From slow, manual reporting to instant, automated processes

When Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP), a physician-led organization in Massachusetts, needs exceptional professional billing services, it turns to Physicians Professional Services (PPS). PPS has exclusively served HMFP departments since 1995. But they were stymied by outdated manual processes, which limited the team’s ability to access and report on data.

They turned to athenahealth’s Advisory Services Informatics for athenaIDX and athenaIDX for Group Management to take the pain out of their reporting workflows. Now, a year later, PPS has the automated, efficient, and accurate reporting processes it needs to deliver high-quality service and analysis to its clinical customers. Here’s how.

PPS was unable to parse through data in a data-driven world

Before implementing Informatics, Physicians Professional Services felt their reporting capabilities were both time-consuming and ultimately inadequate to yield the kinds of meaningful, actionable insights they desired.

Retrieving data across various sources was tedious and labor-intensive, and they often experienced delays in obtaining critical information for business analyses. Discrepancies in naming conventions between reporting systems caused confusion and difficulties in interpreting data, and they experienced a lack of collaboration for data vendor partners, making it difficult to learn more. Compounding this, PPS lacked automated report distribution capability, so the data they were ultimately able to gather and analyze was slowly disseminated.

Without timely access to meaningful insights, PPS found themselves unable to make data-driven decisions to address operational challenges.

athenahealth’s Informatics reporting solution enhances reporting capabilities and streamlines distribution

The Informatics reporting solution addressed all of their major challenges, and then some. Enhanced reporting leveraging business intelligence (BI) allowed PPS to create more robust and streamlined reports, significantly improving the quality and timeliness of insights available for decision-making.

The introduction of advanced dashboard functionalities enabled users to drill down and filter data effectively, catering to various analytical needs and preferences. The new system automated the distribution of over 1,000 reports monthly into designated network folders, organized by groups, divisions, departments, hospitals, and providers.

The team designed the system to update data daily by 7:00 a.m., providing PPS with access to data every day. Additionally, the introduction of consistent naming conventions simplified the identification of fields within the reporting system, reducing confusion and facilitating smoother data management.

With this new automation in place, PPS saw incredible results:  

• Over 1,000 providers and administrators now receive automated reports on the first of each month. This provides access to critical information for stakeholders while reducing the administrative burden of manual report preparation and distribution.*
• Removing manual processing and creation of reports eliminated 100 hours of work per month in the reporting department. This allows staff to focus on higher-value tasks, such as patient care and strategic initiatives, improving productivity overall.
• This reduction in manual work led to a 40% increase in efficiency, allowing for more timely decision-making and enhanced responsiveness to patient needs.*
• Consolidating multiple reporting solutions into a single, comprehensive system reduced operational expenses and simplified support requirements.
• Improved dashboards and drill-down capabilities have increased engagement and satisfaction among end users.
• The availability of advanced reporting capabilities has empowered the organization to launch strategic initiatives based on data insights to achieve business objectives.

Jeff Cohen, the CEO of PPS, shared his thoughts about the service: “Informatics has dramatically enhanced our ability to utilize reports to identify issues quickly and easily, which has improved our overall performance in maximizing revenue. Additionally, by partnering with the Informatics team, we have customized customer-facing report packets that show them exactly what they need to see in a way that is easy to understand and digest.”

Explore how Informatics can solve your reporting challenges

Implementing athenahealth’s Advisory Services Informatics at PPS illustrates the transformative power of data to address complex reporting challenges. By leveraging Informatics’ expert consultants and tailored solutions, PPS enhanced its operational efficiency, improved financial performance, and fostered stronger relationships with stakeholders.

If your organization is facing similar challenges and looking for ways to optimize reporting processes and improve decision-making, learn more about athenaIDX. If you’re already an athenaIDX  customer, ask your Customer Success Manager about Informatics. Together, we can navigate the complexities of healthcare and drive meaningful change for your organization.