Performance Improvement

The Charge Description Master (“chargemaster” or CDM) is a hospital-specific data file of all hospital procedures, services, supplies, and drugs billed by a facility.  Each line contains information about a particular service:  its internal reference code, department code, CPT/HCPCS code, revenue code, the description that appears on the patient bill, and price.  Hospital chargemasters typically involve many thousands of line items.

Wipfli LLP provides the full continuum of chargemaster services, from performing an annual assessment with recommendations to working with your staff to educate and mentor them regarding ongoing chargemaster maintenance.  Our chargemaster services will:

• Identify opportunities for improved revenue capture and cash collections.
• Identify pricing opportunities and standards.
• Reduce third-party payor denials.
• Improve the accuracy of patient bills, thereby improving customer service.
• Improve chargemaster maintenance tools.

Click here to download a sample chargemaster change request template.

Health care organizations require extraordinarily deep and broad expertise and resources to effectively manage the revenue cycles. Governmental rules and regulations vary for each type of service provider, and they are vast. Reimbursement continues to drop, administrative pressures continue to increase, all while resources are shrinking.

There are many people, systems, and activities that all have to work—and work seamlessly—for health care organizations to collect what they are owed in an efficient and timely manner. By looking more broadly at the entire revenue cycle continuum, you can create a better business position for your organization. Our comprehensive services include:

• In-depth discussions with senior management to understand concerns and establish program objectives
• Customized review of operations, including interviews of key management personnel and detailed analysis and documentation of all significant revenue cycle processes, across departments
• Validation of key information with appropriate client personnel
• Creation and implementation of applicable indices and benchmarks (performance indicators)

Improving efficiency and effectiveness in health care is on the mind of every health care leader as it directly impacts patient care quality and safety. Lean and Six Sigma are two powerful performance improvement approaches that are moving from manufacturing to transform modern health care delivery. Lean and Six Sigma can reduce variability and waste—translating to fewer errors, better processes, improved patient care, greater patient satisfaction, and more productive employees.

Challenging your organization to find ways of driving nonvalue-added time and cost out of your processes is the core of process improvement. Wipfli's industry experts can help your organization be more productive and competitive by using Lean Thinking and Six Sigma approaches. Our process improvement services include:

• Lean education
• Operations discovery assessment
• Lean deployment
• Six Sigma education
• Six Sigma deployment
• Lean Six Sigma deployment

Wipfli will conduct a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of your information technology function.  This will include reviewing the people, processes, technology, and strategies that are employed by your organization.  A detailed report will be provided to your leadership team, describing the opportunities for improvement.