electronic funds transfer (EFT) system

1. Paperless computerized system enabling funds to be debited, credited, or transferred to a provider’s financial institution, eliminating the need for personal handling of checks (e.g., from an insurance company’s account directly to the accounts receivable of the physician’s medical practice). Some insurance companies are using this system for Medicaid and Medicare payments. 2. Simple method of paying monthly insurance premiums in which the insured prearranges with his or her bank to automatically transfer payments to the insurance company’s account from his or her checking account. See also automatic bill payment and preauthorized payment . Also called automatic bill payment, bank check plan, check-o-matic, check deposit billing, preauthorized checking , or preauthorized payment . See also deposit-only bank accounts .

electronic health record (EHR)

Collection of medical information about the past, present, and future of a patient that resides in a centralized electronic system and is interoperable. This system receives, stores, transmits, retrieves, and links data for giving health care services from many information systems such as laboratory, radiology, pathology, and financial services. See also electronic medical record (EMR) .

Electronic media

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), mode of electronic transmission that includes Internet (online mode—wide open), extranet or private network using Internet technology to link business parties, leased phone or dial-up phone lines including fax modems (speaking over phone is not considered an electronic transmission), and transmissions that are physically moved from one location to another using magnetic tape, disk, or compact disk media.

electronic media claims (EMC)

Phrase that refers to a flat file format used to transmit or transport insurance claims, eliminating mailroom processing and manual data entry such as the 192-byte UB-92 Institutional EMC format and the 320-byte Professional EMC National Standard Format (NSF). In federal programs, payment is released when time requirements are satisfied, resulting in a faster cash flow turnaround for providers.

electronic medical record (EMR)

Electronic depository or linked access to patient databases that contains patient care information that can be sent within only one health care organization. This allows health care entities to share data, improve quality of medical care, and quicken insurance claim processing. Also known as computer-based patient record (CPR), online medical record, paperless patient chart , and computerized patient record (CPR) . See also electronic health record (EHR) .