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Infographics: RAC Compliance for Maximized Revenue and Profit

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RAC Audits

 

RAC Audit Compliance – The Obligatory Conformity

The Recovery Auditor Contractor (RAC) program was initiated to identify and correct improper Medicare reimbursement payments made to hospitals and clinics for claims for health care services provided to Medicare beneficiaries, and identification of underpayments to providers. There has been a meteoric increase in RAC activity ever since the program was initiated in 2008. The overall performance of the program has been satisfactory to some extent, as validated by the fact box :

RAC Fact Box

  1. Recovery auditors detected $797 million in overpayments and $142 million in underpayments.
  2. After taking all costs into consideration, underpayment determinations and appeal reversals – $488 million was returned to the Medicare trust funds.
  3. RAC collections were highest in the following states: California ($143 million), New York ($45 million), Illinois ($43 million), Michigan ($39 million), Florida ($32 million) and Missouri ($31 million).

The Modality

Recovery auditors employ a staff consisting of nurses, therapists, certified coders and a physician Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD). These auditors offer an opportunity for the healthcare provider to discuss improper payment determination. Issues reviewed by the auditor are approved by the CMS prior to widespread review. Approved issues are then posted to Recovery Audits Website.

Healthcare Providers’ Burden

Providers who agree with the Recovery Auditor’s findings pay by cheque, allow recovery from future payments, or request for extended payment plan. They otherwise appeal if they don’t agree.

Expert Tip to Avoid Penalty

According to Dawn Crump, HealthPort’s Vice President of Audit Management Solutions, “Audit Insights, hospitals and clinics must ensure that they are not billing for services beyond those they deliver, ensure that correct higher E/M levels are justified and reported, update themselves with RAC activity via the RAC websites, and shore up clinical documentation improvement (CDI) programs with an eye on known RAC targets and documented issues.”

Be Well-prepared for RACs to Avoid Embarrassment

Some of the many precautionary RAC compliance measures are:

  • A. Have written policies and procedures in place to deal with RAC audit.
  • B. Train physicians on these policies and procedures and their roles in audit compliance.
  • C. Conduct self-audit : Conduct internal reviews to ensure that they are in compliance with the Medicare standards, guidelines and criteria for claims.
  • D. Implement internal tracking system : Track RAC activity to minimize financial risk and ensure timely response to RAC to avoid denials.
  • E. Designate an experienced and qualified compliance officer to coordinate and control RAC compliance activities.
  • F. Look out for risk-prone areas : Identify high risk areas for proactive correction.
  • G. Adopt best-practice techniques for appeals management :
  • 1. Familiarize physicians with appeals process to reverse improper RAC actions.
  • 2. Earmark experienced physicians to assist during appeals processes
  • 3. Make physicians acquainted with medical necessity issues for both inpatient and outpatient services.

Always Bank on MedicalBillingStar for RAC Related Issues : MedicalBillingStar is more than happy to clarify your issues on RAC audits through its network of qualified professionals to clinics and hospitals across the US.

Cloud Computing for Optimal Revenue Cycle Management

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Cloud Computing Healthcare Industry

Viable Financial Options: Data Centers or Cloud Computing Services?

Outdated Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) systems are likely to make a big dent in financial viability of small and medium clinics and hospitals across the US. In such a scenario, these healthcare establishments face the bleak prospects of extinction or take over by larger hospital groups and lose their independence.

As a proactive action to preserve their independent healthcare business, these organizations are seriously considering two viable options, namely data centers and cloud computing based services, each with its pros and cons.

Data Center Versus Cloud

The data center is an onsite, high tech physical entity that houses a multitude of server banks. Data centers are experiencing a boom with an increasing demand. However, demand for data centers has outstripped their availability, mainly due to constraints of physical space.

Cloud storage, the virtual model, also utilizes many server banks with thousands of serves, although off-site. Usually, a third-party vendor incorporates an extensive network of servers located anywhere in the world. However, instead of electronic healthcare software or other applications downloaded on each computer, a central server in the cloud is accessed by the entire network.

The Winner !

Hospitals and clinics are evaluating alternative strategies of data management. They are analyzing relative financial and operation merits and demerits of data centers and cloud computing systems for storing and processing electronic health records, diagnostic images, email programs, and other healthcare applications.

The dice is heavily loaded in favour of cloud computing systems. Some of the reasons, out of the many, are :

  • 1. Lower cost for computer configuration.
  • 2. Decrease maintenance costs while freeing data storage capacity.
  • 3. Enable hospitals and clinics to better utilize their resources and focus on their core     mission – patient care.
  • 4. Ensure fool-proof backup and eliminate break down of hospital RCM services.

Be Cautious in Initial Crowd Approach

Rather than adopt an over-energetic posture and move over all healthcare workflows and processes in bulk on to the cloud, it pays to adopt a step-by-step process.

  • 1. Evaluate hospital/clinic-specific needs : Carry out an in-depth analysis of needs specific to the subcategory of the healthcare system.
  • 2. Assess existing cloud services vendors in terms of :
  • A. Proficiency in providing cloud computing services specific to the healthcare industry.
  • B. Financial and professional standing of the vendor.
  • C. Reliability of back-up facilities provided by the vendor in the event of major breakdown and disruption.
  • D. Ascertain the confidentiality and security of hospital/clinical data.
  • E. Willingness and ability of the vendor to scale up or scale down the services depending on increased/decreased fluctuations of healthcare business.
  • 3. Start cautiously on a small scale : If healthcare entities find that cloud concepts are enticing, they must be vigilant at the initial phase, to move some of the less complex healthcare systems such as email and payroll to the cloud, while leaving the more critical and complex software in their in-house setting.
  • 4. Be familiar with the cloud : The physicians and in-house IT personnel should use this opportunity to familiarize themselves with the cloud with lower risk.
  • 5. Conduct pilot trial : Once major applications such as RCM and Enterprise Content Management (ECM) services are moved up into the cloud, a pilot trial should be conducted to ascertain the functioning and performance of these services.
  • 6. Fine tune and incorporate enhancements : The pilot trial will highlight refinements to be made in the workflow processes to extract maximum leverage.
  • 7. Constantly review the cloud-based services.

Infographics: FDA’s Final Canon on Healthcare Mobile-Software Apps

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FDA Medical Regulations

FDA ‘s final regulations on Mobile Medical App

Smartphones and other mobile gadgets have become part and parcel of daily life in Unites States. The ubiquitous espousal and use of mobile apps is unbolting ground-breaking techniques to liven up the health care domain. Very recently, on Sept. 23, 2013, the U.S. FDA (United States – Food and Drug Administration), the federal body for regulating food, drugs and biomedical devices – has issued a final regulation on mobile medical applications (apps), to take a whack at the healthcare mobile technology while preserving the consumer safety.

 On the eyes of Watch Dog

“Some mobile apps carry minimal risks to consumer or patients, but others can carry significant risks if they do not operate correctly. The FDA’s tailored policy protects patients while encouraging innovation,”

– Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., J.D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The FDA is clear on its way that all the mobile apps would not fall under its regulation. Mainly mobile apps that help people bolster their health and support the patients in monitoring and improving their health may fall under the FDA’s control.

FDA’s regulations eye on the mobile apps that propose the use in the diagnosis of disease or other health ailments, or in the cure, alleviation, treatment, or prevention of disease or disorders. Besides, apps identifying pills, performing medical calculations, etc. may also come under FDA’s scrutiny. Some of the apps that may meet this rule are listed in the FDA’s official page. The guidance document to know the regulatory pathway of FDA for Class III (high-risk) to Class I (low-risk) mobile medical apps is available right at the FDA website.

 The Out-of-Scrutiny Catalog

Mobile devices : FDA’s healthcare mobile apps statute does not control the sale or consumer utilization of mobile platforms.

Apps Stores : FDA’s healthcare mobile apps rule does not mull over companies that solely deal out mobile apps (e.g.: iTunes App store, Google Play store, etc), to be medical device manufacturers.

EHRs : FDA’s policy on medical mobile-software apps does not apply to mobile apps that are used as electronic health records (EHRs) or personal health record system.

 The Fact Coffer

  1. As the apps innovation is propagating at an awe-inspiring pace, there are now more than 13,000 health and medical applications available to consumers and a further 5,000 marketed to healthcare professionals.
  2. FDA bureaucrats have projected that in excess of 1,000 new medical software products are being sold each month for smartphones.
  3. The mobile software industry guesstimates that about 500 million smartphone consumers globally will be using healthcare apps by 2015.
  4. By 2018, 50 percent of the more than 3.4 billion smartphone and tablet users, including medical professionals, consumers, and patients will have ‘downloaded mobile healthcare apps’.

 Talk to us to choose the standard mobile medical apps for your gadget – and for your practice !

Infographics: EMR Implementation At Cross-Roads

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Smothering The EMR Crisis (1)

EMR, a Marriage that has to succeed :

Healthcare providers in the US have opted for EMR as mandated by the federal government, for superior patient care and efficiency,with reduction in costs and enhancement of patient experience. However, the biggest hurdle, namely getting it to work efficiently, is not yet crossed.

Thorny path where benefits galore :

Implementation of an EMR system involves treading on a thorny transition path from paper-based to computer-based on-line live medical practice. However, once successfully implemented, improved efficiency, speed and accuracy of performing clinical tasks render the EMR systems an invaluable investment. It also promises to reduce clinician workload and medical errors.

The EMR Carrot :

Incentive payments of up to $27 billion for EMR implementation, or as much as $44,000 (through Medicare) or $63,750 (through Medicaid) per eligible health care professional, are offered by Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As of July 2013, more than 316,000 health care providers received incentive payment, according to CMS. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the number of hospitals with EMR increased to 44 % in 2012, up by 17 % from 2011.

On the flip side,survey results depicta gloomy picture with yet to be realised EMR promises.

  • 1. Based upon American EMR data collected from 2010 to 2012, user satisfaction levels with EMRs are dropping. These findings were presented at Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference on March 5, 2013.
  • 2. Overall EMR user satisfaction surveys revealed a 12% drop in satisfied users from 2010 to 2012 and a corresponding increase in very dissatisfied users of 10% for the same period.
  • 3. Dissatisfaction with EMR implementation is increasing regardless of practice type or EMR system, asserts Michael Barr, MD, ofAmerican College of Physicians’ (ACP’s) .
  • 4. 50% of EMR implementations failed according to the National Coordinator for Health IT
  • 5. Ohio-based StreamlineMDasserts that only 27% of EMRs are successful.
  • 6. Yes and No! A recent survey of 17,000 EMR users revealed that nephrology (88%), urology (85%) and ophthalmology (80%) practices expressed the highest rates of discontent with their EMRs, while internal medicine (89%), family practice (85%), general practice (82%) and paediatrics (80%) specialists experienced highest rates of satisfaction with their EMRs.

Reasons for the impasse: Lack of effective end user physician training in EMR is the bane across the US healthcare industry. Importance of training has been overlooked and under-estimated by physicians.Richard Stokes, director of sales for Network 1 Consulting, warns that continued inadequate training of physicians will slow down the EMR system implementation.

Way out of the doldrums: Need of the hour is effective EMR training that involves 8 important issues :

  • 1. Tailoring the EMR training sessions specific to the hospital/clinic.
  • 2. Using experienced and certified EMR trainers
  • 3. One-on-one training: Every physician has a different learning curve. Hence, having one-on-one training is a must. For smaller practices that may not have advanced IT background, physicians should be made to initially work side-by-side with experienced trainers.
  • 4. EMR training for everyday workflow: Training needs to bescheduled around normal physician practice workflow. The physicians should be made to use EMR consistently in the manner they’ll need towork after going-live.
  • 5. Basic skills and practice procedures: Many physicians are not even familiar with intricacies of computer usage. They have to be familiarised with basic computer skills.
  • 6. Train, retrain and retrain: Training never ends and is a true ally.Training patiently, retraining, and on-going training hold the key for success, adds Susan Miller, administrator at Family Practice Associates of Kentucky. Leann DiDomenico, administrative director of Performance Paediatrics, uses EMR training videos and makes the physicians repeatedly carry out their tasks on the EMR, until they are confident of performing on their own.
  • 7. Avoiding rushed training sessions.
  • 8. Continuous evaluation of on-going training.

Helping hand from MedicalBillingStar :

Hospitals and clinics in the US can bank on MedicalBillingStar as their EHR trusted partner to help train physicians in nuances of EMR implementation and functioning.Tailor-made EMR training modules are available to cater to the specifics of any clinic/hospital. Training options include formal training during office hours or in special sessions outside of normal business hours, offsite training, and online training.MedicalBillingStar has the resources to help in training doctors, so that they can catalyse successful EMR adoption.

‘Furious Patient’ Encounters: The Mysterious Art of Care – Uncovered !

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A sullen patient may wreck your whole day !

The majority physician encounters with patients are constructive. Conversely, just as any venture has intricate and challenging customers; doctors also come across their share of exigent patient encounters. However, the kind of encounters faced by the healthcare providers is completely exclusive. Though, the art of communicating with ‘difficult’ patients is quite primitive, in the hectic practice environment, the communication hand-offs between patient and physician can easily be fumbled. Even a single encounter with a sullen patient can spoil your whole day and may even affect your prospective agenda.

A couple of approaches that will make the encounter “worse”

A physician must have comprehensive information of the patients and their problems. With a scanty clinical, personal and social knowledge pertaining to the patient, if a physician approaches an upset patient, it may exacerbate the patient’s mood leading a pointless plight. Usually, if you face a sullen person you may be doing one of the two things:
1. Guard yourself or the person who upset them.
2. Try to “crack their trouble”
These are natural human intuitions and they NEVER WORK and instead aggravate the scene.

Miscommunication – A social faux pas

Though there is a dispute about patient safety and physician liability, in the social and legal milieu, the saddle for “triumphant” physician-patient communication lies ultimately with the physicians. Dr. Dike Drummond has designed a simple, structured communication protocol named “The Universal Upset Person Protocol (UUPP)”, to deal with an upset person rapidly, elegantly, effortlessly and empathetically.
UUPP states that, at any instance of the upset patient – physician tête-à-tête, the patient must express their “feelings first”. They are yearning to be listened and understood, for someone to heed their situation. Thus, you must:
1. Realize – as they are upset.

2. Provide an opportunity for them to elucidate their problem.

3. Empathize their trouble.

4. Plan accordingly to resolve the issue.

UUPP – The coherent communication protocol :

The application of UUPP in your clinical practice will be get you a great surprise to see how swiftly the person pacifies, making you hassle-free for cracking the trouble.

UUPP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Face the upset person before you converse :

The upset person needn’t be a patient as the UUPP works for even colleagues, your life-partner, children and even complete strangers. Take a deep-breath! Follow the script below and experience how it right away defuses the ‘difficult’ encounters.

Despite what/who they are upset with… the distress generally comes in one of two flavors.

  • 1. The person is candidly and verbally revealing the distress.
  • 2. The person is upset and NOT VERBALLY EXPRESSIVE. The person is “seething”. You can         spot it out clearly by their non-verbal signals, the body language.

2. Say… “You sound/look really upset.”

3. The upset person will say one of two things :

“You bet I am”

 Or “No I’m not … I am ANGRY/DEPRESSED/FRUSTRATED/HURT/SAD/OUTRAGED.”

They may name a different emotion. There is a part of you that will believe you have “made a gaffe” here. You didn’t name the correct emotion! Just let that go.

The simple act of you commenting on their upset … caused them to think and elucidate accurately what they were feeling. That elucidation is the key for venting and moving forward in your discussion.

4. “Tell me about it.” or “Tell me what happened.”

The upset person does not usually vacillate given your invitation. They will take right off into an emotion filled description of what happened. Your job here is simple … LISTEN. Really listen.

Look to understand their perspective here. Muster up as much empathy as you can. lend your hands for them

“Get it all out of their system”.

5. When their description is over… look them in the eyes and say,

“I am so sorry that happened to you” or “I am so sorry you feel this way”.

6. Ask, “What would you like me to do to help you?”,

In general, the upset person will have a particular demand. Observe their emotions and listen warily as they make it and observe whether or not you are ready to do what they want you to. This is your opportunity to observe your boundaries for the next pace.

Sometimes, the upset person will wind up here. They just wanted to be heard and are done now. Thank them for trusting you with their feelings – see step 8 below. You can move ahead to your clinical issues at this point with a clean slate.

7. Tell them what you suggest be done now.

Analyze deeply and make a decision about your willingness to make a specific stroke.

  • If the upset person has asked you to take a specific action – and you are willing to do it – tell them so.
  • If the upset person’s request is NOT something you are willing to do – set your borders and communicate them obviously. Tell them you are NOT willing to do what they request and do not stop there. Think about what you are willing to do that will address their upset and tell them what you ARE willing instead. Ask if your proposal works for them. It usually only takes a minute or two to come to a concord here.

8. Thank the upset person for being open with you,

“Thank you for telling me how you really feel… it is imperative to me that we understood each other obviously”.

9. Move ahead…

You have now efficiently “emptied the air” with this patient and you can move on to the clinical reasons for their visit today.

 Note:

1.Even though the full UUPP above has 9 steps, the whole protocol conversation may take only 2-4 minutes

2. IF YOU DON’T FOLLOW THE UUPP – and either try to defend or fix the problem up front — you are in for a 20 minute kerfuffle every time … because people really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. 

YOUR NEXT PACE :

  • 1. PRACTICE – PRACTICE – PRACTICE.
  • 2. Print out this document.
  • 3. Learn it.
  • 4. Perform a “role play” with your friend – Let him play the part of upset person.
  • 5. PRACTICE until you are comfortable with the steps and phrases.
  • 6. USE THE ‘UUPP’ WITH YOUR NEXT UPSET PERSON.

 GRAB YOUR BENEFITS :

1. Alleviate your stress levels.

2. Thwart burnouts.

3. Turn into a more influential leader.

                                                                        Stay chilled and enjoy rest of your day !

Can Healthcare IT Help Physicians In Increasing Patient Collections?

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Are you neglecting patient collections? Technology to the rescue !

Adopting technology can help physicians not only stay in compliance but also collect more.patient-collections Patient collections have always been neglected by physicians. Getting a patient to pay is one of the toughest tasks a physician faces. The delicate doctor physician relationship means the doctor has to tread on eggshells to get paid.

With hundreds of patients walking in and walking out collecting reimbursement for every visit is an unenviable task. With latest technologies and electronic tools can help physicians increase their patient billing collection ratio.

Here is the presentation from Angomark on Are Physicians Losing Revenue? Concentrate On Patient Collections. 

Is It The Insurer’s Responsibility To Pay Out Of Network Physician Providers?

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healthcare

The answer is an obvious “yes”. But most medical practices tiptoe around the out of network issue. It could be because reimbursement policies and healthcare regulations are so complicated; everybody shares a vague discomfort when it comes to medical reimbursement.

The AMA in a recent post encourages medical practices to make the insurer accountable for out of network physician reimbursement. One of the key points the AMA emphasizes on is that medical practices should have a clear cut fee schedule.

Over-billing Controversies !

There have been several controversies surrounding the medical billing practices of out-of-network providers. Patients have cried foul over grossly inflated bills. A physician in California billed a patient $30,000 for a gall bladder removal procedure. The Medicare rate for the surgery is as low as $778.

It is a question of integrity…

Physician practices need to stand up for their patients and for fair medical billing practices. They will have to stand up and intervene to curb the menace of over-billing  And, the browbeating of helpless patients, into paying huge, bills. It is important that physicians are aware of how the insurer calculates the charges for out of network care.

The need for patients to get more involved !

physician

 Providers are certainly pushed to a corner when the affable patient who was okay with the fees, suddenly makes a hue and cry about the charges. The major reason for conflict seems to be the patients’ poor understanding of the billing process. Some patients don’t even know that out of network providers can be more expensive than in network medical care providers.

Unless it is an emergency patients should explore and learn about insurance plans, treatment options and cost of service. Patients need to be aware of their responsibilities and understand EOBs.

The need for more transparency !

The healthcare industry is in an unhealthy state as everybody has a vague feeling of distrust towards one another. Better and more open communication, among-st healthcare practices, physicians, patients and insurers is the only cure for this “pointing fingers” epidemic. 

Patients Are Thronging Urgent Care Centers. Can Physicians Manage ?

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Are Your Patients Waiting Forever To Meet You ? 

Urgent care centers are sprouting all across the country. Recent studies indicate that urgent care centers have doubled over the last couple of years. As the healthcare industry undergoes major changes, cost cutting seems to be the new mantra.

Everybody is urging everybody else to cut down on costs. The latest to join the list are patients. Insurers are now insisting that patients explore more affordable options. Rushing to the ED for relatively minor ailments is not an option anymore. And patients are instead making a beeline to urgent care centers to reduce costs.

urgent-care

Is The Decline Of Primary Care Facilities A Reason ?

 Every healthcare news article in recent times has moaned the death of primary care centers. The shortage of primary care doctors only worsens by the day. The United States is reportedly short of over 9000 primary care doctors. By 2025 there will be a massive shortage of about 65,000 primary care doctors.

Urgent care centers offer the same medical services that primary care centers provide for acute care patients. This has led to a sharp increase in the demand for urgent care physicians.

40 Million Newly Insured Patients A Huge Driver !

There are going to be startlingly more patients waiting to meet the doc. The boom in urgent care centers can help thousands of patients meet their doctor on time. Hospitals are stepping up the plate to cash in on the demand for urgent care billing services. A lot many doctors have also started urgent care practices to cater to the huge influx of patients.

Too Much Of A Good Thing…

As the old maxim goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Physicians can, buoyed by the popularity of urgent care, bite of more than they can chew, inadvertently. Medical practitioners need to redesign their practices to handle patient demand.

Here is what urgent care centers can do to handle patient load :

  • Leverage physician extenders: Nurse practitioners can give tired doctors the respite they need. Instead of being at loggerheads with NPs, physicians need to work closer with urgent care NPs and leverage their potential, to ensure better patient care.
  • Have a smart patient portal: Patient portals can help automate tasks that will otherwise need an army of professionals to handle. Appointment scheduling, eligibility verification and most other front desk tasks can be automated to avoid long wait queues and flustered front office tasks.
  • Outsourcing billing and coding needs: More patients mean more claims to be transacted. Ass your claim traffic increases you’d need additional staff to manage huge billing volumes. You’d have to invest more on infrastructure and operational costs. Outsourcing can help urgent care centers contain costs and yet manage the vast number of patients waiting to be seen !

Want To Save $ 23,000 ? Switching To E-Billing Will Improve Your Practice’s Financial Health

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Still Stuck With Paper ?

What is your carbon footprint ? If you are still sending out paper claims, you are felling more trees. Agreed, this is an argument that is as old as fossils. Apart from saving trees there are a lot more advantages to using e bills ! It helps to track claims easily and lessens the amount of time your insurer takes to sign your check.

ebilling-infographic

Save More Dollars !

According to the American Medical Association submitting claims electronically can save a practice 55% of its claims submission costs. The AMA further states that physicians stand to gain above 23,000 dollars a year by switching to electronic claims.

Electronic billing also reduces the TAT of insurers. The overall efficiency and cost effectiveness of the process is just what overworked medical practitioners need. Paper claims are time consuming to generate, transmit, and maintain a record of. Electronic bills are quite simply put, the smarter way to bill !

Joining The e-club !

According to a recent survey of America’s health insurance plans the usage of billing electronically has doubled. From a measly 44% in 2002 to 94% in 2012 there’s been an exponential increase in providers who are switching to e billing.

Almost 79% of claims are now automatically adjudicated without manual support. Physicians are finding e billing helpful as it helps their staff to focus on patient engagement.

A Huge Relief For Billers…

What is the biggest headache of a medical biller ? No. It is not getting claims paid. The bigger headache is finding out which claim is in what stage of processing. An average medical office sends out dozens of claims per day. Keeping tabs on each one of them can trip up the most determined of medical billers.

ERA’s and EFT’s help medical billers to hasten the pace of the billing process. And make it easier for them to maintain a clear cut billing record.

Ask Your Insurer To Move On From The Stone Ages !

It is time for insurance companies to stop working with paper claims. Physicians need to put their foot down and ask insurers to accept electronic claims! Concerted and continuous effort across the continuum will ensure that the healthcare industry functions a lot more smoothly and efficiently. And yes, save a billion trees in the process !

Will Doctors Fade Into Oblivion? The Survival Guide For Newyork Physicians !

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Can I Meet A Physician ?

The answer would most probably be “no” in a few years time. It is going to get increasingly hard to find a physician in New York. The State University of New York center (SUNY) has predicted that there will be severe physician shortage in New York by 2030. The study further reveals that the average age of physicians in New York is alarmingly high.

Medical-Billing-Newyork

I Have An Insurance Number, But Not Medical Care…

The huge physician deficit can leave millions of newly insured patients, under Obama-care  have insurance numbers. But it is no guarantee they will get to meet a doctor. The physician workforce is slowly dwindling and finding a doctor can be the biggest challenge, in the years to come.

The problem is steadily getting worse and it is not just the healthcare law that is to be blamed. Proprietary and complicated EHRs and ambiguous reimbursement models are driving physicians out of the business.

84% Docs Feel The Profession Is In Decline !

And nearly 60% wouldn’t recommend medicine as a career choice. About 75% of physicians feel they are being overworked. These are just a few worrying markers of the disillusioning climate the healthcare industry is in.

Doctors Across New York ; The Much Needed Relief For Physicians !

The DANY program offers physicians based in New York the life support they need. It offers physician practice support, physician loan repayment and help for facilities that recruit new doctors. The application process has also been streamlined to help practices based in NY meet the financial pressures they’re under.

Large health plans are also working in tandem with local medical practices and community health centers to bring in more primary care doctors.

Joining Forces…

Nurse practitioners can fill in the void by offering primary care to patients. Physicians and NPs instead of being at loggerheads, can work together to provide better care for patients across the state. As the shortage worsens team based care will act as the most effective solution.

Outsourcing documentation and billing needs will also offer harried Newyork physicians a brief respite in an otherwise blistering healthcare climate !