Operating Revenue:
Accounts Receivable Crisis

HSM 543 Health Service Finance

I have conducted several evaluations into our current issues of improving the financial well-being of our hospital. I have several ideas that would create positive revenue and decrease quality assurance issues. I have a few considerations on how we could improve and reinforce our current accounts receivables issues. It will take the assistance from many of the departments such as admissions/registration, chart documentation, claims processing, payment posting, charge capture, and secondary billing/patient follow up. These areas are critical for the modifications to have sustaining results.
A clerk added to the night shift from 11pm to 7 am would drastically reduce errors in registration and admissions. This allows for the emergency room staff to concentrate on their jobs which is taking care of the patients. The proper registration and insurance information allows the registration clerk to bill the right insurance company based on the codes documented for that company and patient. This action would need to be budgeted for and several interviews done to locate two experienced clerks from the current pool or two new hires. Also, adding new management software would create a log of changes, errors, overrides, etc. that a knowledgeable Quality Assurance Manager can use to provide check and balance. These improvements would reduce the errors in admissions and claims processing.
The next area needs improving charting and use of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR). There are several ways to repair this problem retraining, changing the suspension policy in regards documenting, etc. The two doctors need to be directed and given n extensive retraining for the use of the EMR. This will ensure they can retrieve the correct patient and their information. During this training, these