The Challenge

Based upon Moffitt’s operational volumes and comprehensive patient services, the organization needed to update its revenue cycle management system from Keane Revenue Cycle Management to Siemens Soarian Financial Revenue Cycle Management in order to accommodate growth as well as address the “sun-setting” of Keane. A complicating implementation factor included a patient account file structure post-live redesign within Soarian which created a material coding backlog. Based upon the significant coding backlog, Moffitt’s Health Information Management (HIM) staff was required to seek professional HIM guidance and coding support to assist with this technology infrastructure redesign.

The Collaborative Approach

JTS Health Partners (JTS) provided HIM on-site project management and coding leadership. Moffitt and JTS jointly aligned with senior credentialed and qualified HIM professionals in order to develop an immediate and comprehensive plan. The plan represented a profession-al team that exceeded fifteen (15+) full time equivalents (FTEs) that became operational within thirty (30) days. Therefore, within sixty (60) days, JTS spearheaded a leadership team as it relat-ed to stabilizing and optimizing the coding performance within the Outpatient Facility Fee coding area of the HIM Department.

The Accomplishments

The barriers to success were addressed through key communication strategies (e.g., daily basis, etc.) that provided the appropriate operational support to accomplish Moffitt’s short-term and long-term goals and objectives. Through working directly with Moffitt’s supervisors of Outpatient Facility Fee coding and Professional Practice coding, JTS documented a complete work plan that became an achievable and successful operating plan.

JTS’ successful results are highlighted below:

• Implemented a quality assurance program that met Moffitt’s high standards;
• Obtained subject matter expertise with resulting in relevant and effective policies and procedures, and operational dashboards; and
• Accomplished successful in-depth testing to avoid minimal rework during coding education efforts.

This Discharged not final billed (DNFB) work effort included the following results:

• May 2014 DNFB:
  • Total Dollars                                 ~$67,900,000
  • Total Accounts                                         ~36,000
• November 2014 DNFB:
  • Total Dollars                                 ~$18,700,000
  • Total Accounts                                            ~9,000
•  % decrease in DNFB over six (6) months:    72%

   Revenue Cycle Management Services

Health Information Management – Co-Sourcing Coding Services – Project Management

The Challenge

Ask most information technology (“IT”) executives what it takes to implement thirty (13) acute hospitals and eighty (80) ambulatory sites on computer provider order entry (POE) – in 18 months? A good majority will likely focus on the technical infrastructure, software or resource requirements. Providing technology vision and leadership for MSHA, Mr. Paul Merrywell, VP/CIO, explains it was changing the culture and influencing leadership that “mattered most” in such a significant transformation.

Collaborative Approach

“A key to changing culture when you’re rocking folks’ worlds is basic communication; you practically have to be relentless with it,” said Mr. Merrywell. MSHA’s transformation was successful using hardwired, customer-focused and consistent communications. Efforts included engaging senior leadership early and working through virtually every level of leadership. “We marketed directly to team members and providers,” Mr. Merrywell explained.

Changing culture isn’t just “out there” for Mr. Merrywell and Ms. Austin – this senior team believes culture change begins at home. Mr. Merrywell and Ms. Austin engaged JTS for the following:

• Assessment, design, development and implementation; and
• Evaluation of quarterly IT Technology Leadership Development day-long retreats.

The Accomplishments

While not every team member embraced change wholeheartedly, the culture dial has moved significantly given that nearly 2,300 acute and ambulatory providers are now live on enhanced clinical technologies. “In the middle of all of this, we were designated as a Siemens Reference site for our ADOPT IT Adoption Center, and we achieved ‘Most Wired’ status through the American Hospital Association,” Ms. Austin explained.

Ms. Austin described the retreats, which were held for their fifteen-person IT Director, Management, and Supervisory team, “The retreats were not just ‘fluff’; they had real learning objectives, based on our IT strategic vision. The sessions were designed to work on actual IT issues we needed to resolve. JTS executive advisors were experienced and listened to our needs to ensure the time was efficient and effective. Not only did they design the program—they delivered with quality too. Leaders walked away with action items for next time, knowing this was a good investment in time and in colleagues.”

Dick Clark, the former CEO of Merck, was quoted as saying: “Culture eats strategy for lunch.”MSHA’s strategy of driving change by influencing leadership through hardwired messaging has given this line of thinking a run for its money!

“JTS Health Partners executive advisors played a key role in serving as thought leaders in strategy and messaging.”

Advisory & Enterprise Services

 Change Management – Information Technology (Siemens Soarian)