Author Topic: Office Procedures  (Read 3836 times)

veronicag

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Office Procedures
« on: December 26, 2008, 03:00:06 PM »
Just wondering if anyone was willing to share their office procedures with other billers like myself. (Home based billing center). I have been billing for a long time, but I seem to get off track sometimes with follow up, do to the heavy load sometimes of billing, etc., or when I receive the work from the doctor(s).  I would like to hear what others do to stay on track with all of this.  I currently have 2 fulltime providers that I bill for and I would like to add 2 more, but I know I need to be more efficient at all times. 

I would sincerely appreciate your ideas.

Veronica  :)

Michele

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2008, 10:08:51 AM »
Veronica,
   The best thing that you wrote is that you 'need to be more efficient'.  Many times that is where people go wrong.  They just keep doing what they are doing the way that they always have, and don't ever look for a better way. 

   What you described is exactly where we were at many years ago.  Things are always changing in this business and you must always be looking for a 'better way' to get the things done.  Since I don't know exactly how you do things it is hard for me to offer specific things you can do.  But what I would recommend is that while you are doing your tasks, be thinking 'is there some other way I could do the same thing that would be easier'. 

   An example that we found is that we noticed one of our workers was manually printing any of the claims that went on paper as she entered them and left the ones that would go electronically.  When she finished entering all claims she would send the electronics.  When we realized that is how she was doing it, we also realized that it took 7 mouse clicks to manually print a claim.  So if she had 10 paper claims it was 70 mouse clicks.  She could do the same thing with only 7 mouse clicks by waiting to print all paper claims after the electronics were sent.  This may not seem like a big deal, but multiply that number by more claims, and more providers and I'm sure you'll get the point. 

     It can be little changes like that that add up for you to make things more efficient.

    Also, we make follow-up a priority.  It is so important.  Since we bill for so many providers we actually have a spread sheet to keep track of which providers need to be done when.  We do followup reports every month for each provider.

I hope that helps and good luck with your expansion.

Michele
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veronicag

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2008, 12:45:57 PM »
Hi Michele,

I was smiling as I was reading your response because, you are so right about everything you stated. I am curious though, when you do your follow up, can you give specifics.  I know you said every month you run a report for follow up, can you tell me do you do Dr. X on the 29th of every month, and Dr. Y on the 30th, etc?  I have had procedures in place and then something comes up and the 29th of the month comes and goes.  Also, are you billing out services every day for every provider, or do you put the providers on a schedule?  I once read a "busy" billing center only did the billing on Fridays (not sure that would work for some--but for this bc it seemed to work), but she didn't state what she did the other days that made her business successful. 

PS  I am always looking for a better way.....it's kind of funny....seems I spend a lot of time doing that, but you are so right, in this business things are constantly changing, that's what keeps it interesting!

Thanks for sharing!

Sincerely,

Veronica  :)

Michele

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2008, 04:32:49 PM »
I'm not sure how that would work doing the billing only on Fridays.  I know for us it wouldn't.  We pick up on Mondays and Wednesdays, plus we get faxes, emails, and mailed work periodically throughout the week.  We like the billing to go out 24-48 hours from when it is received. 

We don't have a set day of the month.  We do a followup schedule.  All of our providers are listed and then the date the report is printed is written down, then the date it was completed.  We go down the list in order (unless something comes up to bump somebody up the list) and do their followup.  Sometimes we get a little behind and it ends up being 5-6 weeks in between, but then we usually catch up and get it back to about 4.  Even if we are running a little behind, we are still doing regular follow up which is important. 

We run 30 day reports, but then we highlight the ones that need to be checked.  If we have a company that consistantly takes 45 days to pay then we don't highlight the ones between 30 - 45 days.  We also note in the computer whatever we find so that if that claim is still out next month we have a record of what we were told.

It is so good to hear how others do things so that we can learn!  :)

Michele
 
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veronicag

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2008, 12:12:12 PM »
Hi Michele,

Thanks for your response.  I am just trying to implement a "better" system in my office for the follow up, because in the past my ways have not been what I have been totally happy with when it comes to the end result.  No one wants a doctor calling them and asking where the payment is and it's been 60 days.  YIKES!!! That's not professional. It seems the procedure your office has does work out and you are billing for a lot more providers than I am, so if you don't mind, just so I have this right, how often are you doing following up for each of your providers?  I don't mean to be a pest with this just want to be clear. 

I am with you on the billing, I try to get mine out the day it comes in or within 48 hours.   :)

Thanks for your input.  It's nice to be able to talk with people that are doing what we do!

If you ever need assistance with Chiropractic billing questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.  I have been billing chiro for over 20 years.

Again,thank you!
Veronica

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2008, 12:12:12 PM »

Michele

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2008, 11:10:15 PM »
We try to do our followup once a month, but sometimes it goes to 6 weeks.  But in any case, it is being done regularly. 

Thanks for the offer.  We've been billing chiro for about 15 years, but I may take you up on that.  You never know what you don't know if you aren't open to learning.

Michele
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veronicag

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2008, 11:41:49 PM »
Hi Michele,

Just wanted to say thanks for your input on this subject and sharing your procedures!

Sincerely,

Veronica  :)

Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

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Re: Office Procedures
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2008, 11:41:49 PM »