Perceptive Software Helps Ensure Timely Electronic Chart Completion For Indiana Hospital System
More than 420 physicians within the Methodist Hospitals system on two campuses between the towns of Gary and Merrillville, Ind. are finding one aspect of their job much easier today. Following the implementation of ImageNow by Perceptive Software with its Epic EHR environment, staffers at Methodist Hospitals can easily monitor and complete chart deficiencies directly from the Epic EMR.
Built using ImageNow document management, imaging, workflow and other enterprise content management (ECM) technology, the Perceptive Software solution for chart deficiency tracking enables Methodist Hospitals staff to capture patient documents, tie them to patient records and make them available to HIM analysts, physicians, coders and other authorized staff. HIM analysts can automatically and securely route patient charts among individuals and departments and track in real time the status of each chart and unit record in real time directly from Epic. While analyzing the patient chart, analysts easily assign deficiencies to physicians, such as signing documents, completing chart components and providing missing documents. Physicians can address deficiencies immediately from any location within the EMR.
"Almost immediately after go live, physical chart storage and processing in the HIM departments dramatically decreased as users became proficient with scanning charts immediately after discharge," said Dawn Smith, director of medical records, Methodist Hospitals. "With those charts scanned, physician requests for patient documents have continued to decrease, optimizing HIM resources. All users, including quality and case management, have embraced the ability to see all parts of the medical record electronically which has significantly deceased staff time pulling and re-filing."
Smith says that chart analysis and coding has also benefited by eliminating the time needed to organize and deliver charts to analysts and coders.
"We expect to be able to measure increased efficiency by deficiency completion and aging, and billing remittance aging," added Smith.
According to Smith, solution implementation was seamless and satisfied the tight timeline that Perceptive Software and Epic were given.
"Our implementation was extremely smooth, which I believe resulted from a very focused and engaged Perceptive Software team and a highly available Epic project team," said Smith.
About Perceptive Software
Since 1995 Perceptive Software has built enterprise content management software, including ImageNow®, to help organizations effortlessly manage the entire lifecycle of their documents and information, fueling greater operational efficiency. More than 2,500 organizations in 30 countries rely on Perceptive Software to simplify their business processes through innovative ECM solutions that create immediate and lasting impact. For more information, visit www.perceptivesoftware.com.
SOURCE: Perceptive Software