In today's economy, you don't have to think very hard to come up with reasons not to start a project to implement a new Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) system in your Long-Term Care organization. Your mind races to all of the costs: the software, the hardware, the training, the disruption to your operation. But that's only one side of the equation. You have to look at the benefits as well, and see how they stack up.

There's no doubt that there are significant costs, as well as other considerations, that would be barriers to the adoption of a new HIT system.  Most facilities are heavily entrenched in the paper-based systems they have used to manage operations for many years. And although the Federal government has mandated the implementation of HIT by 2014 to enable interoperability between care settings, the current reimbursement system provides no incentives for them to share patient information. In spite of that, there are many quantifiable benefits that can be realized with a properly utilized HIT system.

Improved Communication
Storing the resident chart electronically rather than on paper makes the information more accessible to people in a more efficient way. Many systems provide messaging, alerts, flagged entries and other tools that help caregivers communicate changes, incidents and other important issues that may require follow-up across caregiver shifts. The capability to access necessary information quickly and easily saves time and provides caregivers with a clearer picture of the resident's condition. In addition, an integrated system opens the lines of communication between clinicians and the business office, making diagnosis and RUGs information available for billing.

More Accurate Documentation
With the ability to document care more efficiently and conveniently, caregivers can make chart entries in a more timely manner, and therefore they are more likely to do so. Certainly, documentation done at the point of care is more reliable than flow charts and care summaries completed at the end of an 8-hour shift.

Improved Quality of Care
Improved communication and accurate documentation have a direct impact on quality of care. First, having access to more complete information about the resident allows the nursing staff to be more proactive in caring for them. For example, some software systems provide the capability to analyze charted data in order to identify trends and manage resident care more effectively. Second, more efficient documentation allows caregivers to spend less time on paperwork and more time with the residents. This benefit alone is bound to improve care.

Maximized Reimbursements
Under current regulations, the old saying is true - "if it wasn't documented, it didn't happen." For the financial stability of the facility, it is critical that all of the care provided to each resident be properly documented. Studies show that on average, SNFs sacrifice $7.04 per Medicare Part A day as a result of billing errors or systematic downcoding of the MDS. For a facility with 10 Medicare A residents, this translates to approximately $2100 per month in increased revenue that facilities could collect just by capturing all of the care they are already providing.

Maximized Productivity and Efficiencies
The conversion from paper charting to an electronic system, by its very nature, means a change in procedures and processes across the facility. Instead of seeking out the MDS Coordinator to discuss completion of assessments before billing, the Business Office Manager should be able to access the information quickly and easily through the integrated clinical and financial system. When a resident is admitted, the information is entered once and automatically flows to other areas of the system, accessible to all appropriate departments.

As you review your workflow procedures and processes, you will likely find many other ways that you can use the system to maximize efficiency and productivity. This may be accomplished by eliminating steps that are no longer necessary, and utilizing the system to automate time-consuming manual functions, such as:

·         Automatically creating customized, personalized admission documents, produced from admission information collected and entered into the system

·         Quick and easy bank reconciliation and account balancing

·         Automatically creating customized, personalized collection letters, produced from Accounts Receivable and Collection aging information

·         Census automation

·         Generation of care plans based on identified problems and customized libraries

·         Medication Administration through an eMAR that is tied to prescriber and pharmacy to reflect up-to-the-minute medication needs, checks for drug interactions and administration instructions

All of these improvements, and many more, can be realized with the proper implementation and adoption of an effective HIT system.  With many different options available in the eldercare market, choose the one that is right for your organization, based on your needs, your goals, and your budget.

MDI Achieve is the leading provider of software solutions for the eldercare continuum. Our Matrix software is a fully integrated, web-based solution with EHR capabilities designed to improve quality of care, documentation and administration of eldercare organizations.