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Hospitals' Emergency Consulting MISSION Hospitals' Emergency Consulting (HEC) provides consulting services to hospitals regarding all aspects of Emergency Department operations. Top ABOUT HOSPITALS' EMERGENCY CONSULTING           Hospitals' Emergency Consulting was started in 1989 after observing that hospitals and Emergency Departments had no objective sources of assessment and information to aid in decision making and problem solving.  Clearly the perspective of an experienced emergency physician is often crucial to understanding difficulties within an Emergency Department.  Yet, being objective is hard for any hospital's existing emergency physician group.  Medical staff officers from other specialties are far from up-to-date on the complex business and professional aspects of emergency medicine.  Unfortunately, so many other "consultants" available are selling something else (physician services, management systems, billing services, even food services), that they bring their own agenda to any evaluation.  Unlike so many others:                      We are not selling emergency services.           Kenneth Frumkin, Ph.D., M.D., FACEP is particularly well suited to assist in emergency department problem solving.  A full-time emergency physician, he is residency trained and board certified and in the full-time practice of Emergency Medicine since 1981.  He has taught emergency medicine and managed Departments seeing as many as 120,000 patients yearly.  Academic and professional credentials include: Thirteen years as an Examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine, Ph.D. in the behavioral sciences, former residency program director, the author of over two dozen publications, chapters and presentations.  He is a reviewer for the journals Annals of Emergency Medicine and Academic Emergency Medicine, and a former member of the Academic Affairs and Practice Management committees of the American College of Emergency Physicians.           We do provide a full range of Emergency Department consulting services: strategic planning, managed care review, acute problem solving, billing and reimbursement review, integration of physician extenders, analysis and updates of policies and procedures, staffing and provider mix, personnel, quality improvement systems and analysis, risk management, alternate delivery systems, behavioral/morale issues, physical plant, and assistance with accreditation reviews.  Experts on law, accounting, emergency nursing, medical contracting, federal regulation, billing, reimbursement, recruiting, quality improvement, and risk management are associated and available. Top GENERAL METHODS DATA COLLECTION AND FACT-FINDING           Hospitals' Emergency Consulting has pioneered a uniquely cost-effective system for emergency services review.  We obtain and analyze considerable data before any on-site study.           Contract:  A contract completely describes our relationship.  Included are specifics of the work to be done, confidentiality and non-disclosure provisions, and clear limitations on time and fees.           Questionnaire:  A comprehensive questionnaire gives us a statistical picture of the hospital and its emergency services.           Telephone interviews:  Confidential interviews define areas of interest and concern. Discussions with key members of the administrative, medical and nursing staffs guide more formal inquiries.           Discussion with administration:  Ongoing discussions with administration parallel data collection to insure timely oversight, prioritization and direction.           Site surveys:  If needed, a one to two-day on-site review can include direct observation of patient care, review of policies and procedures, analysis of patient flow and the physical plant, and individual and group interviews. DATA ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS           We will furnish a comprehensive written report with recommendations.  Formal or informal presentations are an option. Top           EXAMPLES OF  SPECIFIC SERVICES EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OPERATION           The use of physician extenders           Review of policies and procedures           Compliance with JCAHO           Compliance with COBRA/OBRA/EMTALA           Demand analysis           Financial feasibility review           Facility design, redesign and expansion           Work flow:  Process and design analysis           Staffing, the use of ancillary personnel, and cross-training of ED staff           Interdepartmental relations, communications, systems solutions           New equipment and technology           Physical Plant           Contracts           Throughput analysis           Product Line Diversification: "Fast Track," chest pain center, observation, etc.           Information flow and information systems management           Relations with managed care plans           Triage and triage systems           Nursing systems review (with an exceptionally experienced nurse associate) PHYSICIAN STAFFING AND EFFICIENCY           Billing and reimbursement review:           Contract review QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND ASSESSMENT:           Medical record review           Credentials review           Practice guideline related focused chart review           Outcome analysis           Risk management review           Patient satisfaction review           Medical staff satisfaction           Staff consultations, discussions and interviews           Personal interviews with physicians.           Direct observation of patient care.           Malpractice litigation reviews           Regional comparisons CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND COMMUNICATION           Morale and team-building           Strategic Planning . Top           THE PROCESS:  HOW DO WE PROCEED?           This site is intended to provide a relatively complete menu of options and a feel for our approach to the questions you may be asking about your emergency services.  You will not want all of the services available.  We are committed to flexibility in accommodating your needs.  The next step is to call, email, or write Dr. Frumkin.  We will talk about your needs and you will receive a preliminary written proposal based on initial communications.  If you are then interested in pursuing a relationship, the next step is for us to settle on the general list of services you require.  We would then draft a very specific contract from which we would negotiate Top FEES           There is no charge for an initial telephone consultation.  Fee arrangements are flexible.  Hourly charges are most common.  Site visits are billed at a daily rate plus expenses.  The contract specifies an estimated number of hours for the consultation and a maximum number of hours that can be billed without further agreement.           Once the work to be done has been defined, a flat fee for the negotiated package of services is an option. Top           CONTACT INFORMATION           KENNETH FRUMKIN PhD, MD, FACEP           HOSPITALS' EMERGENCY CONSULTING           681-H North Battlefield Boulevard, #192           Chesapeake, Virginia 23320-4951           (757)482-9384     FAX: (757)482-9386           Voice Mail: (757)446-0477           Email: kfrumkin@HEC.netbox.com Top Home    Mission    About HEC    General Methods    Specific Services    Our Process    Fees    Curriculum Vitae    Contact HEC