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Auditing the registration process: Part two

Healthcare Auditing Weekly, June 8, 2005

Last week, we discussed the first three steps you should take to ensure that the registration staff in your organization captures the information needed to obtain accurate reimbursement. This week, we'll take a look at three more. After reviewing policies and procedures, interviewing staff, and identifying key information needed for registration, follow these steps:

1. Draw a sample. Use the following choices:

• Include all payers and patient status types in the sample
• Consider selecting a specific date to sample
• Select 30 patients registered in one month

2. Observe the registration process. Observe workers as they obtain and enter the following registration information. Be sure to:

• Review how much information staff obtains when patients call to register
• Determine whether this information is available when the patient arrives
• Make sure staff ask for picture identification and the patient's insurance card When the patient presents.
• Determine whether staff photocopies the insurance card
• Determine whether staff asks established patients whether their insurance has changed

3. Review copayments.

• Identify whether staff collect copayments
• If they don't collect copays, find out why and make sure they are set up to collect copayment
• Determine whether staff tells patient to bring their copayment when they call to remind patients of their appointments

Look for next week's issue when we go over three more steps for auditing the registration process.

The above tip is an excerpt from the book "Hospital Auditing and Monitoring: Sample Programs for Key Risk Areas," copyright 2005 by HCPro, Inc. This book is a step-by-step, practical manual that offers sample audit programs for the most troublesome areas that a hospital must audit. The binder and CD-ROM are filled with actual audit programs used by auditors and compliance officers in the field. Click here for more information or to order your copy today.

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