Many patient access departments are facing two opposing pressures right now: They are being asked to improve collections and help the hospital's bottom line, while at the same time, resources are being cut.
Obtaining copays and accurate insurance information in the emergency department is not easy - and, therefore, is often not done. The department is not only hectic, but the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) also presents obstacles unique to the ED.
This is the second of a two-part series on use of performance indicators in patient access. This month, we tell you how to use these data as tools to motivate staff. Last month, we covered ways to develop the most effective scorecards.
"Staff morale is always an issue for hospital access professionals," says Kathy Matthews, director of admitting and ED registration at Long Island College Hospital of Brooklyn (NY). For this reason, Matthews says she takes great pains to "let staff know what they're doing right."
At Hackensack (NJ) University Medical Center, patient access staff are taking steps to improve precertifications and registration accuracy by obtaining information electronically.
