Biomedical subjects

M S Karpiel

Publications and source records attributed to M S Karpiel.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Benchmarking facilitates process improvement in the emergency department.

The emergency department (ED) is an important source of revenue for hospitals. Patient satisfaction is necessary to any effort to optimize revenues. If patients fail to move efficiently through the ED, their perception of the experience might be negative. To facilitate process improvement in the ED, hospitals need to identify critical success factors and appropriate measures, collect data on their patient-flow process, compare those data with industry benchmarks, and then determine areas for improvement. With this information, an action plan can be designed to improve patient-throughput time and patient satisfaction without lowering the quality of care delivered.

Benchmarking↗

PubMed2000

APCs challenge hospital EDs and outpatient clinics.

As the uneasily awaited Medicare outpatient prospective payment system becomes reality July 1, hospital emergency department and outpatient clinics face an even greater need for accurate coding models and systems, as well as vigorous cost-reduction strategies. By the nature of the services they provide, such facilities will find securing adequate payment for appropriate, quality care to be a complex and challenging task. Those organizations that have prepared effectively, however, may benefit under the prospective payment system.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Capitated contracting for emergency services.

As a way of gaining further control over the cost of healthcare delivery, more managed care organizations are seeking to negotiate capitated contracts for emergency department services. In many instances, these contracts do not include disincentives that would discourage primary care physicians from sending patients who require nonurgent care to emergency departments for treatment. Without such disincentives, emergency departments may have to bear a considerable financial burden for providing additional services. Prior to negotiating the terms of capitated contracts for emergency services, managers should analyze carefully how patients use emergency department resources. By negotiating with managed care organizations to include volume stop-loss provisions and other financial disincentives to curb overutilization by physicians, financial managers can help protect their organizations from the costs of overutilization.

Capitation Fee↗

PubMed1994

Using patient classification systems to identify ambulatory care costs.

Ambulatory care continues to increase as a percentage of total hospital revenue. Until recently, reimbursement for ambulatory care was provided on a cost basis. However, payers are attempting to exert more control over reimbursement for ambulatory care. The Health Care Financing Administration, for example, is expanding the use of prospective payment to cover more forms of outpatient care. Thus, in order to ensure the financial viability of their organizations, healthcare financial managers will need cost-accounting tools, such as patient classification systems, to ascertain the direct and indirect costs of emergency or outpatient visits and thereby to refine pricing, contracting, staffing, productivity, and profitability analyses for ambulatory care.

Accounting↗

PubMed1993

New service lines for hospital emergency departments.

One way for a hospital to increase revenue, improve the delivery of health care, and boost patient satisfaction is to develop new services as an adjunct to its emergency department. New service lines that treat emergency department patients quickly and efficiently and eliminate negative experiences patients often associate with emergency department visits can offer significant benefits to a hospital as well as its patients.

Appointments and Schedules↗