Press Releases
RelayHealth Offers Registration and Outpatient Coding Quality Assurance Tools to Hospitals
Improved data accuracy increases reimbursement and staff productivity
Atlanta, GA, Nov 6, 2007 —Through a private-label distribution relationship with The Kramer Group, Inc. (TKG), RelayHealth, the leader in connective healthcare solutions, today announced that it will offer two quality assurance solutions that help healthcare systems improve billing data accuracy: RelayHealth RegAssure, a registration data quality assurance solution, and an outpatient coding quality service.
Together, these Web-based quality assurance solutions empower health enterprises to proactively improve the accuracy of their patient registration and outpatient coding data, two important components of a hospital's revenue cycle. Registration is the starting point of a hospital's billing process and is critical for facilitating timely reimbursement. When inaccurate data is created, claims are pended and often denied, resulting in delayed or reduced cash flow. The analytical tools work to detect claims data errors for the hospital staff to resolve quickly and proactively.
"Hospitals lose at least $25 billion annually, with some estimates as high as $90 billion in avoidable claims denials and underpayments. The result is delayed reimbursement and increased bad debt," said Jim Bodenbender, senior vice president and general manager, RelayHealth. "Our relationship with The Kramer Group addresses the industry's demand for proven data quality improvement tools with front-end functions that address problems early in the billing cycle. Through these resources, hospitals can enhance their revenue growth capabilities and staff productivity to optimize financial performance."
The patent-pending rules engine used by RelayHealth RegAssure detects and flags patient registration errors for correction prior to discharge and billing. It uses a sophisticated and customized set of business rules that lead to improved data accuracy and staff accountability. The coding quality assurance service helps healthcare organizations identify areas of missed revenue and potential underpayments to aid them in the recovery of that revenue. Both solutions pinpoint areas for training and process change to prevent recurring errors.
"We selected RelayHealth as one of our exclusive business partners based on the incredible power and reach of RelayHealth's intelligent network. This infrastructure combined with our advanced Web technical tools enables us to deliver a broad array of revenue cycle quality improvement solutions that ultimately improve the overall quality of healthcare," said Chuck Kramer, chief executive officer and president, TKG Technology Solutions, a division of The Kramer Group, Inc.
Orlando Regional Healthcare System (ORHS), one of the largest healthcare systems in the Southeast, used the registration quality assurance solution to achieve 99 percent accuracy at the time of billing and 96 percent accuracy at discharge. The eight-hospital system reduced its billing cycle by one day, which calculates to more than $2.5 million in revenue within two months using the tool.
"The front door of registration is where your dollars lie," said Craig Pergrem, corporate director of patient business at ORHS. "The Kramer solution provides clean accounts that allow patient accounting the confidence needed to speed up the billing process as accuracy is documented and assured. We're dropping bills quicker because the required elements on a bill are complete prior to the account being sent to the payor."
"RelayHealth is committed to equipping hospitals with the necessary tools to remain competitive and support their cash flow," said Bodenbender. "These tools can help administrators achieve their financial goals."
About The Kramer Group
The Kramer Group, Inc., dba TKG Technology Solutions, (TKG) has established itself as a custom service provider of systems technology solutions servicing all aspects of the healthcare industry. TKG delivers customized web based technology solutions that provide custom Quality Improvement Solutions, (QA) for Hospitals, Surgery Centers and Large Group Physician Practices. We offer specialized Web based technology that provides RQi Quality Assurance for Registration, VRfi Quality Assurance for Billing Coding and Charge Capture, and PAQi Quality Assurance for Collections and Cash Posting. In addition, TKG provides Technology and QA consulting services for Managed Care Contract Compliance, MCC. Since 1995, The Kramer Group, Inc., (TKG) has helped over 500 healthcare providers with identifying and solving commercial and governmental revenue cycle challenges utilizing a combination of advanced technology solutions and seasoned revenue cycle experts. TKG has developed proprietary and patented software systems and techniques utilizing unsurpassed rules engines and business based rules that are licensed to other industry healthcare providers, service industry leaders, and healthcare companies. For more information, call (407) 872-7969, or visit our Web site at www.kramergroup.com.
About RelayHealth
RelayHealth operates as a neutral partner in an open network environment, offering connectivity and integration among all organizations, systems, and solutions. Its intelligent network is designed to streamline clinical, financial and administrative communication between patients, providers, payors, pharmacies and financial institutions. RelayHealth works to accelerate the delivery of high-quality care and improve financial performance through solutions such as online consultation of physicians by patients, electronic prescribing, point-of-service pharmacy claims resolution by payors, pre-visit patient financial clearance by providers, and post-visit provider bill settlement by payors and patients. RelayHealth's proven financial clearance and settlement solutions enables hospitals and health systems to confirm patient payment pre-service, collect self-pay dollars faster through online billing and customized patient statements, and effectively manage claims from inception through resolution. RelayHealth securely processes more than 10 billion financial and clinical transactions annually. For more information, call (800) 778-6711, or visit our Web site at www.relayhealth.com.
Media Inquiries
Janeen Cook
(770) 237-7918
Janeen.Cook@relayhealth.com
