Author Topic: Advice on working from home  (Read 3729 times)

Tameka79

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Advice on working from home
« on: July 27, 2016, 11:30:33 AM »
I have been working for an OB/GYN office for the past 8 years.  Initially I was part-time as a contract laborer and now I work full-time as an employee. I don't want to do this anymore, at least in this capacity.  I would like to work from home, on my own set time and schedule.  How would I approach that? Also, the provider I work for does not use EMR, so we are still using paper charts.  I am trying to think this through so I can go to him with a proposition that can benefit both of us. Currently, I get paid hourly and I work 40 hours a week.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Michele

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2016, 11:49:19 AM »
I would try talking to your employer and see if they are willing to have someone who works from home.  This may not be an option for them.  But in order to find out you are going to have to start a conversation.  I would list all the jobs you currently do and then consider if you will be able to continue doing them all remotely.  Are there any parts of your job that cannot be done remotely?  What benefit will there be to the provider?  Will you no longer be an employee but be a subcontractor?  There has to be a benefit to them in order for them to consider this.  If you can identify the benefit that will help.
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PMRNC

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2016, 12:51:14 PM »
Michele is right, there is no real benefit to the provider to have a work from home employee, it's also added liability and even more so if your coding and removing charts from the office. What you could do is setup yourself as a business which would make you a BA of the provider. In this way you can save him money w/out having him have to pay any payroll taxes, he would get to deduct your fees, no training, no benefits .. it's a win/win situation.
As an employee you won't save him anything and it's MORE liability on both of you to work as employee outside the office.


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williamportor

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2016, 04:40:38 PM »
If you are serious about working from home, I would suggest a 2 step approach: 1. Try to work with your employer, using the suggestions from Michele and PMRNC to see if your employer would agree to this arrangement and  2. Start marketing your services to other medical professionals as an independent medical biller while you are currently employed. You have some valuable skills to offer, and with persistence will find a provider or two that would sign a contract with you. If your efforts with your employer don't work, it's nice to have options.   
« Last Edit: July 31, 2016, 04:50:13 PM by williamportor »

Sriram_Sub

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2016, 10:11:36 AM »
Yes. I agree with William. Before approaching your employer, it is better to have a plan B in place, considering the risk of damaging your rapport with your employer.

Good Luck.
Sriram

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2016, 10:11:36 AM »

Tameka79

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2016, 06:29:17 PM »
Thank you all for your advice.  It does make sense for me to start my own business and that is what I am currently looking into. I am wondering if you all know who I would go to to find out about different laws in this field.  Right now I am trying to figure out how much I would charge and I know most people sugget a flat rate over a percentage, but I was wondering who I could speak to to find out if it is illegal where I live (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) to charge a percentage because I am also thinking about incorporating do patient collections on outstanding balances, and I would like to get a percentage of what I collect versus a flat fee.

Michele

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2016, 09:22:42 PM »
The following is posted as a response to another question but I believe the info is the same.

Legal is not my area of expertise but I found the following application for physicians to practice medicine in the US Virgin Islands:

http://www.fsmb.org/Media/Default/PDF/FCVS/FCVS_usvi_physician_application.pdf

Page 10 has a statement regarding fee splitting.
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Michele

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2016, 09:27:28 PM »
If you calculate your flat fee correctly you will be paid for ALL of your work.  Sometimes when you charge % you are not paid for all of your work.  Some providers simply want to pay a % and won't consider the other methods, but some providers actually won't sign with a company who charges a % when they realize it is fee splitting.  We have a book on charging your providers where we do cover how to calculate the flat fee.  We also cover other methods of charging as well.  You can read more about it at:

http://www.medicalbillinglive.com/pricing-your-medical-billing-service/ 
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Tameka79

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2016, 10:36:18 AM »
Thank you Michelle! That was very helpful. I really appreciate it. :-)

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Re: Advice on working from home
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2016, 10:36:18 AM »