Ordering Advanced Imaging for Clinic Patients?

New Evidenced-based Tool will Guide you to the most Appropriate Imaging Order.

Effective January 1, 2020, Medicare requires providers to consult Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) prior to ordering advanced imaging exams (CT, MR, Nuclear Medicine, and PET).

To satisfy this requirement, we have incorporated AUC support within Epic. Medicare believes that implementing Clinical Decision Support will enhance imaging decision-making and benefit the patient, the providers and the VMC community in several ways.

• Reliable, up to date information for your care team. The AUC is an interactive, evidence-based resource for providers which is accessible directly from Epic.
  
  
• Better patient care. By referring to the AUC, providers can double-check their work and potentially reduce errors and misdiagnosis rates which can, in turn, reduce unnecessary pain, discomfort, and costs to the patient.
  
  
• Improved use of resources. Limited resources can be more efficiently allocated with more appropriate imaging orders. Not only may the results impact current and future patients’ wait times but also the total cost of care.

How the AUC will Work for Valley and Non-Valley Providers:

• For Valley providers, starting in mid- November EPIC will automatically generate AUC guidance for the provider to consult when advanced imaging is ordered.
  
  
• For non-Valley providers, when ordering imaging, an online, Medicare-provided Clinical Decision Support Mechanism will be available for you to consult the scoring and include on your orders.

Check Out this Case Study

Attend Free Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria for Medicare Webinar, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 4 – 5 PM PST

Register for a free webinar to help referring providers get ready. Webinar is hosted by the American College of Radiology and Radiology Business Management Association. Register here.