MLSCU improves data processes using Access Adam Care Commissioning
Learn more about how Access Adam Care Commissioning has helped MLCSU improve data processes to inform better decision making and improve patient outcomes.
Who are MLCSU?
Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning and Support Unit (MLCSU) work hard to support the NHS with exciting innovations and projects for Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) and emerging Integrated Care Systems (ICS).
They aim to improve the health and integrated care in their local area to deliver higher quality commissioning support to nine Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) as well as range of other public bodies, covering one quarter of England’s patient population.
MLCSU were looking to improve the efficiency of their service and their data processing to inform better decision making and save staff time. They needed to find a solution which had robust and trustworthy data that could reliably manage processes, as well as a quicker and more efficient way to conduct their invoicing to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients.
What challenges did MLCSU experience before working with Access Adam Care Commissioning?
MLCSU recognised the power of technology in helping them to achieve their goals after embracing the NHS’ digitised agenda. They asked us at Access Adam Care Commissioning to review their existing processes and policies to evaluate where performance improvements were needed.
We concluded there were 3 key areas which were negatively impacting MLCSU’s service:
- Poor quality data disrupting processes and decision making
- Lack of quality assurance
- Staff were distracted from their core roles due to inefficient processes
1. Poor quality data disrupting processes and decision making
After our team at Access Adam investigated MLCSU’s performance it was clear one of the biggest areas they needed to improve was their data processing and monitoring.
Staff were heavily reliant on using spreadsheets to track patient activity associated with care placements. Their continuous manual entries into these spreadsheets meant that they often had inaccuracies, human errors, or crucial information missing altogether.
Often stakeholders would go to a spreadsheet to retrieve vital information to inform future decision making and it was missing. This made trying to understand performance and activity virtually impossible. These manual reports were also both time consuming and limited in their value due to poor quality data records.
MLCSU needed a system that enabled data to be inputted easily and be more precise in managing their data to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients.
2. Lack of quality assurance
Another key area which MLCSU needed to concentrate on was its quality assurance. Post investigating their performance it was clear that they had very little systematic recordkeeping, transparency and visibility. This was also seen across their entire service, from provider contracts to their invoice processing, their compliance checking and CQC notifications, to name a few areas.
Similar issues were also occurring when they were trying to manage providers. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the MLCSU to manage providers as they had no foundation to measure and manage performance. This lack of management over their providers posed a significant risk to the ICB/CCGs the MLCSU work with.
MLCSU needed a solution which could be systematic to ensure providers were compliant and not posing risks to ICB/CCGs. Even their staff wanted more controls in place to eliminate these issues.
3. Staff distracted from their core roles due to inefficient processes
In the MLCSU teams it was obvious that their staff worked incredibly hard to manage caseloads. However, lots of time was being wasted due to the poor-quality data and the inefficient processes in place
One of their major setbacks was their invoicing process. This wasted a lot of staff time where they could be spending more time with patients to improve their health and wellbeing. Instead, they were having to investigate disputed invoices that did not meet ICB/CCG records. 47% of invoices received did not match ICB/CCG records and were disrupted, meaning substantial staff time was spent trying to resolve these issues.
Clinical staff were not happy with this set up and how their time was being wasted. They wanted a system that automatically generated invoices correctly and matched each case to their ICB/CCG records without any errors. That way they could spend more time with patients and carry out reviews by reducing the proportion of their time spent on administrative tasks.
The solution MLCSU used to overcome challenges
Results
Following our investigation into the running of MLCSU’s service both our team and the MLCSU teams worked together to implement a solution that would deliver a much-improved complex care service moving forwards.
In order to achieve this, a clean and accurate data set needed to be migrated to our Access Adam Care Commissioning platform to identify where they had gaps.
From this process it was clear much of the existing placement data was unreliable, so our outreach team engaged with the relevant local providers to verify the placement data. By the end of two weeks, 64 providers were contacted to agree accurate datasets. This ensured that the data workstream and data structure had 100% accuracy from day one.
To ensure quality assurance, it was agreed that new provider contracts would be required as well as on-going monitoring standards. This would then allow providers to be supported in evidencing that they had met the standards required and had completed all the mandatory documentation.
It was also agreed that MLCSU would move to electronic invoicing to streamline the process for commissioning support units to have faster and more consistent payments for providers.
At Access Adam Care Commissioning we understand that MLCSU staff have very busy schedules and couldn’t afford disruption. We created a tailored solution to meet their requirements while minimising time commitments during the project from MLCSU stakeholders. We decided on a solution that had 5 key features which all of their 64 providers agreed to and signed up for:
- Having a series of reports to provide both activity and performance data management both within the system and at agreed intervals
- Ensuring finance processes were integrated with local processes, including a new interface file, for automatic uploads to financial systems
- Ensuring all users in the NHS and care providers received training on how to use the solution prior to going live to make sure they were confident with the new system and the new organisational processes
- Ensuring there was post-go-live support to help users with any queries both remotely and face to face
- Having a series of KPIs agreed to make sure the solution meets customer objectives and delivers a return on investment into the solution
What have MLCSU been able to achieve since they started working with Access Adam Care Commissioning?
Even after a few weeks MLCSU were able to see improvements in their service. After just 10 weeks both the MLCSU team and ICB/CCGs had confidence that our Access Adam Healthcare Platform enforced efficient and complaint governance of all complex caseloads.
I’m astonished that there is a smooth running case management system like this available. This system will ensure MLCSU are able to care manage our Service Users in an efficient way. Examples are; an efficient Service User identification system, enabling the team to document and organise reviews in good time, minimise risk by having all the documentation available in sequence. A system that has a reporting structure which benefits the process of running reports for queries or issues arising, such as financial, enrolment, contracting and safeguarding is extremely valuable.
Wendy Calvert, Business and Contracting Assistant at MLCSU
MLCSU saw all the key areas they wanted to improve become more efficient within 10 weeks of using the solution.
Through the solution linking patient case management systems with the NHS SPINE database, all parties were assured of data accuracy regarding patient details, including GP details and RIP notices.
Through digitising all of their paper processes and complicated spreadsheets were no longer needed as all the data is now held within the case management system. This ensured all terms were managed and monitored throughout the service allowing case management to be even easier at every step.
Having 100% of their providers agree to use our commissioning solution helped save staff time, and reduced the data entry and time spent doing basic administrative tasks by 20% on average.
This enabled clinical staff to spend more time reviewing the appropriateness of placements with their improved management of cases. We also ensured our care commissioning solution was accessible via mobile devices to allow clinical staff to update records even when they are out of office.
MLCSU also achieved the eradication of all invoice disputes. Since using our solution 100% of their invoices are paid within 30 days in line with the Better Payments Practice Code. Our secure cloud-based solution has provided MLCSU staff accurate reporting without any manual intervention required to ensure a full audit trial of activity.
MLCSU have now been using our Access Adam Care Commissioning solution for over year and they have experienced even more benefits including:
- 86% of providers raising their invoices within 7 days
- Over £1.4 million has been paid out to providers
- It now takes just 30 days for providers to be paid where previously it took nearly 54 days for providers in the north and 48 days in the south
- Now 0% of invoices are disputed whereas previously 42% of invoices in the North and 51% in south were disputed
What is the future of MLCSU and Access Adam Care Commissioning?
It is clear that since MLCSU asked us to investigate how their processes could be improved and we offered them a solution tailored to their needs, the efficiency of their service has improved dramatically ensuring the health and wellbeing of their patients is maintained at a high standard regardless of the case.
Access Adam’s partnership with MLCSU will continue to progress and improve the health and wellbeing of their patients. Discover our today and learn how we support NHS bodies with first-class commissioning and management across a range of complex services.
Our cloud-based and mobile compatible technology contains a variety of integrated product modules to cater to all your needs including:
- Referral management
- Brokerage
- Case management
- Invoicing and payment
- Provider engagement and management
- Personal health budget management
Contact us today for more information and see first-hand how the Access Adam Care Commissioning can help ICB/CCGs be more efficient in their day-to-day running of their services to improve their patients’ outcomes.