HomeTown Health's new RCM training program targets Iowa hospitals: 8 things to know

HomeTown Health, a network of rural hospitals, healthcare providers and best practice business partners, has launched the 2016 revenue cycle management training program called "Rev Up Your Revenue Cycle."

Here are eight things to know about the grant program.

1. The program is being offered as a part of the FLEX Financial and Operational Improvement Grant in Iowa through the Iowa Department of Public Health.

2. Through the program, HomeTown Health will assist a portion of Iowa's critical access hospitals in improving their revenue cycle and business office practices.

3. Specifically, HomeTown Health is partnering with Iowa critical access hospitals in activities aimed at improving financial and operational outcomes, particularly by targeting activities that will work toward improving revenue cycle management and helping to implement activities designed to increase profitability, according to a news release.

4. Grant work for the program has involved collecting initial self-assessments from the participating hospitals that help to measure knowledge levels and current processes taking place in the facilities in revenue cycle areas, according to a news release. Revenue Cycle Specialist and Trainer, Annie Lee Sallee, with HomeTown Health, performed an aggregated analysis of the results of the surveys.

5. The "Rev Up Your Revenue Cycle" program that is being provided through this grant activity includes month-to-month online education courses, best practice benchmarks and other resources for the business office and revenue cycle teams at the participating hospitals.

6. The program is designed to increase knowledge and improve facilities processes in the following areas:

  • Scheduling and registration
  • Financial counseling
  • Case management and utilization review
  • Admission and charge capture
  • Documentation and coding
  • Billing and claims submission
  • Third-party follow up
  • Payment posting
  • Denials and appeals
  • Managed care contracts

7. The following hospitals are participating in year one of the program:

  • Central Community Hospital (
  • Shenandoah (Iowa) Medical Center
  • Hawarden (Iowa) Regional Healthcare
  • Cass County Health System (Atlantic)
  • Van Buren County Hospital (Keosauqua­)
  • Guttenberg (Iowa) Municipal Hospital
  • Waverly (Iowa) Health Center
  • Buena Vista Regional Medical Center (Storm Lake)
  • Horn Memorial Hospital (Ida Grove)
  • Knoxville (Iowa) Hospital & Clinics
  • George C. Grape Community Hospital (Hamburg)
  • Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion/Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond

8. Jennie Price, HomeTown Health's director of business development, expressed excitement about the program. "We [HomeTown Health] have long been involved in working to ensure the survival of small and rural hospitals, but it has primarily been in the southeast region," she said in a prepared statement. "By offering this program through online, accredited courses and interactive webinars, we are able to bring the experience of our 17 years to hospital staff across the country who share in the same financial struggles inherent to this type of hospital."

 

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