Going in an office and mentioning quality improvement measures seems to make heads spin. As the pressure builds to meet these standards, many offices have the same question: Whose job it is? The office manager? The front desk or billing?
Spoiler alert: It’s everyone’s job! What? Everyone? Yes, it takes everyone at your office to help meet your quality care measures! When all employees are looking for quality care measures then everyone is working together as a team to help your office achieve them.
Below are tips on how quality improvement can be incorporated into every employee’s position:
Office manager
The office manager needs to develop a quality care improvement workflow that works best for your office. Once the office manager receives quality care measures/care gap reports, set reminders in EHR for patients who need gaps closed, set up morning huddle for employees, and set goals. Let employees know when a goal has been reached, then celebrate your office accomplishment. By doing this you are empowering your employees and keeping spirits high.
Front desk
The front desk can check for reminders when registering a patient. Then, if a measure is needed, ask the patient to schedule an appointment for a mammogram or wellness visit.
Nurses/medical assistant
The nurse/MA can check for reminders when working on the encounter. If a measure is needed, ask the patient about the measure. Educate the patient on the importance of the quality care measure that is needed. Also, nurses/MAs can alert the provider if a measure is needed or the patient has questions.
Providers
The provider needs to check for reminders, then discuss with the patient about the importance of quality measure needed. Providers will set up orders for quality measures, plan of care and provide education to patients. Providers also need to add documentation and results in the encounter about the quality care measure, then add either ICD-10 or CPT code.
Biller/coder
The biller/coder will need to audit the patient’s chart to make sure documentation for the quality measure was put in the encounter, then audit the ICD-10 or CPT code.
In reality, quality improvement is not the nightmare everyone seems to think it is. You may need to use trial and error at first to find a workflow that best suits the practice, but with teamwork, quality care measures can be met.