Medical Billing Forum
Starting a Medical Billing Business => Starting Your Own Medical Billing Business => : LoveBilling August 13, 2018, 12:26:24 AM
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For those who are running their billing business alone without a partner, how do you handle vacations and emergencies where you can't be available to the providers if needed during normal business hours? TIA
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That is a tough one. If you are the only one at your business you've got an issue. Either your clients have to be understanding, or you have to make yourself available. One of the things we say when we are meeting with a potential client is that they don't have to worry about an employee calling in sick, going on vacation, or being out for surgery. But we have people available to cover each other.
When we first started out and it was just Alice and I, we made ourselves available even when away. Since we are mother and daughter it was not uncommon for us to go away together. We just carried our cell phones with us and had a lap top so that we could connect to our system. We would answer the call and just tell them we had to look it up and get back to them.
The only other option I can think of is to have someone cover you, if you have anyone that could do that.
Unfortunately there is no magic answer. Hopefully you will have understanding clients.
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Thank you Michele. That's what I was thinking as well, make myself available by having phone and laptop to connect to what I need. Was curious how others handle these situations since it seems like there are a lot of solo billing company owners out there. Question came up to me as I begin writing my compliance and P&P.
I do have someone that will be available to help when I get started, I'll keep in mind and train eventually to cover for me when it gets to that point.
Thanks,
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Just a note that you want to include your process for these time frames in your compliance plan. If I go on vacation my business line is forwarded to my cell phone. I can access most of my clients PM systems from anywhere since I use their systems. My compliance plan has a process for emergencies where the provider will be notified appropriately and a process to which extended leave time is needed.
This is extremely important that it be covered in your compliance plan.
My daughter works with me now and she is my backup if i need more time off, I forward the business line to her. Since she is also now doing billing she covers for me in that regard as well. Prior to that about a year ago, I had another biller I could work with if I needed them.
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JMHO - I found it very helpful to state my leave time in my service agreement. i.e. **** Medical Billing Co. will be closed from Dec 15th until Dec 31st for vacation. I send out an email a week before vacation stating all claims must be received before noon on Dec 14th to be processed and submitted before the 1st of the following year. I've received very little push back on this, since several of my provider clients take off at this time as well.
I got this idea from the Boeing Company in Seattle, they shut down every year at the same time for maintenance on their assembly lines and vacations for their exec's. :)
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JMHO - I found it very helpful to state my leave time in my service agreement. i.e. **** Medical Billing Co. will be closed from Dec 15th until Dec 31st for vacation. I send out an email a week before vacation stating all claims must be received before noon on Dec 14th to be processed and submitted before the 1st of the following year.
I do same thing only I don't give dates I tell them I have two scheduled vacations per year..etc., etc., Sometimes I don't take them and sometimes we will plan something last min. Going on an Alaskan Cruise next July!!
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I have always thought about doing an Alaskan Cruise! I personally am not interested in cruises in general, but Alaska.....maybe! Hope you have a great time. Let me know how you like it.
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I take time off a minimum of 4 week days every other month, minimum. I stay busy both with my company and my personal life.
My clients know that my philosophy is that any medical billing issue is never an emergency. Perhaps it may be concerning but never urgent. I have never lost a client because I took time off. My contract states that I will let my clients know when I plan on being out of the office and that I will prioritize emails and messages upon my return with most urgent attended to first. I have a business that works well for myself and my family.
There are times that I work 8am to 8pm to get everything done and will work weekends in order to come and go when I need. Since Providers work hours in their practices that suit their life style and practice needs, they understand that I do the same.
I turn work down, turn providers away, a few times a month because I am full! I'll stop working with providers if our personalities don't sync. I try for a few months to see if we'll get on the same page but if we don't, I tell them that we are just not a good fit and they will be happier in the long run with someone else.
I don't advertise. All my new clients come from referrals. I have client's that want me to live my best life! And that is why I own my own business, for the flexibility.
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I'll stop working with providers if our personalities don't sync. I try for a few months to see if we'll get on the same page but if we don't, I tell them that we are just not a good fit and they will be happier in the long run with someone else.
This is a great policy. We do the same. We have to be a team otherwise it doesn't work. If the provider/provider's office is not working with us, then it won't work.