Free Web Seminar – Integrated Care: Lessons from Early Adopters
June 28th, 1:00PM ET

Stay Tuned for an Online Recording of this session, to be available in early July.

Primary Care and Behavioral Healthcare Integration is a focus of many organizations today.  It’s a key component to improving the lives of people being served and to take advantage of new funding opportunities.

Learn more about the work of how behavioral health organizations who are at forefront of the Integration movement.   In this session, we will present the details of specific projects  to help seminar attendees better understand the opportunities, the factors behind the different approaches, and opportunities for increased efficiency and quality of care.

Register for the June 28th Web Seminar Now

Free Whitepaper

Download a Whitepaper that Profiles Three Behavioral Health organizations and how they are integrating care

Watch Our Previous Integrated Care Webinar Online

Integrated Care is Now: A Case study on Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care
Grand Lake Mental Health Center in Nowata, OK was the first behavioral health organization to receive Meaningful Use funds. A year later they are continuing to seize opportunities to deliver behavioral healthcare differently and advance their mission.

EHR incentive funds have driven upgrades to their software platform and allowed them to launch an innovative program to provide on-site Primary Care services to their SMI and SED population. Acknowledging that PCPs and ERs all have challenges working with SMI and SED populations, Grand decided to create a one stop shop to improve the lives and health of the people they work with.

In this session, learn how they have already begun delivering true integrated care and the technology they are using to support the initiative.

Watch this Webinar Now

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Other Resources

As you look to integrate care, you may work with a Federally Qualified Health Center.  If you are not familiar with what an FQHC is, here is a good description from CMS.

Meaningful Use Funding may help you fund Integrated Care initiatives.   Many Behavioral Health organizations are not aware that they may have Eligible Providers who could be receiving Meaningful Use Funds.

PCBHI Grants may assist you in funding your Integrated Care initiative.  64 organizations were awarded Grants in 2011 and another 32 will be awarded in 2012.  More Grants may follow in the future.

Check out SAMHSA’s Center for Integrated Health Solutions. as a great resource for integrated care ideas.  As they describe themselves: “CIHS promotes the development of integrated primary and behavioral health services to better address the needs of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, whether seen in specialty behavioral health or primary care provider settings.”

The CIHS site has a great list of ways to fund Integration with links to different billing opportunities by State, titled “Paying for Primary Care and Behavioral Health Services Provided in Integrated Care Settings” .  Click here to learn more.

“Our agency’s decision to choose an electronic health record was not easy.  We were determined to make sure the one we selected would have the capacity to meet our agency’s needs, not only now, but as we grow into the future.  For our agency it was imperative that the system we chose had the ability to process mental health and medical billing.  Few software vendors could guarantee this feature; Echo does.” commented Nancy Gentile, Director of Operations for RVCC.

“Leading the behavioral health information systems market for over 30 years, we’ve always made it a priority to stay at that the front of industry trends.” noted Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.  “We identified early on that Meaningful Use and Integrated Care would bring sweeping change to our customers’ needs.  We’re proud to be RVCC’s partner in revolutionizing behavioral healthcare with our Certified EHR.”

“Our committee was very impressed with each of Echo’s various employee teams including sales, service, technology and its leadership.  Their expertise, knowledge and professional presence in the market was apparent from our first meeting.  Tom Merrill is an excellent sales person who went the extra mile to insure all our concerns, questions and issues were addressed and our expectations were met.” Gentile noted.
“Echo’s software seems to be the next generation.  It’s quite intuitive.  The ease of use far exceeds other software we considered.” said Deb Lapierre, Billing Manager for RVCC.

“Like other customers in Massachusetts, River Valley Counseling will utilize Echo’s eCloud solution.  This provides RVCC a complete EHR and all the flexibility Echo software is known for simply by logging into a website without the burden of maintaining application servers.” said Viger.

RVCC is a multi-service agency in Hampden County, MA providing a range of traditional and non-traditional outpatient services to adults and children at locations in Holyoke, Chicopee and Springfield, MA.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Fully Certified Clinical EHR and Billing functions.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.

“The Connection is a leading human service and community development agency in Connecticut.  Today, after more than 40 years of providing community-based treatment solutions, we offer over 50 specialized programs to individuals throughout the state in the areas of community justice, behavioral health and supportive housing. Our clients have complex care needs. Some are mandated to services, some seek services voluntarily, some receive in-patient care, residential services and some are seen on an outpatient basis. The variety of services we offer creates a complexity of reporting and recording keeping needs both internally and externally. Echo’s Electronic Health Record has the flexibility and customization to meet our diversity of reporting and record keeping needs. .” commented Pat Clark, Director of Quality Improvement for The Connection.

“ The decision to work with Echo was not taken lightly.  We spent a year researching and evaluating a number of electronic health records in the market and chose the ECHO group for the following reasons:

• The Visual Health Record available through Clinician’s Desktop™ is a unique feature that is easy to navigate and presents the client data in a meaningful way. We liked the many ways to access records and scheduling from almost any point in the record
• Echo has much experience in the industry; their product has multiple upgrades and incorporates continuous improvement
• The training and support in implementation is important for our success with the product
• We have had nothing but positive experiences with Tom Merrill and his team
• Echo offers competitive pricing
• We need their ability to interface with other data bases.
• We require being able to own and control our own data.
• We like that we have the ability to customize and create our own reports.” continued Clark.

“The Echo Group has a long history of working with behavioral health organizations in Connecticut.” noted Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.  “We’re proud to bring The Connection on board.  We are looking forward to working with The Connection as they implement our software and bring them the many benefits of our easier to train and easier to use Visual Health Record.”

“We began our search for an electronic record almost two years ago, and we had a long list of requirements.  We needed to make sure the one we selected would not only meet our needs now, but also into the future. As resources have become so critical, we must focus our efforts on providing services in the most efficient way.” said Tina Swathwood, VP of Business Operations for CBHC.

CBHC has had a team of staff working on the transition to an electronic record since November 2011. As with many nonprofit agencies, the IT budget was limited and it was a conscious decision on the part of the Board and the senior management staff to obtain the necessary funding to successfully transition to an electronic health record.  An EHR allows healthcare providers to record patient information electronically instead of using paper records. However, EHRs are often capable of doing much more than just recording information. The Florida State Medicaid Agency has implemented an EHR incentive program which allows for eligible providers to receive incentive payments over a 6 year period as they demonstrate meaningful use of their chosen EHR.  The Incentive Program asks providers to use their systems capabilities to achieve benchmarks that can lead to improved patient care.  CBHC applied and qualified for the program which will be used to offset the cost.  As health care providers transition to electronic records, information will be more accessible to providers and to clients served.  Privacy and security are of the utmost importance and information is protected according to the applicable Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act standards.

Irene Toto, CEO of CBHC stated “Our team sat through many webinars and presentations for this specialized software, and ultimately we were most impressed with the Echo team and their product.   We believe this transition will allow us to serve Clay County more efficiently. In the end we all win, our staff spends more time counseling, our client’s information is protected and accessible, and our community partners get data that validates our effectiveness.”

“Clay Behavioral Health Center Management staff commented that they were surprised how quickly clinical staff learned the Visual Health Record and the strong positive reaction to the software.  The Echo Group is thrilled to be working with CBHC to make an impact in their organizations with intuitive clinical software tools.” remarked Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Fully Certified Clinical EHR and Billing functions.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.

The Echo Group has carried that philosophy forward for over three decades and was rewarded with the honor of being named to the “Top 10 Companies to Work for in 2012” by Business NH Magazine.

Echo submitted their application for the award like hundreds of other companies around the state.  The selection team from Business NH reviewed applications to determine a final list of companies to interview for the honor.  According to Business NH Magazine’s feature, companies were evaluated on things like “extra benefits, company culture, employee development, mission statement and employee letters of recommendation.”

Barbara Gartland, Echo’s Director of Human Resources has long felt that Echo was deserving of this award.  She was interested in learning how Echo compared to other “best companies”.  “Staff was very willing to provide recommendations and participate in the site review meeting with the judges.” noted Gartland.

Several employees went to Gartland after the meeting and shared their stories.  “I am proud to be the HR Director for a company that cares so much for its staff,” Barbara related. “Staff told me that one of the judges was in tears after hearing a story about how Echo was willing to help them out during a difficult time.”

This is the second award that Echo has received in 2012.  Earlier in the year, George Epstein, Echo’s co-founder and Chairman, was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the New Hampshire Technology Council for Echo’s work in the Behavioral Health software field.  Echo develops electronic health record (EHR) and billing software and has been recognized for its pioneering new way to look at clinical data through the use of its Visual Health Record™.  Echo also offers a fully Certified Electronic Health Record, which allowed Echo’s customers to be the first Behavioral Health organizations in the country to receive ARRA HITECH Incentive Funds to expand utilization of their EHR.  These funds allow Echo’s customers carry out their mission to create a better quality of life for the people they serve.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of SaaS and Windows-based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.  The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Lewiston, Maine, Powell, Ohio and Oakland, California.

For more information contact Paul Kirsch, Director of Marketing at paul.kirsch@echoman.com or visit www.echoman.com.

The Gooden Center has four (4) locations in the Greater Los Angeles area.  The mission of The Gooden Center is to show men and their families the way out of the debilitating and deadly cycle of alcoholism and drug addiction. Affordable treatment, evidence – based practices and a 12 Step orientation help bring about the transformational change necessary to restore a sense of well being and hope for a productive and promising future.

“We are very pleased that The Gooden Center has decided to take advantage for Echo’s patient-centric product suite. We are appreciative of the extensive selection process and the due diligence performed by Gooden, prior to selecting Echo as its software partner. There is a strong commitment from Gooden and Echo staff to ensure a seamless and successful implementation”, said Fasi Siddiqui, President of the California Division of The Echo Group.

“It was a real pleasure working with Bud Williams, Executive Director of The Gooden Center and his management team through the selection and contractual process”, he added.

“At the inception of our EHR procurement process, we compiled a list of features that our staff wanted to see in an electronic health record system. We then assigned points to each feature that resulted in a scoring grid. Our program and administrative staff extensively vetted several EHR products including several demos from leading behavioral health software providers.” said, Mr. Williams.

“After tallying the scores for all the products, we were pleasantly surprised that Echo received the highest scores in almost all categories.  It was not solely a monetary decision. An important factor in the selection process was working with Fasi Siddiqui, President Echo Group of California. He created an environment of partnership and trust. He also instilled a high level of confidence in us with a mutual interest in a successful implementation project”, Mr. Williams added. “As we have started the implementation process, our confidence has been reiterated by a terrific product as well as a skilled Echo team” noted Mr. Williams.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.  The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Powell, Ohio and Oakland, California.

For more information contact Paul Kirsch, Director of Marketing at paul.kirsch@echoman.com or visit www.echoman.com.

Concurrent Documentation:  The Time is Now

The continued adoption of electronic health records, meaningful use requirements, and recent CPT code changes all present new opportunities to implement Concurrent Documentation.  Many organizations have experienced challenges implementing this new service delivery and documentation paradigm.

In this live webinar you will learn about the strategies and tools used by Echo customer, Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, to adopt concurrent documentation and improve services, regulatory compliance, and staff job satisfaction.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand strategies to implement Concurrent Documentation
• Understand how Concurrent Documentation can save staff time and increase satisfaction
• See how agency funds can be saved via Concurrent Documentation
• Understand how this can help support Person Centered Care by involving the client in the documentation

CEU Information:

*Attendees of this live webinar are eligible to receive 1.0 NAADAC CEUs*

About the Presenter:

Jim Wilkerson is the Director of Quality Management and Outcome Evaluation at Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, a private, not-for-profit provider of Behavioral Health services, serving some 10,000 individuals from multiple locations in six counties that includes the cities of Springfield, Lincoln, and Jacksonville, IL.

“We are very pleased that Monarch has chosen The Echo Group as their EHR and Billing partner.  We worked closely with their team to evaluate Echo’s solution and I think both Echo and Monarch are similarly focused to create a great implementation,” remarked Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.

“Echo has a strong commitment to working with behavioral health organizations in the state of North Carolina and our user community is excited to have Monarch joining the group of nine organizations. Our knowledge of the intricacies of North Carolina’s MCO landscape as well as unique requirements like the North Carolina Person Centered Plan has been of critical importance to us as we ensure our customers can be successful in getting paid and meet all state regulatory requirements.” continued Viger.

“Monarch is pleased to have chosen The Echo Group as our new EHR partner.  The Echo team provided excellent customer service and they responded quickly and accurately to all of our important service and privacy needs.  We are very eager to begin the implementation process,” stated Andy Basinger, CIO of Monarch. 

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions as well as software for Managed Care entities.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.  The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Powell, Ohio and Oakland, California.

ABOUT MONARCH – Established in 1958, Monarch provides support statewide to thousands of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse challenges from more than 50 North Carolina counties. The nonprofit organization is nationally accredited by The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) and is CABHA certified. Monarch, which operates The Arc of Stanly County, is an affiliate chapter of The Arc of North Carolina and The Arc of the United States. To learn more about how Monarch is “Helping Dreams Take Flight” for people living in our communities, please call (800) 230-7525 or visit www.MonarchNC.org.

For more information contact Joe Viger, VP of Business Development, at joseph.viger@echoman.com or visit www.echoman.com.

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“We began our search for an electronic record almost two years ago, and we had a long list of requirements.  We needed to make sure the one we selected would not only meet our needs now, but also into the future. As resources have become so critical, we must focus our efforts on providing services in the most efficient way.” said Tina Swathwood, VP of Business Operations for CBHC.

CBHC has had a team of staff working on the transition to an electronic record since November 2011. As with many nonprofit agencies, the IT budget was limited and it was a conscious decision on the part of the Board and the senior management staff to obtain the necessary funding to successfully transition to an electronic health record.  An EHR allows healthcare providers to record patient information electronically instead of using paper records. However, EHRs are often capable of doing much more than just recording information. The Florida State Medicaid Agency has implemented an EHR incentive program which allows for eligible providers to receive incentive payments over a 6 year period as they demonstrate meaningful use of their chosen EHR.  The Incentive Program asks providers to use their systems capabilities to achieve benchmarks that can lead to improved patient care.  CBHC applied and qualified for the program which will be used to offset the cost.  As health care providers transition to electronic records, information will be more accessible to providers and to clients served.  Privacy and security are of the utmost importance and information is protected according to the applicable Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act standards.

Irene Toto, CEO of CBHC stated “Our team sat through many webinars and presentations for this specialized software, and ultimately we were most impressed with the Echo team and their product.   We believe this transition will allow us to serve Clay County more efficiently. In the end we all win, our staff spends more time counseling, our client’s information is protected and accessible, and our community partners get data that validates our effectiveness.”

“Clay Behavioral Health Center Management staff commented that they were surprised how quickly clinical staff learned the Visual Health Record and the strong positive reaction to the software.  The Echo Group is thrilled to be working with CBHC to make an impact in their organizations with intuitive clinical software tools.” remarked Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Fully Certified Clinical EHR and Billing functions.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.

TEAMCare provides comprehensive outpatient behavioral health services for adults, families, children and adolescents.  They operate locations in Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and take a whole person, strengths-based approach to making changes in their client’s lives.  TEAMCare services include psychiatric services, individual/ couples/family/group outpatient therapy, community based programs, family based mental health services, consultation and training.

“TEAMCare is an important customer in our growing customer community in Pennsylvania.” remarked Joe Viger, VP of Business Development for The Echo Group. “We are excited to work with the organization to bring them the benefits of our fully certified, ground breaking EHR, the Visual Health Record.  The VHR features visual environment where you can quickly understand case data based and will be a great tool for the organization to not only meet their requirements, but also to carry on their person-focused mission to serve consumers.”

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations.  Echo offers a suite of Windows-based and Web-based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions as well as software for Managed Care entities.   They also offer a suite of services, including Transaction Management Billing Services and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.  The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Powell, Ohio and Oakland, California.

For more information contact Joe Viger, VP of Business Development, at joseph.viger@echoman.com or visit www.echoman.com.

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The Echo Group’s Clinician’s Desktop Visual Health Record (VHR) interface is the most intuitive electronic health record in behavioral health. DrFirst Rcopia and Surescripts are tightly integrated into the VHR to provide prescribers an efficient and information rich environment to best understand their client and make effective, best practice treatment decisions that are critical to maximizing outcomes and eliminating errors.

“Surescripts is proud that our truly collaborative efforts with software technology providers are producing continuous quality improvements in e-prescribing and electronic information exchange. It is an honor to work closely with healthcare software professionals who are committed to implementing our proven e-prescribing best practices and who worked hard to earn the White Coat of Quality distinction,” said Ajit Dhavle, Pharm.D., Director of Clinical Quality of Surescripts.

“The Surescripts White Coat of Quality Award is a rigorous program that ensures e-prescribing excellence,” said G. Cameron Deemer, president of DrFirst. “The Echo Group’s integration of Rcopia® for e-prescribing functionality is instrumental in applying best practices and helping providers improve patient safety and patient outcomes.”

About The Echo Group
Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that are used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions as well as software for Managed Care entities. Solutions are available as self-hosted or SaaS deployments. Echo also provides comprehensive services to support customers including Revenue Cycle Management, Information Technology support and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis. The Echo Group is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Ohio and California.

About DrFirst
DrFirst pioneers technology solutions that inform the doctor-patient point of encounter, optimizing provider access to patient information, enhancing the doctor’s clinical view of the patient, and improving care delivery and clinical outcomes. Our growth is driven by a commitment to innovation, security, and reliability across a wide array of services, including Medication Management, Medication Adherence, and Secure Communication and Collaboration. We are proud of our track record of service to more than 300 EMR/EHR/HIS vendors and an extensive network of providers, hospitals and patients. For more information please visit www.drfirst.com.

About Surescripts’ Quality Program
The Surescripts network supports the most comprehensive ecosystem of healthcare organizations nationwide. Pharmacies, payers, pharmacy benefit managers, physicians, hospitals, health information exchanges and health technology firms rely on Surescripts to more easily and securely share health information. Guided by the principles of neutrality, transparency, physician and patient choice, open standards, collaboration and privacy, Surescripts operates the nation’s largest health information network. By providing information for routine, recurring and emergency care, Surescripts is committed to saving lives, improving efficiency and reducing the cost of health care for all. For more information, go to www.surescripts.com and follow us at twitter.com/surescripts.

(Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1)

CONWAY, NH – The Echo Group’s Clinician’s Desktop™ has been tested and certified under the Drummond Group’s Electronic Health Records Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB) program (Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1). This EHR software is compliant in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“For more than 30 years, Echo has delivered the software tools organizations need to succeed in the highly changeable landscape of behavioral health.” said Joe Viger, Vice President of Business Development for The Echo Group.   Echo’s 2014 Complete Ambulatory Certification of Clinician’s Desktop™ is affirmation of this commitment to our customers.  In contrast to a Modular Certification approach, Complete Certification provides our customers the opportunity to access Stage 2 opportunities without taking on the responsibility of additional requirements.  Echo is excited to have addressed Complete Certification requirements in a way that not only achieved Certification but also positions Clinician’s Desktop™ as an EHR our customers can rely on for years to come to support coordinated care and evolving healthcare trends.”

Drummond Group’s ONC-ACB certification program certifies that EHRs meet the meaningful use criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology. In turn, healthcare providers using the EHR systems of certified vendors are qualified to receive federal stimulus monies upon demonstrating meaningful use of the technology – a key component of the federal government’s push to improve clinical care delivery through the adoption and effective use of EHRs by U.S. healthcare providers.

Clinician’s Desktop™, which met the requirements for Complete Ambulatory EHR Certification, is a flexible electronic health record designed for behavioral health and integrated care featuring Echo’s intuitive Visual Health Record (VHR) user interface.

This Complete EHR is 2014 Edition compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ACB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. The Echo Group, Certified 04/28/2014, Clinician’s Desktop™ v10.0, Modules Tested: 170.314(a)(1‐15);170.314(b)(1‐5,7);170.314(c)(1‐3); 170.314(d)(1‐8); 170.314(e)(1‐3); 170.314(f)(1‐3);170.314(g)(2‐4), Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1, Clinical Quality Measures Certified: CMS068v3; CMS069v2; CMS128v2; CMS137v2; CMS138v2; CMS147v2; CMS155v2; CMS156v2; CMS161v2; CMS165v2; CMS169v2; CMS177v2, Additional software used: DrFirst Rcopia, EMR Direct phiMail. This certified product-version may require one-time costs to establish interfaces for reporting and on-going annual fees to support pharmacy and lab services.​

• A certification that is issued to an integrated bundle of EHR Modules shall be treated the same as a certification issued to a Complete EHR except that it must also indicate each EHR Module that comprises the bundle;

• A certification issued to a Complete EHR or EHR Module based on applicable certification criteria adopted by the ONC at subpart C of this part must be separate and distinct from any other certification(s) based on other criteria or requirements.

About The Echo Group

Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of self-hosted and cloud based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions. They also offer a full complement of services, including Revenue Cycle Management and IT services. The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire and has offices in Ohio and California.

About Drummond Group Inc.

Drummond Group Inc. is a global software test and certification lab that serves a wide range of vertical industries.  In healthcare, Drummond Group tests and certifies Controlled Substance Ordering Systems (CSOS), Electronic Prescription of Controlled Substances (EPCS) software and processes, and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) – designating the trusted test lab as the only third-party certifier of all three initiatives designed to move the industry toward a digital future. Founded in 1999, and accredited for the Office of the National Coordinator HIT Certification Program as an Authorized Certification Body (ACB) and an Accredited Test Lab (ATL), Drummond Group continues to build upon its deep experience and expertise necessary to deliver reliable and cost-effective services. For more information, please visit http://www.drummondgroup.com or email DGI@drummondgroup.com.

CORE Health Care, located between Austin and San Antonio, TX, offers post-acute rehabilitation and long-term care for people with brain injuries, psychiatric disorders, autism or other special needs. Licensed professionals provide physical, occupational, speech, vision, cognitive and psychotherapy. Staying on the cutting edge of new research, CORE provides the most effective treatment with neuroplasticity as the guiding philosophy for individualized care.  Our goal is to restore self-directed functional ability to ensure a minimal need for support services. To offer comfort and safety, we have private rooms and a low staff to client ratio. This new, fully-functional electronic health record will not only allow CORE to better track and trend data for day to day rehabilitative efforts, but the data collecting capabilities will allow for even further research into neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to change), and the impact comprehensive rehabilitation has.

“We are very pleased that CORE has decided to take advantage of Echo’s patient-centric product suite. We are appreciative of the extensive selection process and the due diligence performed by CORE, prior to selecting Echo as its software partner. There is a strong commitment from CORE and Echo staff to ensure a seamless and successful implementation”, said Joe Viger, Vice President of Business Development for The Echo Group. “It was a real pleasure working with Chris Brown, Information Technology Director of CORE and the leadership team through the selection and contractual process”, he added.

In a recent interview with Mr. Brown he provided his opinion on the decision to choose The Echo VHR by stating: “CORE Health Care are not novices on the subject of EHR. We have been using an EHR for almost six years and we have expert staff to make decisions on systems that benefit our patients and caregivers, so I will not belabor the details of our decision process. Suffice it to say that we needed to change our current system to effectively meet the demands of our increasingly complex mix of patients, demanding compliance requirements, and maintain a level of operational efficiency that can enable us grow in our marketplace. Central to our decision process was the ability to make informed clinical decisions in real or near real-time while providing ease of use to our staff.

Our particular segment of the health care market is unique. We provide a broad spectrum of services with outcome measures that are nearly impossible to find in an off-the-shelf EHR. The concept of Echo’s ‘Visual Health Record’ appealed to one of our highest priorities: ‘to quickly visualize a patient’s continuum of care’, so we approached the Echo Group. After a comprehensive vetting process we decided to partner with The Echo Group and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.”

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that are used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions as well as software for Managed Care entities. Solutions are available as self-hosted or SaaS deployments. Echo also provides comprehensive services to support customers including Revenue Cycle Management, Information Technology support and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis. The Echo Group is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, with offices in Ohio and California.

For more information contact Joe Viger, VP of Business Development, at joseph.viger@echoman.com

(Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1)

CONWAY, NH – The Echo Group’s Clinician’s Desktop™ has been tested and certified under the Drummond Group’s Electronic Health Records Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB) program (Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1). This EHR software is compliant in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“For more than 30 years, Echo has delivered the software tools organizations need to succeed in the highly changeable landscape of behavioral health.” said Joe Viger, Vice President of Business Development for The Echo Group. Echo’s 2014 Complete Ambulatory Certification of Clinician’s Desktop™ is affirmation of this commitment to our customers. In contrast to a Modular Certification approach, Complete Certification provides our customers the opportunity to access Stage 2 opportunities without taking on the responsibility of additional requirements. Echo is excited to have addressed Complete Certification requirements in a way that not only achieved Certification but also positions Clinician’s Desktop™ as an EHR our customers can rely on for years to come to support coordinated care and evolving healthcare trends.”

Drummond Group’s ONC-ACB certification program certifies that EHRs meet the meaningful use criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology. In turn, healthcare providers using the EHR systems of certified vendors are qualified to receive federal stimulus monies upon demonstrating meaningful use of the technology – a key component of the federal government’s push to improve clinical care delivery through the adoption and effective use of EHRs by U.S. healthcare providers.

Clinician’s Desktop™, which met the requirements for Complete Ambulatory EHR Certification, is a flexible electronic health record designed for behavioral health and integrated care featuring Echo’s intuitive Visual Health Record (VHR) user interface.

This Complete EHR is 2014 Edition compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ACB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. The Echo Group, Certified 04/28/2014, Clinician’s Desktop v10.0, Modules Tested: 170.314(a)(1‐15);170.314(b)(1‐5,7);170.314(c)(1‐3); 170.314(d)(1‐8); 170.314(e)(1‐3); 170.314(f)(1‐3);170.314(g)(2‐4), Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1, Clinical Quality Measures Certified: CMS068v3; CMS069v2; CMS128v2; CMS137v2; CMS138v2; CMS147v2; CMS155v2; CMS156v2; CMS161v2; CMS165v2; CMS169v2; CMS177v2, Additional software used: DrFirst Rcopia, EMR Direct phiMail. This certified product-version may require one-time costs to establish interfaces for reporting and on-going annual fees to support pharmacy services, lab services and secure email.​

This Complete EHR is 2014 Edition compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ACB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. The Echo Group, Certified 06/05/2014, Echo Visual Health Record v10.0, Modules Tested: 170.314(a)(1‐15);170.314(b)(1‐5,7);170.314(c)(1‐3); 170.314(d)(1‐8); 170.314(e)(1‐3); 170.314(f)(1‐3);170.314(g)(2‐4), Certification ID Number: 04282014‐1976‐1NC, Clinical Quality Measures Certified: CMS068v3; CMS069v2; CMS128v2; CMS137v2; CMS138v2; CMS147v2; CMS155v2; CMS156v2; CMS161v2; CMS165v2; CMS169v2; CMS177v2, Additional software used: DrFirst Rcopia, EMR Direct phiMail. This certified product-version may require one-time costs to establish interfaces for reporting and on-going annual fees to support pharmacy services, lab services and secure email.​

• A certification that is issued to an integrated bundle of EHR Modules shall be treated the same as a certification issued to a Complete EHR except that it must also indicate each EHR Module that comprises the bundle;

• A certification issued to a Complete EHR or EHR Module based on applicable certification criteria adopted by the ONC at subpart C of this part must be separate and distinct from any other certification(s) based on other criteria or requirements.

About The Echo Group

Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that have been used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of self-hosted and cloud based applications for Administrative, Clinical EHR and Billing functions. They also offer a full complement of services, including Revenue Cycle Management and IT services. The company is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire and has offices in Ohio and California.

About Drummond Group Inc.

Drummond Group Inc. is a global software test and certification lab that serves a wide range of vertical industries. In healthcare, Drummond Group tests and certifies Controlled Substance Ordering Systems (CSOS), Electronic Prescription of Controlled Substances (EPCS) software and processes, and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) – designating the trusted test lab as the only third-party certifier of all three initiatives designed to move the industry toward a digital future. Founded in 1999, and accredited for the Office of the National Coordinator HIT Certification Program as an Authorized Certification Body (ACB) and an Accredited Test Lab (ATL), Drummond Group continues to build upon its deep experience and expertise necessary to deliver reliable and cost-effective services. For more information, please visit http://www.drummondgroup.com or email DGI@drummondgroup.com.

The Echo Group is a leader in developing and supporting electronic health records (EHR) and billing software specifically designed for behavioral health and human service organizations. Echo’s exclusive Visual Health Record (VHR) is the first of its kind EHR. The VHR offers an ease of access to information that is unmatched and tells a compelling story that allows deeper insight and a better quality of care.

“The additions of Joe Stewart and Bob Bundy, along with other team members, is an important strategic step in maintaining Echo’s market leadership,” said Echo Chairman George Epstein. “They will also support Echo’s Mission to make our customers the most clinically effective and financially strong behavioral health organizations in America. We’re positioned for an exciting finish to 2014 and anticipating 2015 like no other in Echo’s 34-year history.”

Joseph Stewart, Chief Operating Officer — Joe’s appointment as COO is the culmination of over 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare, insurance, and government with companies proving enterprise software.

Most recently, Joe served as General Manager of the Healthcare Business Unit at OpenText (NASDAQ: OTEX, TSX: OTC), a $1 billon global enterprise content management software company. As GM, Joe managed all software sales, business development, marketing, service, support, engineering and education related to the company’s healthcare products and services. His 14-year career at OpenText was marked by repeated overachievement for his teams largely as a consequence of focus on customer satisfaction.

Joe also served in the US Army Reserve for 25 years retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, having last served as a Brigade Commander.

Joe earned a Master of Business Administration from Norwich University and his Bachelor of Science in Applied Mechanics from the University of California, San Diego.

Bob Bundy, Vice President, Software Product Development — Bob is an information technology executive with 30 years of experience developing and leading business units, sales, and technical teams.

Bob has extensive experience in designing, building, and managing solutions for the medical industry including responsibility for all business and clinical applications for a major medical center. In addition, he was the Vice President of Product for Computer Automation Systems, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of enterprise management and plan delivery software systems for special needs students. Bob was also the president of a national medical billing company where he led teams that introduced leading edge solutions such as scanning and mobile applications to the clinical documentation process.

Bob brings a proven track record of technical and process change to Echo. His mission is to drive continued innovation into the Echo product line and deliver state-of-the-art solutions to our customer base.

Bob earned his Bachelor of Science in Business CIS from Arizona State University.

Christopher Williams, Marketing Director — With over 20 years of strategic communications experience, Chris’ diverse career has moved from higher ed. and high tech to performing arts, and professional sports. Most recently Chris was Vice President, Strategic Communications at Cookson Strategies in Manchester, NH. Chris earned a Master of Arts in journalism from Michigan State University.

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – Since 1980, The Echo Group has been developing enterprise software applications that are used nationwide to address the needs of Behavioral Health organizations. Echo offers a suite of applications for Administrative, Clinical Electronic Health Records and Billing functions as well as software for Managed Care entities. Solutions are available as self-hosted or Software as a Service (SaaS) deployments. Echo also provides comprehensive services to support customers including Revenue Cycle Management, Information Technology support and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis. The Echo Group is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire, and also has offices in Ohio and California.

Contact:
Christopher M. Williams
Marketing Director
chris.williams@echoman.com
603-447-8600

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Echo has been fantastic to work with … They are genuine and true experts about their product and the field … We could not be more pleased.

CONWAY, NH –The Jefferson County, Wisconsin Department of Human Services has selected the Echo Group’s exclusive Visual Health Record (VHR) to provide comprehensive Electronic Health Record and Billing software services.

“Echo has been fantastic to work with,” says Kathi Cauley, Director of the Jefferson County Human Services Department. “They answer questions in a straightforward manner. They are genuine and true experts about their product and the field. Each Echo employee we have interacted with has been exceedingly helpful. We are moving ahead with our project exactly as described and in a very timely fashion! We could not be more pleased.”

Echo’s VHR is the single-source solution that will enable the Jefferson County Human Services Department to review and streamline its workflow, improve operating efficiencies that will, in turn, improve customer service.

Echo’s Visual Health Record provides the tools Jefferson County DHS will need to improve client care and to track performance and implementation to the key Wisconsin data collection initiative, the Program Participation System.

Echo will support their ability to manage risk and compliance issues with Wisconsin Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus and provide  the tools and experience to accommodate Wisconsin’s ever-evolving state and payer requirements.

The Echo Group’s Visual Health Record is the first and only EHR enabling users to view client activity on a single screen with a visual story that enables deeper insight and better quality of care.

The VHR makes the complex, simple.  It tells a compelling story without drilling down, clicking on buried tabs or waiting for links to load. The VHR provides a patient view and “no-click” access to information that is unmatched.

The Visual Health Record is completely certified for Meaningful Use Stage 2.

The county seat, Jefferson is located between Milwaukee and Madison and its Behavioral Health Division offers a full array of mental health and alcohol and drug services to county residents.

“We are very excited to have the folks at Jefferson County  join our community of customers in Wisconsin,” says Joe Viger, Vice President of Business Development for The Echo Group. “We’re committed to ensuring a seamless and successful implementation for the Jefferson County HSD and partnering with them to provide the best services possible to their clients.”

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ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – The Echo Group develops enterprise software applications that are designed specifically for and used by hundreds of behavioral health organizations nationwide.

Echo offers a suite of applications for administrative, clinical electronic health records and billing functions as well as software for managed care organizations which can be deployed as self-hosted or Software as a Service (SaaS).

Echo also offers Revenue Cycle Management, Information Technology support and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.

Privately held since 1980, The Echo Group is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire with additional offices in Ohio and California.

The Echo Group’s Visual Health Record is the first and only EHR enabling users to view client activity on a single screen with a visual story that enables deeper insight and better quality of care.

“Integration of behavioral and physical health care is very important for our agency,” said Executive Director Cheryl Jones. “We interviewed several EHR vendors and came to the decision the Echo Group’s capability in this area exceeded all others, making our decision to become Echo customers a simple one.  We are extremely excited to begin our partnership with Echo.”

Per Bootheel’s requirements, Echo will provide an enterprise-wide system that is easy to use for clinical, billing, and administrative staff in a way that is dependable, flexible and able to adapt and grow with the organization as its needs change.

It is Echo’s ability to understand and handle the state-specific billing requirements in Missouri. Plus, having confidence in our knowledgeable staff, experience in behavioral healthcare and the ease of use of the Visual Health Record.

“We are very excited that the folks at Bootheel Counseling Services will be joining our strong Midwest user community.” says Joe Viger, Vice President of Business Development for The Echo Group. “Bootheel will gain the many advantages of our easy to use Visual Health Record along with with the ease of administration and low up-front cost offered by our software as a service deployment.”

Completely certified for Meaningful Use Stage 2, the Visual Health Record makes the complex, simple. It tells a compelling story without drilling down, clicking on buried tabs or waiting for links to load. The VHR provides a patient view and “no-click” access to information that is unmatched.

Located in Sikeston, Missouri, Bootheel Counseling Services is a private, not-for-profit organization that has been providing services in Southeast Missouri for over 30 years.

Bootheel Counseling Services is certified to provide the following programs: Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Adults; Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Children and Youth; Outpatient Mental Health; Access Crisis Intervention; and Substance Abuse treatment.

Bootheel Counseling Services is a member of the US Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) and participates in the Missouri Coalition of Community Mental Health Centers.

# # #

ABOUT THE ECHO GROUP – The Echo Group develops enterprise software applications that are designed specifically for and used by hundreds of behavioral health organizations nationwide.

Echo offers a suite of applications for administrative, clinical electronic health records and billing functions as well as software for managed care organizations which can be deployed as self-hosted or Software as a Service (SaaS).

Echo also offers Revenue Cycle Management, Information Technology support and Fiscal and Clinical Process Workflow Analysis.

Privately held since 1980, The Echo Group is headquartered in Conway, New Hampshire with additional offices in Ohio and California.