EHR triggers: a force for improved care--and revenue

Certain process-of-care measures advocated by CMS on its Hospital Compare web site can provide a basis for identifying patients who should be screened for certain medical conditions for which they are at high risk. Automatic triggers built into an EHR can help physicians identify such patients and establish medical necessity for services that both improve patient care and increase revenue for the organization. Such screenings also can help determine at the time of admission whether a patient has a major medical complication or comorbidity, which--if undetected--could have serious payment implications.