FMQAI Health eNotes April 2010

"But, my patients' compliance rates are way better than what the reports show."

Unfortunately, many physician practices have shared this opinion since they undertook the journey of participating in the EHR 4 Prevention Project. However, the fact of the matter is that although the information may be stored in the patient's chart somewhere, if it is not in a discreet extractable field then it is as if information does exist.

Here is an example of how Family Medical Care of Riverview, PA, a 5-physician family practice, chose to improve their CRC screening rates by focusing on colonoscopies.

First, with assistance from their EHR 4 Prevention Coordinator, the practice was re-educated on the correct way to document a CRC report in their EHR system. Their system required them to link the received test result to an outstanding order/ or create a virtual order. Linking test results to an order is a method of "closing the loop" that should be followed by all practices that have an EHR system. Closing the loop affects the alerts/recall feature and determines if a result will show up on a compliance report.

In reviewing their EHR system, practice administrator and office manager, Eddie Louderback, found that they had several terms established to capture a Colonoscopy. To maintain uniformity, all but one term was deactivated to force standardization among all staff members. Stepping outside the box, she then penned a letter, which all five physicians signed, to their preferred GI physicians and asked for a list of their patients that were seen within a certain timeframe. This allowed the practice to focus on correcting the EHR records for those particular patients because they knew a test result was somewhere in the patient's EHR but, probably not documented correctly.

Utilizing the methodology of the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA), the practice administrator runs the compliance report on a monthly basis and discusses their progress during their monthly administrative meeting. With diligence in adhering to their proposed plan, the practice has seen a substantial increase in their rates and is well on track to meeting their targeted goals for the project. For more information about Family Medical Care of Riverview, P.A., please visit their website at http://www.riverviewdocs.com/index.html

Getting to know Ms. Eddie G. Louderback, CMM

Eddie G. Louderback is the practice administrator and office manager for Family Medical Care of Riverview. She received her Medical Managers certification in 1998, and has been a key person in guiding the growth and development of the practice since 1994. From the simple setting of an appointment, to the complex nature of electronic medical records, to the changing regulations of the insurance industry, to the personal and professional satisfaction of each and every patient; Eddie works with her professional staff to get it done. She is also very active with the Professional Association of Health Care Office Managers.

How long has Family Medical Care of Riverview had an EHR? Since May 2006
What specific interventions have you implemented to increase patient compliance and/or staff documentation? Utilization of Criteria Reports & Alerts, using customized EMR features
Have you changed your practice workflow since you started the EHR 4 Prevention project with FMQAI? Yes
When you ran your initial compliance report; what was your reaction to the rates? Initially - Disapproving (I knew we could do better)
Do staff members receive regular training on the EHR? How often? Which staff members? All Staff initially receive a 90 day orientation on EHR and are graded on performance utilization annually. If there is a need for improvement in particular areas those are monitored within a specific timeframe until satisfaction of performance is met
Do you feel that your practice will meet the "Meaningful Use" standards? Absolutely