Launched in May 2007, the Advanced Vein & Vascular Center, Inc., is a boutique practice in Wayne, Pennsylvania, specializing in the treatment of vascular diseases. The center treats a broad range of ailments, from cosmetic conditions such as spider veins to more serious issues such as venous ulcers. It also off ers a full-service lab that performs venous ultrasound studies.
The Physicians’ Dilemma
In establishing the Advanced Vein & Vascular Center, founder Dr. Anthony Carabasi, a board-certified vascular surgeon, felt compelled to provide more profitable elective procedures and services to improve revenues and compensate for declines in traditional reimbursement.
“Physicians face financial realities they can no longer ignore,” says Martha Stephens, Dr. Carabasi’s business partner. “They need to generate cash payments that don’t go through insurance companies and that avoid getting bogged down for months in claims processing.”
In addition, Dr. Carabasi wanted to address the burden of excessive paperwork that he had experienced while working in a hospital environment. “Work at a large university practice was so encumbered by red tape that it was difficult to find time to interact with patients,” he says.
Preparing For The Future
Dr. Carabasi and Stephens realized that most insurers are phasing out acceptance of paper claims or refusing them entirely. They decided to investigate electronic health records and practice management (EHR/PM) systems. They wanted a solution that would not only enable electronic claims, but also enhance practice efficiency, profitability and growth. On their list of criteria were factors such as reliability, ease of use, security, support and training, vascular medicine experience, and satisfied practices that were willing to share their experiences.
“While some vendors offered an online presence and access from anywhere, they fell short on important criteria such as support, template customization and training,” says Dr. Carabasi. “We wanted a solution that would put everything we needed at our fingertips, not just permit us to bill electronically.”
Training and support were especially critical to Stephens. “There was no point in investing thousands in an EHR/PM if we couldn’t get adequate training or get a human being on the phone when there’s a problem that could shut us down for hours,” she says.
In their search for an electronic solution, Carabasi and Stephens conferred with other local practices that had already implemented EHR/PM systems. The majority had been using one vendor, but Stephens remained skeptical of that company’s responsiveness. “They couldn’t answer my questions in a timely manner and submitted somewhat sloppy proposals,” she says.
When a general practitioner from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, recommended Aprima because of its user-friendly interface, support and training, Stephens was impressed with the endorsement. She contacted Aprima and within 48 hours had a complete proposal outlining cost, system requirements, training schedule and support platforms, planning, workflow analysis, customization, implementation and support.
“Throughout the proposal process, Aprima displayed the kind of support and professionalism our practice needs to sustain profitability, growth and quality patient care,” says Stephens.
Thorough Preparation = Smooth Implementation
The Advanced Vein & Vascular Center began using Aprima’s scheduling and demographic functions almost two months before the October 23, 2007, formal go-live date.
The staff became comfortable with “as many elements as possible before we abandoned paper,” Stephens says. During the go-live week, the center reduced its patient load by more than half, allowing for several days of immersion training. Aprima trainers and implementation specialists not only taught staff members and Dr. Carabasi how to use the Aprima EHR/PM solution, but also stood by to help and answer questions for the first few days. Within three months, the staff had developed a high comfort level with the system’s EHR component.
Results In The Exam Room… And In The Bank
The center’s staff is pleased with the solution’s ability to complete referrals instantly at the end of a patient visit, facilitate patient communication and deliver convenient access to patient information.
Having previously invested 15–20 hours per week on billing, the practice now needs only 5–6 hours, plus another 5–6 hours on collecting accounts receivable. “By the time we’re ready to stop work at the end of the day, there’s very little left for us to do in terms of correspondence and records,” says Dr. Carabasi. “We can go home and enjoy the evening, knowing that our work is done and come in refreshed the next morning.”
The center is proud of the results it has achieved with the Aprima solution. This includes a reduction in offi ce congestion and elimination of costs associated with renting storage space. In just four months, Stephens typically filled four file drawers with paper charts. The center also canceled its plan to hire a billing professional who would have cost $40,000–$50,000 annually (plus benefits), because Aprima manages billing and collections so efficiently.