Hospitals and health networks across the United States regularly devote a substantial amount of resources to the management of health care registries. With the intense focus on value-based care that is tied to reimbursement and the drive to follow best practices to improve patients outcomes, achieving excellence in registry management is a vital business goal.
Many health systems have discovered they are able to reduce the cost of registry operations while also enhancing the quality of data collection by outsourcing registry management. Some hospitals opt to outsource all registry services, while others choose to work with a vendor to augment their existing staff and registry operations.
Registry Management companies typically provide services for a wide range of registries, including registries associated with oncology, cardiac, vascular, surgical, neonatal, and trauma care.
Services Offered by Registry Management Vendors
A registry management vendor can work closely with your network’s Quality Improvement department as well as specific service line directors and teams to provide a wide variety of services, including:
- Data abstraction
- Data analysis and reporting
- Data quality and edit reports
- Data harvest and submission needs
- Analysis of processes, monitoring task completion, and reviewing quality of abstraction performed by hospital staff and the vendor’s team
- Assistance with defining budgetary requirements
Some registry management companies also offer consulting services, such as:
- Support for accreditation processes and preparedness
- Analysis of your registry staff utilization and workflows
- Guidance and tools to ensure your organization is following best practices
- Interpretation of registry standards
Tips for Selecting a Registry Management Organization
If your hospital or health system is considering outsourcing registry management operations, there are a number of factors to consider. You should start with a list of registries and the types of support your organization may need. A few basic questions can provide an overview of a company’s qualifications. These questions include:
- How does a potential registry management company ensure data abstraction quality?
- What type of training or experience do they require of staff members?
- What tools and protocols are in place for data and operations security and liability?
- Does the vendor’s service philosophy align with your goals?
Once you have established some baseline qualifications, your hospital can then use a more detailed assessment to determine if a potential vendor will be a good fit for your organization.
A Guide to Help You Perform a Detailed Registry Management Vendor Assessment
Our free e-book, 5 Factors to Consider in Selecting a Registry Management Partner, can help your organization complete a detailed assessment of possible registry management vendors. Download your copy today.
