Front-end revenue cycle: Enhancing patient demographic collection in medical practices
While every step of healthcare revenue cycle is critical, the front end of revenue cycle management is particularly important because it lays the foundation for all subsequent steps in the medical claim management process. Patient demographics and insurance information are what ultimately promote timely payment and revenue integrity. Examples of patient demographic data include patient name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, and sex. However, equally as important is each patient’s race, ethnicity, and language (collectively known as ‘REAL’ data) as well as their sexual orientation and gender identity (otherwise known as ‘SOGI’ data) often collected at the point of patient registration as well.
Here’s why patient demographic data is so important:
It promotes revenue integrity. Seemingly benign spelling errors or number transpositions can cause denied or delayed payments that no medical practice can afford. Similarly, failing to capture secondary medical insurance means you could be leaving money on the table. Accurate patient demographics and insurance information increases the likelihood you’ll be paid correctly and on time.
It improves patient engagement. Without accurate patient demographics, you may not be able to fully leverage automated patient reminders, mail- or email-based marketing campaigns, or your patient portal. Following up with patients regarding unpaid medical bills may also be a futile effort, causing your patient accounts receivable to age unnecessarily.
Promote patient-centered care and health equity. Patients’ answers to certain demographic questions can provide valuable insight into healthcare disparities and risk for social determinants of health (SDOH) that can impact outcomes. For example, you might be able to glean from a patient’s zip code that they live in a food desert without access to nutritious food to keep them healthy. Or you could glean from a patient’s age, education level, or primary language that they might have problems with health literacy or digital literacy and not be able to understand or access educational materials. Then you can take steps proactively to intervene with tips and strategies.
Still, collecting and managing patient demographic data and insurance information can be tricky because the information changes and because the entire process is vulnerable to human errors and omissions. Here are three tips to improve your front-end revenue cycle management process—one of many potential goals for the New Year:
1. Ask the right questions. This means deviating from the tendency to confirm whether ‘everything is the same.’ Most patients say ‘yes’ even when they’ve moved (which means there’s a change of address), gotten married (which means there could be a name change), or switched jobs (meaning they could have new health insurance) because they assume they’ve been to your medical practice since that change took place. This usually isn’t the case. Instead, read aloud each sample of patient demographic data you see in the electronic health record (EHR) and ask the patient to confirm. Or you can ask the patient to state their name, address, phone number, email address, emergency contact, etc. while you review that information in the EHR. Taking a few extra moments to validate these and other examples of patient demographic data can make a big difference in terms of overall revenue cycle management. Create a patient registration checklist—or even a patient registration script—that outlines what information you’ll confirm and how.
2. Strive for cultural sensitivity. As you ask patients for demographic information, keep in mind that it may be difficult or even embarrassing for them to share certain details. Staff must be ready and willing to answer questions about why demographic data is important and how the medical practice uses it. When it comes to collecting patient demographics, trust is paramount. The more culturally sensitive your staff, the better.
Cultural sensitivity and data analytics go hand in hand. SDOH screenings, in particular, play a significant role, and you can incorporate these screenings into the patient registration process. An added bonus? SDOH screenings are billable in calendar year 2024 using medical code G0136 that pays approximately $18. Be sure to include an SDOH screening on your patient registration checklist this year.
REAL and SOGI data are also important. With the right data analytics tools, you can look more closely at a sample of patient demographic data, REAL data, and SOGI data to understand your patient populations more effectively. Then you can invest in employee training to provide culturally competent care and even diversify your employee base to more closely reflect the patient populations you serve. All of this can greatly enhance patient satisfaction and improve patient retention.
3. Consider a mobile patient intake process. Some patients may feel more comfortable providing demographic information using their own personal mobile device. By scanning a QR code in your office, they can complete the process with greater privacy and dignity. Mobile patient intake for patients eliminates the need for confidential conversations that others may overhear. Mobile patient intake forms also limit unauthorized access to patient demographic data because this information flows securely from the mobile device directly into the EHR. In addition, with mobile patient intake, there are fewer errors because patients input the information themselves.
Conclusion
Patient demographic data is important on many levels—for revenue cycle management, patient-centered care, and so much more. Asking the right questions is paramount, but so is leveraging the right technology. Learn how edgeMED can help and be sure to check the Healthy Snacks blog for more expert insights, best practices and industry trends.
