Medical practices are over burdened with paper work and often long hours are wasted filling forms and getting paper work in order. Poor in house billing system leads to unsettled insurance claims and the medical practice could run into financial problems.
There are innumerable medical billing service vendors who offer services that will free the time of medical professionals and ensure that money flow becomes trouble free and efficient. However, a medical billing vendor needs to be selected with care.
1.The first step is to do a survey and find out which medical billing vendor has a good reputation. Look for quality and efficiency a 10 % or greater improvement in quality means greater inflow of funds.
2.Never choose a vendor based on quote alone. What you need is an efficient system that works.
3.Look into scope of services. Does the vendor give comprehensive services? Does the system take care of appointment scheduling, medical records maintenance, SOAP notes, billing and so on. A complete system is more efficient in the long run than a billing only system.
4.Discuss in detail the medical billing vendor’s modus operandi. Find out whether the system in use is aggressive or defensive.
5.Understand the reporting system in detail and ask about aspects like data aggregation and analysis.
6.Avoid choosing a vendor based on quotes or presentation slickness. Check out their system that is already functional and make the effort of verifying references. Also contact the better business bureau to check whether any complaints are registered against the vendor.
7.Ask about technology is use and its compatibility with your computer systems. Think about expansion in future and whether the system can be upgraded. Find out if the technology is HIPAA compliant.
8.Choose a medical billing vendor who has a Code of Conduct in place and transparency in systems.
9.Look for aspects like data security protection, super bill online, online insurance claim editing and so on.
10.Ask for details like volumes handled, staff strength, responsiveness, the number of practices handled.
Be clear about whether your staff will need special training and how the medical billing system will be put into function. Be prepared for initial glitches and a period in which adjustments will need to be made. Ask for a trial period or to observe the process in another practice. The vendor may have a super efficient system but it is important that your staff is comfortable with the system too.
Medical billing systems bring several advantages to a practice and are being used world wide to smoothen out work processes. Technology has changed the way the world functions.
Be smart and choose a medical billing vendor with whom your medical practice will flourish and grow.
