DuBois, Pa.-based Penn Highlands Healthcare is expanding its collaboration with software company Regard on a tool that uses artificial intelligence to boost diagnostics and billing.
The project started as a pilot program in October 2020, but the two entities have since inked a multiyear commercial engagement. The collaboration has increased annual revenue by $3 million, reduced physicians' note-writing time by about 30 percent and lowered physicians' clinical documentation integrity queries by a fourth, according to the Oct. 4 Regard news release.
The algorithmic program integrates into Epic and Cerner EHRs to mine patients' medical histories to help optimize diagnoses and billing.
"We had strict requirements when it came to choosing a solution that will improve care outcomes without adding significant cost," said Russell Cameron, MD, chief medical officer at Penn Highlands Healthcare, in the news release. "Regard surpassed our expectations and has even helped improve coding compliance for billing, increasing revenue tremendously."
Regard has launched in 15 hospitals since 2020.