Wiki Hospitalist Coding Process. HELP

[ecartwright]

We just hired our hospitalists from a contracting service. We need to put in place a system for them to document their E/M levels on. We have paper charts. Currently, they have these pocket sized index cards that are kept attached to the patient's chart, at least they are supposed to be. Each physician that sees the patient selects their level and records their initials on the index card. Upon discharge, the cards are collected and brought down to my office about every 2-3 days. The trouble I'm having is that I'll perform charge entry and abstract, but then 3 days later, I'll receive ANOTHER card for a patient i've already entered charges for and abstracted for. Now, we have to hold the cards for several days before we begin entering charges to help ensure we've received all cards if a patient has multiple.

Does anyone know of a better process for our hospitalists, whether it be eliminating the cards in place of something better, or whatever...