Sloppy documentation costs millions; pathways can save your bacon.
At Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, physicians' inadequate documentation and their resistance to clinical pathways have resulted in a flood of denied claims from third-party payers. Case managers at Sinai are addressing the problem by eliminating duplicate documentation and folding into the pathways information physicians must consult on a daily basis, such as vital signs and patient assessments. To avoid the consequences of poor documentation, case managers must be able to identify deficiencies and be available to coach physicians on what constitutes acceptable documentation in the medical record, experts say.
D015142:Baltimore; D054598:Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans / Q000191:economics; D019090:Case Management; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004282:Documentation / Q000191:economics; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*