Hospital Access Management – February 1, 2005
February 1, 2005
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Challenges of Florida hurricanes bring out the best in HCA staff
When a series of four hurricanes hit the coasts of Florida during August and September 2004, it was the worst of times and the best of times, says the regional patient access director for Hospital Corporation of Americas Tampa region. -
One-on-one education is key to Virtua success
By implementing a comprehensive full circle of training for patient access employees which ultimately led to the creation of two new areas within the department Marlton, NJ-based Virtua Health has dramatically increased both registration accuracy and employee satisfaction, says the corporate multisite administrator for patient business services for the 1,051-bed system. -
Service excellence begins with behavioral change
This is a journey; well know weve arrived when they dont need us anymore, says the director of service excellence for Providence Health System in Portland, OR. My goal is to work myself out of a job. -
Automated telephonic tool reduces pre-cert hassles
An authorization system recently implemented at the University Hospital of Arkansas in Little Rock is on track to streamline the pre-certification process and reduce payer denials, explains the director of hospital admissions. -
News Briefs
U.S. hospitals provided $24.9 billion in uncompensated care in 2003, up from $22.3 billion in 2002, according to the latest American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Two HIPAA privacy provisions ‘unnecessarily burdensome’
A survey of providers, health plans, patient representatives, and others conducted by Congress General Accounting Office found providers and health plans believe that implementation of the HIPAA privacy rule went more smoothly than expected in its first year, but that two provisions of the rule are unnecessarily burdensome. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Requirements on copying cost charges confusing
What used to be a fairly routine occurrence for many health care providers supplying copies of patient medical records on request is becoming a major issue under HIPAA because of questions about how much can be charged for a copy of the record and the service under the HIPAA privacy rule and various state laws. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: CMS issues first of seven security guidance papers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued the first in a projected series of seven papers to provide guidance for covered entities.