Policy: Patient Access – Patient Care

POLICY:

EvergreenHealth will provide patient access to all of its services in accordance with this policy and its Nondiscrimination in Provision of Healthcare Services Policy.

PURPOSE:

To strive to facilitate and assure patient access to EvergreenHealth services and to assure that no person shall be discriminated against in regard to benefits or services. In order to help its patients, EvergreenHealth (Kirkland, Redmond, and Monroe) shall provide upon request Financial Counseling and the estimated cost of services.

DUTIES:

Patient Access Department

EvergreenHealth shall have a Patient Access Department ("Department") under the supervision of the Manager Director - Patient
Access. The Department shall, with regard to EvergreenHealth Medical Center ("Hospital"), among other duties:

1. Provide all necessary and helpful information and assistance to patients entering the Hospital.
2. Obtain information from incoming patients to be utilized by Hospital departments and patient care providers.
   • This includes verification of all demographic information and any necessary Consent for Care or Financial Agreement forms.
   • Provide Patient or Advocate with information regarding Notice of Privacy Practices, Patient & Client Bill of Rights and Notice of Non-Discrimination.
3. Facilitate all direct transfers from outside facilities in coordination with the Hospital's Grand Central/ House Supervisor/ Care Management and Admitting physician, as necessary.
4. Present a positive and professional first impression to all who enter the Hospital.

Inpatient, Emergency Department & Outpatient Surgery Registration

The Department shall:

1. Interview incoming patients to obtain required personal, demographic, and billing information, and complete the necessary Medicare Admission Inquiry as may be required. The Department shall forward billing information to the Patient Access Financial Clearance Unit prior to the patient's admission to verify eligibility, pre-authorization, and benefits, although the Emergency Department shall comply with all necessary EMTALA requirements.
2. Obtain signatures for Consent for Care and Financial Agreement with each admission/visit. Obtain signatures for Facility Directory agreement for each Admission, Emergency Department, and Surgical Services.
3. Screen and provide information to all adult patients concerning Advanced Care Planning. It is EvergreenHealth's policy that each patient has an appropriate Advance Directive to the degree that it is possible.
4. Obtain signatures from the patient or patient's representative on the Important Message from Medicare, Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice acknowledgement and Important Message from Tricare as required. Complete Medicare Secondary Payor screening on all Medicare eligible admissions.
5. Provide information to all patients or their advocate on Notice of Privacy Practices (upon initial visit), Patient & Client Bill Rights (for each day of service and/or each admission to facility) and Notice of Non-Discrimination (upon initial visit and annually thereafter).
   • For incapacitated patients, Registration will contact any known listed emergency contact at time of admission. If no emergency contacts available, Registration will notify Social Work for appropriate follow-up.
   • Coordinate direct admits with the Hospital's House Supervisor.
6. Guide patients needing assistance to their rooms or other Hospital location upon admission.
7. Register and process all outpatients for surgical and special procedures.
8. Collect payments (co-pays, pre-pays, deposits, and outstanding balances) from patients and issue receipts as needed.
9. EvergreenHealth Monroe – answer incoming Monroe campus switchboard phone calls and handle all event "code" phone calls.

Outpatient/Clinic Registration

The Department shall:

1. Register patients for outpatient services including, but not limited to, lab, diagnostic imaging, primary care and specialty clinics.
2. Direct patients to the care areas and coordinate schedules when the patient is to have services in more than one department.
3. Obtain signatures for Consent for Care and Financial Agreement annually.
4. Provide information to all patients or their advocate on advocate on Notice of Privacy Practices (upon initial visit), Patient & Client Bill Rights (upon initial visit and annually thereafter) and Notice of Non-Discrimination (upon initial visit and annually thereafter).
   • For incapacitated patients, Registration will contact any known listed emergency contact at time of admission.
   • If no emergency contact is available, Registration will notify Social Work for appropriate follow-up.
5. Screen and provide information to all adult patients concerning Advanced Care Planning.
6. Complete Medicare Secondary Payor screening on all Medicare-eligible visits.
7. Provide information to all patients on Patient & Client Bill of Rights.
8. Collect payments (co-pays, pre-pays, deposits, and outstanding balances) from patients and issue receipts as needed.

Urgent Care Registration

The Department shall:

1. Register patients for urgent services.
   • ID is required upon registration in the Urgent Cares. Failure to provide an identification could result in the patient not being able to have services provided in the clinic.
2. Obtain signatures for Consent for Care and Financial Agreement with each visit.
3. Provide information to all patients or their advocates on Notice of Privacy Practices (upon initial visit), Patient & Client Bill Rights (upon initial visit and annually thereafter) and Notice of Non-Discrimination (upon initial visit and annually thereafter).
   • For Incapacitated patients, Registration will contact any known listed emergency contact at time of admission.
   • If no emergency contact is available, Registration will notify Social Work for appropriate follow-up.
4. Complete Medicare Secondary Payor screening on all Medicare-eligible visits.
5. Collect payments (co-pays, pre-pays, deposits, and outstanding balances) from patients and issue receipts as needed.
6. Patients unable to provide payments can be referred to our Patient Access policy for charity programs and/or social work.