Worried about Staffing Shortages? Coronis Can Help

As COVID-19 infection rates continue to surge across the nation, U.S. medical facilities are facing increasing pressure to implement vaccine mandates for all employees. A blanket mandate may seem like the right call to curb infection rates and reduce hospitalization numbers, but the reality isn’t quite so black and white. 

Medical facilities are currently experiencing staffing shortages due to the pandemic — particularly in rural areas — and a vaccine mandate may only exacerbate the problem. To prepare for this anticipated exodus of health care workers, the Biden Administration has set up funding for rural medical facilities to provide financial support during this lapse in staffing coverage. 

Coronis Health understands how the pandemic has disproportionately affected rural medical facilities. With over 100 years of combined experience in various specialties, we’ve made it our mission to assist rural facilities in any way we can.

This impending staffing shortage doesn’t have to ripple through your entire organization. Coronis offers a number of services to help support shortages within the administrative side of your facility. We have teams of experienced medical billers and coders to temporarily cover your gap in staffing so that you can continue providing high-quality medical care.

The Staffing Problem

The data is clear: COVID-19 infection rates are increasing in every state in the continental U.S. Several different factors are influencing these numbers, but the fast-spreading delta variant and number of unvaccinated individuals are, without question, the dominant determinants. 

With infection rates on the rise, health care workers are feeling stretched thin. According to recent studies, up to 30% of medical professionals have considered leaving the industry altogether. Physical and mental exhaustion, burnout, and disillusionment of the medical field are just a few reasons the healthcare industry is struggling to find and retain high-quality staff.

Another culprit behind the shortage? Vaccines. With the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine — currently offered by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson — many health care workers have expressed wariness. 

The problem seems to be twofold. A recent survey of nursing home caregivers suggests that many workers worry about vaccine safety and side effects due to lack of information. According to the American Medical Association, others feel that the vaccine was developed too quickly for their comfort, while some believe they’ve developed long-term antibodies after repeated virus exposures.

Whatever the reason may be, unvaccinated healthcare workers are at risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and of passing it on to immunocompromised patients, which increases infection rates within the entire system. As hospital beds fill up and staff call out sick due to infection, medical facilities are continuing to operate without the number of workers they need to properly care for their patients.

Are Vaccine Requirements Coming?

The number of major health networks requiring that employees be vaccinated is growing fast. California, for example, has mandated that all healthcare workers in the state be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September. Those who refuse will be subject to regular testing. Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia have issued similar mandates, while numerous private facilities are following suit. In June, more than 150 Houston Methodist employees were fired or resigned over the facility’s vaccine mandate.

But not all states are requiring vaccinations for healthcare workers. Montana state law prohibits any employer from requiring workers to be vaccinated. Additionally, employers cannot discriminate against workers based on vaccination status. Likewise, a 32-year-old law in Oregon prevents employers from independently mandating vaccines for healthcare workers, prompting Gov. Kate Brown to issue new guidance regarding health and safety in healthcare settings.

Help on the Horizon

As the uptick in medical facilities requiring proof of vaccination grows, the White House has a close eye on rural hospitals, where COVID-19 infection rates sit higher than at urban facilities and staffing shortages hit all-time highs in many regions. 

Fortunately, federal assistance is on the horizon, with The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocating $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan funding to help support healthcare providers serving rural Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) patients. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will also allocate $500 million in American Rescue Plan funding to create the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program. This program is expected to increase access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, food assistance, telehealth, medical supplies, and more. One primary goal of this new funding is to boost staffing in rural facilities that are most impacted by COVID-19.

How Coronis Can Help

The need for proper staffing in rural medical facilities is critical right now. As vaccine mandates grow, it’s important for these facilities to prepare for additional staffing shortages. Coronis Health has the skill and experience to shoulder the burden. We’re here to make sure your medical billing and coding processes continue to run smoothly in spite of staffing shortages and changes. 

We provide the highest quality medical billers and coders to optimize your revenue cycle while you tend to more urgent duties pertaining to patient care. From simplifying the collection process to scrubbing claims and reducing denials, Coronis Health can help keep the administrative side of your facility running smoothly.

To learn more about how Coronis Health can help you maintain success during staffing shortages, contact a financial consultant for a free financial checkup today.

from
https://www.coronishealth.com/blog/worried-about-staffing-shortages-coronis-can-help/

Long Haul Covid Modifiers: What You Need to Know

As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its second year, medical practitioners are uncovering new repercussions stemming from the infection. It’s becoming clear to those in the medical community that symptoms of COVID can linger long after patients recover. Referred to as COVID “long-haulers,” these patients continue to suffer a broad range of peculiar symptoms related to the infection, including brain fog and memory loss.

Treating patients with obscure symptoms from COVID is difficult enough, but billing for them is a challenge in itself. Coding and documentation for COVID long-haulers can be tricky. Since these patients experience an array of different symptoms, sometimes months after their initial infection, determining the right coding and billing information for long-haulers is confusing and time-consuming.

All too often, facilities spend substantial time and countless resources applying the right medical codes for insurance claims and proper payment. Billing for COVID-19 is complicated, given the complex symptoms actively infectious patients face, but long-haulers present an entirely new challenge for the administrative side of your facility.

Coronis Health has more than 30 years of experience offering medical billing solutions. We have first-rate medical coders and billers to help your facility navigate COVID’s every-changing consequences without losing revenue.

What Is A COVID-19 Long-Hauler?

COVID-19 long-haulers are patients who continue to struggle with the effects of the infection long after recovering. The aftereffects of COVID are still a mystery to medical experts nearly two years after the first case was reported in the U.S. Though it remains unclear exactly why some patients experience long-term symptoms of COVID, while others don’t, one thing is certain: We’re all in this for the long haul.

COVID-19 Long-Hauler Symptoms

What makes COVID long-haulers unique is the unspecificity of their symptoms. While their symptoms are undeniably tied to their original infection, medical experts don’t yet understand why. Long-term effects of COVID can range from mild acute symptoms to severe chronic conditions.

COVID-19 long-haulers face a wide range of long-term symptoms, such as:

• Anxiety and depression
• Brain fog
• Joint and muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Blood clots
• Lost sense of smell or taste
• Increased heart rate
• Chest pain
• Lung damage
• Organ damage
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fever
• Dizziness
• Cough

Connecting these symptoms back to COVID requires proper documentation from all practitioners, meaning accuracy in preparing these documents is critical.

How Proper Documentation Influences Coding and Billing

Proper patient care can’t exist without clinical documentation. Without accurate documentation of a patient’s medical history, it can be difficult for practitioners to correctly diagnose and treat medical issues as they arise. Clinical documentation directly impacts the care they need. It also influences how medical facilities bill patients and their insurance companies. To minimize denied insurance claims and optimize facility revenue, medical coders must apply the correct codes during the billing process. 

This can be complicated for practitioners and medical facilities caring for COVID long-haulers. With a seemingly endless range of long-term side effects attributed to the original infection, proper documentation is more important than ever before for accurate coding and billing.

Regulatory Changes Muddy the Waters

Medical facilities across the country have been shouldering the brunt of the pandemic, with healthcare workers on the frontlines. Adding to this stress has been an abundance of recent regulatory changes that complicate coding and billing, including:

• Evolving COVID coding guidelines
• Fluctuating effective dates for insurance waivers
• Complicated query forms
• Changing guidance over telehealth modifiers
• New instructions for change of service codes
• New developments surrounding beneficiary cost sharing

There’s no doubt that the lasting symptoms that COVID long-haulers experience complicates the entire documentation, coding, and billing process for medical facilities. Without precise coding, facilities are often left with denied claims that significantly impact revenue. This leaves facilities without the proper funding needed to hire new staff, update medical equipment, invest in innovative technology, and more. 

How Coronis Health Can Help

Navigating the billing and claims process takes time and resources away from facilities that are already struggling to keep up with the many challenges that have arisen during the pandemic. At Coronis Health, we provide data-driven solutions for all your medical coding and billing needs. 

We’re forward-thinking innovators who utilize the latest technology to support and assist the administrative side of your facility. From quick implementation to artificial intelligence (AI), we understand that constant evolution is what drives success. With a team of experienced medical coders, we can ensure accurate coding and billing for your COVID long-hauler patients to increase your internal revenue. 

Our goal is to maximize your profits and reduce your administrative costs so you can continue providing quality care for your patients.

Get Your Free Financial Checkup with Coronis Health

To schedule a free financial checkup with a trusted adviser, contact the experts at Coronis Health today.

from
https://www.coronishealth.com/blog/long-haul-covid-modifiers-what-you-need-to-know/

5 Measurements Your Hospital Should be Tracking to Improve Financial Health

With our 30+ years of experience and industry thought leadership, Coronis Health understands most hospitals struggle to achieve long-term sustainability. Positive financial margins can allow you to maintain a healthy cash flow and invest in new technologies and treatments to provide better patient care. One way to remain financially viable is by closely monitoring the following five indicators that measure your financial health.

1. Aggregate Volume and Provider Utilization Trends

These numbers provide an overall view of your hospital’s finances, offering a quick view for all managers, department heads, and other leaders.

2. Operating Ratios

This includes your expenses as a component of your net operating revenue. You must also monitor labor, supply, and purchased services costs.

3. Labor Costs

Regularly check costs relative to patient volume. Gauge the productivity in each department against their staffing targets, including overall FTE per adjusted occupied bed target in your hospital as a whole.

4. Patient Revenue Indicators

These numbers include your bad debt percentage and net to gross percentage by payer class. Determine if there are shifts in the payer mix that need attention.

5. Liquidity Ratios

These should cover net days in patient accounts receivable and cash collections as a percentage of your net revenue. Determine the steps needed to improve your cash flow.

Ways to Improve Your Hospital’s Performance 

By tracking the above data points and creating and implementing strategic planning, you can create a roadmap for financial success.

Seek Federal Funding 

Many rural hospitals received federal funding to aid them during the crisis. Whether obtained from a PPP loan or the CARES ACT grant, hospitals should adequately manage and control financing, as well as restrict its use, so you do not deplete your financial reserve. In some cases, the federal government will require a hospital to document fund usage. But in any case, hospitals should closely monitor these funds.

Understand the “Why”

The key to improving your hospital’s performance is answering, “Why?” Addressing this question means finding your financial distress’s root cause. The process also enables clear communication of your hospital’s goals and expectations, contributing to achieving your desired changes. By gathering all the necessary information and establishing clear objectives, you become better equipped to target the root of your difficulties.

Stay Competitive

Technology is constantly evolving. You have to keep up to remain relevant and competitive. One crucial way to stay on the cutting edge, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, is telemedicine. Telehealth is rapidly becoming a fixture in healthcare delivery, so every hospital must adapt and take the necessary steps to provide care in a virtual capacity.

Fully Use Resources 

Given these unprecedented changes, loss of revenue, and higher expenses, building new facilities is not a feasible option, but you can maximize your available resources. If you have extra space, find ways to rent it out or use it so you can care for more patients at once. Sometimes, it’s the money that you save that matters. Simple changes in improving your communication systems to ensure better responsiveness or checking and updating equipment and technology to prevent outages can already help streamline your processes and increase patient satisfaction. 

Promote Wellness and Environmental Programs

Wellness programs help keep employees healthy and happy. It’s a means of implementing “self-care” because when healthcare providers take care of themselves, they can better care for patients. A healthy staff also decreases the likelihood of absences and gives your hospital an overall positive image.

Green initiatives can complement your wellness programs too. Your efforts in contributing to a healthier environment will benefit you and your community. While environmental programs may bring upfront costs, they pay off in the long run. According to a guide published by the American Hospital Association, “By trimming just 5 or 10 percent from energy bills, hospitals, and care systems can make a real impact on their finances.”

How Coronis Can Help 

Coronis Health assists hospitals in evaluating processes and workflows. With industry-leading innovations and business solutions, Coronis Health can deliver value to healthcare organizations of all sizes. We allow you to focus on providing patient care while maintaining your independence and financial security. With our 100% transparency guarantee, you see what we see. Our tailored solutions include clear and comprehensive reports that allow you to make the best financial decisions for your hospital. Furthermore, when your hospital frees itself from the time-consuming task of billing, your business can better thrive because all your focus and energy is directed toward your patients. Rewards will grow when all parties work together towards a mutual goal.

Partner With Coronis Health

Just as a doctor’s first priority is the patient, our first priority is making your facility as profitable as possible. Are you ready to achieve better profits and financial health? Contact Coronis Health to request your free financial checkup today.

from
https://www.coronishealth.com/blog/5-measurements-your-hospital-should-be-tracking-to-improve-financial-health/