Sep 6, 2017 | News and Events
Exploring Driver #4 of the “5 Things You Must Know Now About Release of Health Information”
By: Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, FAHIMA
This blog series on transforming release of health information has examined the increased demand for information, the need to mitigate risk and control to costs. We outlined the need for sound work process design supported by workflow technology as an essential requirement for ROI today. In this third blog, we explore the need to scale technology-enabled workflow from a single site—a hospital or clinic—to the enterprise.
Enterprise may seem a lofty word but it works well to describe the need to scale-up ROI. Enterprise refers to a business (the entire health system) or a project (managing access and disclosure of protected health information). It is the term customarily used to describe the software version needed to support a whole organization. A healthcare organization doesn’t purchase multiple copies of the single user version of Microsoft 10 to support the whole organization, it gets the enterprise version to save money and ensure that the whole team is securely working together on the same platform.
Best practice for ROI requires a uniform set of policies and procedures that are sanctioned for use throughout the organization. It requires that mechanisms are in place to ensure that the sanctioned policies and procedures are being applied wherever ROI occurs in the healthcare organization, whether in a medical practice, the ED, or a hospital. ROI can no longer be siloed, with each part of the enterprise handling requests and releases as it sees fit. A standardized approach is needed, as is a process for escalating issues for timely resolution. In today’s complex work environments it’s almost impossible to ensure uniformity in a decentralized process without the use of uniform workflow technology.
Many healthcare organizations are going a step further and centralizing all release of information because this approach offers greater opportunity to mitigate risk, control cost, and improve service to customers. They may do this in-house with their own staff or outsource all or part of the function. Again, what ensures uniform practice is the use of a common technology platform designed to guide compliant workflow that allows managers to track and trend processing and release quality and productivity. Many successful Verisma customers are demonstrating the tangible value of this approach. In fact, Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, MO will address their results at the upcoming AHIMA 2017 Convention in LA (Monday, October 9th, 1-2 pm).
HIM managers may consider the following questions as they assess how best to reduce ROI cost and risk while improving service through enterprise-wide standardization:
- Can we map the current ROI practices across the enterprise? Where are requests for information being received and processed? Are current policies and processes well outlined and up-to-date? How do we measure how well they are being adhered to?
- What is the opportunity to centralize using technology-enabled workflow tools? How can we make the case for cost savings, improved compliance and better service? Whose support will be needed to effect this change?
- Given the organizations current capabilities, is it best to centralize through outsourcing, insourcing or a hybrid combination?
In our final post in the series, we will explore Driver #5 Enterprise ROI Improves Customer Satisfaction of the “5 Things You Must Know Now About Release of Health Information.” In the meantime, please send your questions or comments to solutions@verisma.com.
Jun 21, 2017 | News and Events
By: Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, FAHIMA
How are leading healthcare organizations dealing with new regulations and challenges in release of confidential health information? Verisma explored this question at its first annual Disclosure Management Summit (user conference) this past May and confirmed five critical drivers for transformational change.
1. ROI Volume and Complexity is on the Rise
A typical academic medical center may process over 150,000 health record requests from patients and third parties each year. Requests are increasing in volumes year–over–year and the typical health system is more complex with the expansion of service lines and consolidations with ambulatory practices. Electronic health records allow access to digital information, but require careful assessment that information to be released is accurately obtained from multiple systems and often in multiple formats.
2. ROI Process Variation Across a Health System is Costly
The only way to reduce cost is to reduce preventable process variation through an end-to-end ROI workflow design. Healthcare is coming to understand this and is embracing lean and six sigma techniques across clinical and administrative functions. ROI processes that vary from site to site across the health systems adds costs. ROI is ripe for redesign to realize tangible cost reductions.
3. ROI Process Variation is Risky
ROI is an administrative process that must conform to federal and state laws and organizational standards and policy. The only way to reduce compliance risk is to build in compliance checks throughout the end-to-end ROI workflow and to build in full accountability to track and reduce errors and risks. Health systems can no longer tolerate inconsistent and ad hoc ROI processes across the enterprise.
4. Enterprise Standardization Reduces Cost and Mitigates Risk
Best-practices in ROI calls for a uniform set of policies and procedures across the entire health care enterprise. Uniformity in turn, requires technology to guide compliant workflow and allow managers to track and trend processing and release quality and productivity. Health systems will organize ROI services according to their goals and objectives, but technology-enable standardization is essential whether ROI is centralized, decentralized or outsourced.
5. Enterprise ROI Improves Customer Satisfaction
Best ROI practice health systems report important gains in customer satisfaction from standardization. Regardless of whether the patient initiates a request at the physician’s office or hospital, the request process is the same and he/she is able to secure the complete record without going from site to site. Enterprise ROI is an important element of a health system’s overall customer engagement initiative.
It’s time to modernize Release of Health Information with enterprise-wide compliant technology and up-to-date management practices. Learn how health systems using Verisma’s ROI and disclosure management technology and services are moving from siloes to enterprise approaches that are reducing risk and cost, while improving the satisfaction of patients and staff. To learn more about how Verisma can help transform ROI in your organization, contact us at solutions@verisma.com or call us directly at 866.390.7404.
In our subsequent blog posts, we will explore and dive deeper into each of these five critical drivers and we hope that you will engage and share your thoughts with us.
May 16, 2017 | News and Events
Seasoned Industry Professional Brings Deep Industry Expertise to Execute on Verisma’s Technology Roadmap; Healthcare Customers to Benefit from Innovative Solutions
ALEXANDRIA, VA. – May 16, 2017 – Verisma, the leader in release of information (ROI) automation systems for the healthcare industry, today announced its new senior vice president of research and development, Anupriyo Chakravarti. Anupriyo brings 25 years of experience as a highly effective leader in healthcare IT product management and software development for both Fortune 500 companies and startups. In this newly created position, he will work closely with Verisma’s Chief Technology Officer to develop and execute the organization’s vision, strategy and roadmap for software development, supporting the company’s growth and innovation.
“Anupriyo is going to lead our team in executing on strategic imperatives that will ensure we continue to exceed healthcare providers’ expectations,” remarked Marty McKenna, CEO of Verisma. “We consider this role critical to our leadership braintrust whose mission is to formulate cutting edge technology that sets the standard for enterprise-wide ROI automation and disclosure management solutions. To do this, we will leverage his extensive healthcare IT background, deep knowledge of product management and marketing lifecycles, and a demonstrated ability to build strong communication pathways internally and with customers.”
Anupriyo joins Verisma after serving as the vice president of product management and marketing at McKesson, where he led the product management and marketing functions of the Extended Care Services (ECS) business unit. Before McKesson, he worked for thirteen years at Surgical Information Systems (SIS), heading up the product management team to deliver solutions for the surgery and anesthesia departments at health systems and ambulatory surgery centers. Prior to working with SIS, Anupriyo worked for Arthur Andersen, Ryder Dedicated Logistics, IBM and TATA Motors. In addition, Anupriyo has twelve years of hands-on programming experience and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee in India.
Anupriyo Chakravarti concludes: “My passion for discovery, modernization and execution combined with 25 years of leadership experience are what brought me to this role. Verisma is well known for their technology prowess and their commitment to improving the customer experience with innovative solutions. I am thrilled to be joining Verisma’s high-performance culture, and to be working with such a motivated team of professionals.”
About Verisma
Verisma is a health information technology provider focused on delivering unparalleled Release of Information (ROI) solutions to the healthcare industry. The company’s flagship ROI Automation System, Verisma® Release Manager (VRM), is utilized by well-known health care organizations nationwide. VRM automates workflow to improve turnaround times, reduce errors, and drive down costs – effectively automating medical records release while delivering comprehensive release audit capabilities. It is the only release technology with integrated HIPAA guidance and compliance review support. For additional information, please visit our website at www.verisma.com, call 866-390-7404 or email solutions@verisma.com
Feb 22, 2017 | News and Events
By: Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, FAHIMA
Historically known as a ‘back office’ HIM function, release of Information (ROI) policies and processes are gaining greater attention for three key reasons:
- The number of requests for information and the volume of information per request continue to increase.
People are more aware of the importance of accessing their own information to be informed and engaged participants in their health care. Third party requests are increasing to support a range of expanding uses. While electronic health records (EHRs) and other information technology have digitized PHI, ROI is not accomplished by pushing a button. Information must be retrieved from a range of source systems and it must be reviewed for accuracy and completeness, while assessing responding to requests with the minimum necessary.
- New federal access and disclosure guidance promotes patient access, shrinks allowable fees and opens back channels to PHI.
We applaud the 2016 Federal Access and Disclosure Guidance[1] for its focus on increasing individual’s access to their health records. An unintended consequence of the guidance, however, has been an increase in the number of third party requests attempting to circumvent required approaches. The guidance also reduces allowable fees to the point that they no longer offset the real costs of release functions.
- Complex health systems have multiple points of PHI disclosure vulnerability that need to be mitigated.
Each physician practice and hospital that is part of a health system can no longer handle ROI in its own way. Today’s health systems must use consistent policies across the enterprise in order to ensure compliance in protecting the privacy rights of individuals. Health systems must also focus on uniform, efficient practices supported by technology to manage in today’s cost constrained environment.
Whether performed by providers’ own staff or outsourced, there is a need for an end-to-end rethinking of ROI. It is a new day for ROI. Today’s release functions require smart technology to support the end-to-end workflow from receipt of a request through fulfillment. All HIM functions have been profoundly impacted by technology. Technology has elevated staffing for ROI from clerical work to skilled knowledge work. Effective ROI today also requires management tools to monitor and improve productivity and accuracy. It needs compliance guidance and safeguards to ensure that it is being performed according to changing requirements and regulations.
ROI transformation is driven by patients—by all of us—who increasingly rely on timely information for care coordination at home and across our personal networks of care providers. ROI has its roots in the Principles of Fair Information Practice that assert the rights of individuals:
- to know what information is maintained about them,
- to obtain a copy in an intelligible form within a reasonable time,
- to challenge if a request for access is denied or delayed,
- to have data amended.
HIPAA baked these principles into law and made protected health information (PHI) part of our vocabulary.
Verisma is launching this blog to explore the changing demands and opportunities of this new day for ROI. Over the coming months, authors will focus on key drivers of ROI change, spotlighting solutions and emerging best-practices in the industry. We hope you will engage with the authors, sharing your thoughts and insights. Together we can accelerate the transformation and modernization of the future of ROI in healthcare.
[1] https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/access/index.html
Feb 8, 2017 | News and Events
Version 5.0 Enhances User Experience, Simplifies Release of Information Workflow and Reduces Inefficiencies
Alexandria, VA – February 8, 2017 – Verisma, the leader in release of information (ROI) automation systems for the healthcare industry, today announced the deployment of Verisma Release Manager (VRM) Version 5.0. The company’s newest release delivers a customized user experience that increases visibility and simplifies and streamlines the ROI workflow.
VRM is a patented, cloud-based ROI technology platform that automates workflows across the enterprise. It combines next-generation technology design and comprehensive services to ensure the secure exchange of PHI. Unique features include built-in HIPAA guidance and QA review support; self-service online submission tool; proactive decision making with robust analytics tools; and technology assisted review capabilities.
“The latest version of Verisma Release Manager streamlines the ROI process even further; improves ease of use with new interfaces and features; and increases visibility and accountability for HIM management,” remarked Marty McKenna, CEO of Verisma. “Verisma’s ROI technology continues to deliver advanced solutions that our clients have come to expect and demand.”
VRM Version 5.0 includes valuable new features and benefits:
- User & Supervisor Performance Snapshot: Integrates analytical insights to the users and departmental supervisors at the beginning of the ROI workflow. Pro-actively presents easy-to-understand visuals of individual and departmental performance based on crucial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Users Tasks and Notifications: Significantly enhances compliance by providing real-time actions and alerts for sensitive and high-risk requests. Streamlines the ROI workflow by replacing the inefficiencies of emails and phone calls.
- Single Sign-On: Improves efficiency and compliance by enabling one set of login credentials to be used not just within the Verisma suite of solutions, but enterprise-wide for healthcare organizations that embrace this technology.
VRM Version 5.0 is available now. For additional information, please visit www.verisma.com, call 866-390-7404 or email solutions@verisma.com.
About Verisma
Verisma is a health information technology provider focused on delivering unparalleled Release of Information (ROI) solutions to the healthcare industry. The company’s flagship ROI Automation System, Verisma® Release Manager (VRM), is utilized by well-known health care organizations nationwide. VRM automates workflow to improve turnaround times, reduce errors, and drive down costs – effectively automating medical records release while delivering comprehensive release audit capabilities. It is the only release technology with integrated HIPAA guidance and compliance review support. For additional information, please visit our website at www.verisma.com, call 866-390-7404 or email solutions@verisma.com
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