Financial Performance and Patient Satisfaction Improvements Key Topics at Annual Healthcare Conference

Using Six Sigma to improve satisfaction and financial performance at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) was a key discussion presented at the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s Annual Conference on June 16 in Orlando, Florida.

As the presentation to healthcare professionals demonstrated, Six Sigma methodologies offer measurable benefits to more than industry and traditional business organizations.

Presenters from Convergent Revenue Cycle Management, Inc. and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center showed how the two organizations partnered to apply Six Sigma processes that improved financial execution, as well as the satisfaction of patients visiting the university’s medical facility.

Using the UPMC model as an example, participants at the conference learned how Six Sigma processes, originally developed for the manufacturing industry, can streamline and simplify the revenue cycle of a healthcare organization. The processes can improve both patient and physician satisfaction.

“Our investments in robust technology and exception-based workflows have returned significant improvements in both patient satisfaction and fiscal integrity,” said Tina Eller Convergent’s Vice President of Patient Access.

Increasing efficiency and effectiveness of each aspect of patient and physician service using Six Sigma methods creates a smoother experience for all involved. This can boost patient satisfaction, which enables a medical center to move ahead of its peers as healthcare facilities compete for patients.

Some typical problem areas of UPMC’s health care processing that saw improvements included patient services such as scheduling appointments and tests, registering new patients and financially clearing patients. Financial transactions such as increasing insurance reimbursement, self-pay and bad-debt accounts were also addressed.

In addition to the case study presentation, participants left with valuable sample documents to apply to their own workplaces. Samples included employee performance dashboards, project plans and templates for key performance indicators.

The Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Annual National Institute (ANI) is held annually for an audience of Chief Financial Officers and finance leaders working in the healthcare field.