Uniontown Hospital urges patients to bring insurance cards
Due to the implementation of its new clinical information system, Uniontown Hospital is advising all patients to bring current health insurance cards and information with them at the time they register for services beginning this week. The new system, which was activated on Monday, will require that some patient data, including medical insurance information, be re-entered into the new system.
The new system will ultimately gather patient medical information from all clinical areas and integrate that data into one permanent medical record, easily accessible to the healthcare professionals who need it to care for the patient. At the same time, the system will insure the full protection of the confidentiality of patient records, according to hospital officials.
“It is very important that all people coming to the hospital for services beginning July 1 bring their current valid health insurance cards. Bringing the correct information will allow us to process claims smoothly and accurately,” said Kathy Simpson, director of registration at Uniontown Hospital.
Simpson also indicated that there might be some minor registration delays in the first few weeks of the implementation. Due to this, Simpson is advising that, beginning July 1, patients coming to the hospital for services should arrive about 45 minutes prior to the time their test or service is scheduled.
The hospital plans to have extra registration stations, staff and volunteers on hand to assist the public in this process and minimize delays.
When completed, Uniontown Hospital will be one of only a few hospitals in the country with a truly integrated, private, patient-centered information system. This will provide medical professionals with the necessary information to meet the healthcare needs of the people in this region without compromising the privacy of their medical records.
Other advantages of this system include providing caregivers with a comprehensive medical history on the patient, which will allow caregivers time for hands-on care by reducing paperwork and providing patient safety functions through computerized cross-checking of patient information.