Since signing a 9-year agreement with the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) this past February, Schenectady, NY-based Trac Medical Solutions has made contracts with over 32 companies in more than 1,650 locations for its electronic forms processing system for CMNs and other health care forms. Dealer/Provider spoke with Randi Neal, vice president, operations, to gain insight into the system.

Q What are the pros and cons of implementing an electronic forms processing system for CMNs and written orders?
A The basic pros of any electronic forms processing system are the three S’s: simplicity, security, and speed. CareCert is proven to deliver these attributes in its simplicity of use for providers and physicians, its physical and technological security of patient data, the added security of a provable physician credentialing process, and the scalability to efficiently handle millions of transactions.

The biggest con in automating anything in business is to think that once you’ve automated a process, you can be “hands off” with it. When you establish any policy or procedure, including electronic forms, it’s of paramount importance that you monitor for procedural effectiveness and policy compliance. That’s why the CareCert solution gives users a real-time control panel to monitor the status of all their forms.

Q What does your partnership with the AAHomecare mean to our readers?
A The association conducted an open request-for-proposal process and selected Trac Medical as its electronic forms partner to the industry. That speaks volumes about AAHomecare’s belief in CareCert’s value to the industry as well as Trac Medical’s business practices and principles. Our commitment to AAHomecare demonstrates our continued devotion to delivering state-of-the-art security, HIPAA and governmental compliance, and customer value.

Q What if a provider gets an e-CMN service and a certain physician or group of physicians won’t use it?
A There is no reason to believe that 100% of the physician community will embrace any electronic solution. We do believe that over time, an 80% or better acceptance rate is achievable.

Most providers tend to experience an 80/20 rule when it comes to CMNs, meaning 80% of CMN frustrations come from 20% of their referrals. The forms logic and speed behind the CareCert solution mean that even nominal acceptance will have immediate positive effects on their business. CareCert customers are averaging a 5- to 7-day turnaround of their documents with zero incomplete forms.

Q Are there steps a provider should take to entice physician participation?
A No! In my opinion, “entice” is too analogous to “induce,” and both can carry very negative connotations when it comes to provider/physician relationships. Trac Medical won’t ever paint enticing illusions that by simply signing on to use our solution, a physician’s personal income or practice revenue will magically increase. It’s simply not true with any solution, and it’s a potentially dangerous message.

Our focus is to help providers show referral sources that there is a way to reduce the hassle factor intrinsic to CMNs, reduce administrative costs, and increase their time available for patient care.