Restoring Patient Focus: How a Leading Cardiology Group Eliminated 98% of Administrative Phone Calls
For high-volume medical practices, the balance between providing state-of-the-art care and managing administrative logistics is a daily challenge. When staff members are buried under mountains of paperwork and ringing phones, patient experience often takes a hit.
This was the reality for one of Southern California’s largest cardiovascular practices. With five locations and over 22 cardiologists, the group is dedicated to compassionate, comprehensive care. However, the administrative burden of managing medical records (MR) was threatening to overshadow their commitment to their patients.
The Challenge: When Administrative Noise Drowns Out Care
Before partnering with Provider1st, the practice faced a bottleneck common to growing medical groups: limited resources battling high demand. The internal management of medical records was creating significant operational strain.
The team faced three major hurdles:
Communication Overload: The staff was inundated with inbound phone calls regarding record status. Voicemail boxes were frequently full, leaving patients and other providers frustrated.Slow Turnaround: Due to resource constraints, the turnaround time (TAT) for records hovered between 7 to 10 days, leading to dissatisfaction among patients and requesting doctors. Distracted Staff: Audit requests and “Continuation of Care” demands consumed the majority of the MR team’s day, pulling them away from direct patient interactions.
The practice realized that to provide the best care, they needed to stop managing paperwork and start managing patients.
The Solution: A Seamless Extension of the Office
The group turned to Provider1st to relieve this pressure. The goal was to transform the medical records process from a liability into a streamlined, invisible operation.
Provider1st stepped in as a “trusted compliance partner,” taking over the heavy lifting of Release of Information (ROI). Crucially, Provider1st took over all inbound calls associated with medical records. This shifted the burden of status checks and inquiries off the front-desk staff and onto a dedicated team of specialists.
The Results: 90% Time Savings and Faster Service
The impact of the partnership was immediate. By removing the noise of phone calls and the labor of processing, the practice achieved metrics that drastically improved their operational efficiency:
98% Reduction in Calls: The practice saw a massive decrease in phone traffic, as Provider1st now handles 98% of inbound MR inquiries.
90% Time Savings: The internal MR team recovered 90% of their time, allowing them to pivot their focus back to patient-related activities.
Rapid Turnaround: Turnaround time for records dropped from over a week to less than 4 days.
Trusted Compliance: The practice mitigated the risks associated with processing sensitive data by relying on Provider1st’s compliance expertise.
What They Said
The transformation went beyond just numbers; it changed the daily feel of the office. As a representative from the group noted:
“Provider1st has delivered tremendous impact in medical records processing… Their team is consistently responsive and operates as a trusted compliance partner our providers and patients can rely on.”
Is Your Staff Buried in Paperwork?
This cardiology group discovered that they didn’t need more staff to solve their problem; they needed the right partner.
Provider1st helps healthcare providers boost revenue and slash administrative workload. We manage all types of requests—from audits to legal subpoenas—ensuring next-level security and HIPAA compliance.
Ready to free up your staff? Schedule a consultation today to learn how Provider1st can drive incredible optimizations for your practice.
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Significant Drop in Patient Complaints, freeing up staff time