Fortify your EMS operations with a QA review process that identifies procedural weaknesses in EMS dispatch, ePCR, and billing.
EMS agencies continue to struggle to make ends meet. The cost of EMS patient care continues to rise, while ambulance reimbursement rates continue to disappoint. In addition, Federal and state regulations continue to multiply. When payers and regulators fail to see the immense value EMS brings to healthcare, economical solutions can be hard to find.
This post, the fourth in a 10-post series, highlights another EMS best practice intended to help your agency keep its footing by increasing efficiency and improving revenue.
EMS Best Practice #4: Improve Agency and Individual Performance with Rigorous Quality Assurance
Fortify your EMS operations with a quality assurance (QA) review process that identifies procedural weaknesses in EMS dispatch, patient care reporting, and billing. Your QA processes will produce a clear snapshot of your agency’s strengths and weaknesses. Look at what you’re doing well and do more of that. Look at what you’re not doing well, find out why, and fix it. A smart QA review will eliminate payment delays, maximize your cash flow, and enhance your entire operation.
Define clear standards for data entry and review actual results against them to improve individual performance. Configure automated validations in your EMS dispatch and ePCR systems to improve quality through automation. Institute peer reviews of administered treatment to ensure adherence to local and agency-specific treatment protocols. If your U.S. state or territory requires submission of EMS data to the NEMSIS EMS database, explore ways to configure and use your ePCR software to guarantee compliance.
Before billers send claims, make sure they verify insurance information and charges. Conduct a billing-specific review that checks for accuracy and completeness according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)’s requirements and ICD-10 billing standards.
Want to see all 10 EMS best practices?
Download our eBook, Ten Best Practices to Optimize EMS Workflow, to gain nine more best practices that will help you revitalize your organization, increase efficiency, and improve revenue. It includes concrete actions that you can take to streamline EMS dispatch, simplify patient care reporting, and improve EMS billing to maximize reimbursement.
