Internal Management Controls Refine MEPRS

Volume 5, Issue 2
February 2008
Internal Management
Controls Refine MEPRS
Between audits, congressional inquiries, and efforts to
improve health care for our men and women in uniform,
MEPRS is receiving more visibility than ever. Our February
edition highlights the latest data quality initiatives in support
of these activities.
Our feature story describes how internal management
controls improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the
MEPRS enterprise. These mechanisms provide leaders with
the strategic framework to minimize process challenges and
achieve program missions and goals. Internal controls were
briefed at the MEPRS Conference last August, and we revisit
this important topic in this month’s issue. Find out about
some of the internal control tools used by the MEPRS
community in our feature story.
Plans are shaping up nicely for the FY08 Tri-Service MEPRS
Conference scheduled for this summer. This year we are
changing things up and offering a training symposium
geared specifically to daily MEPRS processing. Our goal is
to impart the skills and knowledge needed to report data on
time and in good quality. We hope to alternate this hands-on
training approach with the lecture format used in years past.
Check out curriculum and logistical details on page 3.
The MEPRS Management Improvement Group (MMIG)
has been hard at work the past several months devising the
FY08 strategic plan, laying the groundwork for our summer
conference, and much more. Our February edition offers a
nice summary of the latest MMIG decisions and activities.
As we progress through the second quarter of the fiscal
year, I would like to remind sites about the importance of
MEPRS reporting compliance. MEPRS is used to make
decisions every day, so please do your best to catch up on
FY08 transmissions.
Patrick Wesley
TMA MEPRS Program Manager
MMIG Chairman
The spotlight continues to shine on MEPRS as the Military Health
System (MHS) transforms its business practices and approach to
caring for our nation’s armed forces. With budget, infrastructure, and
other decisions at stake, MEPRS leaders are implementing internal
management controls to streamline data reporting and improve the
MEPRS Program.
Internal Management Controls and Their Link to MEPRS
Internal management controls can be thought of as an organization’s
blueprint for success. A powerful management tool, they are the
integrated collection of activities, policies, systems, and resources
that ensure the achievement of objectives and missions. In the
MEPRS world, internal controls can improve the value and integrity
of data and operational practices. They can also communicate
Internal Management Controls: What They Do
▪ Ensure data and process integrity.
▪ Safeguard information for management decision-making.
▪ Promote the efficiency and effectiveness of every step of the
financial, business, and program process.
▪ Communicate critical feedback to MEPRS management.
▪ Instill end-user confidence in health care accounting and reporting practices.
See Internal Management Controls on Page 2
Pg 1 Internal Management Controls Refine MEPRS
Pg 3 Conference Time Returns to MEPRS
Pg 4 MMIG Meeting Highlights
Pg 5 EAS IV Repository Anomaly Reported
Pg 6 Useful Sites and Points of Contact
The MEPRS Informer pg 1
Internal Management Controls
important process feedback to MEPRS stakeholders and
safeguard information for policy development. By establishing
order and routine quality checks, internal controls allow managers
to focus on the mission at hand with minimal interruptions
from unexpected circumstances. This proactive operational style
promotes efficiency, data reliability, and end-user confidence in
MHS accounting practices.
Controls Available to the MEPRS Community
Internal management controls are
alive and well across the MHS, with
the Services and TMA offering
various resources to drive successful
MEPRS operations.
Continued from Page 1
example, the MEPRS Management Improvement Group (MMIG)
has established a performance guideline of no more than a
5% variance between finances appearing in EAS and Service
source systems. Navy sites can rely on a SMART/EAS financial
reconciliation guide to identify Standard Expense Element Code
(SEEC) discrepancies exceeding the target threshold. Contact
Nicole Meyers at [email protected] for a copy of this
report.
Financial Reporting Strategy
Use the following internal control strategy to improve financial reporting for your site.
1. I dentify key processes and significant accounts.
2. O
utline the major transactions that drive your
site’s expense profile.
3. I dentify the processes related to each transaction,
and document the associated flow of activities.
4. D
ecompose each noted process into its associated
sub-processes.
5. I dentify and note the risks associated with each
sub-process.
6. A
ssess the controls management has implemented
to mitigate each risk.
7. T
est and evaluate the effectiveness of each control
mechanism.
This strategy helps sites pinpoint process deficiencies for subsequent management. Sites can prioritize
trouble spots based on the gravity of their impact
and strategically implement remediation plans.
Army sites can assess compliance
with MEPRS requirements using
the Army MEPRS Program
Office (AMPO) Operational
Assessment Program (OAP) of
internal procedures. This resource
management checklist supports
the TMA Business Plan process
for improved labor reporting in
a convenient Excel format. The
self-report lets MTFs score their
performance on MEPRS file
and table maintenance review
procedures, reconciliation processes,
MEPRS system and data backup requirements, and MEPRS
processing. Sites can also evaluate
their MEPRS staffing levels and
compliance with good data quality practices. The tool yields an
overall MEPRS resource management assessment score that
characterizes performance using color-coded indicators. This
checklist provides the Army framework for executing standard
MEPRS activities as well as peripheral activities related to business
planning. Although completion of the OAP is not yet mandated,
AMPO may make it an annual requirement effective later this
fiscal year.
If you’re affiliated with the Navy, take advantage of Service
resources to tweak your financial reconciliation process. For
Scratching your head over DMHRSi
and the best way to validate
information from that system?
Check out the EAS IV Assigned
Personnel Report, which assesses
the accuracy of personnel data
elements such as Skill Type and
Contractor Type. Coupled with
the EAS IV Summary View and
Project Review Reports, which
illustrate labor reporting by fulltime employees, these documents
alert you when your site should
retrace steps in the capture and
reporting of labor data. The Cost
Reconciliation Report, a third
resource, promotes data accuracy
by highlighting areas of discrepancy
between DMHRSi and the Defense
Civilian Payroll System (DCPS).
Other important elements of
MEPRS internal controls include
Service level guidance for contract
labor hours and expenses and the MEPRS Manual, which outlines
Functional Cost Code (FCC) usage and time classification
guidelines. Educational spreadsheets that illustrate the relationship
between labor hours and cost per unit data can also have a
tremendous effect on data integrity and overall operations.
All MTFs are encouraged to assess and expand the internal
management controls in place at their sites. By adhering to a
structured methodology to execute the MEPRS Program, facilities
can reap the efficiency and data quality rewards that accompany a
disciplined management environment. ☼
The MEPRS Informer pg 2
Conference Time Returns to MEPRS
Building on past successes, the Services are gearing up once again
for the Tri-Service MEPRS Conference. Mark your calendars for
29 – 31 July 2008 to participate in this important event. This year’s
conference offers both new and familiar elements and is shaping
up to be the best yet.
Target Audience
Recognizing input from the Services and past evaluations, the
FY08 event will sharpen data processing skills. Individuals who
prepare and report MEPRS data are encouraged to attend.
Content will be geared to personnel with limited MEPRS
experience. Consult your Service representative to determine if
this opportunity is right for you.
Location
Prepare to network and develop the latest skills and knowledge
at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, VA. The
TMA MEPRS Program Office continues to partner with this site
because of its practical benefits to the MEPRS constituency.
The Success Factor
MEPRS has a proven track record of achievement at the National
Conference Center. Past conferences boast great evaluation
scores, and familiarity with the site helps planners continue
refining logistics. The TMA MEPRS Program Office is excited
to continue educating the MEPRS community at this beautiful
location.
The Setting Factor
The National Conference Center offers a serene, distraction-free
environment that maximizes the learning potential of attendees.
Participants can focus on the task at hand without the noise and
competing activities from more commercialized areas. In the
evening, guests can stroll the beautiful grounds to unwind and
close the day. The TMA MEPRS Program Office firmly believes
this setting is optimal for promoting networking and knowledge
exchange.
The Dollar Factor
To be good stewards of limited resources, the National
Conference Center is the right choice. Three daily buffet
meals, overnight lodging, and a great fitness facility are
included in an affordable package. Transportation and off-site
activities are offered for a reasonable fee.
The Tri-Service MEPRS Conference returns to the
National Conference Center this summer.
Curriculum
This year, the curriculum takes a grassroots approach and explores
methods for ensuring MEPRS data standardization. Modules
cover the nuts and bolts of data processing and the controls
in place to safeguard operational practices. Attendees will gain
practical experience with data systems used in daily MEPRS tasks
through demonstrations and computer-based sessions. Lecture
and discussion facilitated by subject matter experts provide a
cohesive look at the MEPRS enterprise.
TMA’s long-term conference strategy is to target different
segments of the MEPRS population each year. Some events will
focus on procedural guidance, while others will explore how
MEPRS functions within the military health arena. This rotating
format allows TMA to foster data processing skills, address a
broad stakeholder base, and illustrate how MEPRS is integrated
within the MHS.
Save the date, and look for more details on the MEPRS
Information Portal. Registration information is coming soon. ☼
The MEPRS Informer pg 3
MMIG Meeting Highlights
The MEPRS Management Improvement Group (MMIG) convened in December and February to strategize and prioritize activities for
FY08. Agenda items ranged from conference planning and data reporting compliance to forthcoming EAS IV upgrades. Read on for
meeting highlights.
▪ For FY08, the MMIG is moving to a new meeting structure
whereby discussions are shorter, more frequent, and more
focused.
▪ The December meeting reacquainted attendees with major initiatives for the new fiscal year and emphasized strategic planning goals. Participants identified major MEPRS stakeholders
and their common analysis questions and explored measures
for increasing the relevance of MEPRS data.
▪ Discussion ensued regarding the Standard Financial Information Structure (SFIS), a common business language that
standardizes DoD financial reporting and facilitates decision
making. Limitations of the SFIS were noted, including its
inability to recognize Fourth Level Functional Cost Codes
(FCCs) or DMIS IDs. The Services will coordinate with SFIS
development staff to achieve MEPRS interoperability with this
new structure.
▪ The MEPRS Manual continues to move through the Washington Headquarters Service (WHS) approval process. From this
point forward, any edits to the document will be addressed
through formal change transmittals after publication.
▪ After hearing a summary of the 2007 MEPRS Conference, the
Services exchanged planning ideas for future events. Suggestions included alternating between a training and high-level
teaching approach, limiting attendance to novice personnel,
and improving the timing and location of the conference.
▪ The Air Force is working with the Resource Information
Technology Program Office (RITPO) to re-establish access to
the EAS IV Repository.
▪ The MMIG plans to hammer out the business rules for external resource sharing in subsequent meetings. Although some
external workload guidance currently exists, a comprehensive
methodology is not yet available to the field. The MMIG will
address this issue over the course of the new fiscal year.
▪ The MMIG Chairman announced the release of the DoD
Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care final report,
which notes problems with MEPRS and its feeder systems.
The MEPRS Program Office was not interviewed during
preparation of the document.
▪ RITPO is working to upgrade the software and hardware used
by EAS IV. The intention of this effort is to create a more stable data environment for the MEPRS constituency. Changes
should be transparent to the end user and are not expected to
hinder data reporting.
▪ The Services have halted processing of the Ambulatory Data
Module (ADM) file that populates Class 17 of the EAS IV
Repository. Among the reasons noted were technical difficulties and the value and completeness of the data provided. The
MMIG Chairman will follow up with RITPO to determine if
efforts to fix the technical issues should continue.
▪ The Services discussed the mechanisms currently in place to
track Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients and the funding
for their care. Navy and Army indicated that their TBI patients
are treated in existing work centers. Attendees agreed to research this issue offline and then reconvene to determine if a
new MEPRS code should be established for this cohort.
Download MMIG minutes and presentations from the MEPRS Information Portal at www.MEPRS.info. Contact information for
MMIG Service representatives is also available online. For additional information on MMIG activities, please contact Lisa Matthews at
[email protected]. The next MMIG meeting is tentatively scheduled for March. ☼
The MEPRS Informer pg 4
EAS IV Repository Anomaly Reported
EAS IV Repository users should refrain from using the Personnel
Direct Expense element from Class 21. TMA recently discovered
that values returned for that object are missing expense
components and, consequently, are understated.
To calculate Personnel Direct Expenses for your site, pull the
following elements from Class 21 and add them together:
Clinical Salary, Direct Care Professional Salary, Direct
Care Paraprofessional Salary, Registered Nurse Salary, and
Administrative Clerical Salary. Alternatively, users can calculate
Personnel Direct Expenses as the sum of Available Salary
Expense and Nonavailable Salary Expense from Class 7.
A trouble-ticket has been submitted for this error, and the MHS
Help Desk is working the issue. MEPRS Early Warning and
Control System (MEWACS) algorithms have been modified
to work around this newly discovered anomaly. For additional
information on EAS IV Repository caveats, attend a MEPRS
Application and Data Improvement (MADI) workshop. ☼
Personnel Direct Expenses Calculations
Class 21
Clinical Salary
+ Direct Care Professional Salary
+ Direct Care Paraprofessional Salary
+ Registered Nurse Salary
+ Administrative Clerical Salary
Personnel Direct Expenses
Class 7
Available Salary Expense
+ Nonavailable Salary Expense
Personnel Direct Expenses
The TMA MEPRS Program Office is breaking web ground for
the MEPRS Early Warning and Control System (MEWACS)
version 4.0, and we want your help.
▪ What features would make the tool more user-friendly?
▪ What metrics would help you better monitor data quality?
▪ What design elements would improve the look of the tool?
Give us your ideas! Submit your suggestions through the Contact Us feature on the MEPRS Information Portal.
We are in the early stages of developing this product upgrade,
so take this opportunity to make your voice heard. The TMA
MEPRS Program Office plans to release the new version some
time in FY09. ☼
Pat Wesley, TMA MEPRS Program Manager, discusses
MEWACS at the State of the MHS Conference held January
2008 in Washington, DC. The TMA MEPRS Program Office has
promoted data quality resources at the event for the past four
years.
The MEPRS Informer pg 5
MEPRS Information Portal
(MEWACS, MADI, and more)
Navy MEPRS website
http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/
Army MEPRS website
www.ampo.amedd.army.mil/
Air Force MEPRS website
MHS Help Desk
Air Force
www.MEPRS.info
(www.tricare.osd.mil/ebc/rm_home/meprs)
www.afms.mil/sgmc/
www.mhs-helpdesk.com/
Darrell Dorrian, HQ AFMOA/SG3YR
[email protected]
Army
Ms. Mona Bacon, MEDCOM
[email protected]
Navy
Ms. Nicole Myers, BUMED
[email protected]
The MEPRS.INFOrmer is a publication of
the TMA MEPRS Program Office. Please
direct newsletter questions or story ideas to
cindy [email protected].
Official correspondence may be sent to the TMA
MEPRS Program Office at:
TRICARE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
Management Control and Financial Studies
Skyline 5–Suite 407
5111 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
The MEPRS Informer pg 6