Team members of Seattle Radiologists, the second radiology practice in the nation to receive payments for Stage 1 Meaningful Use.
Seattle Radiologists, a multifacility imaging practice located in Seattle, is the first radiology practice in Washington State—and the second in the United States—to earn incentive payments given by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
“We are very pleased to be the first radiology practice in the state of Washington to receive payments for Stage 1 Meaningful Use,” said Karen Leppert, CEO of Seattle Radiologists, which has been in business for more than 50 years and offers a variety of services, including CT, PET-CT, MRI, ultrasound and vascular, interventional procedures, and digital x-ray.
“By using MedInformatix’s EHR and RIS, we are able to best meet the needs of patients and their families as an integrated accountable care delivery system, while lowering costs, which results in savings that are passed along to our patients, partners, and the community. Patient safety has improved through better medication reconciliation, as well as better image archiving and distribution through the RIS. Our insurance eligibility and scheduling also have dramatically improved due to new processes and less redundancies,” Leppert said.
Two initiatives, in particular, helped Seattle Radiologists earn the first meaningful use certified incentives in its home state: namely, its implementation of MedInformatix’s RIS/EHR solution and the practice’s commitment to a comprehensive radiology quality assurance program that incorporates the principles, tools, and methods of the Toyota Production (Lean) System, according to the practice.
Seattle Radiologists, which went live with the combined RIS/EHR solution in August 2011, was able to improve care quality and eliminate breakpoints by reducing the number of steps in the workflow process from 760 by 50%, according to the practice. Further, the practice was able to realize a 95% reduction in paperwork post-implementation.
The practice’s primary goal is to use the RIS/EHR solution to collect patient information at the point of service in order to improve the quality of care and prevent any data errors. MedInformatix’s solutions play an integral role in the practice’s commitment to operational efficiencies and improvements in patient safety. Since implementation, the practice has experienced a more uniform level of care throughout the entire patient care cycle.
In addition to its implementation of the combined RIS/EHR solution from MedInformatix, the practice has embraced the Lean System—originally, a methodology from the manufacturing world that focuses on driving efficiency, decreasing waste, and using agreed-upon measurements to drive decision-making.
“Our workforce planning approach incorporates three fundamental concepts targeted at meeting and exceeding our customer expectations and requirements, including: establishing a baseline of key performance quality metrics, gap analysis based on the external and internal environmental assessment, and process improvement techniques to determine the correct staffing to meet the requirements of patient and customer demand,” said Leppert.
“By providing a strategic yet flexible staffing model based on Lean methodologies, we can proactively adjust to peaks in demand while exceeding quality and service targets,” she said.
Because of the combined RIS/EHR solution from MedInformatix and the practice’s commitment to Lean principles, Seattle Radiologists will be able to take on more patients and expand its referral network—without requiring additional resources.
Leppert, proud of the practice’s timely and accurate reports, is confident that Seattle Radiologists’ use of MedInformatix’s combined RIS/EHR solution and its embrace of Lean principles will distinguish the practice from others in its local area.
