EDI Solutions (EDIS) offers a wide variety of services that not only benefit hospital-based physician groups, but also any company knee deep in paper work. Some of the more notable benefits include:
Reduction of personnel hours needed for manual data entry and associated paper handling (click here)
Improved cash flow from decreased turnaround time in generating billable claims, invoices and/or purchase orders
Virtual elimination of costs associated with large volume paper handling, paper distribution, paper storage and materials
Greater data integrity through elimination of re-keying errors
Increased operating efficiencies resulting from a paperless environment
A commitment that all data integration projects will receive high priority status and will be completed according to plan and on schedule
Faster response times using automated electronic inquiries
In-house IS personnel relieved of ongoing programming problems and time consuming trial & error applications in developing data integration solutions and EDI strategies
Cost effective alternative or enhancement to in-house data acquisition and data integration efforts
Improve existing client relationships and the ability to secure new business with a competitive advantage
EDI Solutions (EDIS) has developed and assembled a series of software tools that provide a wide range of services. Some of our services include:
automated turnkey billing interfaces
results reporting distribution system
automated payment posting
runtime maps to translate any standard ASCII or EBCDIC file (ANSI X12, HL7, NSF, or any other standard or proprietary formats)
multi-port real-time HL7 interfaces
key stroke scripting - automate terminal emulation sessions (both to input and to retrieve data)
value added pre-processing (scrubbing) edits not inherent in either the target or host system
custom production reports (track purchase orders, track claims uploaded, payment schedules, exception report tracking, audit reports and more)
custom interfaces that cross multiple platforms to seamlessly access central or distributed database
batch or online transaction processing (and more)
EDIS develops custom systems that facilitate the electronic transmission, collection, reformatting and re-distribution of virtually any document or file (facesheet, diagnostic report, purchase orders, payment status, patient demographics, charges, referrals, eligibility inquiries, authorization verification and any other administrative, financial or clinical piece of information).
Inherent to the success of a typical EDIS Billing Interface is the EDIS Workstation. This Pentium based server / workstation plays a crucial role in centrally triggering and controlling key events. Some of these key events or processes may include:
loading and controlling terminal emulation sessions used to retrieve host data
mapping / parsing routines to convert text files or print images into a format that can be loaded into the EDIS Database
data scrubbing and rule based edits
generating database extracts
mapping / translation routines to convert database extracts into a billing system import file or a scripted terminal emulation data entry routine
EDIS is able to quickly develop new applications and interfaces that are non-intrusive to both the host and target applications. This is approach is particularly attractive for the following reasons: 1) it is the fraction of the cost to develop compared to a native applications, 2) the development time is measured in weeks/months rather than several years, and 3) when the host or target software vendor is unable or unwilling to cooperate.
EDIS provides a wide variety of technical services that reduce data entry costs. Imagination may be the only limitation.
First, hospital IT departments are typically over-committed and understaffed. Getting on the hospitals "schedule" or radar can sometimes take years; and once on their schedule, the proposed data options may be unsatisfactory and the recommendations may have excessive delivery dates and are too costly. Because of this EDIS has taken a "fit for use" approach that first explores using existing hospital data file formats, electronically capturing existing paper reports, scripting existing terminal emulation sessions, etc. Our primary goal is to electronically obtain all the raw data elements required for any given interface. We do all we can to limit the need for hospital resources. Our unique blend of software tools and experience working with hospitals enables EDIS to ask the right questions and explore all the existing data options. Therefore, we are able to obtain source data with minimal resources from the hospital. Let EDIS be your advocate with the hospital. We make things happen!
Second, hospital-based physician groups may lack the internal resources and expertise necessary to create the desired interfaces.
Third, billing systems may lack the necessary data import or interface capability. Also, the billing vendor may be unwilling, unavailable or unable to cooperate in the process.
If you can relate to any of the three scenarios above, talk to one of our clients. A 22-physician radiology group (an EDIS client) has been waiting for over 10-years for their hospital to send electronic data. While our client is still waiting on the hospital to deliver, EDIS developed a system (10-years ago) that automatically captures all the data.
This is how it works. First, there is a routine that logs into IDX and downloads an all-sites bill list (covers 4 hospitals) and parses the accession numbers and visit numbers. Second, there is a routine that takes the accession numbers and looks up in IDX and downloads the individual diagnostic reports (between 380 - 500 per day). Third, an HBOC terminal emulation session is launched and patient insurance and demographic information is obtain by navigating through a series of screens. Fourth, EDIS reformats both the demographic and charge data so it can be loaded directly into their AMICUS billing system. All the data collection is done over the Internet via a secure Citrix server.
When EDI technologies are about to be deployed, paper handling, storage and distribution issues need to be re-evaluated and in many instances re-engineered. For some organizations, receiving data electronically, instead of on paper, requires a big adjustment. Depending on the nature and type of business, it is difficult to fully let go of the paper. Typically it is more of a cultural issue than a technical one. Regardless of the reason, EDI Solutions (EDIS) understands the business needs and has developed a Document Search and Recovery (DSAR) Module to help our clients eliminate unnecessary paper handling and fully realize the financial benefits of going electronic.
The DSAR Module automates the archive and storage of the source data (as well as the converted / translated target data) into unique directories where the data is indexed. A state of the art search engine provides several end-user search options. These search options include fuzzy, phonic, natural language and stemming. There are virtually no limitations to the search criteria. Millions of stored documents are now accessible within seconds. No more searching for a needle in a haystack. Web based browser access, network user access and single stand alone user access options are available.
Whether searching for a medical claim form, a purchase order, a request order form, a billing collection statement, an eligibility verification form, EOB statements, laboratory results, diagnostic reports, or virtually any other text based or digitally scanned document, searching is fast and easy!
The DSAR module will help locate and reproduce any document in a matter of seconds. No more unnecessary paper handling, offsite warehouse storage fees and wasted time hunting down a paper file.
In addition to the storage and retrieval of key documents, EDIS is able to integrate the DSAR module into the billing process where the electronic diagnostic reports are batched together according to date of service, signed date, batch date, or other custom search options.
Radiology group desiring to reduce data entry costs associated with "re-keying" hospital data, has significantly reduced their operating costs as a result of the EDIS System. Demographic and charge data traditionally provided by the hospital on paper is now electronically collected, reformatted and entered into their billing systems without the need to key in the data.
"The impact has been huge. It used to take two people one day to enter demographic / insurance data and post charges for one of our larger hospitals. With the EDIS System, one person can post the equivalent of three days worth of charges in just one day for the same hospital."
Cardiology
Eighteen physician cardiology group desiring to eliminate dual data entry and synchronize patient data between their billing system and a new electronic medical record (EMR) system, turned to EDI Solutions to create a custom interface. Because of the non-cooperative attitude of the billing vendor, unique screen capture technologies where deployed. Once changes are made in the billing system (single point of data entry) a hotkey button is pressed launching an application that 1) captures data from three separate user screens on the billing system side, 2) converts captured screen data to an HL7 file, and 3) the copies the HL7 file to a directory where the EMR system automatically updates the changes.
Pathology
Pathology group receiving all their hospital-based information on paper approached EDI Solutions to automate the electronic collection of hospital data. In addition to eliminating the need to manually key high volumes of hospital data, unique screen capture technologies were also deployed that allowed the pathology group to bill for charges that were previously un-billable.
"The EDIS System was designed around how we do business. Because of the nature of our clinical business (high volume transactions and lower profit margins), the EDIS hospital interfaces have virtually eliminated any manual data entry. Our over all data entry costs have been reduced by sixty-six percent. In addition to the reduction of data entry costs, we are now billing for two new hospitals."
The following diagram represents one of our most common healthcare models. The components of the healthcare model can be applied to virtually any business model.
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Hospital
Experience
Software
Experience
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Meditech
HBOC
IDX
GE
Cerner
Phamus
M2
Prism
VitalWorks
AMICAS
Practice Partners
PowerPath
Tamtron
Radman
