When it comes to measuring the productivity of your coding staff, how much is enough? It's hard to say. There are many factors that affect productivity, and what works at your facility might not work at the one down the street.
Coder Productivity: Tapping Your Team's Talents to Improve Quality and Reduce Accounts Receivable is your hands-on guide to identifying and correcting production lapses.
Coders impact the entire organization
Low coder productivity has a domino effect across the HIM and finance offices, and eventually the organization as a whole. It cuts into "DNFB"—discharged but not final billed—accounts and leads to longer lead times for reimbursement. That impacts the bottom line, and it's the last place your executives want to see weaknesses.
Productivity is based on multiple factors, including
- experience: more time on the job adds confidence and expertise
- appropriate documentation: coders can't do the whole job with only part of the resources)
- department staffing levels: overworked, stressed staff are not as efficient
- management expectations: don't ride the staff too hard or give them too much leeway
- job incentives: whether cash or privileges, staff need recognition for their efforts
Help from an expert you can trust
Author Rose Dunn, MBA, CPA, FACHE, FHFMA, examines productivity from a number of angles and gives you strategies you can use to manage your staffing challenges and responsibilities. You'll learn how to
- establish realistic expectations for your coding and processing staffs
- lower PRN, contracted staff, overtime, and staff turnover
- dissect the various reports that gauge the HIM department's performance
- reduce DNFB and accounts receivable
- determine a coder’s compensation
- improve coding quality
- create monetary and non-monetary incentive plans that inspire staff
- eliminate common distractions that interrupt coders from concentrating on their work
Dunn also analyzes the results of HCPro's nationwide survey on coding productivity, which queried respondents on topics such as dependence on contract assistance, cross-training, auditing roles migrating to HIM, staffing and incentive concerns, and creating solutions to fill vacancies.
Bonus CD provides samples and forms
Your copy of Coder Productivity includes a CD with sample policies and forms, including
- coding incentive plan
- coding quality/coding accuracy reviews
- time ladder policy
- sample physician query policy and procedure
- sample query form
Who should read this book?
Coder Productivity is a must-read for hospital HIM and coding directors, managers, and supervisors. Business office directors and CFOs will benefit and gain a clear understanding of the correlation between coder productivity and the revenue cycle. Consultants will use the strategies presented to help their clients build stronger, more efficient coding processes.
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