Even under normal circumstances, healthcare release of information (ROI) is inexhaustible and essential work with staff responding to requests coming from multiple sources. Healthcare institutions and providers rely on timely ROI fulfillment to receive payments and administer services. Insurance companies require quick and accurate records to send payments and track services provided. Patients deserve a quick ROI turnaround for both their mental and physical well-being. And, legal professionals depend on receiving patient records to offer clients sound legal advice and substantiate court cases and mediation.
ROI is a critical component of a well-functioning healthcare system. Requests for medical records must be processed quickly, accurately and in compliance with HIPAA laws. Compiling additional pressure on ROI processes is that healthcare release of information comes with inherent risks for organizations. In response, healthcare organization leaders are offloading this task to a release of information outsourcing company, to:
- Turn ROI services from a cost center to opportunity for efficiency and savings
- Allow their management team and staff to focus on other critical work
- Mitigate risks associated with data breaches and HIPAA fines imposed for noncompliance by transferring liability to the outsourced ROI company
Despite the coronavirus pandemic straining staff and resources, healthcare enterprises still must provide quick, accurate and HIPAA-compliant ROI services even if employees are working remotely or being called upon to handle additional duties. COVID-19 patient care is taking priority over non-essential care and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Healthcare release of information is being outsourced to companies, like ScanSTAT Technologies, to bring bandwidth to ROI without a long learning curve or creating gaps in response time, reliability or compliance.
However, when a sense of normalcy returns and non-essential care is rescheduled, ROI staff once again will be inundated and working overtime to respond to medical record requests. Like during the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare organizations using a release of information outsourcing company will continue realizing significant cost savings, transferring the burden of HIPAA risk and meeting request timelines.
Perhaps more importantly in the post-COVID-19 world, organizations who’ve already outsourced their ROI services will be in a solid position to:
- Continue using their ROI staff in more useful ways
- Be prepared for inevitable changes in the regulatory landscape
- Better navigate the new reporting and data sharing paradigm
Having a release of information outsourcing company that has customized its ROI processes to your enterprise and community will be just as important later (if not more so) as it is now. At this point, we are basing what the future looks like on educated guesses and projections. One thing is certain. The number of medical record requests will skyrocket and completing them on time, accurately and in compliance will be as critical as ever. If your organization requires ROI support to keep up now or wants to be proactive in handling what’s to come, contact us to start the conversation.