Case study: changing behaviours to improve documentation and optimize hospital revenue

A deficit situation prompted Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ontario to examine aspects of the funding process. A review of charts suggested that the documentation in the patient record did not accurately reflect the care given. Improving the documentation could potentially improve hospital revenue. This approach has been successfully used in the U.S., but is not reported to have been implemented widely within the Canadian setting. Coached by an American team, three experienced nurses were trained to work with physicians to explore opportunities to improve their documentation, and to work with the Health Records Technicians to optimize the accuracy of their efforts. Results demonstrate that such an initiative could impact behavioural changes in the hospital setting, and that such changes could impact hospital revenue. Realizing that front-line staff could actively participate in financial recovery was very empowering.