MedData Inc.

MedData Inc.

How MedData's iPad Application Broke Through Data Barriers to Dramatically Improve RCM and Patient Service

Technology

  • Aurelia / Typescript
  • Docker / Linux / NGINX
  • Rest / .Net Core
  • SQL Server
Meddata feature case study

Overview

MedData is a Fortune 500 company in the healthcare industry that provides tools and services to hospitals and healthcare organizations nationwide. One of MedData’s major offerings is a line of services to help find appropriate medical coverage for patients once they’ve been admitted to the hospital. This aspect of the revenue cycle management process has become increasingly important for MedData’s key customer-base.

Their Challenges

MedData’s goal was quite lofty — to break down the barriers between data segments so that patients could get accurate information on possible coverage and efficiently start the process to enroll in programs that applied to them. These were multifaceted issues that plague the industry itself. MedData was seeking an innovative solution that propelled their services ahead of other offerings in their market space.

Not only were the end clients dealing with individual patients, but they were trying to analyze an overwhelming amount of information at the point of admittance. Outmoded models of assessing and helping patients to apply for coverage were not automated and often skipped steps which could lead to claims denials, lack of coverage, and a negative impact on revenue for the organization.

The issues in securing the right data were only one pain point that MedData wanted to eliminate for their customers. Another serious concern was the impact that these processes had on staff productivity for their user base. They needed a solution that helped the end users save time and get accurate information from a wealth of sources, while using that data efficiently. They also needed the application to be user-friendly so that staff could easily master the process.

MedData was dealing with a customer base that served all 50 states, which meant that they needed access to complex information regarding coverage, state programs, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Simply giving the staff access to this information was not enough because it was such a wide swath of data that it could impede their workflow rather than improve it. What they needed was a comprehensive application that was easy for staff to use and allowed them to complete the screening process on site, with or without internet access.

They discussed their issues at length with the Baytech team and determined that they wanted to digitize the application that was used at MedData’s service centers, giving their clients the ability to make patient data collection and use more efficient in the field.

Our Solution

Baytech assessed the process and discussed current challenges for the end user at length with MedData. The solution they arrived at was an iPad application. This would allow hospital staff and healthcare workers in facilities nationwide to access all the data they needed on a device that allowed them to walk through a complex workflow efficiently and in limited time. They wanted that application to work on an iPad as well as a computer and to be available with or without internet access.

In order to create this solution, Baytech replaced a large part of MedData’s account management system with a more responsive web application. This allowed for real time answers to queries for the end users, who were often in the middle of a hectic hospital or clinic environment.

“They are a flexible, open-minded team. If we ask them questions about an issue, they aren’t defensive. They remain calm, listen, and then propose solutions. This approach makes the process less stressful,” a Program Manager at MedData said of his experience working with Baytech.

These attributes helped Baytech to build the iPad application for the unique challenges of MedData’s user base. Hospital and healthcare staff are often in a position where they need information immediately. If they admit patients without coverage, it negatively impacts their RCM. Spending too much time wading through challenging state and federal guidelines, however, can negatively impact patient care.

They created the iPad application to walk users through a workflow driven screening process that allowed for accurate data collection and immediate results on applicable coverage.

Baytech replaced a large part of MedData’s account management system with a modern responsive web application. To make certain the application was user-friendly and included dynamic lines of questioning, they built a configuration workflow-driven screening process.

Because there were such complexities involved in matching patients to programs, a sophisticated rules engine was created to streamline this function. The engine collects the answers from the screening process and external information about the patient. Then the engine checks that information against each of the rules for the medical programs that are applicable to that hospital. This process is automated so that the end user receives a list of matched programs. From there, the hospital staff is able to quickly and easily start the application process for each applicable program with the patient.

The Results

“Users have adopted the solution faster than expected due to the vendor’s excellent problem solving skills. Baytech Consulting specialists are attentive listeners with a results-oriented working style. Customers can expect responsive, clear communication.” — MedData Program Manager

The iPad application gave MedData a great advantage in the healthcare space with a product that was unique to the industry and beyond useful for their clients. Their customer base is seeing a 10%-35% increase in revenue and the solution has helped them to improve efficiency, limit costs, and actually improve the patient experience at the same time.