Guest Spot: Hospital Health Check

Contributed by: Sara McNeil, President, Boston Software Systems

The healthcare industry is arguably the largest business segment in the world, comprised of care facilities and caregivers as well as insurers, drug companies, clinical equipment and technology providers. Consumers struggle with different insurance plans and increasing costs. Providers work to improve quality of care, while maintaining financial viability.

It is disheartening to hear about accounts of patients arriving at an emergency room with hopes of being quickly treated only to encounter the inevitable—long wait time and lots of paperwork to complete before being examined. And even then, as they are shuffled from one department to another, they continue to fill out more forms that ask for the same information. As the healthcare business becomes increasingly competitive, administrators must recognize the importance of improving the patient’s overall experience by streamlining the flow of information throughout the organization.

One of the key challenges facing hospitals is the need to provide high-quality, efficient patient care, while keeping the hospital operating smoothly. However, as patient care gets more complex, so do the paperwork and processes. Consider the variety of information that affects a patient’s record. In addition to critical care information, there are financial records, demographic records, insurance claims, inventory accountability...it seems endless. Behind all of these touch-points are innumerable workflows and processes, including repetitive, time-consuming tasks that are done manually and filled with inaccuracies. One of the ways hospitals can boost efficiency is by streamlining back-office functions and tackling manual tasks with workflow automation technology.

These development tools allow hospital IT staff to automate workflow processes by performing manual tasks significantly faster and without errors. IT staff may automate a single time-consuming manual task, a series of tasks that make up a particular workflow, or act as an electronic manager to ensure users are following a prescribed process. Using sophisticated scripting technology, these tools can connect new technologies to legacy systems, allow a hospital to introduce new applications or systems, reduce manual workflow and improve the flow of information.

An example of the benefits of automating workflow is at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Mass. The hospital was having problems attaching accurate patient information to specimens going from clinics and physician offices to the hospital's lab. In some cases, only handwritten patient information would accompany the specimen, creating many inaccuracies including wrong insurance, wrong address or simply illegible writing. As a result, lab personnel were spending too much time registering patients, which delayed ordering lab work and ultimately caused billing delays, costly corrections and re-billing issues. Doctors and patients shouldn’t have to wait any longer than necessary to receive critical lab results.

Mount Auburn automated the process of pre-registering patients and specimens. Now, when a patient specimen is taken, the doctor’s office sends patient information to a text file in the IDX physician system. The process at the hospital runs continuously, automatically logging in to physician offices' IDX systems to check for new files with patients to be registered.

When a patient file has been added, the information is automatically picked up, the patient is registered into the hospital’s MEDITECH system and an audit of all transactions is produced. In addition, an Excel spreadsheet that details all of the actual data sent from the physician's office is generated. Both files are produced daily and are date stamped, and the actual data is backed up. At the end of the day, a copy of the exception report and the Excel spreadsheet is emailed to a distribution list for review.

As a result, Mount Auburn has saved significant lab time and prevented many costly mistakes. The hospital has also seen faster turn-around in billing and fewer corrections. Lab personnel are now able to spend more time ordering lab work instead of registering patients.

From registration to billing, patients deserve to have a smooth, seamless experience. It is important to keep healthcare workers productive and keep facilities financially healthy so they can meet patients’ needs. By maximizing the benefits of automation technology, hospitals contribute to the broader vision of improved patient care, operational efficiency and revenue enhancement.

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Sara McNeil is President of Boston Software Systems. Based in Boston, MA, Boston Software Systems is the leading standard for workflow automation and system integration software, enabling healthcare organizations to streamline complex business processes and improve productivity. For more information, visit www.bostonsoftwaresystems.com.