News Release
Mt. Ascutney Hospital Installs CodoniXnotes for the ED
Windsor VT, December 1, 2005. Mt. Ascutney Hospital (MAH) recently installed the CodoniXnotes coding and charting software in its Emergency Department and has already seen substantial savings, increased billings and improved service for their patients.
CodoniXnotes mirrors the way information is already recorded in the E.D. This unique software allows clinicians to record patient data from admission through discharge using a series of mouse clicks. The result is a fully coded, CMS compliant narrative patient chart produced in real time that is complete and ready to be submitted for billing. The need for hand-written charts, or dictation and transcription is completely eliminated.
MAH chose the new Application Service Provider (ASP) model for CodoniXnotes which provides all the security and functionality of an in hospital configuration with none of the hardware or support costs. MAH pays a monthly subscription fee for the application and there is no capital cost associated with the system implementation. Access to the application is over a high speed Internet connection to a secure HIPAA compliant CodoniX server.
Ben Tipton PA, a member of the MAH implementation team, said that a small hospital like theirs would not have been able to afford a traditional client-server type of ED automation system. “We didn’t have the capital budget or IT infrastructure required for a traditional in house ED application”, he stated, “but we were able to subscribe to the CodoniXnotes application for the same amount of money we were spending on dictation and transcription.” He added that “the CodoniXnotes application is so intuitive that all of our doctors, nurses, and PAs were able to learn how to use the program simply by watching the video demonstrations available on the CodoniX website and then just using the application to chart patients.” “We were up and running completely electronically within two weeks.”
With CodoniX, the hospital now has immediate access to patient records for review and consultation. Previously these records were not available from the transcription service for at least one full day and often more. In addition, MAH now has access to standard and customized management reports that help them run a more efficient E.D. These reports include LOS, waiting times, shift reports, diagnoses and dispositions, a JCAHO daily log and E and M levels. Mr. Tipton, said, “Within a week saw our E and M levels increase due to better documentation of our visits.”
According to CodoniX Chairman, Andrew Muchmore, M.D. this increase is seen at all CodoniX sites. “Studies show that manual coding can miss as much as 75 percent of the medically pertinent patient diagnoses and may under-code a significant portion of the remainder. By switching to the automated CodoniXnotes solution, facilities can expect an increase in collections of up to 30 percent, depending on their prior baseline level of documentation.”
Mt. Ascutney Hospital joins a growing list of hospitals using the CodoniX system from CodoniX or its partner McKesson. All of these facilities have seen enhanced revenues, improved productivity and streamlined operations. The typical return on investment (R.O.I.) for a hospital implementing the CodoniX coding and charting system is normally less than six months.
About CodoniX,Inc.
Headquartered in Potomac, MD, CodoniX, Inc. (www.codonix.com) is a privately held company with a proprietary technology that can be accessed on a local area network or via the Internet to accurately build and code a computerized physician's notes without using complex menus and rigid templates. These notes reduce errors and dramatically increase collections and cut administrative costs associated with dictation, transcription, coding and copying. Other medical specialty documentation applications are available for orthopedics, obstetrics/gynecology, family practice and urgent care.
CodoniX, Inc.
Steve Speights
PO Box 59050
Potomac, MD 20859
(800) 495-7270
e-mail: Stephens@codonix.com
web: www.codonix.com