Standards opening a door to electronic payments.

Electronic data interchange (EDI)--computerized transmission of business documents over telephone lines--holds promise for improving the flow of claims information between healthcare payers and providers. Draft format standards now under development and scheduled for release later this year are turning the EDI focus to electronic payments to healthcare providers. Along with potential cash flow improvements, EDI remittance applications may help healthcare facilities achieve cost savings by eliminating cash processing steps and assigning some business office staff members to other duties.