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Let Go

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TammyL:
Hey guys it's been awhile because I had been so busy working with all the new clients I got but I have a bit of sad news and i'm still stunned . I signed up a Mental Health Practice of 3 on 9.13.11 I started the billing on 9.15.11  And let me tell you it was a mess beyond a mess a/r reports had not been ran and claims  not followed up on statements had not  went out in  2 months. So here i'm thinking im doing my thing cause they a/r was down and in oct i brought it up by 9800.00 plus when i sent statments out in oct i collected about 5000.00. Now a few weeks ago i had some words with the office office manager because she was trying to be controlling and tell me how to do the billing her way and i had a problem with that because she started out doing billing but some how starting running the front desk and doing the billing and it was a bit too much for her. So i talked to one of the docs about it and she  said yes she can be a bit a controlling when it comes to the office since she's been with them for over 10 years she likes to take control over everything so i told the doctor i am very capable of doing my job without her telling me what to do and how to do it. So i guess the receptionsit/ office manger didnt like me talking to the higher up so they let me go on 11.28.11 stating they need someone to do there billing fulltime and they felt i was to busy for there account  since i had other docs i billed for and they were going with another billing service. How about a patient called me about there bill on 11.29.11 and i informed the patient i could not help her because they let me go so she had to call the office the patient called me back and told me the that the receptionist / office manager was doing the billing and she didnt have time to answer her question about her bill she was  the only one in the office working for 3 docs and didnt know when she could help her. I was speechless and clueless. How do you get rid of the person who increased your a/r it was either the office managers way are no way so she made sure they canned me to hit the highway. I worked day in and day out on this account one doc a/r report was 47 pages and the other two were around 22 pages i completed all of them refiled alot of claims not on file and some had be w/o for no auth. I gues this is a lessoned learned from here on out just keep my mouth shut and don't say anything. I truly feel i was done wrong but it is what it is

PMRNC:
Well, certainly you have a right to be upset, however you can make this a learning experience. I see a few things wrong off the bat and hope you take it within the spirit in which it was intented.

The office manager is the "GOD" of the office. I'm not saying you take any abuse or anything but going over her head should be an absolute LAST resort. More often than not if you make them your friend and approach them with a "helping hand" rather than a "taking over attitude" you'll get more out of them, be respected. I always let my office managers be the "hero's" Why not? Keeps everyone happy.  The office manager is always going to win over you in any office about 99.9% because they are the most trusted within the practice.

Next, you really don't state what type of contract you had. You stated they let you go on 11/15, did they give you notice? What type of termination clause was in your contract? For example, if one of my clients had terminated our contract on 11/15 and a patient called 11/29, MOST likely it would be me, responsible for answering her questions because most likely I billed it and it's within the 30 days notice. Also with some clients there is a "cleanup" period to which that time frame would have been within.  THE only time I can think of that would cause for me to CEASE any follow up with patients or bills immediately and before the 30 days is fraud.   

Maybe you were just venting and that's ok, but I see every opportunity to learn from these things. Try not to take them personally as it may not be last time it happens to you, maybe next one will not pay you, who knows.. that's business.  Hopefully you had and have a contract to protect yourself and your business from things like this. 

TammyL:
To Linda thanks for your advice the contact I signed was if they were not happy with the services they give me a 14 day notice I first started out in the contract with a 30 day notice and they came back with a 14 day notice. And the patient that called me was a patient I was helping  get her sons bill straight back in Oct when she first got the bill when statements went out in Oct. But it is truly a lessoned learned it's like after I cleaned up all the old A/R and increased there revenue they let me go because they pretty much sided with the Office Manager who is the Office Manager, the receptionist and the biller for a practice of three and the same patient called her to discuss the bill since I was no longer doing the billing and she informed the patient she did not have time and did not know when she could get back with her to discuss her son's billing problem because she was just too busy and was the only one in the office.

billingandscanning:
TammyL, keep your head up! I understand your frustration, but I agree with Linda that going over the Office Manager's head should be a last resort. Maybe next time changing the way that you approach the Office Manager may make all the difference in the world. Let them know that you are there to help them and that not replace them. Maybe she felt threatened by the good job that you were doing. Did they say what the reason was that they wanted to change the amount of time that they needed to give you a notice from 30 to 14 days?

I know a doctor that would not keep any of her staff more then 3 months, if the staff was luck, the might stay 6 months. She had an Office Manager that stole $40,000 and after that she did not trust anyone.

Good Luck!

PMRNC:
I run all "negotiations' of my contract by my attorney, 14 days is WAY too low, 30 days is standard and semi-safe. I also ensure the seriousness of the client with the payment of my setup fee.   

I know you said the terms were 14 days notice, but there should have been more in there such as what would take place once notice is given.. such as cleanup of accounts and responsibility to clean up any billing you have done. My out clause is about a page and a half long. You might want to take a look at your contract.

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