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A healthcare provider uses a tablet to access a patient's EHR.

EHR Workflow Solutions: Outsource Your Medical Coding

Does your practice have difficulty maintaining your electronic health records (EHRs)? Out of all of the EHR workflow solutions that we see promoted within the industry, the one that’s most effective is outsourced medical coding. By leveraging this service, practices like yours can reduce data errors, enhance documentation, and improve efficiency for your daily operations. 

Let’s review the areas where this coding can benefit your team the most.

1. Improving EHR Usability

Issues with EHR usability are some of the complaints most often voiced by healthcare providers. Navigating through complex systems with poorly designed interfaces can slow the documentation process and lead to errors with patient data.

Outsourced medical coding offers a viable alternative by employing experienced coders who are a) familiar with these different EHR platforms, and b) can work effortlessly between them. Coders understand how to input and retrieve data accurately, spending far less time than it may take physicians and nurses to do the same. 

2. Streamlining EHR Workflows and Reducing Administrative Burdens

Along with the difficulties of using some EHRs, physicians also report feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data entry required.

By outsourcing medical coding, practices can implement EHR workflow solutions that relieve care teams of this responsibility. Coders handle complex billing so that providers receive the appropriate reimbursements. This also ensures that claims are processed quickly and accurately for the benefit of patients. 

3. Enhancing Documentation and Clinical Decision Support

Accurate and thorough medical records are essential for clinical support, as incomplete or incorrect data can compromise the effectiveness of support tools and other integrated services. 

Professional coders are trained to identify gaps in clinical documentation and provide feedback to healthcare providers. This collaboration improves the quality of patient records, leading to timely information, more-informed decision-making, and better health outcomes.

4. Ensuring EHR Interoperability and Data Integration

One of the biggest challenges for EHRs is data interoperability — in other words, how easy information can be shared between different systems. Poor integration can result in data that’s either trapped in silos, duplicated, or incomplete.

Outsourced medical coders can help practices develop EHR workflow solutions that enhance data integration and ensure that coding and documentation are consistent across platforms. Ultimately, this will improve care coordination and reduce redundant procedures and testing.

5. Reducing EHR-Related Nurse Burnout

EHR-related nurse burnout is a growing concern, largely due to the excessive time spent on updating records and the repetitive nature of data entry. 

Outsourcing can alleviate this concern by delegating this work to professional coders. Nurses can then spend more time focusing on direct patient care, which can create a balanced office environment.

6. Improving EHR Training and Support

Similar to burnout, some nurses have reported that EHR training doesn’t always fix the problems they’re experiencing. That doesn’t mean that training isn’t important — but it does mean that it needs to be improved.

Outsourced medical coding firms often provide training and support services that help providers understand the coding and documentation requirements within their EHR systems. This education enables clinical staff to become well-versed in how to document patient care correctly, reduce errors, and enhance coding accuracy. 

By improving EHR literacy among providers, practices can optimize how they use these systems and minimze the chances for mistakes.

7. Maintaining Compliance and Security

Errors in coding or patient records can lead to fines for noncompliance, as well as damaged reputations for practices.

By outsourcing, practices can ensure that their EHRs adhere to the latest requirements for HIPAA and data security, as professional coders are trained to stay up to date with changes in standards and guidelines. 

Additionally, reputable data management companies that offer medical coding have stringent security protocols to protect patient data, creating an extra layer of defense for sensitive health information.

8. Optimizing Costs and Maximizing ROI

Some EHR systems can be costly to maintain. Outsourced medical coding provides an effective EHR workflow solution that can help practices manage expenses, and avoid the costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining in-house coders.

Outsourced coders also save practices money by improving the accuracy and efficiency of their coding, which reduces claim denials and maximizes reimbursement rates. 

9. Enhancing Patient Engagement and Satisfaction

It’s no surprise that when providers spend less time on administrative tasks and more time interacting with their patients, they’re able to offer a better care experience. Accurate and timely documentation can support these interactions by allowing patients access to their records and care plans. Outsourced medical coding helps practices achieve this balance.

Would You Like Coding Assistance?

Medical coding provides a comprehensive EHR workflow solution that addresses many of the challenges that practices face with their EHRs. By using this service, healthcare providers can focus on what matters most — delivering high-quality patient care. 

If you’d like to experience the same benefits discussed above, contact us today to discuss a customized program! You can also click here to learn about other essential data management services that we offer.

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