Abbeville Area Medical Center
The Case: Abbeville County Memorial Hospital, Abbeville, SC
The Challenges
Responding to staff and patient needs, the financially strong hospital had broken ground for a new facility. But before its completion, a crisis in coding began to weaken cash flow. QHR helped the CFO swiftly respond to the challenges:
- Turnover of the health information management director position left the department without leadership
- One of two coders chose not to work after maternity leave
- Un-coded accounts climbed to 3,000; the month-long backlog bottlenecked billing
- Release of information had ballooned to a three-month backup: a compliance violation
- The tri-annual Joint Commission survey was imminent; the department was not ready
Q Solutions
The first concerns were the backlogs: asking the help of another QHR hospital client, the QHR consultant secured temporary services from two coders. Analyzing the department’s processes, QHR developed an action plan focused on efficiency and accuracy. A key to the plan’s success was a daily flash report, which provided a snapshot of issues and opportunities. While interviewing candidates for the open director position, QHR’s expert acted as unofficial interim director, implementing the plan and monitoring its progress. New job descriptions, revised workflows, updated policies and procedures and reorganized functions improved productivity while assuring compliance. With the newfound efficiency, and a new coder and a clerk hired, the department was equipped to keep coding current. When a director was selected - just one month before the Joint Commission survey - she had excellent technical skills and the right attitude, but lacked management experience. QHR supported her throughout the survey process and continues to mentor her in her management role. Improving communication, she has enhanced the medical staff’s documentation; QHR’s web-based educational programs continue to raise the department’s expertise.
The Outcome
In just eight months:
- The coding backlog was reduced from 3,000 accounts to under 300, and only four hold days
- Documentation issues were resolved; the hospital easily passed its Joint Commission survey
- Release of information was brought current
- With coding current and accurate, the team is focusing on improving billing and collections; days in accounts receivable are already trending downward, from 87 to 78
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"We couldn't have passed our Joint Commission survey without QHR's help... QHR rebuilt our medical records department... Now, with coding current, we can get our bills out on time."
Sheldon Bontreger
CFO Abbeville County Memorial HospitalRelated Services/Resources
