Hospital Access Management 2006-08-01

Wake Forest initiative hastens ID of patients mislabeled 'self-pay'

A Six Sigma project at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, has significantly quickened the identification of patients who initially are listed as self-pay but found to have insurance after being admitted.

'Learning Exchange' promotes staff awareness

While it's more typical for Six Sigma projects to have participants in one, or maybe two, departments, a recent patient financial services initiative included staff from four.

THR's on-line training meets consistency goal

A customized on-line training program for patient access employees at Arlington-based Texas Health Resources (THR) is improving performance, helping to ensure compliance with policies and procedures, and enhancing proficiency across the 13-hospital system.

'Improvement Councils' build system-wide unity

After Texas Health Resources (THR) was formed in 1997 from the merger of Fort Worth-based Harris Methodist Health System and Dallas-based Presbyterian Healthcare Resources, a series of councils was created to help foster "systemness."

Director toasts staff on 'New Year's Eve'

Patient access staff at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center-Presbyterian in Philadelphia scheduled a New Year's Eve party at the end of June as a way of celebrating their achievements during the just-ended fiscal year.

Video conferencing streamlines ASL service

Caregivers at Hamot Medical Center in Erie, PA, are using a video interpreting program that allows deaf patients "to be treated as quickly as anyone else".

Initiatives aim to enhance patient communications

A report offering guidelines to help health care organizations ensure effective, patient-centered communications with patients of diverse backgrounds has been released by the American Medical Association (AMA) Ethical Force Program.

Providence policies called 'fair, just'

Providence Health System's charity care and financial assistance policies are "fair, just, and reasonable," according to a Multnomah County Circuit judge who gave final approval to the settlement of a class-action lawsuit.

News Briefs

Among the major changes cited by the JCAHO in its recently announced 2007 National Patient Safety Goals is the extension of a requirement that accredited organizations define and communicate the means by which patients and their families can report safety concerns.

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Compliance with HIPPA privacy regulation is dropping

While the majority of health care facilities continue to essentially be in compliance with HIPAA privacy and security regulations, the number that consider themselves more than 85% compliant with the privacy regulation has dropped in the last year.

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Texas court allows info release despite HIPAA

A four-judge Texas Court of Appeals panel has ruled the state Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation must release statistics about alleged sexual assaults at state mental hospitals ...

Hospital Access Management – August 1, 2006

August 1, 2006