Price Estimates in Epic Offer Patients More Peace of Mind

To help patients understand the costs involved in their care before their procedures, Bon Secours Mercy Health offers estimates for inpatient stays, radiology, imaging, and other procedures. In the year after transitioning price estimates to Epic’s estimates tool, their hospitals created an average of 100,000 estimates per month and collected more than $2 million in prepayments before procedures took place.

“We want to do our part to help patients make informed and educated decisions,” said Sara Armstrong-McDonald, chief operating officer of Ensemble Health Partners, which runs BSMH’s revenue cycle operations. “Patients appreciate knowing what they can expect.”

At Bon Secours Mercy health, estimates for more than 3,000 procedures can be created automatically using historical price data in Epic combined with the patient’s insurance information. Staff review and finalize the estimates in Epic and send them to the patient. Registrars can also create an ad hoc estimate at a patient’s request.

“Patients appreciate the increased transparency, and it also makes our revenue cycle more efficient so we can focus resources where they’re most needed,” said Kelley Recker, vice president of the electronic health record.

Epic community members can learn more from Bon Secours Mercy Health’s XGM slides and audio.