Healthcare Losses: How Delayed Charts Affect Payment?

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Aug 26, 2023 08:43 PM

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healthcare-losses

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Healthcare Losses Induced by Delayed Chart Writing

The advent of electronic health records (EHRs) has simplified and revolutionized healthcare documentation. However, timely and accurate completion of these records remain pivotal to maintaining healthcare efficiency. This report investigates the impact of delayed chart writing, derived from multiple sources, and establishes an understanding of how it contributes to healthcare losses.

Impact on Patient Safety and Care

Delayed chart writing may impede communication between healthcare professionals and obstruct the continuity of patient care. This could potentially culminate in critical errors in patient treatment, intensified by incomplete or inaccurate documentation. This assertion is corroborated by information extracted from articles on 'BMC Emergency Medicine' (2018) and 'PubMed Central' (2019)(see urls at the end). A comprehensive and timely chart of a patient's medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, and responses is instrumental in ensuring effective patient care.

Legal Consequences and Financial Losses

Delayed chart writing may not only contribute to clinical inefficiencies but also translate to financial losses. Any delay in documentation can expose the presiding physician to legal complications if adverse events befall the patient in the interim.

Of note is a case brought to attention by the 'Urology Times' where a delay in chart completion led to a lawsuit, culminating in substantial financial losses. In the instance, a patient presented with back pain at an emergency department. A late entry added to the chart after the patient's death, indicating concerns that had not been documented previously, was contested as fabricated following litigation by the patient's wife. The absence of a thorough medical record at the time of the patient's first discharge positioned the establishment for malpractice and negligence claims. Consequently, this resulted in a multimillion-dollar settlement. This case illuminates the legal perils and financial consequences accompanying delayed documentation.

Enhanced Liability

Delayed chart writing can exacerbate legal liabilities, evident from another case mentioned in 'PLOS Digital Health'. Altering or amending a patient's record after an adverse event can engender distrust and suspicion. In the case, a doctor's late entry containing fabricated details led to the allegation of fraudulent avoidance of liability.

Consequently, chart modifications, especially post-adverse-event, can raise questions about the integrity of the documentation and exacerbate the ensuing legal issues, as observed by both 'Urology Times' and 'PLOS Digital Health'. Thus, healthcare providers need to be meticulous about completing the charts in a timely manner to avoid allegations of fabrication or falsification.

Documentation Burden and Emotional Despair

Beyond patients' safety and legal matters, delayed documentation can weigh heavily on healthcare providers. According to an article published on 'AHIMA' (see url at the end), it has been observed that the excessive time consumed for electronic documentation and administrative tasks led to a decrease in direct patient care, an upswing in medical errors and documentation mistakes, concerns over patient safety, job attrition, and emotional despair among healthcare providers.

The consequences of delayed medical documentation in healthcare are critically impacting the overall functionality of the healthcare environment. Despite missing specific statistics and data on the negative impacts associated with chart writing delay, sufficient evidence has been presented throughout this report to establish delayed chart writing as an instigator for detrimental effects on healthcare efficiency.

While it is essential to continue focusing on improving the process of electronic documentation in healthcare for effective patient care and reduce legal liabilities, it is even more important not to lose sight of the well-being of our healthcare providers who are the backbone of these healthcare systems.

In summary, the report suggests healthcare organizations create provisions for training and resources to healthcare providers and encourage timely charting. By introducing effective electronic health record systems, educating healthcare providers on legal implications, and providing guidance on managing and understanding the link between chart delay and healthcare efficiency, institutions could evade substantial financial losses and maintain healthcare efficacy.

References:

BMC Emergency Medicine

PubMed Central

Urology Times

PLOS Digital Health

AHIMA

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