Kelly McCarty, COTA/L: Chart Audits
Kelly McCarty, COTA/L
Home Assessment Coordinator
Chart Audits
My career with Advantage started in the SNF setting back in 2007. I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) in the field and worked full-time int he nursing home setting. As we transitioned to Home Health, I became a treating therapist in the field with managing the OT treatments for continued patient care. As the times changed, going paperless and electronic files, I have started assisting with the chart audit process.
The importance of the chart audits is frequently over looked. As the healthcare industry is ever changing, insurance regulations are becoming more stringent. Although, we try to educate the staff on the full effect of something as simple as the wrong frequency is not understood until you see an insurance denial come through, whisking away money.
Monetary remediation is only one outcome of an incorrect chart. State compliance is another hot topic. With the importance of state surveys and remaining deficiency free, chart auditing remains a focus of the surveys. Clinicians need to remember the importance of timely documentation and required paperwork in order to make the chart audit process less difficult.
Over the last year, our team has worked hard to finalize a strategic chart audit and follow through processes to eliminate frequent errors, missing orders/documents and gathering data for disciplinary actions, if needed, when a clinician is negligent with the above topics. It is still a work in progress as insurance requirements are ever-changing. Through our audit process and relaying our findings, our clinicians are continuing to improve. This will make the chart audit process smoother.
I am pleased to say that I am a proud team member of the chart audit process, where I can see the results of my work and impact the financials of the company, as well as patient care with appropriate documentation. It's a win-win all around!
About Kelly McCarty
The importance of the chart audits is frequently over looked. As the healthcare industry is ever changing, insurance regulations are becoming more stringent. Although, we try to educate the staff on the full effect of something as simple as the wrong frequency is not understood until you see an insurance denial come through, whisking away money.
Monetary remediation is only one outcome of an incorrect chart. State compliance is another hot topic. With the importance of state surveys and remaining deficiency free, chart auditing remains a focus of the surveys. Clinicians need to remember the importance of timely documentation and required paperwork in order to make the chart audit process less difficult.
Over the last year, our team has worked hard to finalize a strategic chart audit and follow through processes to eliminate frequent errors, missing orders/documents and gathering data for disciplinary actions, if needed, when a clinician is negligent with the above topics. It is still a work in progress as insurance requirements are ever-changing. Through our audit process and relaying our findings, our clinicians are continuing to improve. This will make the chart audit process smoother.
I am pleased to say that I am a proud team member of the chart audit process, where I can see the results of my work and impact the financials of the company, as well as patient care with appropriate documentation. It's a win-win all around!
About Kelly McCarty
Kelly is a COTA/L of 20 years while working with Advantage for the last nine years. She is a wife and full-time working mother of three beautiful children; Kylee (17), Patrick (13) and Kiera (8), who continue to make her proud. Kelly says, "Advantage has been such a wonderful company to work for and I am so proud to say that I am part of the wonderful growth and advancements that I have been a part of!"
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