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Data Integrity – Part 2: 3 Strategies for Integrity

As we discussed in Data Integrity – Part 1: 3 Crucial Elements, Data Integrity can be broken out into three crucial areas: Completeness; Accuracy; and Consistency. Part 2 of our Data Integrity guide is all about implementing strategies to increase the integrity of your data and smooth the workflow for front/back office and medical staff.

Validation Reports
Plan out whether workflows should have a pop-up list, an alert indicating incorrect information, or a general report for staff to reconcile. Management and IT should set time to forecast and develop demographic and electronic health record reports and then schedule when to run the reports. A team should be dedicated to run these validation reports (monthly is optimal). Most practices will compile and review their data at the end of a reporting period, scrambling to make deadlines. And, these are not the same reports that are run for the CBO, quality measures, grants or management. Once you have come up with these elements, review them six, twelve or eighteen months down the road to see if they are still valid or need to be enhanced or replaced. Data changes, as should the reports. 

Report Repository
Create a report repository. Many times, in larger practices staff are unaware of other departmental reports, whether they are validation or general reporting, thus often recreating them. For example, a family practice workflow may have data validation reports which could be enhanced for the behavioral health or OB/GYN workflows without needing to start from scratch.

Training
You have invested in an electronic health care system. To get the greatest return on investment, I strongly recommend that you prioritize training. Training should not be limited to upgrades or onboarding new staff. It is something you do as routinely as running validation reports. It can be communicated in a variety of ways and not just in a classroom. Eliminate bad habits, short cuts that may not populate other areas within the system due to working away from the intended workflow creating incomplete data. Make training your best friend. 

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About the Author:

Victoria is a Senior Application Specialist and NextGen Certified Professional at eMedApps. She works in a variety of roles for our clients. She is typically responsible for upgrades, Crystal reports, template development, custom products, Uniform Data System (UDS) and HEDIS reporting, implementation and support of the NextGen EHR, PM and Document Management product. Victoria has over twenty-eight years of experience in the healthcare industry. She worked in a large FQHC/CHC system specializing in behavioral health, community health and primary care for many years as a clinical and database analyst. She managed the implementation and support of NextGen for over 200 providers at twenty locations. She has thirteen years’ experience with the NextGen product and over twenty years of practice management software in general, including but not limited to, eCornerstone and disease surveillance systems for the State of Illinois. She is responsible for the Nextgen KBM application upgrades for physician practices and upgrade implementations. She analyzes workflows and develops training tools and documentation for office personnel and physicians. She is familiar with multi-specialty practices and modules, e.g., BBP, Rosetta, Fax Services, etc. She also assists organizations in the design of their crystal reports and template development. Victoria also provides on-going support to practices to resolve software and technical issues. She received her undergrad in Computer Science. If she is not working, she’s enjoying boating and wave running on the Chain O’Lakes with her family (2 and 4 legged).