Additionally, as providers and practice administrators strive for more efficiencies, despite the promises undelivered by the technology they’ve procured, there’s even been rumbling from those in the trenches that they long for days gone by when paper was the practice management system of choice and technology was nothing more than a landline phone.
Despite the continual change and disruption we’ve seen in the last half decade or so, from the rise of the electronic health records, interoperability and meaningful use regulation to the continual battles over regulation (ICD-10, for example), Medicare’s recovery audit contractor program, mobile tech infiltrating healthcare and the continual stop/start of the conversation surrounding electronic health exchange, we all just seem to long for some stability; perhaps even some security in the ever-changing times. Even that seems like somewhat of a pipe dream given the continual news of breach (Anthem, Community Health Systems and countless others).
As healthcare strives for more efficiency and adopts measures to achieve these efficiencies, we are seeing movement here that is letting us know that we are on the right track. Using electronic health records, for example, because of their overwhelming implementation and use, we as an industry are now better able to determine where there are other “holes” in the system. All that EHRs promised has not been delivered. But new solutions are emerging to fill these gaps.
Healthcare information exchange is another area that continues to gain traction and solutions are coming to life. Gone are the days, or they should be, of submitting medical claims on paper. Less costly, faster solutions are emerging, and even though they may not be a direct influence of the EHR or part of the movement that that technology created, one specific solution is gaining traction: electronic attachments.
Specifically, these are used to remove hurdles associated with claims processes associated with payers and providers. They gained some fame recently through Medicare’s RAC program. Even now, even only as a portion of medical claims actually require supporting documentation – thus the needed for electronic attachments, which contain medical and health record data to support adjudication — providers who consider themselves completely on board with technology are using it to submit attachments, and other documents, as needed.
The electronic attachment technology is an interesting one, especially in our current times. It fills gaps in electronic health records, they are secure and HIPAA compliant and they are able to safely exchange health data around the country to various healthcare parties as needed, even if the issue is not one related to claims.
Additionally, the technology remains viable in an evolving industry and they are becoming a quick fix to mitigating rising costs felt by everyone in this new healthcare economy. But, insomuch that they are new to healthcare’s playpen, dental practices have actually been actually leading the way in this arena by adopting the solution because they are providing proven electronic attachments processes. The benefits to these practices include eliminating lost patient records during sharing of the information with payers; digital tracking capabilities (being able to watch where claim information is in the process of shipping and review); eliminating wasted and multiple efforts because of digital storage, processing and submission capabilities; and allowing a dental provider the ability to use their existing technology without the need to make any technology changes to their current infrastructure (electronic attachment and exchange solutions work with any existing electronic health record or practice management system).
From a claims management perspective, electronic attachments mean claims do not get lost in a pile of paperwork and documents and will be readily available to those who need to review them. The benefits of the technology and of practices using electronic attachments are proven and measurable. As they continue to make inroads into practices – for the most part pretty silently given all of the current health IT coverage leaning in the direction EHRs, meaningful use and ICD-10 — deserve a close evaluation by payers and providers.
Though little is discussed about electronic attachments, there is little to suggest that their acceptance as a viable information exchange solution will be hindered. For example, payers continue to accept the technology as a viable instrument in sharing claims data electronically with and between practices, and Medicare has allowed them, through the esMD program, in the exchange of information from hospitals to recovery audit contractors, since earlier this decade.
The technology used to exchange electronic attachments is the foundation of a health information exchange, and they prove that secure, HIPAA-compliant flow of information can move from party to party and practice to practice. In a piece I wrote in 2011 for HL7’s blog, I suggested that “new” technologies, ranging from cloud solutions to virtual “assistants,” “are transforming the way provider offices operate. As the healthcare industry strives for greater efficiencies and adopts sustainable measures, submitting medical claims on paper seems to be a thing of the past.”
We have clearly reached that point. Submitting paper forms in any manner — claims or otherwise — should be considered a thing of the past. As EHRs have been touted as an end-all healthcare IT solution, we’re seeing now that this is clearly not the case. Other solutions, especially in regard to exchanging information, are needed to meet some of our industry’s objectives, such as interoperability, meaningful use and valid HIE.
In specific regard to electronic attachments, in the past, providers discounted the need for them, citing that they are only used in such a small portion of medical claim reviews. However, now more than ever, with ever ongoing federal requirements, continual technology needs and the desire for information to flow seamlessly, the use of electronic attachments is not an obstacle, but an opportunity; one that is finally being embraced because it is able to ensure less work is required of office staff rather than having employees taking the time to file, fax and send documents and other details when these solutions can do the work with a few clicks of the button, literally.
Lindy Benton is president if MEA|NEA|TWSG, a provider of secure healthcare communications, HIPAA-compliant cloud storage solutions, electronic attachment and health information exchange solutions for hospitals and dental practices. MEA|NEA|TWSG serves more than one million providers in the US.
