4 Ways to Help Maintain Version Control
Health plans struggle to keep track of the different iterations of documents as they build and produce CMS-required documents such as the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), Evidence of Coverage (EOC), Summary of Benefits (SB) and other member and provider materials.
The good news is, achieving version control is not impossible. In fact, with the right tools, it can be straightforward and unproblematic.
Here are a few ways health plans can help maintain version control while developing communications and marketing materials:
Fool-Proof File Management and Tracking
Many health plans store drafts of member materials on a shared drive. Version control can be a nightmare when multiple team members update and comment in several files for the same material. Lack of process workflow with specific deliverables and tasks can make the process unwieldy and can lead to errors and compliance challenges.
Consider using a secure online tool that eliminates file confusion and clarifies which versions of documents are the latest. For instance, CodySoft®’s Collateral Management Module® offers version control that maintains all user comments and edits and can roll back to previous versions if needed. This tool provides feedback and approval tracking with audit traceability, using Microsoft Office integration.
Data in a Centralized Source of Truth
Plan Benefit Package (PBP) information comes into a health plan in different formats from the state, federal government and various contracts — and nothing is consistent. Often times, multiple health plan associates must manage and present this mass of data in different ways to a variety of constituents. Also, this information can change at any time, making it even more difficult to ensure materials in production include the most up-to-date data for compliance.
A tool that allows plans to import data from multiple sources into one centralized location and then export it as an enterprise-wide data sheet can go a long way in tightening version control. CodySoft’s Plan Benefit Package (PBP) Module® allows plans to easily manage and export data to support contract tables, LIS tables, marketing tables, operational data and more, all from one centralized system.
Real-Time Collaborative Review Process
Teams managing the document review process using email and a shared folder are likely experiencing version control issues. Trying to incorporate revision requests from multiple subject matter experts (SMEs) from various documents can become confusing and unnecessarily time-consuming.
Consider a tool that provides a collaborative review process and shows updates in real-time. For example, unlike other project management tools that only allow one person at a time to review a document, CodySoft’s Collateral Management Module can set up simultaneous review routing that lets multiple SMEs review and provide feedback on a document at the same time. All comments are then collated into one file, with audit traceability. The Collateral Management Module’s Markup Tool makes it simple for users to make, review and accept edits to health plan marketing materials. Integrated task assignments, scheduling, and notifications provide an efficient way to manage files and collaborate with your team.
English and Non-English Member Materials Created in Parallel
We’ve seen first-hand the frustrations health plans experience in translating their member marketing materials. Many translation companies use an iterative comparison process to essentially recreate a document originally written in English. This makes it difficult for project managers to ensure that revisions to the English document versions are captured and accurately updated in each of the translated versions.
Consider finding a partner that can provide a parallel project path for creating both the English and non-English versions of these materials in lockstep. For example, CODY®’s Translation Services offers a different, cost-effective methodology along with streamlined quality assurance management to create and revise non-English documents.
If your health plan struggles to maintain version control when developing communications and marketing materials, contact CODY today to learn how we can help.