HILLSBORO, OR – When Hillsboro Advanced Surgical Care implemented secure messaging in late January, the single-physician office eliminated faxing patient data to its medical billing service provider.
While the implementation helped HASC be HIPAA-compliant and enabled it to track what it has sent out, it also delivered immediate return on investment, said office manager Linda Anderson.
The ability to send patient data via e-mail reduced paper and administrative costs. Secure messaging also eliminated the batches of fee slips and insurance and clinical data that were sent by courier to Uptown Medical Billing.
The most significant ROI, however, will be in the reduction of aging accounts.
“We anticipate seeing a huge difference in the aging of accounts,” she said. Instead of the usual eight to 10 days of turnaround because of the batch process, HASC sends data on the same day the service was rendered. By generating claims faster, HASC has decreased the turnaround from payers by 14 days.
Uptown Medical Billing has also reaped benefits. By receiving data per patient visit instead of in batches, Uptown’s workload has become more consistent. “Kryptiq has helped us get information from the clinic much faster and more secure,” said CEO Allison Drake.
“In addition to sending billing information along a secure channel, some secure messaging solutions also support physician-patient communications and patient portals,” said Lynne Dunbrack, program director for Health Industry Insights, an IDC company.
Patients can send secure messages online for appointment scheduling, prescription refills and billing questions. They can also retrieve test results securely and, if available, receive online consultations or e-visits, she said.
Health Industry Insights anticipates an uptake of secure messaging solutions by providers to address HIPAA privacy and security issues and to increase efficiency. The caveat, said Dunbrack, is that the solution must not negatively impact physician workflow.
Malcolm Costello, senior vice president of marketing and strategic relations for Kryptiq, said Connect IQ is non-disruptive technology.
“We do not change the platform people are using today,” he said. Data can be sent regardless of what electronic health record or practice management system is being used.
“Workflow is almost irrelevant for them,” Costello said. “We use readily available core technology, apply it to the problem and instantly deliver measurable ROI.”