Our upcoming 2021 Fall Release is part of our tri-annual major product release cycle. This release occurs on a three-stage rolling cadence in short succession on November 10, 15, and 18. For your scheduled release date, refer to the login system alert. You will always see your most up-to-date release schedule. Any change we make to your schedule will automatically trigger a new updated system alert.
The 2021 Fall Release is jam-packed with lots of wonderful new features and enhancements within our practice management, patient engagement, and EHR products. We are grateful to those clients who have provided ongoing feedback and suggestions to help us continuously evolve our software in ways to make AdvancedMD more user-friendly and intuitive. The following capabilities, features, and enhancements are part of this release:
Practice Management
Multifactor Authentication
MFA makes AdvancedMD more secure than ever. We now give you an extra layer of security that works in conjunction with your username and password by adding a second security code to your login verification that only you can access, such as receiving the code in your email account or text message. For our main software, we now offer an MFA security code via an authenticator app on your smartphone.
Inbound Referrals Card (slow rollout)
The Inbound Referrals screen has a sleek new screen design aimed at complementing the Demographics Card Framework screen and streamlining Inbound Referrals workflow. When adding new inbound referrals, you can add multiple authorizations and procedure charge codes. We now include a Select Referral tool that allows you to select, update, and reorder referrals with multiple authorizations and charge codes in all charge entry screens, on appointments and group appointments, as well as in the Edit Visit, Charge Detail, and Episode screens. Lastly, there is a design update of the Self-referral screen.
Outbound Referrals Card (slow rollout)
The Outbound Referrals screen has a sleek new screen design aimed at complementing the Demographics Card Framework screen and streamlining Outbound Referrals workflow.
Marketing Referrals Card (slow rollout)
The Marketing Referrals screen design has been updated and is now a separate work screen. We added a Marketing icon on the Demographics Card Framework navigation pane. There is a fresh new design that matches the new Demographics Card layout. We added an overview grid that displays a complete list of previously added marketing referrals for the patient.
Same Day Rollup of Charges (Beta)
Within case management billing, we created a simple way to process claims for “Same Day Rollup.” This feature rolls up charges when multiple providers see a patient on the same day, those charges roll up to one claim. You can do this for all providers and patients.
Claim Inspector Enhancements
We added a new filter within Claim Inspector called the Charge Error filter. This gives visibility to claims with certain errors, including custom claim edits you create. We added a subtotal in Claim Center to show filtered charge amounts. This new total summary is available in four popular Claim Center tabs: Charge Review, Claim Inspector, Unbilled, and Exclusions.
Carrier Appointment Time Limits
You can now limit the length of an appointment based on the time set by a carrier. This helps you optimize your schedule by matching scheduling appointment duration based on what each carrier reimburses. This matching feature allows you to see more patients while maximizing overall reimbursements.
Message Distribution Lists
Message Distribution Lists is now under its own user level permission. Customize by user access to create, edit, and delete message distribution lists instead of being incorporated in the Admin Type permissions.
Billing Rule Collections Processing
Workflow for managing collection agency balances differs from practice to practice. You can now update patient status to Collections when you process balances to a collection agency, allowing your practice to easily identify if a patient is in a collection status within patient search.
ERA Posting Automation
Custom rules let you reallocate patient balances with automated payment posting. We have added a new section called Reallocate Patient Payment and Balance to the ERA Rules system setting (Master File). When this rule is set to Yes, and if the visit has an overpaid patient payment or balance, those balances will move to allow auto processing of visits.
Reversal Payments Default Date
You can now customize how you report dates for reversals. There’s a default setting you can use to select posting date or deposit date, depending on your analytic needs.
Scheduler Page Groups
You can now add up to six groups within your scheduler allowing up to 120 pages within your schedule. Easily break out facilities or specialties into their own scheduler groups.
System Settings
We have added favorite and history tracking within system settings. This allows you to save your most used settings as well as viewing your history.
Patient Engagement
New Unified Telehealth Platform (Beta)
Our new unified telehealth platform has been architected from the ground up specifically for simple, secure, and virtual healthcare visits. We have simplified how patients and providers connect. App downloads are no longer required. Patients simply click their invite link, verify identity, and join the virtual visit. New practice features include managing appointments from the provider list view and the ability to schedule group telehealth appointments.
Online Scheduling Filters for Provider Profiles
We now offer a more personal self-scheduling experience for your patients. You have additional provider filter options to give appropriate details to patients. You can filter information presented and order details, as well as information required in the appointment request.
Scheduling Provider Matching Filters (Beta)
The additional provider filter options in online scheduling are also available in Provider Matching. You control which filters appear in the schedule to allow staff to match the right provider to the right patient.
Patient Portal Multifactor Authentication
As part of our security initiatives, we now require multifactor authentication (MFA) for patients to access their health information from your patient portal. Setup is easy and patients are walked through the entire process. MFA adds an extra layer of protection to guard against unauthorized access to your patient data.
Self-service Payments through AdvancedMD Pay
With AdvancedMD Pay, you can now allow or require patients to save a credit card on file while self-scheduling or using self-pay in the portal. Collecting a credit card upfront with our credit-card-on-file feature can help avoid collections and keep patient balances up to date.
Electronic Health Record
Electronic Prior Authorizations for ePrescribing (Beta)
Prior authorizations can be a time and resource intensive workflow. Through our partnership with SureScripts, we are introducing electronic prior authorizations that can reduce turnaround time from days to minutes. Eliminate forms, faxes, and phone calls with our embedded accelerator and provide real-time approvals and denials within your workflow. Receive approvals while patients are in the office and avoid surprises at the pharmacy.
Regulatory Updates for ONC Cures Act
As we move forward with the 21st Century Cures Act and the Information Blocking regulation, AdvancedMD is actively engaged in meeting the ONC Health IT Certification requirements. We are happy to announce that last August all practices were transitioned to the new ePrescribing SCRIPT standard 2017071. In September, we implemented updates to the Outbound Clinical Information Exchange template and tool to accommodate the capture and exchange of additional required data elements such as Consultation Notes and Progress Notes. Earlier in October 2021, the Chart Summary in the Patient Portal was updated to display these new data elements. Stay tuned for additional certification criteria updates that include a new Standardized API for patient and population access and new Electronic Health Information export.
2021 E/M Coder
The 2021 E/M coder is available for all clients. This E/M coder uses the new 2021 AMA guidelines for office and outpatient encounters (99202-99205, 99212-99215) and Prolonged Services (99417). We have also removed the coded fields (99201–99215) from the visit templates found in the EHR template library.
Administrative Control over EHR User Preferences
We added a new role permission to manage EHR user preferences. This gives the practice administrator control over which users can modify user preferences for others in the practice.
Administrative Access Control for EPCS Onboarding
User Management has been updated to improve EPCS prescriber onboarding and offer greater flexibility. Administrators can now designate users to assist with Logical Access Control (LAC) while implementing EPCS for new providers.
Learn more
View release documents in the Help Menu or on the practice management dashboard.