Success Story of Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente, in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, had experienced an increase in the number of procedures requiring co-payments to be collected and sharp rise in the amount of copayments required from patients. This trend continued as employers offered plans to hold problematic premium increases by shifting larger co-payment amounts to their employees. Kaiser Mid-Atlantic engaged SalePoint to implement a real time cashiering solution tightly integrated with their EPIC Hospital Information System.

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic was referred to SalePoint by its accounting firm when some audit findings pointed out the need to improve security and control of its front end payments.. SalePoint offered a real time cashiering software product, J-Point, which met Kaiser Permanente’s needs to have an integrated co-payment system. Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Region implemented SalePoint’s J-Point solution in November 2003. SalePoint teamed with Kaiser Permanente to provide a comprehensive solution to Kaiser’s cash management issues. The project included project management, software customizations, documentation, business consulting, and requirements analysis, end user training, on site installations, go live support and ongoing technical support. The project touched all aspects of Kaiser’s cash management practices from cash bag management, employee management levels needed, bank deposits, armed couriers, union representation, safes, physical storage and bank reconciliation. Real time interfaces were developed to provide accurate appointment, patient demographic and co-pay information. SalePoint worked closely with EPIC HIS to integrate J-Point with EPIC’s application. SalePoint enabled automated receipt printing, secured cash drawers, signature capture for “to be billed” transactions and debit/credit card processing. The fully automated solution provided Kaiser Permanente the latest in co-pay collection technology.

The benefits of the project included: increasing billing collections through a solid audit trail, labor savings through speed of processing, labor savings through reduced data entry and check authorization to reduce NSF charge backs and the enhanced security and controls the auditors were looking for. The solution went further to expand options for a check out procedure to collect additional services fees rendered during the visit and the ability to ensure that each and every co-payment is collected. The implementation of J-Point meant quicker co-payment collections; quicker collection allows the registration staff member to provide more detailed attention to the patient’s medical concerns and less time dealing with the financial aspects. Automated and professional receipts also allowed Kaiser Permanente to eliminate handwritten receipts, again showing Kaiser Permanente’s dedication to utilization of the latest technologies to best service the patient.

Easy-to-use front end processing of patient payments for co-payments and deductibles.

• Integrated with Kaiser’s EPIC applications to reduce manual work and improve controls.
• Control and track partial copayments or when no payment is made with reason codes.
• Enhanced reporting for management and regulatory requirements.
• Security and protection of sensitive patient credit card data which supports PCI Compliance and HIPAA.
• Provided for integration of technologies such as credit/debit card processing, receipt printers, bar code scanners, check imaging, and cash drawers.
• Utilized open technologies providing maximum flexibility in hardware and configurations.
• Enhanced overall cash management procedures and processes to reduce chances of error or fraud.
• Better served patients through fast transaction processing, transaction receipts, and accurate information about the patient’s visit.