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Millions in revenue go uncollected in ED: Revamp your processes now

Emergency department (ED) collections more than doubled with a quality assurance tool at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, and a check-out process allowed ED registrars at University of Utah Hospital to collect $295,000 in FY 2014. They now increase ED collection goals between 5% and 10% each year.

Learn to collect from difficult 'patients'

At Greater Baltimore (MD) Medical Center, patient access managers use extensive training, scripting, and role-playing to increase point-of-service collections in the emergency department (ED).

Get a true picture of access’ productivity

Accurate productivity data is critically important to adequately staff registration areas, but patient access leaders often lack technology to capture this information.

Must-have metrics for patient access

When monitoring productivity of patient access staff, managers should use subjective and objective methods, recommends Mark S. Rodi, MHA, CHAM, associate vice president of revenue management at Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA.

Include access in survey preparation

Patient access leaders should expect surveyors from The Joint Commission or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to interact directly with front-line staff in registration areas.

Here are answers for privacy questions

How do you protect a patients privacy? Some patient access employees get a deer-in-the-headlights look when surveyors ask this simple question, says Michael Sciarabba, MPH, CHAM, director of patient access at University of California, San Francisco.

Your surveyors might ask these questions

Patient access employees are responsible for knowing the general policies and procedures of the hospital, emphasizes Angela Click, patient access services manager at OSF St Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, IL.

Did price estimate turn out to be wrong?

Patients rely on patient access employees to inform them of out-of-pocket costs, but accurate estimates are challenging to give. This challenge is due to changes in what is done clinically, provider contracts, patient co-morbidities, and the complexity of coverage.

Involve providers in price estimates

If providers fail to keep automated price estimators up-to-date on contract terms and historical claims, incorrect estimates will occur.

App targets assistance for cancer patients

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has launched its Reimbursement Resource App, which offers providers, case managers, patients, and payers access to payment assistance and reimbursement programs for multiple cancer types.

Hospital Access Management – September 1, 2014

September 1, 2014