University Radiology Group, New Jersey’s largest provider of subspecialty radiology and teleradiology services, has addressed the challenging information technology requirements resulting from its continued growth with the implementation of MedInformatix Inc.’s Radiology Information System (RIS).
Consisting of 80 Board Certified Radiologists that annually perform more than 900,000 in-person and teleradiology exams at its own eight facilities, five hospital affiliates and other imaging centers, University Radiology utilizes MedInformatix RIS for scheduling, patient exam tracking, billing and test results communication.
The single-platform MedInformatix RIS solution controls the practice’s patient scheduling, internal and third party billing, and electronic medical records (EMR) capturing, storage and communication. It also enables University Radiology to perform back office functions with fewer people.
“RIS, in essence, functions as a radiology practice’s spinal cord,” said Alberto Goldszal, University Radiology’s Chief Information Officer. “Until relatively recently, practices required multiple systems to address scheduling, patient exam tracking, billing and test results communication. Medical specialists and referring physicians need results fast and accurate.
We required an RIS that provided each of these functions on one platform using standard-based interfaces so that our practice, hospital affiliates and third parties would all speak the same language.”
MedInformatix RIS, working with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a digital dictation (voice recognition) system, and an interface engine, capture regionally distributed medical imaging data and aggregates all incoming data into a patient-centric database.
It also tailors and distributes this data for University Radiology’s individual practitioners, referring physicians and patients. This system serves as the framework for the practice’s back office and clinical operations.
Attributing readily quantifiable hard dollar benefits is difficult as compared to cost savings resulting from PACS and voice recognition (VR) systems. However, MedInformatix RIS has allowed University Radiology to trim its full-time accounts receivable staff to three from five employees. It has also provided a clear, accurate picture of write-offs attributable to bad debt.
“Before MedInformatix RIS, our average monthly write-offs were in the 3 1/2 percent range,” noted James Dwyer, University Radiology’s Director of Patient Accounts. The actual numbers are more like 5 1/2 percent. Our PACS and VR systems, [in concert] with MedInformatix RIS, have delivered much cleaner accounts receivable, as we now work with true numbers.”
Specifically, University Radiology leverages web-based revenue cycle management solutions from MedInformatix partner ZirMed, whose offerings handle the payment process from eligibility to online bill payment, check processing, payment plans and statement printing and mailing.
“As is the case with other functions and capabilities, MedInformatix RIS is the engine that drives synergy between the two systems,” Dwyer said. “Together, MedInformatix RIS and ZirMed conduct eligibility searches online in 15 seconds, as compared to an often five-minute process by telephone.”
University Radiology also chose MedInformatix RIS for its ability to organically accommodate additional tangential modules such as those storing information about adverse patient reactions, requirements for blood and other medical tests before radiological exams, and other relevant clinical quality measures required by Stage-1 of the Meaningful Use requirements under ARRA.
System training is ongoing. “[While] there is still room for increased functionality and gains in efficiency,” Goldszal said. “We continue to work with MedInformatix to achieve common, aligned goals…across all business and clinical functions such as reporting and data mining, as well as deploying new features [including] web-based scheduling and real-time dashboards for enhanced operations management.”
Source : MedInformatix, Inc.