Home health and hospice agencies get paid when physicians sign orders. Sometimes orders can go unsigned for weeks or months as physicians wait for results or because of inattention. These delays affect billing, and, to top it off, most payers do not allow retroactive, backdated, or late signed orders.
Reducing the time to signature speeds up the time to approval, treatment, and payment. Agencies gain better cash flow, operations, and patient care, which means improving physician orders management is essential. The key is to incorporate modern solutions and maximize features like workflow automation and data analysis.
Maximize Automation
Automation is the process of simplifying the flow of tasks using software or other tools. In short, agencies give the software a set of rules to follow, and it will automatically carry out tasks based on pre-defined triggers. Within these workflows, when X occurs, Y automatically happens.
The purpose of automation is to remove repetitive administrative tasks and streamline a process. The result is a more efficient system that runs on its own. Departments can send emails, set up reminders, or approve the next steps without touching a single button.
This can be a simple solution for home health agencies. Rather than wait in frustration for unsigned orders, put automation to work. A physician orders tracking software can help reduce the time to signature and approval.
Automatically send reminders to physicians through their preferred method and prevent delays by escalating high-priority orders. Plus, physicians can e-sign and review batch orders from any mobile device.
Set Send Limits for Unsigned Orders
The beauty of automation is its flexibility on limits and triggers. Home health agencies can use these functions to limit the number of sends or reminders. Once the system reaches this limit, the order will bounce back or be assigned to staff for review, and they can go in and work directly with the physician. These limits can help reduce the cycle of neglected reminders and lower the risks of delayed patient care.
Track Data
Tracking and understanding patterns within an agency and a system are central to efficiency. For example, understanding where orders often get stuck can help identify the root problem, whether it’s scheduling issues or missing results.
Once these issues are identified, agencies can take the next best steps to correct the problem. Without that data, home health agencies run the risk of ongoing disorganization that interferes with patient care and compliance.
The answer is to use automation software with built-in dashboards and trend analysis. Then, create a system or policy for continual data review. With this information, agencies can gain visibility into bottlenecks, provide extra support to physicians, and anticipate and head off problems before they affect patient care.
Expedite Orders With WorldView Physician Order Tracking
Physician orders are central to patient care, but poor order management puts patients and agencies at risk. Insurance companies don’t approve treatments without signed orders, and home health agencies don’t get paid. The longer the process takes, the more risk agencies face.
WorldView’s Physician Order Tracking software can make all the difference with automated order entry and trend analysis. Schedule a demo and learn how to get faster results today.
