Until recently the department had a complicated hybrid system, using both computers and paper files. During the audit, it switched over to electronic filing. Finishing the transition could save funeral directors and local government officials $933,000 a year, according to the audit. It could save Ohio taxpayers $97,900 annually by reducing the department's staff time spent on filing and entering data.
The audit was performed in compliance with an Ohio law that requires at least four state agencies be evaluated each biennium.
"Thousands of Ohio families rely on the Department of Health to ensure that their loved ones are well-cared-for in nursing homes and similar facilities," Yost said in a statement. "Those same families also benefit when their tax dollars are used in the most cost-effective manner to provide that protection."
The department could also better balance who serves on teams that investigate nursing home problems and analyze the location and frequency of complaints to deploy employees more efficiently, the audit said.
Because registered nurses on the teams have a high turnover, the state could save more than $120,000.
Lance Hines, the Health Department's director, wrote a letter in response to the audit, saying his agency embraces transparency and is always looking for ways to be more efficient.
"ODH has reviewed the recommendations, sees great opportunities to improve, and will immediately move to implement recommendations that impact areas across the department," he wrote.
©2017 Advance Ohio Media, Cleveland Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
