ADDISON, Texas – June 21, 2010 – MEDHOST, provider of leading healthcare throughput and emergency department software, today announced that Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, S.C., has achieved significant financial returns and operational improvements by deploying MEDHOST’s Emergency Department Information System (EDIS). One month after implementing the EDIS, Beaufort Memorial’s emergency department (ED) recognized a $1.3 million increase in gross revenue from improved E&M coding and IV infusion charges. Beaufort Memorial is allocating the additional revenue generated by MEDHOST’s EDIS to fund its MEDITECH 6.0 upgrade and house-wide Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) implementations.
Beaufort Memorial was able to more accurately determine E&M levels because MEDHOST’s behind-the-scenes Charge Capture calculates charges as clinicians document care, ensuring the hospital is reimbursed according to the level of care provided. In addition, Beaufort’s nurses leveraged MEDHOST’s medication documentation to more accurately record IV Infusion “start” and “stop” times. The ED also utilized MEDHOST’s electronic charting to not only eliminate dictation, which resulted in a $240,000 per year savings, but to also streamline the turnaround time for chart completion.
“MEDHOST’s intuitive design and usability has played a huge role in our recent financial successes and enabled us to achieve an ROI within three months,” said Ed Ricks, CIO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital. “The easy-to-use system drives user compliance, which generates more complete documentation. This ultimately resulted in increased revenue for the hospital because all of the care provided is captured and billed.”
Beaufort Memorial selected MEDHOST because Ricks’ success in implementing MEDHOST at two other facilities, which also experienced dramatic financial and clinical improvements. The hospital developed an IT strategy that supported its organizational goals and patient safety initiatives. This included using the additional revenue that MEDHOST would generate to help fund Beaufort’s hospital-wide technology upgrades, including its MEDITECH 6.0 upgrade and clinician-friendly CPOE implementation.
“MEDHOST has played a significant role in helping us advance our processes and achieve clinical excellence,” said Ricks. “By reaping the benefits of MEDHOST’s thorough documentation, high user acceptance and automatic Charge Capture, we are able to make the lasting changes needed to further enhance the level of care that patients receive from Beaufort Memorial.”
“MEDHOST’s revenue management solutions consistently deliver proven results. We are dedicated to providing our Customers with revenue-maximizing tools that support their financial objectives,” said Craig Herrod, president of MEDHOST. “We look forward to supporting Beaufort Memorial with its technological endeavors as it continues to pursue new operational and clinical initiatives.”
Ed Ricks recently presented Beaufort Memorial’s IT strategy and MEDHOST success at the Medical Users Software Exchange International Conference. To view and listen to the vendor-neutral presentation, click here.
MEDHOST currently serves more than 200 facilities, including large IDNs, rural and suburban hospitals, and several academic facilities across the U.S. In addition to MEDITECH, MEDHOST easily integrates with other leading hospital information systems, including Cerner, Siemens and McKesson, Eclipsys, CPSI and HMS.
About Beaufort Memorial Hospital
Beaufort Memorial Hospital, opened in 1944, is licensed for 197 beds (169 acute, 14 rehab and 14 mental health). It is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and boasts a quality medical staff of more than 150 board-certified or board-eligible physicians. The largest hospital between Savannah, Ga. and Charleston, S.C., Beaufort Memorial Hospital is situated on the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway and is one of the few hospitals in the country with its own emergency dock. The hospital has an affiliation with Duke Medicine in heart treatment and cancer care, giving local patients direct access to oncology clinical trials. Offsite facilities include the Keyserling Cancer Center, an outpatient treatment center offering medical oncology, infusion services, radiation oncology, and a full range of support services. It is located near the hospital in Port Royal, SC. Bluffton Medical Services is located in Westbury Park in Bluffton, SC. It offers a full range of outpatient services, as well as primary care and specialty care offices.