Forty-three percent of the administrators cite the following obstacles to electronically streamlining documentation:
- lack of interface with scheduling software and other existing systems;
- lack of capital investment;
- lack of software that will capture their patient mix; and
- lack of personnel to implement a new system.
In addition, 49 percent have concerns revenue may be lost in the implementation process.
Nearly one-fourth of the ASC administrators do not know their current per chart document management costs; among those who are aware, 69 percent place this cost between $3.00 and $8.99.
“In 2008, CMS begins a four-year phase-in of a new ASC reimbursement schedule; it also added approximately 800 surgical procedures that qualify for reimbursement when performed in the ASC setting,” says Arvind Subramanian, the president and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health Clinical Solutions and ProVation Medical. “These changes present both opportunities and challenges for ASCs and compel them to examine best documentation and billing practices, which directly impact revenue and reimbursement. Relying on paper in an era of electronic documentation and communication is inefficient and expensive.”
In the survey, 175 administrators considered these combined changes and estimated future revenue at their ASCs, making predictions based on full phase-in of the new reimbursement schedule. Forty-two percent of ASC administrators expect decreased revenue at their sites; of these administrators, 50 percent believe GI services will negatively impact revenue. Of those who anticipate increased revenue at their sites, 36 percent believe orthopedic services will have a positive effect on revenue.
The study was commissioned by Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students. Wolters Kluwer Health provides electronic procedure documentation and patient charting solutions for hospitals and ASCs through its ProVation Medical brand. For More on Provation Medical, go here.
