PIEDMONT ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

Policy Number: 01-02-017

SUBJECT: Patient Registration

EFFECTIVE DATE: 04/01/2004

REVIEWED/REVISED: 06/30/2006, 03/16/2009, 03/30/2010, 02/07/2011, 05/01/2012, 5/30/13, 3/6/2014, 07/06/2015

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POLICY: All patients receiving care through any PATHS facility will complete a registration process during their initial visit that will allow PATHS to collect all the demographic, financial, and insurance information necessary to conduct business efficiently.

DEFINITIONS:

1. Family: a family is defined as a unit that meets one of the following criteria:

a. Two or more people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption that are living together in the same housing unit and are economically dependent upon the “Head of the Family”. In addition, foster children and persons whose legal guardian is the Head of the Family and who are economically dependent upon the Head of the Family are recognized as family members.

b. One person living alone.

2. Housing Unit, or Household: There may be one or more family units (as described above) living in the same housing unit, or household. This is frequently the case with families on public assistance who share the same household but who have two separate public assistance case numbers. In such cases, each family unit is economically independent of the other and should be registered separately.

PROCEDURE:

1. All patients who desire health maintenance or emergency care are registered at their first encounter. Adult patients (those 18 years of age or older), minors covered by the Minor Consent Law, or emancipated minors who are considered to be the Heads of Household or Legally Responsible Individuals may sign registration forms. Minors not considered “emancipated” may not register themselves for the first time except in those situations where emergency care is deemed medically necessary, or when the parent or guardian gives either written or verbal consent.
Minors protected under the “Minor Consent Law”, Section 54.1-2696 Virginia Code, may sign registration forms allowing health or medical services required in the case of:

a. Diagnosis of treatment of venereal disease;

b. Diagnosis or treatment of any infection or contagious disease reportable under Virginia State Law;

c. Birth control, pregnancy, family planning (except sterilization procedures), or abortion counseling;

d. Care, treatment, or rehabilitation for drug addiction or use of controlled drugs.

2. The patient will complete the New Patient Registration Forms. Whenever possible, the front desk staff will scan a copy of the patient’s state-issued picture ID into PATHS’ EHR system. It is critical that this registration process allow the patient the opportunity to submit the following information:

a. Select their preferred provider; and

b. Indicate their race/ethnicity.

3. For any patient identified to be served best in a language other than English, please refer to PATHS’ policy number 001-04-007 “Interpreters (foreign language).

4. The Front Desk Staff will scan a copy of each of the patient’s insurance cards into PATHS’ EHR system. They will then verify (either through a designated website, using eclinical verification, or calling the insurance) that the insurance is current and active, enter the insurance information in the appropriate sections in the EHR system and note which is primary, secondary, etc.

5. Income information will be requested from all patients seeking medical/dental care from PATHS, however, only those patients seeking to apply for the sliding fee scale program will be required to provide the information.

6. When a patient seeks to apply for sliding fee, the Front Desk Staff will request and scan

documentation to support the family’s household income. If the information is not

available during the initial visit, the patient will be expected to pay 100% of the bill; including lab work, or re-schedule to a time when they can produce the information asked for.

7. The patient will be screened to determine if they have seen any other health care providers since their last visit with PATHS (Emergency Rooms, Hospitals, Specialists, etc.). If “yes”, the patient will be asked to sign a release whereby PATHS will request the records from that visit(s). If at all possible, these records will be collected and available for PATHS’ provider to review prior to the provider seeing the patient. If this is not possible, the Front Desk Staff will consult with the clinical support staff and provider to determine whether or not the patient can be seen without the records.

8. All patients who enter an email address when completing their registration forms will be marked as “Web Enabled”. They should be given a print out of their Patient Portal username and password during the check-in/check-out process of their visit.

9. Once all of the information has been entered into PATHS’ EHR system, the patient’s status is updated to “Arrived”, which will indicate their readiness for treatment to the site’s clinical support staff.

SIGNATURES:

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Chief Executive Officer Date

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Chief Operating Officer Date

01-02-017: Patient Registration

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