As per data collected back in 2020, about 89% of the healthcare organizations and individual provider offices adopted EHR systems. However, many providers still do not want to invest in and manage EHR systems in their practices. EHR systems boost efficiency and work as a perfect partner for storing necessary data for healthcare organizations. But at the same time, the high cost of acquisition and steep maintenance costs have discouraged a few providers from using this system.
Several physicians have heavily invested their time and energy to set up EHR systems. However, many others have not put in much effort with EHR but instead upgraded the RCM systems in place. But how are both of these related? Having a proper EHR channel with updated information and easy-to-use features could be the first step toward eliminating the existing redundancies in your RCM process. You can significantly enhance your revenue cycle billing with the help of the correct EHR integration and implementation. Read to know how.
1.What does EHR integration with revenue cycle billing mean?
EHR systems and the revenue cycle billing systems are two vital pillars of functionality in a healthcare organization. EHR integration with RCM means that both the systems will no longer work as independent islands but have a clear flow of data and information between them. EHR contains several crucial data points that are used in the revenue cycle management process. These data points can then be transferred within the systems without the additional burden of manual copying or sending files.
2.Can EHR be integrated into legacy revenue cycle billing systems?
Yes. You can very well integrate EHR systems with your legacy revenue cycle billing systems. However, you will need advanced technical expertise to complete the process of building HL7 interfaces. These interfaces will be responsible for the smooth flow of data like patient demographic information and charges within the systems. You can also opt for EHR systems with pre-built clinic management software so that you can start using it right away.
3.How does EHR integration help in speeding up the claiming process?
Cross checking patient data and filling up the claim forms can take up a considerable amount of time for the billing team. Moreover, there are several errors that pop up while transferring the data, which could potentially harm your cash flow. Integrated EHR systems pull the required data from the patient forms and medical records to fill in the claim form. The system can automatically fill up the electronic claim form so that the time consumed is much lesser on your part. On the other hand, you can also use the software solution to run checks throughout the forms to see if there is any discrepancy between the EHR and the claim submitted. All these advantages boost the revenue cycle billing workflow leaving lesser chances of error.
4.Can EHR integration improve your clean claim rate?
Getting a clean claim in the first attempt is a thing several healthcare organizations aim for, but few get successful. Healthcare organizations are often burdened with revenue cycle billing issues, with a few teams handling all functions at once, leading to an increase in errors. Avoidable errors like incorrect insurance details or inaccurate patient information could negatively impact the organization’s revenue integrity. With an EHR integration, the platform will show you the incomplete fields and any suspected errors before the final submission. Eliminating the practice of manual typing of details also reduces the chances of mistakes.
5.How does EHR integration with revenue cycle billing make your process time efficient?
Manual intervention in revenue cycle billing workloads often leads to wrongful coding and inaccurate data. Often the issue is such that the error in the revenue cycle billing workflow is not noticed initially but at the very end, making it next to impossible to trace back. The billing team then has a hard time figuring out at which stage of the process the error took place. With the EHR integrated with your revenue cycle billing process, a large part of the manual workflow is reversed. The software platforms used for integration purposes often have the in-built feature to show you if there is any mismatch between the data in the EHR and the data in the claim form. It saves the entire cycle of looking for the error and then rectifying it, making the process extremely time-efficient.
6.What are the challenges in the way of integrating EHR?
The providers often face several interoperability challenges when it comes to EHR with the revenue cycle billing systems. There are some concerns regarding the practicality of working with separate vendors for a single goal. Firstly, the lack of APIs or standard information-exchange protocols is a huge concern. Apart from that, it would be best to find a suitable vendor who is willing to share information and help you with scalability. Quite a few providers are not sure about the security measures in place to protect their patient’s information.
7.What are the security measures you should consider?
HIPAA is the gold standard of security for using sensitive healthcare data in digital workflows, including integrating EHR. Hence your vendor for EHR integration must be HIPAA compliant so that the sensitive PHI is safeguarded from potential risks. For example, encrypting data in EHR integration is a primary requirement, or else it can pose a high degree of risk to the healthcare organization. You should also be particularly invested in your IT infrastructure to ensure that you have a comprehensive system to manage interoperability. However, please remember that HIPAA is only a building block of security standardization. Ask your vendor about what other layers of safety they can provide.
Comparing the different scenarios of EHR integration, it is widely evident that the advantages of having EHR integration outweigh the risks that come with it. You need not worry, especially when you have a HIPAA-compliant vendor to help you with your integration journey. Get in touch with a professional RCM company to know how they can help you integrate your revenue cycle billing with your EHR system.
We hope this article helped you understand how EHR integration can help boost your revenue cycle billing efforts. Please connect with us in the comment section below in case of any queries. Subscribe to our blog for regular articles on the medical billing industry. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more.