In honor of Valentine's Day, we thought we would pay tribute by letting our readers know what there is to love about a computer system.  Now we know that to most of you, loving a computer system seems silly.  I mean, you're whole career has been based on the love you have for the people you serve.  Now that's real love - so this is more of a 'really like'.  We also know that for most of you, computers and technology is just not your thing.  But like the kid at the school Valentine's dance that's in the corner, computer systems for this industry might be cooler than you think.  Maybe you should go over and introduce yourself, who knows it could be a match made in heaven!  A computer system can't give you a hug or tell you they love you or make you laugh.  But what if we looked at a computer system like an Agency Management Platform and tried to give the things it does a more human-like feel.  So bear with us, as we try to make a case for the 4 Reasons you should LOVE (or at least really like) a computer system for provider agencies.

For provider agencies that are funded through Medicaid waivers, utilization management is a key to success.  Unfortunately, Medicaid in this country has turned into a political battleground.  Federal and state governments are always looking at Medicaid when it comes time to approach budget cuts and different models have been proposed or implemented, most commonly a managed care model, to try and save Medicaid dollars.  So for some of you, direct state Medicaid reimbursement is a thing of the past.  But for others, it is still your primary source of funding and your lifeblood.  And with the constant threat of Medicaid funding getting pulled or cut, utilizing and maximing the funding that you currently have is crucial.  Below are grades for two methods of utilization management, which method do you fall under?