How well does your medical record tracking system serve patients and staff?
Gone are the days when accessing a patient’s medical history was a cumbersome chore. Digital record management tools eliminate lengthy paperwork and long waiting times during transfers.
Still, your organization might use outdated systems that no longer contribute toward your business growth and patient satisfaction. ChartRequest is here to upgrade your workflow and save your practice money.
Use the following outline to see how each stage of our medical record tracking system can boost your healthcare business.
Integrate ChartRequest record exchange services today.
1. Request Submission
Medical records are cornerstones of quality care. Your physicians may draft a few medical records a day or hundreds, depending on the size of your organization. The trouble for most practices occurs when patients or third parties request their own copies.
Walk-in, faxed, or mailed record requests used to be the norm. Today, most patients choose remote requests for added convenience. With advanced platforms like ChartRequest, this submission process doesn’t require endless phone calls and follow-ups.
ChartRequest makes request submission easy by requiring only the essential details in a streamlined workflow.
2. Request Verification
Request verification is an indispensable step in our medical record tracking system. It ensures that every record retrieval is lawful, compliant, and follows healthcare best practices.
Here are a few elements we prioritize during request verification when our team is handling the process:
- Identity Validation: Before releasing any records, we confirm the identity of the requestor using their legal photo ID. This step ensures that only authorized individuals gain access to sensitive medical information.
- Document Scope: Our team will review the specific details of each request. Using the Minimum Necessary Standard as a guide, we avoid disclosing information that may not be suitable for the type of request.
- HIPAA Compliance: As the bedrock of patient privacy, our experts strictly adhere to HIPAA regulations to ensure every request maintains the highest level of confidentiality.
If the request form is invalid, the requestor must correct and resubmit it to get their requested medical records. Otherwise, the process moves forward.
3. Retrieval of Relevant Records
Accessing appropriate records within a 30-day deadline can be challenging for some vendors. When ChartRequets experts handle the release of information, we guarantee an average turnaround time of 5 days or less.
Once we verify requestors on your behalf, our team or the provider’s team retrieves the relevant records from the EHR database. The goal is to promptly locate and extract only the records that align with the request’s specifics.
Additionally, we’re expanding our integrations to automate the retrieval process. Currently, we offer full integration to help athenahealth, ModMed, and Raintree users pull records at the click of a button.
4. Quality Assurance Review
Occasionally, retrieved records may not be 100% accurate right away. It’s critical to address any issues with dates of service, patient identity, or other errors that could lead to the release of incorrect records.
When our team handles the release of information for providers, we double-QA all records for discrepancies or errors, ensuring requestors receive accurate information. This process involves an internal sign-off by two separate members of our team, and this has proven highly effective.
Once the records pass quality assurance, it’s time to move on to reimbursement.
5. Billing and Invoicing
ChartRequest has over 250 pricing algorithms that work in conjunction to calculate accurate prices for medical records based on state statutes, the types of records released, the number of pages, and more.
Once ready for release, our system will notify the requestor that their invoice is ready (if applicable).
6. Payment Processing and Record Release
If the request is billable, the records will be instantly available for download once the requestor submits their payment.
Exceptions include provider-to-provider requests, which are always processed at no cost. Additionally, some states prohibit charges to patients for electronic health records, and some providers may choose to offer no-cost records for their patients.
7. Record Retention and Deletion
Once the requestor gains access to the requested medical records, we will store them in our system for 30 days, before they are permanently deleted. This helps us ensure lasting protection of sensitive patient data.
Patients who wish to retain their records indefinitely can upgrade to Store & Share, which also enables instant sharing of retrieved records with their healthcare providers.
How We Protect Data Throughout the Process
Data integrity and security are critical in any medical record tracking system. At ChartRequest, we optimize patient security through modern encryption features. Here are just a few of the solutions we offer:
- SOC-2 Security Frameworks
- Military-Grade Encryption Keys
- Two-Factor Authentication
- Hybrid Verification Methods
- HIPAA-Recommended Disaster Recovery Workflows
ChartRequest implements rigorous security protocols, making us a trusted choice for healthcare providers. It is our mission to strike the balance between accessibility and security. That way, you can feel confident about your data migrations and use.
Minimize Calls With Real-Time Status Updates and Notifications
Implementing a medical record tracking system makes communication easy.
You can receive instant notifications and alerts as records move through various stages. Say goodbye to the guesswork when patients or payors ask about the status of a request.
Requestors can also view real-time updates on their documents. Your practice can reduce 90% of record request follow-up calls and faxes by offering clear insights into request progression.
These benefits can minimize overhead and optimize your operations. It also promotes trust and transparency with their patients and stakeholders.
Protect Your Practice With Audit Trails and Access Controls
Your healthcare organization should expect to undergo security audits from time to time. This oversight phase will entail:
- Traceability: You must log every record request and transmission. It’s wise to take note of the date, time, user, and IP address related to the data transfer.
- Quality Control: Regular reviews ensure procedures are consistent with regulatory and organizational standards. Don’t forget to update your company’s security policy to accommodate new medical record tracking systems.
- Security Assurance: Audits identify potential vulnerabilities or breaches in your EHR, reinforcing data protection. Maximizing your digital safeguards is essential in this phase of the ROI journey.
You won’t have to worry about audits catching you by surprise. At ChartRequest, we maintain a detailed audit trail and provide escalations before a third party flags you for non-compliance. This proactive approach both supports your HIPAA commitments and bolsters your hospital’s data governance.
Track Medical Record Requests With ChartRequest
ChartRequest can revolutionize medical record tracking for custodians and requestors, ensuring timely access while prioritizing security. By adopting a modern solution for exchanging and tracking requested medical, imaging, and billing records, calls for status updates will be
