Better Narratives, Better Reimbursement

The folks at Medicare are keeping a hard eye on EMS these days, and for agencies wanting their deserved reimbursement in a fast, trouble-free way, proper documentation is more important than ever.

Looking for tools to help its providers deliver airtight paperwork for claims, Texas’ Sacred Heart Medical Services found a solution in NarrativePRO from Pro Software Solutions, LLC, specialized narrative-writing software that’s compatible with all types of ePCRs and paper reports.

Using it has resulted in more-complete narratives that enhance reports and help demonstrate that all-important medical necessity for billing.

“I know our collection percentage has gone up, and requests for addenda and corrections and clarifications from our billing folks have gone down,” says Sacred Heart’s Vice President, Bo Reger. “That’s a direct result of NarrativePRO, because now all the information is already there. I’ve gone from receiving several reports a week where billing needed addenda or clarifications to maybe two a month now, if that.”

The NarrativePRO software, designed by a paramedic, leads users through a series of options to document each incident. Using drop-down menus supplemented by free text, it moves chronologically through sections including history, assessment, treatments, reevaluation and transport. After filling out the relevant information under each tab, users need just one click to complete a full narrative that can be transferred directly into an ePCR or added to a paper report.

All fields are customizable, and drop-down menu options can be edited for users’ needs. Updates and tech support are included with purchase. And for most users, the NarrativePRO process takes less time than it would to write their own narrative.

“I’ve just been astonished with the amount of detail and options it gives the user,” says Reger. “I don’t want to constrict my crews to saying something specific if that’s not the case, so I love that if something’s not in a drop-down box, they can double-click and free-text to make it accurately reflect the patient. And as you go through the subtabs, it always reminds the crew to document a detailed assessment.”

Visit www.narrativepro.com