DATA- DRIVEN STRATEGIES: REDUCING DUPLICATE RECORDS
January 21, 2020
DATA- DRIVEN STRATEGIES: REDUCING DUPLICATE RECORDS
Improving analytics and implementing data-driven strategies are proving to be on the forefront of healthcare organizations agendas. Approximately 88% of hospitals have some sort of data-driven strategy with a dedicated analytic team (1). Value based payment models have forced provider organizations to invest more in data tools and strategies. Some organizations are even trying to monetize their data. New AI capabilities are taking advantage of the large data sets like never before. While a data-driven strategy is important knowing the quality of your data is key.
According to AHIMA, “most hospitals have between 5-10% duplicate medical records and health systems that are multi-facility have an average duplicate rate of 20%” (2). The more complex a health system is, the higher percentage of duplicate records can be found. A prime example occurred in Houston, TX. In 2016, Harris Health System reported 2,488 records with the name of “Maria Garcia”— of those records, 231 shared the same birthdate (3). Recording and analyzing the data is crucial to help identify and eliminate duplicate, incomplete or overlapping data from the system.
Reducing the amount of duplicate data can help reduce the total spend. The expense of a duplicate medical record costs on average $800 per Emergency Department visit and upward of $1950 per Inpatient stay. It can cost a hospital on average $1.5 million, and throughout the industry the cost is estimated at over $6 billion (4).
Identifying why the duplicate medical record occurred is vital to decrease issues. Duplicate medical records are created as a result of patient identification errors, which typically occur during the inpatient registration. However, errors in both the Emergency Department and Outpatient Clinics can contribute to the error rate. Although biometric devices prove useful to initially identify patients, the issue lies within the registration system.
Registration systems often do not leverage advanced logic to help identify an existing patient. A simple error such as a misspelled name can result in an incorrect, duplicated medical record. This error could potentially end up costing the hospital around $1950.
At Excite Health Partners, we understand the importance of quality data. We work to implement solutions leveraging advanced logic (similar to Google searches) to ensure the right patient is found within your EHR.
Regardless of the presence of biometrics, our team of experienced professionals work efficiently to integrate the solutions within your environment. Our approach reduces patient check-in time, producing a positive RIO for the organization. Improving the quality of data and decreasing the cost of errors, Excite Health Partners has the best fit solutions for your organizational needs.
CIO VP of EHR Services & Digital Services
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