Change Healthcare today announced the release of InterQual® 2021, the newest version of the company's flagship clinical decision support solution. The latest version includes four new Medicare criteria modules, as well as a slew of evidence-based content upgrades and improvements, such as fresh guidelines on caring for COVID-19 patients, discussing social determinants of health, and using telehealth appropriately.
This is the first growth period headed by Monique Yohanan, MD, MPH, who recently took over as InterQual® Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Yohanan is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine and has significant experience in the application of medical need guidelines. He has a professional career that covers the treatment spectrum, spanning inpatient hospital, primary care, extended care, and house calls.
Change Healthcare has benefited from the large and varied scientific perspectives provided by its three new medical directors:
- Sarah Johnson, MD, MS, is a board-certified Psychiatrist, Neurologist, and Addiction Psychiatrist who works in substance-abuse treatment facilities.
- Katy Kehl, MD, is a Mount Auburn Hospital intensivist who is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, and Critical Care Medicine.
- Judith A. Melin, MD, MA, FACP, is a board-certified internist at Beth Israel Lahey Health.
The 2021 release provides telehealth guidelines in the InterQual® Outpatient Rehabilitation and Chiropractic, Behavioral Health, and Ambulatory Care Planning requirements, as well as additional recommendations to assist case managers in addressing their patients' social determinants of health while care advances. The guideline assists organizations in intervening in a timely way to increase health conditions by encouraging positive, ongoing needs identification in areas such as employment, education, and food insecurity.
The 2021 release provides telehealth guidelines in the InterQual® Outpatient Rehabilitation and Chiropractic, Behavioral Health, and Ambulatory Care Planning requirements, as well as additional recommendations to assist case managers in addressing their patients' social determinants of health while care advances. The guideline assists organizations in intervening in a timely way to increase health conditions by encouraging positive, ongoing needs identification in areas such as employment, education, and food insecurity.
The rigorous suite of InterQual® standards has been revised to incorporate the most recent scientific data, offering valuable, relevant decision support to frontline clinicians. More than half of the current InterQual® guidelines were affected by these changes, which were based on new research and evolving standards of care. To avoid bias, these changes were subjected to a rigorous critical appraisal and peer review procedure, as is customary.
This marks the introduction of four additional Medicare criteria units. Medicare Molecular Diagnostics and Lab, Medicare Imaging, Medicare Pharmacy, and Medicare Behavioral Health are powered by InterQual®, which converts Medicare policies into the solution's trademark question-and-answer format. Instead of trying to identify and implement local and national coverage requirements from diverse outlets, clinicians can quickly obtain the knowledge they need inside their workflow.
About Change Healthcare
Change Healthcare is a leading healthcare technology company focused on insights, innovation, and accelerating the improvement of the United States' healthcare infrastructure through the strength of the Change Healthcare Platform. They provide data and analytics-driven solutions to improve clinical, financial, administrative, and patient experience outcomes in the United States healthcare system.