Client: CHRISTUS Health System Challenge: Reduce costs and extend the reach of two multi-hospital organizations Solution: Replace separate information systems with RISKMASTER on a client/server claim review Results: Integrated the two organizations' systems, automated processes and accelerated claim review Want More Information? Learn more about RISKMASTER software or contact us. Download the full case study (PDF) below. Download the file

When it was formed in 1999, CHRISTUS Health needed to find an information system to reduce costs and extend the reach of two large multi-hospital organizations, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Houston and San Antonio.

Integration and Consolidation
The combined CHRISTUS Health System had more than 40 hospitals, clinics and related facilities. Its risk management data resided in two different places.

For Lead Information Analyst Crystal Gilbert, the consolidation posed real challenges. Both organizations were using older, DOS-based risk management programs that had to be rewritten to ensure Year 2000 compliance. The company had six months to implement an integrated system. To solve the dilemma, CHRISTUS Health installed RISKMASTER on a client/server platform.

Efficiency through Automation
"It was a big success," said Gilbert. "We could finally give end users — our risk management constituents in the healthcare centers — access to their data. We can go in and manage the claim and share data much easier than before. In the past, we had to run the report and send everything out manually through the mail."

So far, the organization has automated several important processes, which has resulted in faster reviews of claims.

Online Access
What's next for CHRISTUS Health? Finding ways to improve processes with faster, digital solutions. For example, the organization is planning to develop an electronic interface with its TPA for workers' compensation claims as well as rolling out RISKMASTER.net throughout the enterprise.

"RISKMASTER.net is going to be our biggie," Gilbert said. "It will help us implement our remote data entry and help us distribute our report data."