Pena4 Helps Sustain Medical Coding Operations During Global Disruption 

Category:

Medical Coding, Expert Articles


Publish Date:

Dec 20, 2023


Expert Articles

Strategy:

Recognizing the potential impact of an impending shutdown in India due to COVID-19, Pena4, a leading medical coding company, proactively took steps to safeguard their operations. The company quickly transitioned 300 offshore medical coders to remote setups, ensuring secure connections via the Pena4 VPN and updating security protocols. Pena4’s proactive approach played a pivotal role in helping an automated medical coding company maintain its operations during the pandemic.

Challenge:

As COVID-19 swept across the globe, India announced an unforeseen shutdown, which brought the operations of numerous offshore medical coding companies to an abrupt halt. Among those affected was an automated medical coding company heavily reliant on an Indian-based coding service that went out of business, leaving this client stranded without the essential infrastructure and support required to continue their operations. Facing pressing needs and stringent time constraints, this company turned to Pena4 for a solution. The challenge at hand: Develop and implement an entire workflow, including data upload, compliance checks, coding, and quality assurance within an astonishingly brief 48-hour window.

Solution:

Understanding the urgency of the situation, Pena4 swiftly mobilized its resources. They quickly assembled a dedicated team of 111 remote medical coders and quality assurance personnel. This team worked tirelessly, collaborating around the clock over a weekend to devise and launch a comprehensive solution. Pena4's experts formulated a workflow that encompassed every aspect required for seamless medical coding operations, from data upload and software compliance checks to coding, validation, and rigorous quality assurance protocols.

Results:

The impact of Pena4's rapid and precise execution had a significant impact. Over a duration of 4 ½ months, the collaborative effort between Pena4 and the automated medical coding company resulted in the coding of 309,062 cases. Each night, the team achieved an average of 4,353 coded cases, with the peak reaching an astounding 9,520 cases in a single night. Despite this unprecedented workload, Pena4's team never faltered — the team never missed a single turnaround time. Their commitment to excellence and resilience ensured the continued functioning of the automated medical coding company during its most challenging time.

Success

Pena4's swift and efficient response during the tumultuous early days of the COVID-19 pandemic stands as a testament to their adaptability, dedication, and technical fortitude. By promptly addressing the needs of their client, they rescued a critical operation and also showcased their ability to thrive under pressure. The client collaboration not only underscored Pena4's resilience but also set a new industry benchmark for high-volume medical coding operations conducted seamlessly under extraordinary circumstances.

This is one of very few vendor relationships I have experienced in my 35 years as an HIM where I truly feel like we are partners with the same goal in mind-quality health information.

Cindy Penner

The Ottawa Hospital

I have had experience with other offshore coding services, and the quality from the Pena4 coders is excellent.

Craig Chase

Catholic Health Services

Very responsive team, expert knowledge, and easy to work with.

John Samuels

Better Health Advisors

Always on point with Turn Around Time requirements.

Lordy Josama

One Brooklyn Health System

Great long-term relationship, able and willing to meet our needs. Great customer service, great support, great outcomes!

Ray Cosner

Mt. Sinai Health System

It has been such a pleasure to work with Pena4 and their team. They have highly educated coders and I do not need to be involved in their internal processes, they know how to get the job done and with great quality.

Bonnie DiAntonio

RWJ Barnabas South

Pena4 continues to deliver high-quality services to our Team. We look forward to maintaining our strong partnership with the Pena4 Team.

Jade Johnson

Mount Sinai Hospital MSH/MSQ

Thank the management team, Arnab, Navin, Caroline, and the entire support team for their continued support and dedication to BronxCare Health Systems.

Valerie Oselmo

BronxCare Health System

Pena4 staff was helpful and accommodating to our professor and students' needs.

Dasantila Sherifi

Rutgers University

Implementation is a 2-way street and Pena4 keeps up its end. They provide great service with involved and attentive operations leaders.

Craig Chase

Catholic Health Services

Love the Team! Deb, Bernie, and Shelley are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and especially pleasant to work with!

Sonia Shiels

Joseph Brant Hospital

We hired HIMonCall to assist with coding to meet our mandated fiscal year deadlines. We were able to meet this deadline successfully with the help of these contract coders and the work was delivered on time, as promised.

Monique Rasmussen

Providence Health Care