Importance of Data Retrieval & Analysis in Health Care

Health care data is considered sensitive information and is protected under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Technology has taken the industry from the world of paper to electronic medical records. Providers have information at their fingertips, and it is important for them to be able to retrieve information about patients and billed charges quickly and securely.

Significance

• Data retrieval and analysis is important because providers and facilities need immediate access to patient information and demographics. This is crucial for record keeping and patient collections. In the event of an audit, it is also important that a physician is able to provide documentation to support all charges billed.

Types

• Patient demographics includes a patient's name, address and contact information. Other data that is important and should be easily retrieved are billed charges, claims history and payer reports.

Function

• Demographics must be easily accessible to contact a patient for scheduling, pharmacy information and collections. Documentation must also support the reason for a scheduled visit and the charges that the doctor is billing. A summary of billed charges and claims analysis is used to determine which codes bring in the most revenue, the frequency of billed charges and whether the provider is being paid according to contracted rates with insurance payers.