Sample patient access incentives program
Overview
1. An incentive system is a method of wage administration designed to pay employees in proportion to the hours that they work and the goals that they achieve. A “positive incentive program” is an incentive system in which employees receive set bonus amounts for achieving goals. The bonus amounts will be in proportion to the actual hours that the employees worked during the quarter.
2. The program is designed to increase productivity and provide employees an opportunity to earn incentive payments. It is also designed to assist in the recruitment/retention of quality personnel.
3. The maximum incentive award will not exceed $200 per employee, per quarter. Employees will receive the net dollar amount of the incentive that they have earned.
4. Time-of-service (TOS) goals are set up as departmental goals; if the department as a whole meets or exceeds a goal, all eligible employees will receive the incentive. If the department does not meet the goal, no one will receive the incentive. It is understood that patient payments that are collected within 30 days of date of service would have been paid at the TOS had the registrar attempted collection. The goal is to increase the amount collected at the TOS and decrease the amount collected within the first 30 days. Months for this goal will run one month behind to allow the full 30-day payment period to occur for the last month of the actual quarter.
5. Registration accuracy goals are set up as individual goals. Individuals who achieve either the 5% or 10% goal will receive the incentive. Individuals who do not achieve either the 5% or 10% goal will not receive this incentive.
Eligibility requirements
Award percentages are based on the percentage of total hours worked out of the total possible during the incentive period. Worked hours are based on 480 hours in a quarter, less six days time off, for a total possible of 432. Worked hours will be translated into a percentage and used for award calculation. An employee’s total worked hours must be greater than 50% of the total hours possible for him or her to be eligible for the incentive award.
Payment
Award calculations are completed by the 15th of the month following the end of the quarter.
Administrative points
Management reserves the right to adjust the incentive plan goals and/or criteria at any time for the following and subsequent quarters. Fraudulent activity to meet the incentive will result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.
Goal / Improvement / Maximum level ($100) / Minimum level ($50)Customer service Registration accuracy
Individual goal / Increase in registration accuracy based on AHIQA audit system / 96% registration accuracy for quarter / 91% registration accuracy for quarter
Financial
TOS collection
Departmental goal / Decrease in missed TOS collection opportunities / 70% collected / 65% collected
Source: Riverside Health System, Newport News, VA. Reprinted with permission.