Challenge registrars to get accurate info
Challenge registrars to get accurate info
Staff have "lot on their shoulders"
Will a completed registration be problem-free or result in a claims denial? The buck stops with the registrar.
"The bulk of registration accuracy does rely on registrars to be accurate and efficient with entering the data," says Debbie Bartel, coordinator of the patient access department at Affinity Health System in Appleton, WI. "Registrars have a lot on their shoulders, to get accurate and complete registration and demographic and insurance data on patients."
Bartel stresses accurate spelling of the patient's diagnosis, accurate typing of correct policy and group numbers, and making sure the correct subscriber is listed on the insurance information.
The department uses an online eligibility system to verify insurance coverage. This tells staff if there is a discrepancy with an insurance policy or ID number, so it can be corrected at the time of registration, she says.
"We also have to ensure we are typing in the correct address for the patient, so bills and follow up are sent to the correct patient address," says Bartel. "Registrars can correct things during the registration stage before a bill goes out."
Training methods
Registrars get six weeks of training, along with monthly department meetings where common registration errors are reviewed. These include the wrong insurance chosen, transposed policy and group numbers, spelling errors, and incorrect addresses, Bartel says.
"We show screen shots of these errors, as well as offering one-on-one re-training to registrars that have continuous errors," says Bartel. "A registrar may have a high number of errors or repetitive errors of the same thing over and over."
Staff take spelling quizzes on medical terminology at department meetings. Bartel notes that training needs are different for each person. "I try to adjust the training to the person's needs and the needs of our department," she says. "A person with no health care experience needs more intense training than someone who already did registration or worked in health care before."
An orientation manual is continually updated. This gives step-by-step instructions for registration of all patient statuses, including inpatient, observation, surgery, outpatient diagnostic, and newborn registrations.
Bartel gives instructions to comply with new insurance payer requirements, such as having to enter "NHF" for "non-health care facility" instead of "PHY" for "physician referral."
"You have to be patient with training. Everyone learns at a different pace. I enjoy seeing the registrars learn and grow as they continue to learn the job," says Bartel. "There are always different scenarios that come up with collecting patient data. It is never boring or dull."
A pre-registration area was recently implemented, she says. Since registrars call patients to verify information prior to their appointment, staff are able to capture accurate data prior to the patient coming in.
"We have the patient look over their registration one more time to ensure we have collected the correct info on them," says Bartel. "So that is another double-check on the data."
[For more information, contact:
Debbie Bartel, Registration Coordinator/Patient Access, Affinity Health System/St. Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton, WI. Phone: (920) 831-1332. E-mail: [email protected].]
Will a completed registration be problem-free or result in a claims denial? The buck stops with the registrar.Subscribe Now for Access
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