We asked our top Revenue Cycle Consultant, Dawnell Buell, what the most common issues she encountered in the field concerning the use of EMR systems. Today we want to share what she said were the most common and critical to a healthy revenue cycle and finely tuned billing department.
1. Automation
EMRs are complex systems and many organizations struggle to take advantage of some of their best features such as automation. “One of the biggest missed opportunities I see is a failure to automate things like eligibility, updating, or your paper authorization workflow,” says Dawnell. “Doing these tasks manually not only wastes time, it results in more errors.”
2. Update the EAP or Chargemaster
“Many systems I encounter are running off of old fee schedules.” She tells us. The chargemaster functionality is arguably the most integral part of the EMR system in terms of the revenue cycle. A failure to update this information can have a ripple effect from denials or over/under payment to undercharging and even compliance violations.
3. Monitor and Report
EMRs provide a number of opportunities for monitoring productivity. “So much is revealed through the proper work queue reporting and too often I see organizations failing to take advantage of even the most basic standard reports.” Dawnell says she finds that providers are usually surprised at how easy it is to track KPIs in their systems, “They (EMRs) are robust and so can be intimidating but you can’t let that paralyze operations.”
Dawnell tells us the key to getting the most out of your EMR is as easy as asking the question, “Is there a tool for that?” Health systems and providers should take the time to examine manual work and discover opportunities for automating those tasks. “When working to their full potential your EMR should lower operational costs, improve productivity, and reinforce positive patient relationships.”
If you’re having difficulty with an EMR implementation or want assistance getting the most out of your system, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Experts like Dawnell are standing by to help.
Connect with Dawnell Buell on LinkedIn or send her a message.