One of the most integral steps of the record retrieval process is the review of records. This is essential to ensuring that all the information provided by DAS, in particular medical records, is accurate and helpful according to our clients’ needs. Stephanie Gilchrest, DAS’s Senior QC Manager, gives more insight on this step as well as the DAS advantage below.
“I have worked handling record reviews for over 16 years, and in those 16 years, medical records have changed significantly. With electronic records becoming more and more prevalent, facilities such as ours have to be extremely careful in not only the kind of information they relay to clients but also in the validity and legality of said information. This is where DAS is unique; with experience on the copy service side, we have a very real advantage in the industry. And as someone who conducts record reviews daily, I can confidently say that this advantage comes down to our supreme knowledge of HIPPA laws, state statute fee guidelines, and the intricacies of the release of information process.
To give you an idea of just how seriously DAS takes these reviews, here is a breakdown of the procedure I follow once a medical records request is made:
I start by quality controlling the records obtained, scanning them for usefulness based on what we know about our client and the case. Then I make sure all records are for the correct patient, double-checking the patient’s name, date of birth, and that no one else’s charts have been included in the files. I also search to see if the patient has been seen at another doctor’s office or facility and immediately report this back to the client. This is what we call “mining the records,” and it is intended to inform the client of any other records they may want to request. From there, I review the “dos” requested by the client and remove any information not within those parameters. Lastly, I Bates stamp and “OCR” each of the records (i.e. convert the images that include text so they are perfectly visible when electronically received by the client) and file a certification pursuant to 203 to the court on the client’s behalf.
As you can see, we employ a hands-on, boutique approach that involves the expertise of our staff—which is unheard of in an industry that is now detached and predominantly mechanized. It is because of this and the fact that we are a fully staffed, smaller company that DAS is able to implement these reviews in a personalized manner, guaranteeing that our clients are made aware of additional, potentially valuable information and that no errors are made which might deem our findings inadmissible.
We truly are the superior specialists in this line of work. The records we retrieve are always relevant, useful, and most importantly, trustworthy. ”
If you are interested in record retrieval services, contact our team today! We would be happy to assist you in acquiring the information you need.
Document Acquisition Service
1201 Richardson Drive Suite 150
Richardson, TX. 75080
972.231.3807 (phone)