MEDHOST, a provider of healthcare throughput and emergency department software, today announced that Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, S.C., has achieved significant financial returns and operational improvements by deploying MEDHOST's Emergency Department Information System (EDIS).
One month after implementing the EDIS, Beaufort Memorial's emergency department (ED) recognized a $1.3 million increase in gross revenue from improved E&M coding and IV infusion charges.
Beaufort Memorial was able to more accurately determine E&M levels because MEDHOST's behind-the-scenes Charge Capture calculates charges as clinicians document care, ensuring the hospital is reimbursed according to the level of care provided. In addition, Beaufort's nurses leveraged MEDHOST's medication documentation to record IV Infusion "start" and "stop" times. The ED also utilized MEDHOST's electronic charting to eliminate dictation, which resulted in a $240,000 per year savings, and streamline the turnaround time for chart completion.
"The system drives user compliance, which generates more complete documentation. This ultimately resulted in increased revenue for the hospital because all of the care provided is captured and billed," hospital CIO Ed Ricks said.
Beaufort Memorial selected MEDHOST because Ricks' success in implementing MEDHOST at two other facilities, which also experienced dramatic financial and clinical improvements. The hospital developed an IT strategy that supported its organizational goals and patient safety initiatives. This included using the additional revenue that MEDHOST would generate to help fund Beaufort's hospital-wide technology upgrades, including its MEDITECH 6.0 upgrade and clinician-friendly CPOE implementation.
