Hospital Access Management
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Tried-and-true Method Gets the Word Out
Patient access gets bombarded with information in person, on email, and paper memos. There must be a way for staff to easily recognize that this information is something they need to review right away.
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Start Every Week by Announcing Priorities; End Week With Celebration
Never-ending changes for processes, requirements, and regulations mean a top challenge for revenue cycle leaders is how to disseminate all this information to staff. A facility in New Orleans has found success with two methods.
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Ask Patients for Input Before Revamping Registration
Before revenue cycle leadership proceeded with its detailed front-end modernization project at a Chicago hospital, they had to run it by some very important people — the hospital’s family advisory board. While it was time to take a fresh look at registration, admissions, and check-in, the group had to ensure that registration processes were not holding up patient care.
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TJC Surveyors Interested in Revenue Cycle Staff Capabilities
Anyone would expect TJC surveyors to ask how staff protect patient safety, not just in clinical areas but in the entire organization. But what about revenue cycle jobs and determining if someone is qualified to work in that department?
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Competencies, Training, and Fire Safety: All Fair Game During Joint Commission Surveys
Employees in clinical areas are aware that surveyors from The Joint Commission could arrive at the hospital at any time unannounced. The same is not always true for registration areas. But since registration and admission staff are the first employees patients meet, that means these employees also are the first ones surveyors will approach.
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Hospital Cited for Recording Psych Patient in ED
A Minnesota hospital violated patient privacy by recording patients without their knowledge or consent during psychiatric evaluations in the ED, according to a CMS investigation.
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Hefty HIPAA Penalties for Allowing TV Cameras in Hospitals
OCR has reaffirmed its position on television film crews in clinical care areas, issuing substantial fines on three hospitals that OCR says violated HIPAA by disclosing PHI to a broadcast news organization.
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Operational Issues Often Hamper Access to Patient Records
Research continues to show that patients are denied access to medical records because of HIPAA-related restrictions and processes. Sometimes, the problem is overzealous compliance efforts; other times, it is a mundane operational issue.
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Night Shift Registrars Want Face Time, Too
Bridging the communication gap between the day and night shifts.
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Use Patients’ Names 3 Times During Every Registration
Using input from patient surveys and advisory meetings, the patient access department at an Indiana-based facility recently made some changes in how registrars interact with patients. All were designed to improve customer service.