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A case study illustrating how WebDocs simplified billing and records management for a hospital data center.

Background
Kansas-based Midwest Health System (MHS) Data Center is a hospital management company that manages billing and other services for 29 rural hospitals in Kansas and Nebraska with a total of 650 acute care beds.

Challenge
Managing healthcare billing is a major challenge for hospitals. Insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, each have their own complex documentation requirements and precise specifications as to which medical tests, procedures and medications are covered under certain conditions.

To overcome this challenge and to achieve other efficiencies, MHS centralized the billing function for all of its hospitals, but this created another challenge. When a patient registers at one of the hospitals his or her current health insurance identification must be compared to the card, if any, that is on file. If necessary, a new copy must be created and stored.

The problem is that patients present their cards at the local hospital, but the remote central billing office needs immediate access to the information on those cards. MHS needed a system that could store electronic document images and make them instantly available over a network. They also wanted an easy-to-use system that could integrate with MedSeries4, the hospital’s patient management system, to capture and store patient registration and insurance data and route all types of information to cut down on manual workflow. Lastly, they wanted a system that could help them abide by the very strict privacy and data security regulations of HIPAA.

Solution
MHS chose WebDocs to scan and electronically store and manage document images and other files, including PC files, emails and computer generated reports. The software also helps automate workflow by integrating with the MedSeries4 system to accelerate the registration process. When registering a patient, the system now links seamlessly with WebDocs to show the registration clerk the most recent heath insurance card image on file.

The clerk is required to verify that the image matches the patient’s current card. If not, the system requires the clerk to scan the new card, which is automatically indexed by WebDocs before registration can continue. All of this happens within MedSeries4 without the clerk needing to manually launch a separate application, which is something that the ASP was unable to offer.

Results
WebDocs has helped MHS create efficiencies that dramatically improve their bottom line. Information is easier to find, use, share and billing is expedited. MHS has moved the storage of a variety of digital files that were housed in Microsoft Office SharePoint to WebDocs, and is loading old health records into WebDocs to make electronic images of those records easily accessible to authorized personnel. In addition, the data center is working with RJS to look at using WebDocs to automate pharmacy workflows at the hospitals.

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About Josh
A proud graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, Josh is the Editor-in-Chief of this blog and regularly contributes Friday Fun Links, RJS news and interesting technology notes. Prior to joining RJS, Josh worked at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis. Outside of work, Josh enjoys the outdoors, fantasy football, classic movies, baseball and wine.