UCPC adopts Qualifacts EHR; first behavioral agency in New Jersey to get MU funds

Qualifacts Systems Inc. announced today that UCPC Behavioral Healthcare is the first behavioral health agency in New Jersey to receive incentive payments under the Meaningful Use program. The Plainfield-based community mental health organization received $85,000 in reassigned Medicaid incentive dollars on behalf of its four eligible professionals for attesting to the Adoption/Implementation/or Upgrade to a certified electronic health record (EHR).

Because UCPC began using Qualifacts’ CareLogic Enterprise certified Complete EHR last year, they were able to use the system to determine the eligibility of their providers. “We pulled a standard billing report from our EHR to prove our staff’s Medicaid encounters percentage and sent the file directly to the state,” says Carol Bailiff, finance director for UCPC. “The process of determining eligibility, registering and attesting can be daunting, but by using our EHR, we were able to prove we had earned the incentive payments.”

UCPC is a member of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies’ (NJAMHAA) EHR collaborative, a Qualifacts partner. For NJAMHAA, knowing that their association members are benefiting from a federal program that incentivizes them to adopt and implement EHR technology is very exciting.

“Despite the fact that the legislation largely left out the behavioral healthcare sector, our providers who staff eligible professionals have attested with CMS and New Jersey Medicaid, and this payment is just the first of many for New Jersey providers,” says June Noto, IT project director for NJAMHAA. “And it could not come at a better time. As New Jersey plans to transition its system of care, the need for interoperable systems and accurate data for delivering services effectively, improving consumer outcomes, and for billing and compliance is paramount.”

According to Mary Givens, meaningful use program manager for Qualifacts, agencies like UCPC reap the true rewards of Meaningful Use by selecting the right technology for their consumers and their business.

“I believe UCPC really understands the benefits of implementing the right certified EHR,” says Givens.  "Implementing CareLogic Enterprise has helped consumers by reducing errors and providing them an opportunity, through the patient portal, for greater participation in their own healthcare. The web-based application has also allowed greater availability of records to UCPC's professionals. Perhaps most important is that improved access to data has aided providers in clinical decision making, and also assisted administrators with strategic business decisions.” 

About UCPC Behavioral Healthcare

UCPC is a comprehensive, private, non-profit outpatient facility that has been serving the behavioral healthcare needs of the residents of Union County and North Plainfield since 1944. UCPC helps individuals and families struggling with mental illness, addiction issues, traumatic events and many other life circumstances by providing support in the form of high quality, affordable treatment services delivered by a compassionate professional staff. For more information, please visit ucpcbhc.org or call (908) 756-6870.