The client wanted to improve their revenue cycle performance for patient inquiry and admission. Different members within the management team felt that there were different reasons for poor performance in this area. Bad debt, census, and Medicaid to managed care patient ratios were all areas of concern.

IET was brought in to measure the actual process and determine scientifically and objectively what areas, if improved upon, would lead to an increase in revenue.

IET worked with a carefully selected focus group to map the current revenue cycle process and identify breakdowns within that process. Next, a team of IET engineers visited 30 facilities across the country to measure each facility’s individual process, identify best practices and capture specific performance metrics.

IET correlated the information gathered from the work measurement phase into a singular process chart and supplemental matrix. These tools guided the team’s professional intuition towards objective solutions within the process redesign phase of the project. IET focused on tangible process changes through technology enhancement, redesigned roles for key resources, simplified communication and measureable targets.

The improved revenue cycle process aimed to not only improve revenue in terms of cost, quality and speed, but in terms of standardization. Every skilled nursing facility is capable of performing the new process anywhere across the nation. The projected impact of this project on operating costs is estimated to be $150 million in 2011.