FrontRunnerHC’s new electronic order entry system LabXchange helps expedite COVID-19 testing process
PLYMOUTH, Mass., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — FrontRunnerHC, a leading software provider that helps healthcare organizations maximize reimbursements with automated solutions to verify patient information, just announced the development of a new software solution called LabXchange. LabXchange has many immediate uses, including helping local and state governments and labs manage their COVID-19 testing and future vaccination volume.
This vendor-agnostic electronic order entry system enables the automated capture and verification of patient information at the time a healthcare service or lab test is performed, and then transfers the information through integration into the client’s lab information management system. End users such as nurses, phlebotomists, and volunteers can use LabXchange to electronically register a patient for a COVID-19 test. The software securely captures the patient information via embedded applications that enable a scan of a driver’s license or state ID and an image capture of an insurance card using web browsers on mobile devices. The user can then read in or affix a barcode to a specimen for transmission to contracted labs.
By reducing the need for manual entry of patients’ information, LabXchange helps eliminate inaccurate, missing, or incomplete demographic and insurance information and reduce the paperwork, errors, and time involved in the process. According to the Journal of AHIMA, “approximately 40% of patient demographic data has been missing from commercial laboratory test feeds for COVID-19”.
The State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is now leveraging LabXchange to help accelerate their COVID-19 testing throughout the state, from densely populated urban areas to rural hot spot communities using mobile testing sites. As Kansas rolls out the system, they expect to see a dramatic reduction in the time needed to collect and process each test and the potential for errors – good news for the overburdened staff and for those waiting in long lines to be tested.
N. Myron Gunsalus, Jr., Director of Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories at KDHE, references this initiative as another example of the State’s commitment to public health and its focus on innovation. “Protecting the health of all Kansans is our highest priority. This new electronic order entry approach enables us to expedite the COVID testing process with confidence and provide more people throughout our state with the important results they need. Both the public and our healthcare workers will benefit.”
In addition to the bottleneck at order entry, another challenge in the process is the large volume of specimens going into the lab at once that can create a traffic jam while patient data is manually checked. FrontRunnerHC CEO John (JD) Donnelly noted that “LabXchange not only helps streamline the process at the front end with order entry but also at the back end by helping to ensure that all the samples go into the lab with the right patient data.” With the ability to now streamline the full process, KDHE wants to ensure that the COVID test results are shared with patients as soon as they are available. To accomplish this, KDHE is leveraging FrontRunnerHC’s patient connection solution in combination with LabXchange to notify patients via email or text (SMS) when their results are ready and allow them to view their results instantaneously.
For the implementation of LabXchange by the KDHE, FrontRunnerHC collaborated with Gunsalus’ team and HORIZON Lab Systems team to configure HORIZON LIMS, the Lab Information System Kansas has been using to run their lab operations. Eric Dingfelder, President of HORIZON Lab Systems (www.horizonlims.com), commented, “All three of our organizations are committed to doing all we can to help curb the pandemic. The collaboration between us is creating powerful results. We hope to help others follow Kansas’ lead.”
FrontRunnerHC is delighted that the solution is having a positive impact to combat the COVID crisis. Donnelly commented, “From the start of the pandemic, we have been on a mission to help healthcare organizations manage the explosive COVID test volume. We are honored to help these healthcare heroes.”
LabXchange is a natural progression to FrontRunnerHC’s portfolio of software solutions. Donnelly stated, “Accurate patient demographic and insurance information is a crucial first step to ensure the rest of the process goes smoothly. Without it, healthcare organizations may forfeit revenue, incur unnecessary costs of rework, and waste valuable staff time, and patients can get surprise bills which often lead to dissatisfied referring physicians. We find the errors early and fix them.”
About FrontRunnerHC, Inc. (www.frontrunnerhc.com)
FrontRunnerHCÂ helps healthcare organizations and independent labs maximize reimbursements by providing reliable and complete patient information so they can focus on delivering care to their patients. The automated portfolio of software features unparalleled Benefits Investigation capabilities, is interoperable with patient records and billing systems, and is supported by a team of insurance experts. FrontRunnerHC is proud to help clients improve their financial performance, staff productivity, and billing experience for patients and referring physicians. FrontRunnerHC is recognized by Becker’s Healthcare as a “healthcare revenue cycle company to know” and by Healthcare Tech Outlook as a “top 10 revenue cycle management solution provider”.
