CLARIFICATIONS
RFP #7054 – HIMS Staffing and Release of Information
General Questions
Question: What is the term of the initial agreement?
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA has in mind a three-year initial term of agreement with two
one-year extensions at UCLA’s sole option. The options may have an allowable
incremental increase tied to the Consumer Price Index.
RFP Introduction
Question: Section I, Item 1: Are there or will there be any of the current employees
that are under any state benefits package?
UCLA RESPONSE: No.
Question: Section 1 #2 HIMS Release of Information ROI Request Volume: Can you
provide a breakdown of the volume of the 6,212 monthly requests by requester category
indicating billable and non-billable work?
UCLA RESPONSE: ROI receives and average of 6,212 requests per month (averaged
from 7/1/13 through 4/30/14). General patient requests: 4,918; Subpoenas: 275;
Question: How many FTE’s currently handle the release of information function? Can
you provide a list of the functions they fulfill?
UCLA RESPONSE: There are thirty-four (34) FTEs working in ROI. The ROI team
performs all functions within the ROI workflow from accepting and validating
authorizations\subpoenas, data entry of information, verification and quality assurance
and preparation and release of information to requestors.
Question: Do other departments maintain separate records (shadow files)?
Is there currently a backlog and if yes, will the outgoing vendor be responsible for
completion?
UCLA RESPONSE: HIMS does not have responsibility for or maintain records kept by
individual departments.
Question: Do you have (or will you be implementing) an EHR? Which software(s) are
in use? When was (or will) the system be live.
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA implemented Epic in March 2013.
Question: Do you also maintain paper records? Are records ordered from offsite
storage?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes, paper records are maintained in a UCLA-owned storage site.
These records are stored according to regulatory and organization retention
requirements.
Question: Is the ROI Vendor responsible for processing records for audits (RAC’s,
Medicare, internal, etc.)?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes.
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Question: Does UCLA Health require the ROI Vendor to supply equipment or is the
vendor required to use UCLA Health provided equipment?
UCLA RESPONSE: Vendor is required to use UCLA Health equipment.
Question: Is the ROI function centralized (one location) or is there ROI staff at each
location?
UCLA RESPONSE: The ROI function is centralized at Ronald Reagan Hospital
(Westwood) and a customer service location at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital.
Question: Can UCLA provide a list of outpatient clinics and affiliated clinics and their
addresses in which ROI services will be needed?
UCLA RESPONSE: NA
Question: What is the current EMR utilized by UCLA Health (hospitals and clinics)?
Are there other current or legacy systems that will need to be utilized for the fulfillment
of an ROI request?
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA Health utilizes Epic for all clinical documentation and the
ROI function. There are legacy systems used infrequently for the release of records as
needed\required.
Question: What is the format of your records (electronic, paper, microfilm/fiche)?
What years are stored on each of the different formats? (i.e. 1990 – 2000 paper; prior
to 1990 microfilm).
UCLA RESPONSE: The format is primarily electronic, with documentation also
residing in paper records prior to 3/31/2013.
Question: What is UCLA’s expected turnaround time for processing an ROI request?
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA follows the mandated turnaround times for releasing
information to specific requestors:
•
STAT – 2 hrs.
•
Patient – 15 days
•
Subpoena – 15 days
•
RAC – 45 days
•
Other – 15 days
Question: What are the ROI department hours? What hours is the receptionist for ROI
expected to be available?
UCLA RESPONSE: ROI Business and Copy Service hours are Monday through
Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Question: Is the ROI vendor required to have a credentialed HIM professional on-site
daily?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes.
Question: What is current number of FTE’s currently performing ROI functions?
UCLA RESPONSE: There are thirty-four (34) FTEs working ROI.
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Question: Is the vendor to enter data into UCLA’s tracking system as well as their
(vendors) own system?
UCLA RESPONSE: Epic is the source location of the legal medical record and the
system used to process ROI. If the vendor intends to use their own system for
billing\tracking purposes then data will need to be entered into both systems.
Question: Would the vendor be allowed secure, remote access to perform some ROI
duties off-site?
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA Health would consider U.S. domestic only.
Question: We are aware of the legislated rates in California; however, we would like to
confirm what UCLA Health is charging for the following requesters:




Patient
Insurance
Worker’s Compensation
Attorney
UCLA RESPONSE:
 Patient - .25c per page or $4 each quarter hour per CD (no cost for first ten
pages if mailed, no cost first 15 pages if walk-in)
 Insurance - .25 per page plus $4 each quarter hour
 Worker’s Compensation - $15 flat fee
 Attorney - .10c per page plus clerical cost $4 each quarter hour
Question: Are requesters charged a different fee for electronic copies? Copies on
CD/DVD?
UCLA RESPONSE: $4.00 per quarter hour.
Question: Who pays for postage? Who pay for supplies (toner, paper, etc.)?
UCLA RESPONSE: UCLA Health.
Question: Would UCLA Health consider including document imaging services as part
of the ROI proposal or entertain a separate bid for document imaging services?
UCLA RESPONSE: No. Document Imaging is performed in HIMS as part of
operations and not ROI.
Question: If there are records in off-site storage who is responsible for requesting
those records? Who is responsible for paying the retrieval fees?
UCLA RESPONSE: There are no retrieval fees. The HIMS and\or ROI staff is
responsible for requesting paper charts if needed in order to fulfill a need\request.
Question: Section I. Project Overview, HIMS Operations Staffing. Is there an
opportunity for an on-site visit to the facility or to provide a presentation to UCLA Health
regarding our services?
UCLA RESPONSE: This is not planned within the framework of this RFP.
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Question: Section I. Project Overview, HIMS Operations Staffing. Please provide the
functional organizational chart as mentioned in Project Overview, Section I. #1.
UCLA RESPONSE: See attached.
Question: Please elaborate on the formula behind the cost per point analysis. Can you
rank the evaluation factors in order of Importance? Is there a weighting applied? If so, to
which requirements. See Section F. 1-Introduction_RFP_7054.
UCLA RESPONSE: The explanations provided as to UCLA’s evaluation should be
sufficient for the purposes of this RFP.
Question: Please elaborate on UCLA’s Implementation Expertise & Customer Service
criteria used to evaluate vendors. See Section F. 1-Introduction_RFP_7054.
UCLA RESPONSE: The phrase “Implementation Expertise & Customer Service”
should have read “Executive Summary, Sample Service Level Agreements & Invoices
and Key Staff Resumes”.
Question: Are requesters billed directly by UCLA Health System for copies of medical
records? If so, is the invoice generated out of the health system’s ROI tracking system?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes.
Question: Can we get job descriptions on the different roles of the FTE’s within HIM
and ROI?
UCLA RESPONSE: Maintenance of job descriptions has been and will continue to be
the responsibility of the contracted vendor.
Question: How many FTE are working in ROI?
UCLA RESPONSE: There are thirty-four (34) FTEs working ROI.
Question: What are the productivity standards for HIM Services and ROI?
UCLA RESPONSE: Productivity standards are based on the individual function and
directly related to regulatory requirements.
Question: Does the pricing for this bid include labor only? Or are there other
budgetary issues to be considered?
UCLA RESPONSE: Labor and one automobile\courier.
Question: Does UCLA retain control/costs for all computer equipment and other
software licensing required for operations and/or ROI?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes.
Question: Record Storage is Off Site. Are you able to provide the approximate
number of charts that are currently required to be transported to/from those sites?
UCLA RESPONSE: On average, approximately 300\month.
Question: Retrospective Record Audits is listed under Operations. Please confirm that
this is limited to record retrieval and coordination vs technical/billing/coding audits.
UCLA RESPONSE: Retrospective Record Audits are completed using Epic to support
the organization’s quality initiatives in accordance with TJC standards.
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Question: iCap is listed for documentation imaging. Is this software only or are
outsourcing services provided within this area? Is hardware for scanning, prepping,
indexing under UCLA’s budget?
UCLA RESPONSE: iCAP is the document imaging software used for
scanning\indexing\uploading and covered under UCLA HIMS’ budget.
Question: Ref. Section II part C - Are Health Screenings required? If so, what are the
requirements?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes. Physical exam and TB test.
RFP Tabs
Question: Is UCLA Health opposed to the Vendor’s deployment of Six Sigma
methodologies? See Tab 3-A Item No 6.
UCLA RESPONSE: No. HIMS would want to partner with the vendor to implement this
methodology under the purview of the HIMS Director.
Question: Tab 4A, Section B, Item 3.9: What is the current budget (total amount) for
the HIMS Operations staffing of 85 operational FTE’s and 2 Management FTE’s?
UCLA RESPONSE: Responding vendors should offer the cost proposal the most
advantageous to UCLA while meeting all RFP requirements.
Question: Tab 4B – Functional Requirements ROI A – General Requirements Item No.
7.0
Are the complete hiring policies for UCLA on page 6 and 7 of the Request for Proposal
#7054 document? If not, please share the policy.
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes. The hiring policies require that every contractor have a back
ground check, health screening, and training in patient privacy and confidentiality.
Question: B – Management Item No. 3.4: Please explain what is meant by “vendor
employee interested in UCLA employment”. Are you asking if they are seeking
employment at UCLA or if they are simply willing to work at UCLA for the vendor?
UCLA RESPONSE: The question relates to contract employees’ interest in applying for
and being hired as a UCLA employee in HIMS or other UCLA departments. We are
interested in understanding how the on-site Manager and\or vendor would approach this
with the employee and in the agreement.
Question: Item No. 5.0 What supplies for ROI are provided by UCLA? Does UCLA
want the vendor to provide PCs, scanners, copiers, printers and CD burners, paper, ink,
postage?
UCLA RESPONSE: All supplies and equipment are provided by UCLA HIMS.
Question: Are there clinics or physicians’ groups in the ROI? If so, are these
centralized for ROI? What EHR(s) do they utilize?
UCLA RESPONSE: Departments have the ability to release portions of the patient’s
record, and some larger practice groups have their own ROI functional areas. Epic is
the enterprise clinic documentation management system.
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Question: Will the ROI vendor have front desk duties, answer phones and assist walkin requestors?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes.
Question: What expectations does UCLA have for ROI staffed hours? Will only vendor
staff handle stat faxes?
UCLA RESPONSE: The expectation is that the vendor will staff the ROI function. Yes.
Question: Is UCLA open to having any employees work from a Central Processing
Center?
UCLA RESPONSE: Yes, U.S. domestic only.
Question: What types of requests/departments are included in this ROI RFP? For
example, PFS/CBO Insurance - TPOs, and retrospective requests? Other 3rd party
requesters? Does UCLA have contracts to charge payers for retrospective requests?
Or do those departments do their own releases?
UCLA RESPONSE: The ROI RFP includes all request types and requestors with
exception of PFS\PBS who process their own requests. HIMS ROI does not handle
retrospective requests.
Question: Does UCLA currently utilize a vendor for ROI services or is it an in-house
operation? If a vendor is utilized, what is the required term notice?
UCLA RESPONSE: There is currently a vendor in place. The term ends June 30,
2014 (an extension is in place).
Question: How many total billable requests are processed each month and how many
total billable pages? Please specify ROI volumes by request type in order to assess the
revenues generated from third party requesters since CA State rates vary by requester
type. For example, how many billable insurance, attorney, disability, workers comp,
EMSI, subpoena, attorney copy only, patient requests do you respond to each month
and what are the average pages within each release? How many non-billable requests
are processed each month and what are the total pages? CC, PRO/QIO, MAC/RAC?
How many faxes and stat faxes?
UCLA RESPONSE:
 Approximately 6,300 billable requests and 103,000 billable pages.
 Faxes = 2350
 STAT faxes = 500
Question: May a vendor respond to just part of the HIMs RFP, for example to provide
imaging services?
UCLA RESPONSE: The RFP is broken into two specific scopes, ROI and Operations
and document imaging services fall under Operations. Vendors may reply to either or
both.
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HIMS | Functional Organization Chart
Information Services & Solutions (ISS)
HIMS Organization Chart
Chief of Applications
Director, HIMS
Analyst – Systems & Quality
Analyst - Transcription
Analyst – Operations
Manager, Operations
Manager, Document Imaging
Manager, CA Registry
ROI
Contract
DI Specialists
UCLA
Abstractors
UCLA
DI Specialists
Contract
Abstractors
Contract
DI
CA Registry
Operations
Contract
ROI & Operations
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