Hospital Access Management articles from April 2003

Hospital Access Management archives from April 2003

`Seamless' new call center improves facility's customer service and billing: one call can answer patients' hospital and physician billing questions.
April 1, 2003... Providence Health System in Portland, OR, has improved customer service and gained staff efficiency by creating a call center that allows patients to handle physician and hospital billing questions with one telephone call. "We were trying...

LOS reduced as system hones case management: bed management, discharge initiatives cited.
April 1, 2003... It's been more than a decade since Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network in Allentown, PA, took its discharge planning and utilization management functions and created a resource utilization department with a single director, says Susan...

Mission: improve, expand centralized outpatient reg: training and coding issues addressed.
April 1, 2003... When Anthony M. Bruno, MPA, MEd, took on the challenge of creating an access department at Philadelphia's Presbyterian Medical Center, part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), one of his first hires was Colette Howerton, who...

Veteran AM moves to collections, gets results: impact of registration mistakes are clearer. (Career Paths).
April 1, 2003... Martine Saber, CHAM, had something of an awakening when she assumed her current position as director of support services for HCA Healthcare in Palm Harbor, FL. As a longtime patient access director, she was well aware of the importance of...

HIPAA security rule now in its final form: signature standard not included.
April 1, 2003... Final security standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for protecting patient health information when it is maintained or transmitted electronically have been adopted by the Department of Health and Human...

EMTALA issues involved in smallpox vaccinations: ED must treat those with reactions.
April 1, 2003... Whether or not your hospital staff decide to participate in a voluntary smallpox vaccination program, there are Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) issues involved by virtue of the fact that anyone is giving them, says Stephen...

Try to avoid sensitive material in your e-mail: simple guidelines protect patients and staff.
April 1, 2003... The SCPIE Companies, an insurer in Los Angeles, recently offered its own advice on reducing the risk of e-mail communication in health care. In addition to endorsing the eRisk guidelines, SCPIE says health care providers must be careful about...

NAHAM conference scheduled May 3-6.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) will hold its annual conference and exposition, "Expedition to Excellence," May 3-6 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel. Workshops will cover such topics as "Best...

AHRQ launches web site to aid in quality measure.(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)(National Quality Measures Clearinghouse )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has launched a web-based National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) designed to be a one-stop shop for hospitals, physicians, health plans and others interested in quality measures. ...

Bill to help hospitals fund immigrant care.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In what is likely to be welcome news for hospitals burdened with the cost of caring for undocumented aliens, federal legislation has been introduced that would reimburse providers for the cost of emergency care for these individuals. A...

Bush signs funding bill giving more to hospitals.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... More than $800 million in increased spending or hospitals is included in the omnibus spending bill signed in late February by President Bush. The legislation includes a $300 million increase from April 1 through Sept. 20 in Medicare...

2003 reader survey.
April 1, 2003... In an effort to learn more about the professionals who read Hospital Access Management, we are conducting this reader survey. The results will be used to enhance the content and format of the publication. Please circle the appropriate...