Hospital Access Management – March 1, 2014
March 1, 2014
View Issues
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Patients come with ACA questions: They view you as 'the experts'
Patient access is fielding many patient inquiries regarding how to obtain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). -
Access is helping patients obtain coverage
Here are some ways in which hospitals, including patient access areas, can connect patients to coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and secure a source of reimbursement for services, says Tricia Brooks, research associate professor and senior fellow at Georgetown University Center for Children and Families in Washington, DC. -
Fewer self-pays and less bad debt?
It is too soon to tell how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is affecting the number of self-pay patients seen by patient access areas. -
Webcast on enrollment highlights best practices
The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Department of Health and Human Services hosted a webcast on the important role hospitals and health systems continue to play in enrolling their communities in health insurance marketplaces under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. -
Pull staff from slow areas and save $190,000
Understaffing can decrease collections and increase wait times. -
Arrange weekends, holidays in advance
Give staff flexibility and ample notice. -
You should prepare now for switch to ICD-10
The switch to ICD-10 puts more emphasis on front-end processes, due to more specificity in coding and payer requirements. -
Access will need to ask clinical questions
Patient access employees can expect to hear this question often from patients, as a result of the switch to ICD-10. -
Identify correct patient every single time
Patient access departments are revamping processes for patient identification to protect the integrity of the medical record, prevent fraud, and decrease duplicate medical records. -
Patients are happy with palm vein scanning
In June 2013, Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, TX, implemented palm scanning technology in outpatient registration areas at one of its hospitals. -
Make sure evaluations are truly objective
Patient access departments are making staff evaluations more objective by using actual numbers such as collection totals and consent audits. -
Use these metrics for staff evaluations
There is no mystery about how patient access employees are evaluated at Littleton (CO) Adventist Hospital. -
Best practices issued for debt collection
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Register now to attend NAHAM's conference
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Booklet revised on discharge planning