.