This new role can revamp the way your ED collects
This new role can revamp the way your ED collects
ED registrar position created
A lead emergency department registrar position was created at Swedish Covenant Hospital, in order to improve collections in this challenging patient population, says Rose Jeanfreau, director of patient access Services at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago.
Here are the responsibilities of this new role:
serves as department advocate, second in command to the ED registration manager;
coordinates operational workflows and staffing to ensure the timely and efficient processing of patients;
promptly resolves any staff, patient, physician or interdepartmental concerns;
assists staff and surrounding departments, including public safety, laboratory, and central transport, in crisis-oriented situations and offers alternatives in problematic situations;
provides assistance to the ED management team during periods of escalation, including bed alert and bypass;
provides cross-coverage needs;
performs quality assurance checks for accuracy and integrity of account data, and provides feedback to the ED manager and employees;
strengthens current processes involving the collection of patient co-pays, outstanding balances, and high deductibles;
supports patient financial counseling functions in the ED.
The team lead position originally was created for ED registration, but this position will be added to other areas. "There is a need for team lead positions in other access service areas," says Jeanfreau. "I have 50 employees in access services with two 24-hour operating departments. My intention is to eventually have staff team lead positions in our outpatient registration/insurance verification area and call center."
Jeanfreau says that her new ED team lead position is still too new to demonstrate specific metrics for how much collections have increased. "However, our co-pay and self-pay collections process at discharge has improved," she reports.
Other initiatives to improve ED collections at Swedish Covenant include a 60-day ED financial counseling pilot, which is underway, involving the use of patient financial counselors in the ED upon discharge. Also, to identify out-of-network patients coming to the ED, a flow sheet was put together collaboratively by access services, the ED management team, bed board, and case management.
Already, the ED team lead has been able to satisfactorily resolve concerns and issues with patients and surrounding departments. "This results in less finger-pointing and less frequent after-hours calls to the ED registration manager or director," says Jeanfreau.
There also has been a decrease in the number of incomplete or inaccurate registrations and duplicate medical record numbers at time of patient admission, and a decrease in staff tardiness. "With the recent H1N1 outbreak, our ED team lead was able to provide assistance to patients, the ED management team, and bed coordinator during escalation periods," says Jeanfreau.
A lead emergency department registrar position was created at Swedish Covenant Hospital, in order to improve collections in this challenging patient population, says Rose Jeanfreau, director of patient access Services at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago.Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.