The document discusses improving office workflow through better management of patient charts and information. It identifies four key factors that impact workflow: space, personnel, systems, and style. It then analyzes different aspects of patient information management like collection, storage, retrieval and access of new patient information, financial data, scheduling, clinical notes, lab reports, prescriptions, coding and billing, payments and statements, and full patient records. The document suggests analyzing current practices to find areas for improvement, potential rewards from changes, risks of waiting to improve, and costs of implementing changes versus doing nothing.

1. Where is That Chart ? Checklist of Better Office Workflow to Maximize Facility and Physician Office Productivity Author: Cheryl Sheets

2. The Importance of Improved Workflow More and Better Quality Facility Usage and Office Visits Decrease in Errors Reduction of Inefficient Repetitive Efforts Reduction in Non-Profitable Activities Better Profitability Compliant Author: Cheryl Sheets

3. Workflow Improvement Depends Greatly on 4 Factors Space – Size and layout can hamper productivity Personnel and Staff – the right number performing the right tasks Systems – Communication, Computers and Business Systems Style – How quickly the work is done, delegation of duties, etc. Author: Cheryl Sheets

4. Where is that Chart? This next section is a focus on Patient Chart Information and Where is it in the Facility Let’s take a look from a New Patient Perspective Author: Cheryl Sheets

5. Patient Information New Patient Information - How is it collected - Electronic Web Based - Manual in the Office - How is it accessed - How is it retrieved - How is it stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

6. Patient Financials Financial and Insurance Verification - How is this information collected - How is this information verified - How is this information retrieved - How is this information accessed - How is this information stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

7. Patient Scheduling How are patients scheduled - manual - electronic How are others notified of schedule - phone - manual - electronic

8. Chief Complaint / Procedure/ Doctors Notes Reason for Facility or Office Visit - How is this Captured - Billing Sheet with ICD -9 and CPT Code - Free Text with later Coding Expertise - How is this Retrieved - How is this Accessed - How is this Stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

9. Nurse’s Notes and Patient Prescription Requests Nurse’s Notes to include Vital Signs Etc. - How is this information Captured - How is this information Retrieved - How is this information Accessed - How is this information Stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

10. Lab and Path Reports How are Lab and Path Reports Handled - How are they ordered - How are they collected - How are the results - received - accessed - retrieved - stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

11. Prescription and Medication Prescription and Medication Protocol - How is it ordered / reordered - How is it accessed - How is it retrieved - How is it stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

12. Coding and Billing Coding and Billing Procedures - How and where is the information documented - How is it accessed - How is it retrieved - How is it stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

13. Account Receivables Patient Payments - How and when collected - How insurance payments received - How BCBS payments received - How Medicare/ Medicaid payments received Author: Cheryl Sheets

14. Patient Statements Patient Statements Procedures - How are prepared - How are they sent - How are they accessed - How are they stored Author: Cheryl Sheets

15. Patient Records Patient Record Procedure - What format - How are they assembled - How are they ordered - How are they accessed - How are they retrieved - How are they stored - What are storage requirements - What square footage is dedicated to this - Are any offsite - Cost of retrieval from offsite Author: Cheryl Sheets

16. What are the Findings After an Analysis - What are the Findings - What areas have opportunity for improvement - What are the rewards - What are the risks - What is the cost of Implementation - What is the cost of Waiting or doing nothing Author: Cheryl Sheets