10 Reasons Why You Should Outsource Your Medical Coding- Reason 7 of 10: Lean Six Sigma Principles
As ICD-10 implementation draws near, the shortage of qualified medical coders will only become more acute. Outsourcing your medical coding is a solution that fits the needs of large hospital groups, standalone hospitals, large and small physician groups, and other healthcare organizations. It can result in zero coding backlogs, guaranteed quality, reduced cost, and no worries about coding resources or shortage-driven cost increases.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll offer you the top 10 reasons why outsourcing makes sense for your organization.
Reason #7 of 10: Lean Six Sigma Principles
Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology with a focus on removing waste. Lean Six Sigma methodology relies on a collaborative team effort to identify waste and improve efficiency. Waste in medical coding is commonly described by terms such as incomplete, inaccurate, and a backlog of accounts waiting to be coded. These inefficiencies are eliminated by the collaborative team approach to applying Lean Six Sigma principles that focus on the gap between performance and expectation.
A focus on process through Lean Six Sigma methodologies (including data-driven improvement initiatives and standardized processes designed to ‘get it right the first time’) assures medical coders achieve high-quality performance that results in high accuracy and rapid turn-around time.
Our coding operations staff is rigorously trained and tested prior to being assigned to a customer. We conduct concurrent and retrospective review of accounts, and direct improvement initiatives at the systems, processes and individual coders to address gaps in knowledge and/or performance. We also analyze workflow and outcomes while implementing continuous performance improvement initiatives to assure best practices are incorporated into the culture overall and at the individual level.
Six Sigma Black Belt project managers assimilate collaborative teams consisting of coders, coding specialists, coding auditors and managers at all levels to drive rapid improvement initiatives. Ovation’s dedication to Lean Six Sigma principles assures timely, accurate, and complete medical coding (as reflected by a greater than 95% accuracy) with a two-day turn-around time.
To learn more about Ovation Revenue Cycle Services’Comprehensive Coding Services, visit www.ovationrcs.com.
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