WCHS Improves Purchased Referred Care
May 23, 2024
Winnebago, NE – The Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System’s Purchase Referred Care (PRC) program celebrates enhancing the process and efficiency of care for eligible patients requiring specialty services outside the Health System.
WCHS receives federal funding to provide healthcare services to all Native individuals. When patients require services beyond what WCHS offers, the PRC program steps in to facilitate these necessary services. Common specialty referrals include specific cancer treatment centers, cardiology, ear, nose, and throat specialists, and more. This program serves enrolled Winnebago Tribal Members and others enrolled in a federally recognized tribe that reside on the Winnebago Reservation. When our provider team recommends or refers necessary health expert services to these qualified patients, the case is referred to the PRC team. Our team then coordinates with the outside entity and our patients to schedule and ensure coverage of that appointment.
In the past two years, WCHS has been focused on refining this process by seeking to improve the documentation and communication across departments, both within the Health System and outside it. Initially, the completion rate for correctly detailed appointment information stood at 50%. This rate included essential details like appointment dates, times, specialist names, locations, transportation needs, and proper authorizations. Through dedicated quality improvement efforts, including comprehensive training, individual coaching, and meticulous auditing, the PRC team has achieved an impressive milestone of 100% accuracy in documentation over the past five months. This improvement ensures that all involved have access to precise and uniform information allowing for better follow-through and resulting in improved outcomes.
Michael Boggs, PRC Supervisor, commented on this achievement, "Our team has worked tirelessly to reach this level of accuracy and efficiency. The dedication and hard work of our department has been instrumental in this success."
These simple improvements significantly enhanced WCHS’s Purchased Referred Care patient experience. WCHS remains committed to maintaining this 100% accuracy rate in patient records and will continue to implement ongoing training and quality control measures to ensure excellence in patient care.