4 Answers for Rev Cycle Leaders on EHR Optimization

Shoring up technology has been a clear solution to alleviating staffing issues in the revenue cycle, and streamlining your current EHR system is a great place to start.

Electronic health record (EHR) systems are a critical to revenue cycles when looking to improve the patient experience and create better clinical outcomes, but revenue cycle leaders may need to rethink their optimization approach before it's too late as continued workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions may make it more difficult to enhance your EHR. 

Almost 60% of health systems and hospitals have more than 100 open roles to fill a recent survey spotlighted, with one in four finance leaders needing to hire more than 20 employees to fully staff their revenue cycle departments.

Shoring up technology and automation has been a clear solution to not only alleviating staffing issues in the revenue cycle but making the administrative process more efficient overall, and streamlining your EHR system is a great place to start.

Julie McGuire, managing director at the BDO Center for Healthcare Excellence & Innovation, spoke with HealthLeaders on why EHR systems need to be optimized now and how revenue cycle leaders can get started.

HealthLeaders: Why is it important for revenue cycle leaders to have an optimized EHR system?

Julie McGuire: Revenue cycle leaders have the opportunity to lead their organization in a time of continued disruption, marked by decreased cash flow, labor shortages, and the implementation of digital solutions. Having an optimized EHR maximizes the value of investments. It can decrease integration complexities and ensure staff members are working at the top of their capabilities effectively and efficiently. 

An optimized EHR can also help with optimizing revenue cycle functions, including improving work queues for faster actions on denials or referral responses and improving scheduling templates to open access. Another opportunity to reduce open encounters and lag charge time is to optimize clinical documentation tools and templates; this should also improve provider satisfaction and decrease provider moral injury. Taking the friction out of the referral process will lead to more satisfied referring providers and patients. 

HL: With staffing shortages at an all-time high, how can revenue cycle leaders leverage EHR technology to help with this?

McGuire: Taking advantage of automated workflows and activities where possible should help to reduce the impact of labor shortages. Optimizing dashboards and analytics on key metrics like denials can help leaders determine where staff should focus. EHR technology can also be used to boost the efficient use of the patient portal, so patients can take the lead on scheduling appointments, online check-in and arrival, paying bills online, and obtaining their records.

HL: What are some tips revenue cycle leaders need to know in order to streamline and optimize their EHR?

McGuire: There are a few main areas I would highlight:

First, be well-versed in the functionality your organization has implemented already but may not have been adopted in your department. 

Second, know the updates and features your EHR has available that will support organizational goals. Have conversations with your IT partners on the significance of implementing an effective EHR system to drive value for the organization.

And third, understand what your EHR can do to possibly reduce the need for a third-party system. It can reduce the overall application costs to the organization and decreases complexity for staff who may be working in multiple systems.

Remember, by optimizing its EHR, health systems are closing the value gap on the investment. Taking full advantage may improve operational efficiencies by decreasing integration complexity, reducing overall IT costs, and improving users' efficiency. And know that it doesn’t have to be expensive. Optimization doesn't have to mean overhauling your whole system.

HL: So then what incremental, low-cost changes can make a difference when looking to streamline?

McGuire: Break down your overall optimization plan instead of focusing on a large overhaul.

For example, first just focus on the patient experience and maximizing the patient portal. Another opportunity is to look at maximizing the reports/dashboards the EHR has to offer so concerns can be addressed right away. It's important to optimize the documentation and ordering tools for a high revenue generating specialty. Another option is to take a struggling specialty within your organization and optimize their documentation tools.