Electronic Transaction Workflow
A Continuity of Care Record (CCR) structure is used to transmit patient health summary from one EHR to another EHR over a network such as a Health Information Exchange. However, many EHR systems discretely create the CCR in support of Meaningful Use, but fail to track the lifecycle of the CCR. For example, a CCR transmission could be in support of a treatment plan item from a doctor. From an ACO and practice perspective, the transmission of the CCR is part of the patient service process and requires tracking tools at the sending and receiving points. Unfortunately, most EHR systems do not adequately track the status or source of incoming information from other parties. For example, the ACO and practice will be interested in the form of the original incoming information as well as changes to the information and activities triggered by the incoming CCR transaction.
ACO participants will be interested in electronic transactions that are related in the much the same way that we are interested in the relationship between an authorization, claim and explanation of benefits in medical billing systems. For example, we may want to be able to track the CCR into the EHR and the resulting patient visit note, as well as the transmission of the visit note to the source of the CCR.
EHR deployment and use is a necessity for any ACO and ACO provider. However, the assumption that an EHR will adequately support the collaborative structure of the ACO or the exchange of electronic information among ACO providers is not a good strategy for any ACO or ACO participant. ACOs and ACO providers need to seriously review and examine the underlying EHR features to assure that the EHR can support ACO related life cycle activities as well as provide management with tools to monitor ACO relationships and performance.
This topic was discussed on this week’s The EHR Zone. Click here to download the podcast.
This article was originally published on Avoid EHR Disasters and is used here with permission. Ron Sterling is author of the HIMSS Book of the Year Keys to EMR/EHR Success. He is a nationally recognized EHR expert with the information that you need to improve patient service and performance. For questions or if you are looking to engage him as a speaker, he can be contacted at rbsterling@sterling-solutions.com.