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Smartphones Can Help Your Practice To Achieve MU !

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What do you do when you go meet a physician ? Explain in detail about your medical history and pray that you haven’t left out anything. Now you just need to hand your smartphone to the doctor. The trend of accessing medical data through smartphones is growing at a fast clip.

And major smartphones such as iPhone and Android apps offer applications to, store, download, and manage patient information.

A success story…

The University of Pittsburgh Medical center found that patients joining the medical practice’s patient portal grew exponentially after reports were available through smartphones. The project launched in 2011 has been a roaring success with 700 patients joining the portal every week. Patients’ being able to access their medical records is a major criterion for qualifying for MU. And smartphones have just made it easier for doctors!

How do you get Mrs Linder interested ?

Despite the optimism and euphoria surrounding the success of smartphones to help patients use patient portals, engaging them is a key issue. Mayo clinic found out the hard way that engaging patient is no easy task.

Patient engagement ; an on-going challenge…

When they launched a web based portal three years ago, 240,000 patients joined. Reason to celebrate! But wait. The clinic is having a tough time getting patients to using the portal. To receive MU dollars patients should use the patient portal. Patients who are too old or those who are suspicious of technology need to join the bandwagon as well.

Show that you care !

To engage patients it is important that patient portals are designed from the patients’ perspective. Address their needs and make the portal fit in with their overall healthcare plan. Making the portal easily navigable and using images and text that are easy on the eye is important. And yes the assurance that their data is completely secure.

Not everybody understands encryption protocols or static passwords. Educate and train your patients in handling healthcare IT. Encourage patients to use graphical authentication techniques. And, to separate medical data, from, the other regular features, of their, mobile phones.

Fighting the good fight !

It can be frustrating, pointless and time consuming. But staying the course can help your practice not just receive MU incentive dollars and achieve compliance. But also make hundreds of your patients happy and more involved in their healthcare.

Here is the info-graphics with few stats on patient portal

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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. 

Complicated Crosswalks, More Codes And Stricter Documentation Requirements. But ICD 10 Is Not The Loch Ness Monster !

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Are you ready to get cracking on ICD 10 ?

The deadline for adopting ICD 10 is inching a little closer every day ! It is time for the eternal question. Are you prepared? A study by the Health Revenue Assurance Associates says that 20% of medical practices are yet to start an education or training program on ICD 10.

About half of the medical practices surveyed were way behind timelines set by Medicare and Medicaid. The transition is going to be tough. No matter what mild mannered, reassuring experts say ! And that is why the sooner a practice makes the switch, the better.

Confounding crosswalks…

Medical practitioners who think cross-walking ICD 9 codes with the latest codes is just a matter of few mouse clicks, have a second think coming. The General Equivalence Mappings does offer a detailed crosswalk of both the coding systems.

But the fact that there are very few one to one matches between both coding sets is going to make the transition, tricky.

According to a study by researchers from the University of Michigan and Illinois, mappings for specialists are going to be, especially, complex. Emphasis has to be laid on understanding and managing, mapping categories and networks.

ICD-10-Crosswalk

A little bit of effort from everybody…

It isn’t the coding or billing team alone that is going to struggle with the new codes. It is going to take a bit of effort from all concerned.

As ICD 10 is all about greater specificity and granularity, physicians will have to focus more on the medical documentation they send to the billing team. More documentation could mean just one thing, more revenue !

Have you forgotten your insurer ?

Well, your insurer is a part of your team as well. Ask for a testing plan and send a few “test” claims to the insurer. Coordinate with your payers to make sure you are ready for the D day. Keep in mind that you cannot send ICD 10 claims till the compliance date. But don’t let that stop you, from sending out trial claims, to payers.

Why ICD 10 is not the Loch Ness monster, after all !

The entire hullabaloo surrounding ICD 10 makes the codes look like small, poisonous creatures, out to get physicians. In the long run ICD 10 can prove to be good for practices. It could mean more accurate payment for medical procedures. Fewer miscoded claims. And, a better idea of how much you’d be paid, prior, to a medical treatment.

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

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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 !

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 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. 

How Can Misinterpreted ERA’s Affect Your Medical Practice?

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Do you understand what your insurer says ?

Being a part of a busy medical practice means there is no time to sit and analyse. Most medical practitioners hardly have enough time to communicate with insurers.Do you know that physicians are leaving most of their money on the table ? The major reason is not comprehending or following closely what the payer says.

insurer

An, ERA consists details, of the final claim adjudication and payment information. Being able to read between the lines is one skill that physicians need to develop to ensure they don’t get underpaid.

There are a lot many times when a physician just doesn’t know why his claim didn’t translate into a check. Blame it on inconsistent and varied payer policies. Or complicated, state specific, medical billing regulations. But the fact remains that an enormous amount of claims are underpaid or unpaid and most physicians don’t even know what went wrong.

Do you deal with workers compensation and auto injury claims ?

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Agreed it can be tough. Trying to deal with workers compensation laws can be cumbersome. The last thing you need is receiving an ERA that you cannot make sense of. The AMA has come to the rescue of physicians.

AMA has launched a new tool to help physicians make sense of ERAs better. The AMA Claims Assistant Workflow tool can aid physicians in puzzling out payment adjustments. It can help medical care providers easily locate reason and remark codes. Tackling non-payments and denied claims is going to be a whole lot easy at the medical practice, from now on.

No longer left in the dark…

What happens inside the insurer’s office has always been a mystery for medical billers. Why it is certain claims get paid and some don’t ? Why was a claim that was perfectly acceptable last summer now been given the thumbs down? Luckily physicians who deal with workers compensation billing will have an answer to these questions and more.

The Claims Assistant Workflow tool will give providers information about how a claim was processed. And what the codes on the ERA mean.

A smart way to e bill !

The tool developed by AMA also guides physicians on receiving accurate payment. And also offers several template appeal letters to help physicians appeal denied claims. It is definitely a welcome relief for over-burdened physicians and billing companies.

11 Ways To Ensure You Join The List Of Successful EHR Implementation Stories !

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Get Off to a Good start !

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To start on shaky ground can sour your relationship with an EHR forever. Being hasty can prove to be disastrous. Imagine working with an EHR that does nothing to improvise your clinical workflow. Or, being stuck with templates that take hours on end to load ? Being careful during the EHR implementation process will lead to a healthy and beneficial experience with your EHR.

Don’t get swamped by sales talk and sagely advice. Grab a piece of paper and jot down what your expectations are. And make a promise to yourself that you will not make a compromise no matter what.

Here goes with the presentation on ways to implement an EHR with successful stories !

Don’t Fumble Your Way Through EHR Implementation !

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EHR Implementation ; How To Avoid The Tripwires…

Choosing an EHR is tough. A zillion glossy brochures, well-meaning colleagues and pushy sales persons only make the decision harder. The, fact that almost everybody who owns an ehr hates it with a passion makes the most determined of physicians, back-foot.

According to recent reports physicians are reverting to paper records. And some have started looking out for another EHR. A survey by American EHR partners found that user satisfaction levels dropped from 39% in 2010 to 27% in 2012. How do you ensure your EHR implementation process doesn’t turn out to be a harrowing experience ?ehr-implementation

Know What You Want…

Most physicians rush in to ehr implementation without clear direction or expectation. Analyse your workflow and see how the inclusion of an electronic health record impacts your practice operations. Do not fall for the “you can tweak it” line. Manipulating your ehr can prove to be counter-productive.

Customizing your system is fine as long as you don’t miss out on the features and automated comfort your ehr offers.

What Does Your Front Office Team Think ?

Yes, the mousy girl who sits in the reception needs to know whether the appointment scheduling and insurance eligibility feature, makes the cut. Your coders will have to decide if the coding and scrubbing options are easy to work with.

The end users are many and you have to choose an EHR that makes everyone happy. It will increase productivity and morale.

The Person Who Matters The Most !

Your patients are the lifeline of your medical practice. Ask your EHR vendor whether they offer a patient portal. Check if it is patient friendly and secure. Enquire about the level of training and support offered. Caring for your patients is after all the best investment, ever.

Stay The Course !

Adopting an EHR is like parenting. It does get on the nerves and makes you lose sleep. But being a quitter is not going to help. Vow to yourself no matter how tough it is you will not revert to paper. Scribbling down details is easy but not the best way to work. During the implementation stage itself, promise to yourself, you will stick to your EHR.

Increased Reimbursement For Primary Care Physicians, A Closer Look !

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A welcome respite for primary care physicians !

Everybody knows that primary care physicians are struggling to stay in business. A mandate by the Affordable Care act has announced that Medicaid rates for certain primary care procedures will be paid on par with Medicare rates.

 To receive additional reimbursement physicians will have to fill out, a, state specific Medicaid self-attestation form.

Medicare

Who are covered ?

Family practices, pediatricians and general internal medicine physicians are eligible for increased reimbursement. So are several other sub-specialties and physicians who perform high levels of primary care services. The major criteria are that, physicians should be board certified and have a billing history that indicates that about 60% of their billing is for primary care codes.

The rate increase will be in effect till the end of 2014. Physicians, who’ve registered through MITS and are approved by the Office of Medical Assistance, can see more digits in their pay check from April 2013.

The code to more dollars !

Primary care physicians will be reimbursed in accordance to HCPCS codes related to primary care. Evaluation and management codes from 99201 through 99499 are eligible, as are certain vaccine administration codes.

The rough and tumble of practicing primary care…

Primary care physicians are working under heavy financial pressure. The sequestration cuts of 2013 have taken a heavy toll on medical practices. The sustainable growth rate formula has quickly turned in to a nightmare for physicians.

 Reimbursement cuts, operational pressures and complicated regulations scared the daylights out of physicians.

Quite arguably it was primary care practices that were the hardest hit. Primary care centers were soon shutting their doors as it became increasingly difficult to practice. Primary care practitioners were finding it almost unfeasible to take care of their elderly Medicare patients.

At a time when it was needed the most !

The increase in reimbursement has come at a time when physicians need it the most. The increased Medicaid reimbursement means physicians are offered a reprieve after all the financial pressures they’ve gone to.

Want a few tips to increase the revenue of primary care practices ?

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 !

Are Meaningful Use Guidelines Driving Physicians Round The Bend ?

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Are physicians being rushed towards achieving MU ?

According to some strange law in the healthcare universe, there is always going to be someone complaining. EHR adoption rates are up. But before, you feel that doctors have finally made peace with their ehrs. Recent studies indicate that switching to an EHR can lead to loss of revenue.

Research Speak !

A recent study by the University of Michigan shows that only 27% of practices have showed a positive return on the money invested in their EHR.  It cites rather alarmingly, that a physician loses $43,743 over 5 years after EHR adoption.

The research further reveals that the incentives for working with an EHR do help. But in a “very uneven way”

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Rushing headlong into EHR adoption can be the reason…

The rapid pace of adopting EHR’s, in the pell-mell to receive incentives, is being blamed for the loss of revenue. EHR adoption rates are increasing at breakneck speed leaving no time for data collection to catch up. It paints a very unhealthy picture. In the race to ace the EHR game, patients it is feared, can be left in the lurch.

Can Stage 3 of Meaningful Use turn out to be a nightmare ?

This seems to be the shared fear of everyone, from the AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara. To, the small practice owner, three blocks away. Stage Three MU has additional and stricter measures, for physicians to meet.

Inter-operability continues to be a key issue. With serious flaws in EHR systems and their architecture, MU can prove to be a disaster waiting to happen.

There is reason to chin up !

Though, loss of revenue due to EHR implementation continues to be a haunting dream. Physicians can take heart in the fact that focusing on their revenue cycle maximization that can reverse their fortunes.

The study by the University of Michigan on EHR use, has found that the major difference between practices that lost money, and those that didn’t. Was, how they used their EHR’s, to increase revenue.

Medical practices that, concentrated on patient care, improved their billing process and focused on reducing denied claims, saw a positive change. It is time for medical offices to not just concentrate on achieving MU but also think of ways to improve their billing cycle.