HME software maker Fastrack has released MDI, a new service for both its uses and non-users that giver providers a database that is updated weekly to determine if patients in their system are deceased.
The issue of patient mortality presents providers not with the difficult issue of losing a patient, but could have serious billing and inventory consequences for the provider, if it is not notified by the patient’s family or caregivers.
“This could lead to inappropriately billing for rental equipment, as well as the financial loss due to not being able to retrieve the product in a timely manner,” said Fastrack President Spencer Kay. “Providers are constantly telling us that the deceased’s family, not knowing the provider owns the equipment, will sell it on eBay.”
When a provider using Fastrack signs onto the Fastrack MDI — which stands for Master Death Index (“There’s no gentle way to label it,” Kay notes) — a complete check of the provider’s database is performed. If there are patients found to be deceased, the system will automatically discharge the patient, cancel all open orders including orders on hold and recurring schedules, create a pick-up ticket for equipment on rental and stops all related billing.
This same procedure will take place each time a Fastrack client initiates a status check on an individual patient as well as when checking all patients with rental equipment, recurring supply orders and pending bills. If a patient is found to be deceased, the user will have the option of automatically stopping all transactions for this patient The Fastrack System will generate several reports including a list of deceased patients for a specific time frame. This will help the collections staff in dealing with any open account balances.
While the MDI is available now for Fastrack clients, it is being expanded for providers utilizing other systems that can use the Fastrack interface for matching against the Fastrack MDI database, as well.