Managing a busy medical facility is no small task. There are a myriad of clinical, business, compliance and technical issues that need to be managed and optimized on a daily basis to ensure your practice is efficient and growing. There are certain processes such as patient registration and patient check in that are vital to both patient satisfaction as well as proper revenue cycle management. For patient registration, it’s your practice’s first impression. As is the case with all first impressions, you only get one and it sets the tone for the relationship long term. Advanced EMR and EHR applications like EPIC Healthcare play a vital role in streamlining clinical and non clinical processes. Patient registration and check in fall in the purview of EPIC.
More about Epic Healthcare
Epic Healthcare’s EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system is a comprehensive software platform used by healthcare organizations to manage patient records and clinical workflows. Epic Systems Corporation, the company behind the software, is one of the largest and most widely used providers of EMR systems in the healthcare industry.
Key Features of Epic Healthcare EMR:
Patient Records Management:
- Stores detailed patient information, including medical history, medications, allergies, lab results, and imaging studies.
- Facilitates the sharing of patient records across different departments and facilities within a healthcare organization.
Clinical Documentation:
- Allows healthcare providers to document patient encounters, treatment plans, and progress notes electronically.
- Supports various templates and customization options to suit different specialties and workflows.
Order Entry and Management:
- Physicians can electronically order lab tests, medications, and other services directly from the EMR.
- Integrates with lab systems and pharmacies to streamline order processing and results reporting.
Scheduling and Appointment Management:
- Manages patient appointments, including scheduling, reminders, and check-ins.
- Supports complex scheduling needs, such as coordinating appointments across multiple departments.
Billing and Revenue Cycle Management:
- Integrates with billing systems to streamline the coding, billing, and claims submission processes.
- Integrates with Insurance Card Scanners to capture valid insurance card information at the point of check in
- Helps ensure accurate and timely billing, reducing the risk of revenue loss.
Patient Portal:
- Provides patients with access to their health records, test results, and appointment information through a secure online portal.
- Enables patients to communicate with their healthcare providers, request prescription refills, and manage their healthcare online.
Interoperability:
- Facilitates data exchange with other healthcare systems and providers, supporting continuity of care.
- Integrates with Physical hardware in physician offices such as insurance card and ID scanners
- Complies with industry standards like HL7 and FHIR to enable interoperability with other EMR systems and health information exchanges.
Interoperability is a crucial feature/benefit of Epic in that it facilitates patient enrollment and check in at the front desk by integrating with hardware solutions such as Insurance Card and ID Scanners.
More about Patient Enrollment and Check In
Patient check-in at a doctor’s office is the initial process where a patient formally registers their arrival for an appointment. This process involves several steps to ensure that the patient’s information is up to date and that they are prepared for their visit. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the typical patient check-in process:
Arrival at the Office
- Welcome and Greeting: Upon arrival, the patient is usually greeted by the receptionist or front desk staff. The staff may ask for the patient’s name and the time of their appointment to confirm their arrival.
Identity Verification
- Photo ID: The patient may be asked to provide a photo ID to verify their identity. This ensures that the correct patient is being checked in. This helps with revenue cycle management on the backend.
- Insurance Card: The patient will often be asked to provide their insurance card. The staff will either copy the card or scan it into the system to ensure that the correct insurance information is on file using an approved ID/Card scanner like those from AMBIR.
- Eligibility Check: The office may run an insurance eligibility check to confirm that the patient’s insurance is active and to understand the coverage details, such as co-pays and deductibles.
Updating Personal Information
- Contact Information: The patient may be asked to confirm or update their contact information, including phone number, address, and email.
- Emergency Contact: The patient might need to verify or update the details of their emergency contact.
Filling Out Forms
- New Patient Forms: If it’s the patient’s first visit, they may need to fill out new patient forms, including medical history, current medications, allergies, and consent forms.
- Returning Patient Forms: For returning patients, they may be asked to update or confirm existing information and complete any necessary forms related to the specific visit.
- Past Medical Records: The patient’s medical history may be reviewed to ensure that the doctor has the most up-to-date information, especially if there have been any changes since the last visit.
- Current Medications: The patient may be asked to confirm their current medications, dosages, and any recent changes.
Waiting Room
- Wait Time: After completing the check-in process, the patient is usually directed to the waiting room until the doctor is ready to see them. The wait time can vary depending on the schedule and the number of patients.
- Comfort Measures: Some offices offer water, reading materials, or television to make the wait more comfortable.
Preparation for the Appointment
- Nurse/Assistant Intake: In some offices, a nurse or medical assistant may call the patient back to take vital signs (like blood pressure, temperature, and weight) and review the reason for the visit before the doctor sees the patient.
- Additional Forms: The patient might be asked to sign additional forms, such as consent for treatment or privacy notices (HIPAA compliance).
Check-In Complete
- Documentation: All the information gathered during check-in is documented in the patient’s medical record. This ensures that the doctor has all the necessary information for the visit.
This check-in process helps ensure that the patient’s visit is well-organized and that the healthcare provider has all the information needed to deliver quality care. It also ensures that administrative details, such as billing and insurance verification, are handled efficiently. Solutions like AMBIR for Epic Healthcare reduce the possibility of human error in capturing vital information such as insurance and identity information.
About AMBIR
AMBIR is a manufacturer of digital capture solutions for businesses and consumers. Headquartered in Chicago, IL and founded over 25 years ago on the premise of creating the highest quality hardware backed by hands-on support. AMBIR provides a variety of document and card scanners, eSignature pads and barcode scanners for various industries including healthcare, financial services, legal and more. We are known for being a hands-on organization who supports its clients with an internal team of dedicated professionals who know their clients by name. AMBIR is considered a market leading solution in the healthcare space due to it’s wide selection of products that integrate with leading EMR/EHR systems such as Epic.
