Patient Record Management: Strategic Solution to Admins for Hospital Staff Shortages

With a looming shortage of healthcare professionals, managing patient records efficiently is more crucial than ever. By offshoring these tasks, you ensure your records are organized and ready before patient visits, lightening your administrative load and boosting data accuracy. This forward-thinking approach streamlines your operations, improves patient outcomes, and keeps you HIPAA compliant. Plus, it frees up your busy staff to focus on what they do best—delivering top-notch patient care. Embrace this strategy to optimize patient record management and enhance efficiency in your healthcare facility.

Introduction

Recently, the American Hospital Association (AHA) warned about a trend that is difficult to ignore. Their most recent research indicates that by 2026, the U.S. healthcare sector may require an additional 3.2 million jobs.

What causes this shortage? Three main problems: low staffing ratios, aging workforces, and high burnout rates. As a result, it is becoming more difficult to meet the increasing needs of patient record management.

As someone involved in precharting services, we know this trend might hit close to home. Fewer staff means more pressure on you to handle Patient record management efficiently and accurately. It’s daunting, but knowing what’s ahead can help you prepare.

As providers of precharting services, we are aware that this tendency may affect us personally. If there are fewer staff members, you will be under additional pressure for accurate patient record management and efficiency. It’s intimidating, but knowing what lies ahead will help you become ready.

Patient record management is already being greatly impacted by such staffing issues. According to a WellSky poll, for instance, the percentage of patients turned away by post-acute care institutions has increased dramatically. In the last quarter of 2022, skilled nursing facilities turned away 76% of patients, a significant increase over previous years. This spike puts even greater strain on your administrative staff, who are already overworked and finding it difficult to handle the extra work.

Source: What Is Patient Record Management System (PRMS)

The sharp spike in referral rejections is mainly due to the acute staffing shortage, which limits skilled care institutions’ ability to take on new patients. Your administrative personnel are already overworked and finding it tough to keep up with their expectations, and this situation only makes their workload heavier.

Additionally, a study from Tulane University found that staffing deficits increase the likelihood of errors, lengthen wait times, and cut down the time spent with patients. Keeping accurate and current patient records becomes a real challenge under these conditions (School of Public Health). With healthcare professionals’ heavy workload, documentation often falls by the wayside. This can lead to gaps in patient records, putting regulatory compliance and quality of care at risk.

However, a strategic solution to these challenges is outsourcing patient record management. Tapping into specialized services ensures records are managed accurately and efficiently, even when staffing is tight. This approach not only boosts your clinical operations but also enhances the accuracy of medical documentation, leading to better patient outcomes and compliance with regulatory standards.

The Importance of Patient Record Management

Effective patient record management is the backbone of any well-run healthcare system. It’s all about keeping thorough and precise records of everything—from diagnosis results to treatment plans and medical histories. This data documentation is crucial for making well-informed medical decisions, ensuring smooth continuity of care, and meeting legal and regulatory obligations.

Challenges of In-house Patient Record Management 

Managing patient records in-house is no small feat, and it comes with its own set of challenges:

1. The Complexity of Medical Documentation:
   • Keeping medical documentation accurate and complete can be quite a task, especially with the daily influx of data. Errors or omissions can lead to incorrect therapies, directly impacting patient outcomes.
     
2. Regulatory Compliance:
   • Adhering to strict regulations like HIPAA is a must for healthcare providers. These rules ensure the protection and confidentiality of patient data. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines and significant reputational damage.
     
3. Resource Intensive:
   • Managing patient records demands skilled personnel, secure storage options, and advanced IT infrastructure. These requirements can strain healthcare facilities’ operating capacity and budget.
     
4. EHR Integration Services:
   • Integrating electronic health records (EHR) with existing healthcare systems can be a real headache. Poor or inconsistent EHR integration can lead to data fragmentation, complicating clinical operations and making effective management even more challenging.

A Healthcare Financial Management Association study found that outsourcing medical billing can boost collections by 30% and cut the days claims are outstanding by 90%.

Outsourcing Patient Record Management with Precharting: A Strategic Move

Outsourcing patient record management to specialized companies can tackle many of your challenges. It’s one of the most comprehensive solutions available. Here’s how it works:

EMR – Electronic Medical Records

Source: Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Market Growth & Global Trends to 2029 

Think of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) as the digital version of those paper charts cluttering your office. They capture every visit, medical history, and treatment notes, giving you a complete picture of your patient’s health. EMRs make it easier to track patient data over time and flag those who need checkups.

Getting rid of paper records increases the availability and accuracy of  Patient Record Management across different healthcare settings. This optimizes workflow and ensures that you always have the most critical patient medical information at your fingertips.

Efficient Patient Record Management is about more than just data; it’s about being prepared. With accurate and accessible records, you’re ready to improve patient outcomes and make informed decisions quickly.

By outsourcing to experts, you can ensure that your patient records are managed accurately and efficiently, freeing up your team to focus on what they do best—providing excellent patient care.

EHR – Electronic Health Records

U.S. Electronic Health Records Market | Industry Report 2030

The true power of Electronic Health Records (EHR) lies in their ability to follow patients wherever they receive treatment, offering a comprehensive, real-time health record. Unlike EMRs, which are confined to a single practice, EHRs provide an integrated snapshot of patient data across multiple healthcare providers. This includes health conditions, prescriptions, lab results, and more.

EHRs facilitate healthcare-provider collaboration, ensuring seamless continuity of care and avoiding unnecessary tests. This promotes better patient outcomes and more efficient resource use.

With EHRs, doctors can access essential medical information like current conditions, ongoing treatments, medical history, and pathology reports well in advance. This not only improves patient safety but also boosts operational efficiency.

Using EHRs helps you stay current with medical advancements. It enhances the quality of treatment you provide by making your practice more efficient, individualized, and well-organized.

Incorporating EHRs into your practice ensures you’re always equipped with the most accurate and comprehensive patient information, improving the care you deliver and your operational efficiency.

The Benefits of Precharting for Clinical Operations Management, EMR, EHR, etc.

Precharting is a game-changer in medical record management. Imagine having all your patient records ready and updated before every appointment—right at your fingertips. By outsourcing this service, you can ensure that your EMR and EHR systems are always accurate and up-to-date.

With a proactive precharting strategy, you can spend more time on patient care and less time sorting through documentation. This boosts your productivity and ensures that all patient data is carefully reviewed and organized, which is crucial for making well-informed decisions.

Outsourcing precharting also guarantees adherence to legal requirements, enhancing the overall quality of care your patients receive. It’s a reliable way to meet regulatory standards while improving clinical efficiency.

Incorporating precharting into your practice allows you to focus on what truly matters, delivering exceptional patient care. Let us handle the documentation, so you can enhance your clinical operations and patient outcomes.

Benefits of Medical Precharging Outsourcing in the Real World

Let’s dive into some compelling data and case studies that showcase the practical advantages of outsourcing patient record management:

• Reduced Errors: A study published in the Journal of AHIMA found that healthcare providers who outsourced their medical records saw a 30% reduction in documentation errors. This means more accurate records and better patient care.
  
• Cost Savings: According to a healthcare outsourcing report, providers can save an average of 20% on operating costs by outsourcing their record management services. Imagine what you could do with those savings—invest in your practice, hire more staff, or upgrade your technology.
  
• Compliance Improvement: One investigation revealed that 80% of healthcare organizations reported better adherence to regulatory norms after outsourcing their compliance-related functions. This keeps you on the right side of the law and enhances your reputation for reliability and compliance.

Transitioning: Procedures for Contracting Out Patient Record Management

How about outsourcing your patient record management? Here are some steps to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Assess Your Needs:
   • Start by examining your current patient record management procedures. Identify areas needing improvement and evaluate the volume of records you manage and your unique challenges.
     
2. Select the Right Partner:
   • Choose a trustworthy outsourcing company with proven expertise in managing medical records. Look for providers that offer comprehensive packages, robust security protocols, and a solid track record in EHR integration services.
     
3. Plan the Transition:
   • Develop a detailed transition plan outlining how your records will be transferred to the outsourcing provider. This plan should include timelines, roles, and milestones to ensure a seamless process.
     
4. Assure Data Security:
   • Collaborate closely with your outsourcing partner to establish stringent security measures that protect patient data. Ensure they comply with all relevant laws and have robust protocols to safeguard information.

1. Monitor Performance:
   • Keep a close eye on your outsourcing partner’s performance. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure their efficiency, accuracy, and compliance with established standards.

72.5 million Americans have health coverage through Medicaid, and healthcare professionals constantly struggle with the intricacies of the Medicaid reimbursement process.

Precharting Outsourcing as a Fix for Patient Record Management Deficits 

Outsourcing precharting is a strategic move to address the deficits in patient record management, especially when facing staffing shortages and operational challenges. By ensuring the accuracy, accessibility, and completeness of medical data, precharting proactively organizes and prepares patient records before visits, directly supporting the core objectives of patient record management. This process is crucial for improving patient outcomes and expediting healthcare delivery. Here’s how precharting outsourcing can be a viable solution:

1. Enhanced Preparedness and Efficiency:
   By outsourcing your precharting needs, you can ensure that all patient records are meticulously prepared and reviewed before each visit. This level of readiness optimizes healthcare processes, reduces wait times, and enhances the patient experience. Your staff can then focus more on patient care rather than paperwork, significantly boosting operational efficiency.
   
2. Reduction in Administrative Burden:
   Precharting services involve substantial administrative work, which can be taxing, especially in facilities with staffing shortages. Outsourcing to specialized providers can offload this burden and free up time for your internal staff to concentrate on critical patient care tasks that cannot be outsourced.
   
3. Improved Data Accuracy and Quality of Care:
   Outsourcing companies specializing in precharting employ skilled professionals trained in medical documentation and current healthcare regulations. These experts ensure that all patient information, including histories from previous providers, is comprehensively documented. This thoroughness enables informed treatment decisions and elevates the quality of care delivered.
   
4. Scalability and Flexibility:
   Outsourcing precharting allows you to scale your operations up or down based on patient demand without hiring or training additional staff. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for efficiently managing varying workflows and patient influxes.
   
5. Cost-Effectiveness:
   Outsourcing precharting can save significant costs by eliminating the overhead expenses associated with recruiting, training, and compensating new administrative staff. These savings can then be reinvested to enhance other essential healthcare services.
   
6. Consistency Across Patient Records:
   When precharting is outsourced to specialized providers, it’s performed consistently according to high standards of quality and accuracy. This uniformity is crucial for maintaining data integrity and reliability throughout your healthcare facility. 
7. Real-Time Updates and Compliance:
   Outsourced Patient Record Management services ensure patient records are updated in real-time as new information becomes available. These providers stay abreast of changes in healthcare legislation, minimizing the risk of non-compliance and ensuring that all precharting efforts adhere to current laws and standards, such as HIPAA, in the United States.

Precharting Services:  A Way to Improve Accuracy and Efficiency

OutsourceRCM offers professional patient record management through our accurate precharting services. Partnering with us is a strategic decision that can significantly enhance the accuracy and efficiency of your healthcare operations. With seamless EMR and EHR integration and strict adherence to HIPAA requirements, you can focus solely on delivering exceptional patient care.

Leveraging 15 years of experience in the U.S. healthcare industry, OutsourceRCM optimizes patient and doctor interactions with enhanced accuracy and high-quality documentation. By outsourcing your patient record management to us, you can save both time and money, knowing your patient data is in expert hands. Discover the benefits of outsourcing precharting services today—your patients and financial health will thank you.