BUYER S GUIDE NEMT Software:

Transcription

1 BUYER S GUIDE NEMT Software: Choosing the Right Software Platform

2 Why NEMT Software? Before you start fielding quotes from NEMT software vendors, consider what you truly want and need in terms of software solutions. Making an informed decision now will greatly mitigate future risk in terms of software updates, maintenance and relationships with your funders, brokers, providers and clients TripSpark Technologies. All rights reserved. 2

3 What NEMT Software Can Do For Your Business 1 Increased Productivity Quickly discover the most optimal routes for pickups, return trips, multi-leg and group trips for both your internal and contracted service providers. Flexible algorithms will save money on gas and time, but also ensure that schedulers and dispatchers can offer on time guarantees. All of which allows you to schedule more rides in less time with fewer resources. Client/Trip data import and export modules reduce data entry errors, strengthen connections between providers and brokers, and speed up the trip booking process. 2 Improve Client Satisfaction Human errors can cost thousands of dollars a year. Software manages all of your information in one central location for quick and easy access. With a NEMT software mobile solution, drivers have invehicle access to client and trip information. Signature capture options provide an easy way to verify transports for reporting to funders. Providing accurate information to drivers and having quick access to client, trip and driver information is paramount to ensure client satisfaction. 3 Insight into Operational Efficiencies Having better access to trip data and the ability to track trip productivity, funding, and cancellations/no-shows can highlight areas of inefficiency. The ability to separate districts into specific service zones provides managers, schedulers and dispatchers with accurate tracking and vehicle monitoring capability: discover speed and safety issues, schedule adherence and even the duration of a vehicle s down time. 4 5 Improved On-time Performance System will always calculate trips with adequate arrival time windows to ensure all medical appointments are met. Riders get assured trip time estimates and will have peace of mind knowing they will make an appointment. Return trips may be calculated at booking time and built into the schedule. Reliable Reporting Capabilities Easily generate reports to show proof of: client eligibility status, on time performance, on-board times, wait times, history of complaints, revenue miles, and billing and reimbursement status. Custom reports can be easily created to credibly support your operation during a Medicaid audit to show proof of the quality of your service. WE SAW A DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME DISPATCHERS NEEDED TO PRODUCE SCHEDULES AND ROUTES, AS WELL AS PROCESS BILLING INFORMATION. [SOURCE: LEFLEUR TRANSPORTATION] TripSpark Technologies. All rights reserved. 3

4 6 Improved Vehicle Utilization Optimized scheduling ensures the most appropriate vehicle type is assigned to meet the rider s needs and shared ride options are highlighted to increase revenue miles by improving vehicle capacity. Avoid the waste of time and resources that can occur if two vehicles show up to the same pickup location. The system picks the most appropriate and (generally) the closest vehicle to a pickup. 7 Improve Credibility with Brokers Brokers are looking for the most reliable and cost-efficient providers. They are also judging quality of service, on-time performance guarantees, driver and vehicle compliance, and transport times. Having a close and transparent broker relationship ensures that you become a trusted transportation partner. Software with claims management functionality gives brokers accurate calculations for reimbursements and submissions, and all information can be tracked for medical and customer contract audits. 8 Increase to Your Bottom Line When all your resources are being used to their optimal usage levels, you can save on operational costs. Operational efficiencies affect every level of a business and the service it provides. This can mean improved trip scheduling efficiency, timely reimbursements, as well as client satisfaction. 9 Core Security To secure data, your systems should integrate with SSL. Furthermore, these systems require a granular security system to selectively configure who can access what data, complete with an audit trail of user actions. BY 2030, THE POPULATION AGED 65 AND OVER IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 75 PERCENT [SOURCE: ADMINISTRATION ON AGING] 4

5 THE GLOBAL IVR MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO $1.9 BILLION BY A KEY SHORTCOMING OF IVR SYSTEMS IS THAT THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO USE. [Source: LIEL LEIBOVITZ, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATIONS] Core Features of NEMT Software There are certain features that every NEMT software suite should contain. It is essential to match the needs of your organization with your software system s capabilities. Here is a list to keep in mind as you evaluate solutions. 1 Intuitive Scheduling Building efficient and cost-effective schedules for internal fleets and creating accurate trip assignments for contracted providers are extremely important to a NEMT operation. Intuitive scheduling algorithms and live dispatch are necessary components needed to optimize routes and make changes on the day of service. Remember: Not all solutions can offer same day schedule changes. Self-healing capabilities allow the system to re-optimize routes throughout actual day of service. 2 Trip and Data Import Features Importing broker trips can be tedious when done by hand. Errors can also infiltrate the process, creating major problems later on. Your software should allow you to simply copy and paste an Excel spreadsheet in order to import trip information. It should also allow you to import and upload files directly into your database. Not only does this save a considerable amount of time, it also reduces data entry errors and strengthens the relationship with your trip broker. 3 Client Management Managing riders can be a time-consuming task when done manually. The Client Management feature helps speed up the process by allowing schedulers to register clients, edit information and search records easily. The software should maintain and be searchable for rider details: personal data, disability type, mobility aids, passenger type, emergency contact information, and more. 4 Mobile Solutions In-vehicle mobile computing technology allows better communication of trip data, client information and on-time performance status between drivers and dispatch. With signature capture functions, trips and clients are tracked up to the moment. This can help to assuage a broker s safety concerns for members with health vulnerabilities. 5

6 5 Employing Zones Greater efficiency can depend upon available data. This is especially true when it comes to vehicles on the road. Improve tracking and monitoring of each vehicle and trip by establishing separate districts. Determine if drivers are adhering to schedules by monitoring speeds in specific zones, break times, etc. 6 Funding and Fare Tracking Software should allow for multiple funding sources and the ability to report separately and cumulatively for each. Many operations also need to track the amount that clients pay for travel. Flat, distance cumulative or distance non-cumulative fare rates may be important to track and apply, as well. 7 Detailed Mapping Visualizing where clients are picked up and dropped off is vital to providing excellent customer service. Mapping updates should be live and at no additional cost. Updates should be as seamless as possible and not create any system downtime. 8 Reporting Generating accurate reports on demand is crucial to running an efficient NEMT operation for not only internal analysis, but also for Medicaid audits and upon broker request. NEMT software can extract meaningful statistics quickly and easily in a variety of formats using a standard suite of reports. 9 Billing and Reimbursements Generate detailed billing reports with each client s amounts and counts. Get paid faster because trips are validated through the Claims Management module. NO SHOWS ARE LOST REVENUE: MEDICAID REGULATIONS REQUIRE PAYMENT ONLY FOR SERVICES OR TRIPS COMPLETED [Source: TLPA] 6

7 How to Explain NEMT Software to Your Company Choosing a NEMT software system isn t easy and implementing a new system is not a minor decision. Making the case for the purchase of software solutions will depend upon the unique demands and future plans of your company. Know what you need before you proceed to the RFP stage. If you can address the specific areas of concern that your company is facing, you will be able to select a solution that befits your company s needs. Anticipate Stakeholder Questions Will there be additional resources needed? What are the contract terms? What is the implementation timeline? Will staff training be provided? What is the expected return on investment? Will there be on-going costs? Where will the data be hosted? Are there start-up fees? Questions for Vendors Is your solution scalable to grow with us? Can it handle the number of trips per day we do? Is it configurable to meet our changing needs? Can it generate custom reports? Can it make adjustments on day of service? Can you offer free updates? Can your software help select optimal routes? 7

8 Customer Experience What should you expect from your vendor in terms of customer service, IT support and total customer experience? When you purchase a total solution from a vendor, they may not be selling their own products exclusively. This can lead to hassles down the road when you require technical support or when it comes time to update the system software. If a vendor is selling 3rd party products, you may find yourself dealing with multiple customer support centers and facing a slowdown (and possibly even a full service shutdown) during a software update. This can greatly hinder your ability to continue to offer uninterrupted service to your clients and riders. As well, this can put undue pressure on your IT department, who may be left scrambling without a decent support system in place. Over the course of time, you may also require information and help with regards to increasing your service and keeping your staff training up-to-date. This is why customer experience should be a significant offering from your NEMT software vendor and therefore, should be a significant area to ask about. TripSpark Technologies provides a software solution suite that brings together the functionality you require to schedule, dispatch, report, bill and manage your entire operation. 8

9 How to Choose the Right Solution for Your Company Below is an important checklist to consider while reviewing transportation software: Company Software designed for your operation size Proven software solution Flexible payment options Scalable option for future growth A web-based solution or on premise Features Quickly book trips from pick up to drop off Automatic client look-up feature Trip/data import functions Calculates distances & displays trip flow on a digital map Create templates for repeat trips allowing for quick routing Assign runs based on drivers and vehicles Search for client records within seconds Edit client records Ability to create separate polygons In-vehicle mobile technology Signature capture technology Ability to track funding sources Track client information: name, address, contact details, gender, birth date, disability, mobility aids, space type, passenger type Register new clients quickly by capturing information listed above Generate detailed billing reports with each client s claim amounts and counts HIPAA transactions are fully supported Information required for audits is automatically captured Supports private payments by connecting with your accounts payable system Automatic trip validation Reporting Trip reports: canceled, missed and no shows, trip count, call back list Productivity reports: trip hour productivity, trip distance productivity Operational reports: daily operations, manifests Options to create your own reports Ability to export reports in multiple formats: PDF, Excel, Word, RTF, HTML or CSV 9

10 Mapping Ability to view scheduled routes Ability to view street names and postal codes/zip codes Ability to view clients pick up and drop off locations Customer Experience Direct access to unlimited 24/7 support Ability to contact support via web and phone On-going training and advice Monthly Lunch and Learns Log/track service requests through MyTripSpark Online TripSpark community for product tips and tricks Tip of the Month Program to stay current on your product License-free updates and product upgrades for life TripSpark NEMT Software Solutions enable providers to manage their operation with great precision and efficiency. Visit today to learn more about how automation can revolutionize your operation. 10