Compliance, efficiency, and resource management have defined the state of post-acute success in the past few years. Agencies juggling changing regulations, employee burnout, and resource shortages have almost no room for error as they struggle to keep their doors open amid these trying times. It is essential that agencies practice perfection from end-to-end, but oftentimes much of this burden is put on operations and processing, ignoring a key factor that eliminates many problems if properly considered. The essential aspect of the care continuum that creates a streamlined operational process is the intake of new patients. Although operational oversight will always require intense attention to detail, practicing optimized intake will curb many problems at the source and ensure success is easily maintainable.
The Importance of Intake
The intake department is the first touch point every patient experiences as they take their journey throughout post-acute care. The full intake process is somewhat like an orientation where key information is documented and considered to ensure the best possible quality of care is provided throughout the cycle. Patient intake is an all-encompassing process where organizations collect demographic, social, and clinical data as well as all necessary consent forms, payments, and insurance.
The transition toward post-acute care is a confusing time for all involved. For caregivers, the ultimate goal is making the patient as comfortable as possible throughout this change. A comprehensive intake department will not only assist in compliance, billing, and quality, but further provide comfort and clarity to the patient. Clarity beginning with the intake process is essential to support patients and families throughout a tailored care plan and streamlined, insured billing process.
Comprehensive intake is just as important on the provider side to support operations and streamline the care process. A focus on documentation, oversight, and clarity will assist in achieving compliance and full productivity. In turn, optimized intake leads to improved outcomes, less waste, and scrutiny. It transforms into improved agency benefits from overall increased clinician satisfaction and quality of care.
Common Issues with Intake
As stated, the intake process has the opportunity to set a positive tone for the entire experience of the patient as they begin a care cycle. On the other hand, poor intake practices create many operational and clinical issues affecting both patient and caregiver satisfaction, as well as overall agency performance. Poor intake negatively affects all aspects of operation, but the most pressing issues are the following:
- Delayed or Inaccurate Patient Assessment: Subpar intake processes result in mistakes while performing the patient assessment. Mishaps in this process lead to delayed care planning and an incomplete understanding of the patient’s care needs.
- Misallocation of Resources: Improper intake documentation creates mistakes in utilization of equipment and staff. These inefficiencies delay care, create poor outcomes, and even cause burnout as some areas fall victim to overutilization.
- Documentation Errors: Inaccurate documentation during the intake process leads to provider miscommunication, clinical errors, and strained payor relations. This has a serious effect on patient safety and satisfaction down the line.
- Inadequate Care Coordination: Without a well-structured intake process, the coordination of care across different healthcare providers and settings can be compromised. This affects the quality and continuity of care.
- Compliance and Regulatory Issues: With the current state of post-acute care, providers have even less room for error. Failure to follow regulatory issues during intake leads to fines, scrutiny, and overall failure.
- High Staff Turnover: From a retention standpoint, poor intake creates countless issues down the line as care begins. Caregivers must face unclear direction, overscheduling, and confusion, ultimately leading to burnout and eventual resignation.
To address these issues while ensuring the highest possible standard of care, it is essential for agencies to develop a streamlined and standardized intake practice. Proper planning, communication, and continuous training are all essential steps in improving this process while fostering excellence throughout operations and clinical care.
This blog was originally published as "The Strategic Advantage of Optimizing Your Intake Process" by Maxwell Healthcare Associates on November 28, 2023, for Maxwell Healthcare Associates. The Maxwell TEC editorial team has since updated this article to ensure accuracy and relevance.
