1 00:00:05,155 --> 00:00:07,205 - This is the Becker's Healthcare Podcast created 2 00:00:07,205 --> 00:00:08,365 by the team of Becker's Healthcare, 3 00:00:08,485 --> 00:00:10,245 a multimedia company devoted to the people 4 00:00:10,265 --> 00:00:11,565 who power us healthcare. 5 00:00:11,835 --> 00:00:14,645 Four new 15 minute episodes are released daily containing 6 00:00:14,845 --> 00:00:16,605 industry news analysis and thought leadership. 7 00:00:16,605 --> 00:00:19,485 From powerful healthcare decision makers Support our show 8 00:00:19,625 --> 00:00:22,445 by leaving it a five star rating and review on Apple Podcast 9 00:00:22,665 --> 00:00:23,925 or other platforms you use. 10 00:00:24,075 --> 00:00:25,885 It's a chance to tell us what you like about the show 11 00:00:25,945 --> 00:00:27,165 and act on your feedback. 12 00:00:27,165 --> 00:00:29,125 Thanks for listening. Now here's the episode. 13 00:00:30,475 --> 00:00:31,525 - This - Is Chanel Bunger 14 00:00:31,525 --> 00:00:32,685 with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast 15 00:00:32,985 --> 00:00:35,845 and I am recording live at the eighth annual Beck's Health 16 00:00:35,945 --> 00:00:38,925 IT Digital health and RCM conference in Chicago. 17 00:00:39,295 --> 00:00:40,325 Right now I'm sitting 18 00:00:40,325 --> 00:00:44,405 with Carol Yarborough from the UCSF Health System. 19 00:00:44,775 --> 00:00:46,605 Carol, thank you so much for joining me today. 20 00:00:46,665 --> 00:00:48,645 Can you take a moment and please introduce yourself 21 00:00:48,645 --> 00:00:49,925 and tell us a bit about your background? 22 00:00:50,305 --> 00:00:52,205 - Of course. Thank you so much for having me. 23 00:00:52,425 --> 00:00:55,365 Uh, Carol Yarborough, I'm the business operations manager 24 00:00:55,705 --> 00:00:59,165 for, uh, the telehealth resource center at uc San Francisco. 25 00:00:59,825 --> 00:01:03,365 Uh, my background started in the legal field where I worked 26 00:01:03,365 --> 00:01:07,085 for 20 years prior to coming on over to the healthcare side. 27 00:01:07,145 --> 00:01:09,925 So I quickly moved into compliance and auditing 28 00:01:10,465 --> 00:01:13,365 and then decided maybe clinical guidance 29 00:01:13,585 --> 00:01:16,285 and clinical operations to be more fun. 30 00:01:16,995 --> 00:01:18,325 That was okay, . 31 00:01:18,545 --> 00:01:20,245 So I went back to compliance and, 32 00:01:20,305 --> 00:01:22,925 but then came over to the telehealth side of things 33 00:01:23,025 --> 00:01:25,245 and I've just been having a blast for the last eight years. 34 00:01:25,675 --> 00:01:27,045 - Awesome. Thank you so much. 35 00:01:27,425 --> 00:01:29,925 And what is your growth strategy for the next year or two? 36 00:01:30,865 --> 00:01:33,885 - Our growth strategy is to keep our ears 37 00:01:34,305 --> 00:01:36,925 and eyes open for the next big thing. 38 00:01:37,305 --> 00:01:39,485 Uh, when I spoke on this podcast last year, 39 00:01:39,765 --> 00:01:44,235 I really was kind of emphasizing RPM 40 00:01:44,535 --> 00:01:47,795 as the next new thing and I was sort of excited about it, 41 00:01:47,855 --> 00:01:50,315 but then realized to quickly implement it 42 00:01:50,575 --> 00:01:52,635 and get devices out 43 00:01:52,895 --> 00:01:55,995 to patients takes a lot more coordination 44 00:01:56,345 --> 00:02:00,555 that can be homegrown by an enterprise as big 45 00:02:00,735 --> 00:02:02,915 as UCSF, although we are partnering 46 00:02:02,985 --> 00:02:04,875 with other ucs to do that. 47 00:02:05,615 --> 00:02:07,595 But I think RPM is gonna be very important 48 00:02:07,695 --> 00:02:10,115 for quality-based care as we move forward 49 00:02:10,655 --> 00:02:13,155 in different models of payment from CMS 50 00:02:13,335 --> 00:02:14,755 and the different Medicaids. 51 00:02:15,875 --> 00:02:19,575 The next new thing, we just have to keep our eyes 52 00:02:19,595 --> 00:02:24,575 and ears open again as I repeat myself for anything new 53 00:02:24,575 --> 00:02:27,695 that CMS is gonna turn as virtual care 54 00:02:28,115 --> 00:02:29,335 as opposed to telehealth. 55 00:02:30,075 --> 00:02:34,575 Uh, now that the pandemic is purported to be over, 56 00:02:35,665 --> 00:02:38,805 the emphasis is going to be on assessing 57 00:02:38,945 --> 00:02:41,485 how much money is being taken out 58 00:02:41,485 --> 00:02:43,285 of the Medicare Entitlement Fund 59 00:02:43,745 --> 00:02:46,485 and funneled into patient care through telehealth resources 60 00:02:46,485 --> 00:02:48,445 or what they term CMS Telehealth. 61 00:02:49,305 --> 00:02:52,405 So when they make that assessment, they are going 62 00:02:52,405 --> 00:02:57,175 to pull back and have the payments only going to patients 63 00:02:57,175 --> 00:02:59,485 who receive telehealth services in rural 64 00:03:00,065 --> 00:03:01,565 sta rural statistic areas 65 00:03:01,665 --> 00:03:03,845 and not metropolitan statistical areas. 66 00:03:04,385 --> 00:03:06,405 And they will no longer be providing telehealth 67 00:03:06,425 --> 00:03:07,485 to patients in their homes 68 00:03:07,865 --> 00:03:10,165 unless you're a behavioral health, uh, 69 00:03:10,165 --> 00:03:11,965 patient or beneficiary. 70 00:03:12,785 --> 00:03:15,725 So concentrating on 71 00:03:15,835 --> 00:03:19,845 what we can term virtual as opposed to telehealth 72 00:03:20,835 --> 00:03:23,885 will be the next big thing for people certainly in my area. 73 00:03:24,625 --> 00:03:26,165 - Got it. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. 74 00:03:26,745 --> 00:03:29,925 And moving forward, can you tell us about the most exciting 75 00:03:30,065 --> 00:03:31,405 and impact of initiative 76 00:03:31,625 --> 00:03:33,165 or project that you're working on right now? 77 00:03:34,535 --> 00:03:38,675 - Right now, just assessing 78 00:03:38,705 --> 00:03:40,755 what the insurance companies are gonna pay 79 00:03:40,755 --> 00:03:44,075 for in 2024 is not exciting, but it is impactful. 80 00:03:44,955 --> 00:03:47,315 I think the most recent thing that we implemented 81 00:03:47,385 --> 00:03:52,055 that is gonna have a lot of, well will mean a lot 82 00:03:52,055 --> 00:03:55,135 of many good things for patients at UCSF in the pain 83 00:03:55,135 --> 00:03:57,295 management clinic is that we've rolled out the pain 84 00:03:57,295 --> 00:04:02,215 management codes, which are monthly, uh, codes that our 85 00:04:02,845 --> 00:04:04,415 pain doctors 86 00:04:04,795 --> 00:04:08,895 and providers can track a patient's 87 00:04:09,605 --> 00:04:13,935 pain assessment over a month, submit the data to CMS 88 00:04:13,935 --> 00:04:16,495 through documentation and of course invoicing 89 00:04:17,075 --> 00:04:19,975 and then build that, keeping the patient out of the clinic 90 00:04:20,995 --> 00:04:24,015 and in their homes and thus freeing up 91 00:04:24,035 --> 00:04:27,775 for more acute patients that have new onset uh, pain 92 00:04:29,235 --> 00:04:32,635 symptoms, conditions to get into our clinics 93 00:04:32,635 --> 00:04:35,795 and build up greater access to our pain management doctors. 94 00:04:36,455 --> 00:04:38,155 - And that's better for the patient too, 95 00:04:38,155 --> 00:04:41,955 because don't you heal better at home rather than in a 96 00:04:41,955 --> 00:04:43,355 clinic or at a hospital? 97 00:04:44,355 --> 00:04:46,315 - Absolutely. Everybody wants to stay home. 98 00:04:46,405 --> 00:04:47,955 Uhhuh , including myself, 99 00:04:48,115 --> 00:04:49,675 I don't know if I can ever leave the couch 100 00:04:49,735 --> 00:04:51,315 and go into an office again, 101 00:04:51,575 --> 00:04:54,275 but I can try if I'm asked to . 102 00:04:54,455 --> 00:04:56,795 - Got it. And, uh, thank you so much 103 00:04:56,815 --> 00:04:57,875 for your time here today. 104 00:04:57,935 --> 00:04:59,995 But before you go, one last question. 105 00:05:00,505 --> 00:05:03,035 What is the most important thing healthcare executives 106 00:05:03,035 --> 00:05:04,555 should do now to make sure 107 00:05:04,555 --> 00:05:06,595 that their organizations are successful in the future? 108 00:05:07,595 --> 00:05:11,375 - Really concentrating on clean claims, going out the door, 109 00:05:11,715 --> 00:05:13,855 making sure you've got your claim edits in place. 110 00:05:13,855 --> 00:05:15,895 Sounds so exciting. Uh, 111 00:05:16,195 --> 00:05:19,295 and partnering with the correct people to, to do so. 112 00:05:19,475 --> 00:05:23,695 And that means front desk through the, the providers 113 00:05:24,635 --> 00:05:27,045 backend claims processing 114 00:05:28,285 --> 00:05:30,745 and a quicker turnaround in denials would be awesome. 115 00:05:31,445 --> 00:05:33,705 And I know it doesn't sound exciting, but it is. 116 00:05:34,685 --> 00:05:37,125 I know we can all proselytize about clean claims 117 00:05:37,265 --> 00:05:38,405 and getting paid right away, 118 00:05:39,475 --> 00:05:41,935 but you know, we're seeing the patients, 119 00:05:41,935 --> 00:05:44,575 we have the volume back, we have the surgeries back. 120 00:05:45,705 --> 00:05:49,275 Getting payment as quickly as possible to keep 121 00:05:50,195 --> 00:05:52,755 a hospital viable and in the community is 122 00:05:53,355 --> 00:05:55,195 probably the most important thing we can do right now. 123 00:05:55,735 --> 00:05:58,245 - Got it. Well, Carol, thanks again for joining me today. 124 00:05:58,245 --> 00:06:00,885 This is a delightful conversation. Appreciate it, . 125 00:06:00,885 --> 00:06:02,165 Thank you, Chanel. 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