Is it advisable when setting up an office ally account for a a new provider, to simply give them the username and password, have them input the patient, insurance and and visit information, and let me submit the claims? Most of my clients fax me the information, and I do all of this myself, and it's pretty time consuming (I don't know why I didn't think of this before!)
Just curious, what were they doing before?
We actually have some providers that do their own entry, especially if we are working out their system. There are pros and cons to both. First of all, bad data entry can make the billing job a nightmare. Also, like Linda mentioned, they may feel they don't need you anymore or they shouldn't pay you as much. For us it works out when we start the account out that way, and it's something they are already doing. For example, we just started an account where we are working out of their system. So they already input everything and have been for years. The previous biller did the same thing but she was an employee of the practice, and we are independent. Nothing on their end changed other than that we took over the billing portion. Their biller was already doing it remotely. So in that case, they are doing the data entry but they were before. We have other similar situations. But if you go in after you've already been doing it and ask them to start I think you are asking for trouble.
I have never turned down or got rid of a client due to the software they used, however I have taken the time to analyze a system that I felt was inadequate. I would prepare a report for them to show them how the system is losing them money and I would give them solutions and options for another system. IF they were unwilling to change or invest in another system AND I felt the software was causing me to lose to money then I would re-negotiate my rate with them. I look at it this way, if I worked in the office, who am I to require the provider to switch systems, I get a paycheck to utilize what I have and to do the job to the best of my ability with the system they have. I only had one provider unwilling to change her ways at all and she ended up retiring anyway.