“I was one of the skeptics that said, ‘OK, it’s just another consulting company’…but I was very glad that we had the project and the relationship we had, and I think the knowledge that they brought us will last for a long time”
- Rory McCrady, Manager, Patient Accounts
CLIENT
Covenant Health System
OBJECTIVE
Analyze the same data behind another, primary consultant
CHALLENGE
Hospital directors know that engaging a consultant can be disruptive to the business office. Entrusting critical portions of the hospital’s revenue cycle to an outsider is never an easy task. Covenant Health System had just recently finished a disappointing project with another payment review vendor, and Patient Accounts Manager, Rory McCrady was far from anxious to embark upon a new one. However, the CFO was not satisfied with the results and insistent upon a more comprehensive review. Consequently, Triage was selected to go behind the primary vendor and identify and collect underpayments that may have been missed.
SOLUTION
The previous vendor had failed to develop a strong, trusting relationship with the business office staff at Covenant. Triage believes that earning the trust of any hospital staff is best accomplished in-person and on-site at the business office. The Triage team worked on-site at the hospital, along side business office staff, and frequently met with office managers to review the flow of the project.
The staff was impressed with the thoroughness of the Triage review process, saying, “We had some holes to fill, and they were able to identify the gaps in processes….their ability to see outside the box and look for things that we could not focus on or couldn’t pick up on in contracts was very valuable.” Rory also appreciated, “…the tenacity with which they deal with payers…[to] not take ‘no’ for answer…almost like the attitude of, ‘Hey, we can win this thing’, it doesn’t matter what the issue is.”
RESULTS
Working behind another vendor and reviewing the same data, Triage was still able to earn the respect of a skeptical client and collect over $1 million in additional cash for the facility.
