Protected Health Information (PHI) is the most important information any healthcare institution handles. People trust our employees to safeguard PHI, and the NARMC Admissions Department is up to the challenge.
Take a trip up to Admissions at any time of the day or night and you may see patients coming into the ED, or outpatients checking in for a procedure or lab test. The department operates non-stop, and in the hustle and bustle environment, it is easy to see how patient identification errors could be made. Therefore, when NARMC saw an increase in reported errors, Director of Financial Services Shelley Swafford looked for a solution. After conducting several root cause analyses (RCA), it was determined that Admissions needed a better way to verify patient information. To accomplish this goal, the department implemented new forms when patients check in.
The forms exist to gather vital demographic information to reduce the PHI that is being shared orally. The new process was a change for staff and patients, and was initially met with some resistance.
“Educating patients was important, and when we told them the reason for the form was their safety, they appreciated it,” stated Patient Registrar Jeff Markle.
The form has cut down significantly breaches of PHI in Admissions. Supervisor Rebecca Clement could not be happier stating, “Everyone worked together as a team and lowered the number of breaches. Overall, everyone is doing a great job.”
NARMC is proud of the integrity the Admissions Department brings to its customer service, and congratulates the department on a job well done!