SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicalis, a leading provider of EMR-integrated Imaging Service Line Solutions, announced the creation of the Imaging Learning Network. In partnership with many of the entities that helped shape the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation requiring appropriate use criteria (AUC) be applied to advanced imaging services through electronic clinical decision support (CDS), the Imaging Learning Network is designed to help provider organizations meet the requirement and or become qualified provider led entities (QPLEs).

Medicalis, headquartered in San Francisco, is a leading provider of EMR-integrated, enterprise software designed to tackle the Imaging Service Line's top workflow challenges. Our Imaging Workflow, Decision Support and Referral Management solutions automate and manage workflow resulting in improved physician engagement, clinical collaboration, productivity and patient-centered care. www.Medicalis.com

Taking into account the lessons learned from the outcomes of the Medicare Imaging Demonstration, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) CDS regulation enables provider organizations to focus their selection of AUCs based upon quality of evidence, giving them an opportunity to maximize the impact of CDS to improve outcomes and minimize interruptions. The CMS/PAMA mandate is focused on eight Priority Clinical Areas including suspected pulmonary embolus and low back pain.

The Imaging Learning Network is intended to support both Medicalis's current and future Decision Support customers, helping develop interventions from the referring physician's perspective. The Imaging Learning Network represents over 15,000 providers practicing in California, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Washington, Ohio, Alaska, Montana, Kansas and Texas. Member institutions include leading academic medical centers, large delivery networks, and a cancer specialty hospital.

CMS recently confirmed that January 1, 2018, is the deadline for implementation of the CMS/PAMA Mandate.

Medicalis is extremely proud that four of the six integrated health systems granted QPLE status by CMS in 2016 are current Medicalis customers, and several other Medicalis customers are currently preparing their QPLE applications for submission to CMS in 2017.

The Imaging Learning Network's QPLE members leverage the HMS Library of Evidence scored evidence (which are free and accessible to clinicians worldwide) to create their own certified AUC. Medicalis customers who are not yet prepared to become a QPLE can license certified AUC from Medicalis customers or other QPLEs as laid out by CMS.

"The goal of the CMS/PAMA mandate is to enhance the quality of patient care and reduce unnecessary imaging. Medicalis is the ideal partner for those health systems and providers working to meet the January 1, 2018 deadline. We designed the Imaging Learning Network to help providers meet the requirement and or become QPLEs allowing them to optimize and localize their own AUCs," said Oran Muduroglu, president and CEO of Medicalis. "Resources will reflect the findings of Imaging Learning Network foundational members, leveraging Harvard Medical School's Library of Evidence. The Library has created a public repository of medical evidence to enable and promote the broad and consistent practice of evidence-based medicine."

About the CMS Mandate:
Section 218(b) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014 amended Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to add section 1834(q) directing CMS to establish a program to promote the use of AUC for advanced diagnostic imaging services. In section 1834(q)(1)(B) of the Act, AUC are defined as criteria that are evidence-based (to the extent feasible) and assist professionals who order and furnish applicable imaging services to make the most appropriate treatment decisions for a specific clinical condition.

About Medicalis
Medicalis, headquartered in San Francisco, provides EMR-integrated, enterprise software designed to tackle the Imaging Service Line's top workflow challenges. Growth-minded regional Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) deploy our Imaging Workflow, Decision Support and Referral Management solutions to automate and manage workflow resulting in improved physician engagement, clinical collaboration, productivity and patient-centered care. For more information about Medicalis, visit www.Medicalis.com.

Medicalis will be at RSNA 2016 in South Hall-A booth # 3349, demonstrating the entire Medicalis Enterprise Solutions Platform including Imaging Workflow, Referral Management and Decision Support Solutions.

Media Contact:
Jordan Halter
VP of Business Development
Jordan.halter@medicalis.com
412-780-1665

Helen Shik
PR@Medicalis.com
617-510-4373

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SOURCE Medicalis