Amy Assenmacher, senior vice president of the revenue cycle, discussed the factors that led the health system to embark on a work-from-home policy in patient financial services (PFS). Developing the policy, she said, was in line with the health system’s efforts to realize its key strategic priorities:
- Reimagine the personalized experience
- Cultivate breakthrough talent and culture
- Think and act digitally
- Build and partner innovatively
- Drive value
Spectrum Health began to experiment with the policy in 2017, Assenmacher said. But in mid-March 2020, COVID-19 prompted the organization to fully embrace it.
“[Add] a few other factors with that, including an increase in consumerism and digital transformation, sprinkle on some acceleration in advanced technology and having more well-established ways and proven methods in tracking productivity and quality, and you are primed for a very effective work-from-home model,” Assenmacher said.
Policy effects and implementation
Maria Kamenos, CHFP, CHAM, vice president, patient access services, presented statistics on Spectrum Health’s current and projected experience with its work-from-home policy. By 2022, she said, only 41% of its revenue cycle staff will be onsite full time, compared with 50% in 2019. Over the same period, staff working from home full time are expected to increase from 29% to 38% (an outcome she suggested is understated).