ILHIMA | The Impact of M and A in Healthcare Best Practices for Managing EMPI Conversions

The ongoing Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activity within the healthcare sector necessitates a keen understanding of its impact on patient care, compliance, and costs. With a focus on the Master Patient/Person Index, we will navigate these complexities, including best practices for data conversion planning, person matching strategies, deployment of Al technology in resolving duplicates, and ongoing data integrity management.

This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the healthcare industry, addressing various aspects and their impact on Health Information (HI). It begins by presenting current M&A statistics, emphasizing the substantial influence on data integrity and the prevalence of duplicate records in such scenarios. The implications on quality of care, patient safety, revenue cycle management (RCM), costs, and compliance with HIPAA and information-blocking regulations are thoroughly examined.

The focus then shifts to the Health Information Professional’s (HIP) crucial role in data conversion planning throughout the M&A process. The presentation outlines pre-conversion steps, including extract specifications, considerations for leaving behind certain record types, and testing strategies. It delves into data analysis, duplicate rates, and patient matching/linking strategies, discussing algorithms, auto-merging, error management, and the application of Al tools to detect data integrity concerns. The benefits of prioritizing resources based on complexity and leveraging Al tools are highlighted, along with the challenges posed by complex data discrepancies between duplicate records, particularly in key demographic data fields.

The presentation also covers overlay creation, going live, testing/validation, maintenance, and benchmarking, providing insights into industry best practices and resources. It emphasizes feedback loops and collaboration with registration partners for effective duplicate resolution. The AHIMA Naming Policy, CHIA EMPI Resource Guide (free for CHIA members), and Project US@ are recommended as valuable tools and references for HI professionals navigating the intricacies of M&A in the healthcare domain. Overall, the presentation equips professionals with essential knowledge and resources to navigate the challenges and optimize outcomes during healthcare M&A activities.

Learning Objectives:

1. Upon completion, participants will comprehend the impact of M&A on healthcare, gaining insight into how activities affect patient care, compliance, and costs.
2. Upon completion, participants will be able to navigate Master Patient/Person Index challenges through best practices for data conversion planning, person matching strategies, and deployment of Al technology in resolving duplicates.
3. Upon completion, participants will gain insight to implementing ongoing data integrity management strategies, acquiring skills for maintaining data accuracy, and reliability post-M&A.