The Challenges and Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on HIM
By Bill Wagner, CHPS, CPCO, Chief Operating and Security Officer
June 17, 2020
Short Term Impact on HIM
Revenue cycle executives have talked about process improvements for years, but the lack of budget, resources and urgency stalled many projects.
Then the pandemic came along and the realization that quick implementation of projects that remained on the backburner was the only way to succeed and survive. The ability to work remotely, embrace telehealth, create a cross-trained flexible workforce, capture the documentation of telemedicine visits and integrate telemedicine into the EHR and chargemaster had become revenue cycle priorities.
While the major focus was, and still is, on delivering patient care and stopping the spread of COVID-19, little attention was paid to the impact on HIM departments.