For those in the medical field, ICD-10 is something that has been part of your vocabulary for a while and most health care professionals wonder how the newest procedures, set to be adopted in October 2014, will affect them. If you are wondering about the impact, you are not alone. Since 1983, this medical classification list has provided the ability for those in the industry to track new diagnosis and classify medical issues. It has streamlined the diagnosis process and helped prevent confusion in the international health care field.  This continues to be a driving force in better care throughout all healthcare facilities in the country and within the world. Changes bring the need to learn what is different and to also know how your practice will be affected.

Forward Progress
ICD-10 is the biggest change in standard healthcare coding system in decades and the transition from ICD-9 to 10 will impact every aspect of the healthcare coding system that uses a diagnosis code. There are no exceptions for a grace period and when it switches, it’s done. Over 25 countries are already poised to accept the classifications and this will create a streamlined medical system for every country involved. It will help with the following aspects of medical care:

• Payments and insurance issues: When the diagnosis, procedures, and classifications are the same, they can be processed faster and more efficiently.
• Reduce errors. With a simple classification system, everyone will be on the same page instead of trying to read and interpret what others have written down and passed on.
• Increase precision.  Each diagnosis can be more exact and clear for others to understand.

An example of the forward progress being made is along the lines of how ICD-9 is not “left or right” specific so instead of a code stating, “broken wrist”, the new code will say “left broken wrist.” It is easy to see how this will help the medical community in the future.

How to Prepare
Because the new codes will be more specific, it will take some time for you and your staff to remember and learn what should be included. In the past, you may have classified something differently or just used a generic term but now you will be required to use the right code. It may take time to sort through the options but in the end it will save time due to the lack of errors avoided with the correct coding. The learning curve will be the biggest hurdle of ICD-10 for the majority of facilities and team members but with proper training, it can be minimized.

Pinnacle is poised to work with clients to properly implement ICD-10 and with the latest staff innovations, each team member can have the necessary knowledge to perform at your facility. Have additional questions? Contact us today!

The job is yours and a sense of relief washes over you. Now it’s time to start the next chapter of your life, working in a career you love and in a company where you can grow. After sending a quick ‘thank-you’ email to the medical recruiter who placed you, you embark on this exciting journey and time spent on resumes, interview prep, and your recruiter’s phone number become a thing of the past. Before you forget about that recruiter and stop updating your resume, you may want to reconsider at least staying in contact with the person who got you the job. Even though you are happy with the new job, it is never a smart idea, in any economy, to be closed to new opportunities or neglect networking with those in your field.

Increase your Circle
Your personal network is one of the most valuable assets you have in your life. Some are there for you in personal ways while others support you professionally but regardless of their role, they are your circle, your connections. These are the first people you turn to when you need help or to share good news and your medical recruiter should become part of your professional circle. While it’s not necessary to talk on a daily basis, regularly checking-in with them will prove to be beneficial for several reasons:

1. They are your advocate. This is one person in your professional life that wants to help you and will do what they can for you to achieve success.  They have proven their abilities to you by placing you in the position you currently have so it is safe to assume they have your best interest in mind for future placement.
2. Increase your personal network. It’s important to keep in mind that as you grow in your career, you’ll meet new people and they may come back into your life again at some point so you should treat everyone well. If you have connections at other medical facility it doesn’t mean you are switching jobs but you can learn from their situations and practices to improve yours. There may be a time in the future when you need to change jobs and having the people in place to help ahead of time can be a time and stress reliever.
3. You can give back. It feels good to assist someone else and your medical recruiter is no exception. They got you in a great job so why not send friends and family to them when they need to be placed? If you stay in contact with the medical recruiter, you’ll see their available jobs and can send business their way.

Throughout your job search, your recruiter probably became your friend and someone who provided objective advice to you on a regular basis. They are someone you want to keep in your life for the long haul not only as someone you may need but as someone you appreciate for the work they did for you.

Looking for employment in San Antonio? Pinnacle Workforce provides an array of staffing services to clients across the nation, in 37 states. Contact our team of experts today for more information!

Nurses are the backbone of any medical facility, and without their knowledge, skills, and care, the physicians wouldn’t be able to achieve the results they do with their patients. The nurses may not receive the same amount of formal training as the doctors but they are still expected to have the same amount knowledge when patients need information. A nurse is the first person to assist a patient with their problems or recovery yet who gives the nurse help? Over the past several years, nurses can be seen running the halls with their hands full of supplies and their smartphones. There has been an increase in the amount of apps designed specifically to help these healthcare heroes and these apps have been able improve the productivity levels of these already amazing people.

Latest and Greatest Apps for Nurses
In 2012, Apple compiled a list of the top apps that are working to help nurses with their daily workloads and with at least 11 that made the list, it makes sense as to why nurses are rarely without their smart phones most days. With apps designed to help with organizational skills to other apps that will allow staff members to communicate using the hospital user directory and VoIP system, a nurse now has several options for help any time of the day or night. Here are some of the most useful smart phone apps available for nurses:

1. Voalte One by Voalte: This is an app designed to make communication around the hospital easier. The name of the company is derived from the elements of the app itself, voice, alarms, texts (vo-al-te).  It enables calls across the hospital and texting based on the user directory as well as alarms that can be customized for the needs of each nurse.
2. Nursing Central by Unbound Medicine: A unique app that puts information in the hands of nurses in seconds of a question. With a database of over 5,000 drugs and over 65,000 definitions, nurses will be able to interpret hundreds of lab and diagnostic tests on their own in a matter of minutes. Complete with pictures and a user-friendly interface, this is a must-have for nurses of any age and experience level.
3. Patient Touch by PatientSafe Solutions:  This app touts its ability to organize each patient the nurse has from their meds to care required, and even their necessary labs. It will alert the appropriate resources of what is going on with the patient and keep things moving in a forward direction for excellent care to be given. It is said to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency with which a nurse can work and in turn will decrease unnecessary costs and human error.

The high demand and stress placed on nurses can result in mistakes, which are unintentional but can still create problems. The smart phone apps currently available are designed to be the added help a nurse can use to their benefit on a daily basis.

Have additional questions? Pinnacle Workforce provides an array of healthcare staffing services to clients across the nation, in 37 states. Looking for employment? Contact us today!

Due to the nature of this politically charged government bill, it can be hard to determine what the truth is and what is propaganda put out there with an ulterior motive. In order to fully understand this new healthcare law and how it affects you, it is important to realize the facts of this new health care plan. You can then form an educated opinion about Obamacare and its impact on your life.

The Foundation
The Affordable Care Act, ACA, or Obamacare are all the same thing and it is part of the reform signed into action by President Obama in 2010 designed to provide quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending. The ACA has a goal to expand the private and public sectors of health insurance so more people can afford it without having to sacrifice on the quality of the program. Here are some quick facts about this new healthcare reform meant to educate and inform:

• Obamacare does not replace private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid
• It regulates health insurance, not the care you will receive.
• All insurers are required to cover those with pre-existing conditions.
• Insurance companies can no longer drop you when you get sick or make an honest mistake on your applications.
• The insurance companies can no longer hike up your rates and they must do away with life-time and annual limits.
• There are ten essential health benefits that must be included on all non-grandfathered plans with no annual or lifetime dollar limits: outpatient care, emergency room care, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and addiction treatment, prescription drugs, rehab services and devices, laboratory services, preventative and chronic disease treatment, pediatric services.
• Immunizations, yearly checkups, counseling, and screenings are all included in the free preventative care that must be included on all non-grandfathered plans.
• Most Americans will have to obtain healthcare coverage, get an exemption or pay a monthly fee/penalty if they do not have the appropriate insurance.
• The ACA reduces the growth in healthcare spending that is currently the standard.

If you still have questions about this new healthcare law, you should search the internet or talk to a health care insurance professional to learn the facts. When you have the facts and knowledge about how the mandates will affect you, you can make educated decisions about your own healthcare or that of your company. From large corporations to the small corner business, the ACA has different requirements and unless you know what they are, you may feel overwhelmed and panicked. The staff at Pinnacle Workforce is here to help you with your concerns about the ACA and how it will affect your employment, your team, or even your ability to hire new team members.

Healthcare has always been a major perk for the American employee and for some, it is the only reason to stay with a particular company. Along with salary, health benefits rank near the top of the list for those seeking new employment or to improve their quality of life. With the implementation of The Affordable Care Act (ACA), companies may have to choose between paying the fines, decreasing the full-time personnel numbers, or figuring out where the extra money will come to pay the healthcare demands according to the law. Some companies may feel that hiring temporary workers will solve the problem; after all, it’s just the full-time, 30+ hours a week employees that require healthcare, right?

• Temporary, Not Part-Time
  Staffing agencies are an excellent resource for business owners who need the extra hands but not the extra hassles. Those who perform temp work usually do not work more than 30 hours a week and the company is not required to provide benefits. However, it is important for the temp worker to understand if they work more than that allotted time, the staffing agency is required to offer them health insurance under the ACA. If you want to hire temporary workers to stay under the 50 member staff requirements, working with a staffing agency can be a smart option. Keep in mind that temporary and part-time are two different roles and hold different requirements.
• Helping Small Businesses
  While the larger companies are able to navigate through the ACA with help from their on-staff attorneys, healthcare experts, and even a full HR department, the smaller companies will be left to figure it out on their own. If they are unable to work through the problems and afford the requirements, they may decide to just hire temporary staff for the time being. Small businesses rarely have the funds available to decide, on a whim, to hire more team members or change their status from part-time to full-time. The decisions take longer and require more planning, making temporary employment a great option for them to remain in compliance with the ACA.
• Moving Forward in 2014
  The new healthcare laws will be implemented in full by 2014 and whether or not you like it or agree with it won’t matter. It is part of the healthcare reform that is passed and will be enforced. Whether you have a need for temporary workers or you are a temporary worker, weigh your options before jumping into new employment or taking on new employees. There are plenty of viable and cost effective ways to comply without causing financial harm to your future.

Pinnacle Workforce has the ability to provide you with the information and team members to suit your needs. Not only can you expect to be treated with professionalism, you can also learn from the educated staff at Pinnacle on the best way to handle your staffing or employment needs. Contact us today for more information!

Nursing isn’t the first profession you think of as one that allows for travel. When you think of nursing, you probably think about being in a medical facility all day; while you may have flexible schedule, it’s not exactly one that provides freedom outside of the center. If you want to travel and enjoy caring for patients in their home or other facilities, it may be time to consider a career change; traveling nurses can not only deliver excellent care but will have the opportunity to see the city or state in which they live. Because traveling nurses are necessary to their patients, the demand is high and the salaries are one of the perks of this career.

Reasons Nurses Travel
Nurses are adept at making choices on a daily basis, choices such as how to deal with emergencies, how to work with difficult patients, and even how to break bad news to families. A nurse may not always have the ability to change their pay, once they decide to practice in a certain health facility but what if you did? Would you choose location over pay, freedom over steady salary? What if you didn’t have to? What if you could live in your dream location and also be paid for your skills? This is one of the reasons nurses are jumping into the opportunity of becoming a traveling nurse.

Adventure ranks as the top reason to start a career in travel nursing as 38% of those surveyed stated that was their main reason for deciding to work in this capacity. Money was the second choice at 28%. Many of the jobs taken are based on contract opportunities and it is usually a high demand, high need area. The incentives are there for the travel nursing professionals and many take advantage of it in hopes of looking for an exciting change, more money, and the chance to work with others who need their expertise.

A Career Outside of the Box
As a nurse, you may feel that you miss out on seeing your family or friends over the holidays but for a traveling nurse, you could take a special assignment to be near your family around certain times of the year. By embarking on a career that takes you outside of buildings, affiliated centers, 25% of travel nurses were able to take on a contract to be near their family. In many situations, the job includes room and board; in fact, a travel nursing job can include an hourly rate, housing and travel expenses, and even tax benefits. What are you waiting for? Not only can you take on a stimulating job change but increase your salary and skills by learning from others in your field that may be in a different area of the country or world.

If you are looking for a career in travel nursing, contact Pinnacle Workforce today. We have a wide variety of options for your nursing career, as well as opportunities for you to try this career change.