General Category > General Questions
software help
desheba:
Good evening,
I need help from anyone that has used Athenanet/AthenaHealth.....I have a potential client that uses this system and I was wondering if anyone knows if you can use the EHR clinical side without using Athenanet's billing company? Also, is there another system comparable to them? The doc really likes the clinical side, but there are issues with the billing side. I am trying to find out if the doc can separate herself from the billing side and only use them as a clearinghouse to send the bills electronically only?
If not able to separate from the Athenanet doing the billing, is there any type of manual or place I can find out how to things on my own without them? You have to call Athenanet and setup a ticket every time you have a question and when I asked to tell me how to do it (ex: posting a insurance cc pymt that came to the office), they kinda talked over the answer and said it was something that should be sent back to the billing department to do.
Any ideas and/or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
kristin:
It looks like you can learn to use the existing PM software through Athena, either through their training program(which may or may not cost something), or on your own, or you can purchase your own PM software to do the billing. Which will be potentially costly, and definitely time-consuming, if it does not integrate with Athena.
I can't see being able to use just Athena's CH, if you are not using their PM system....unless they use an outside CH like Gateway, Emdeon, etc, that can be used with other software. But don't quote me on that. If their CH is just for their system, that is that, so far as I know. Someone else can correct me if I am wrong.
I have only seen the clinical side of Athena before, not the PM side, so I can't really say what is comparable. I do know that I wasn't impressed with the clinical side. If the doctor likes it, and doesn't want to switch, you may just have to bite the bullet and learn the PM side.
The thing to take into consideration, as far as I am concerned, is what is going to be more difficult/costly in the end? Learning to use Athena, which is already set up and in place, or trying to start over with a new PM software and CH? For me, I would much rather keep what is in place, and do the training, then to start over with something new.
desheba:
Thanks Kristin for your response. I don't have an issue learning their pm side and working with it, the problem is that you can't use the clinical side without using Athena's billing service only from what the doctor has explained to me. The doc says "the revenue from the billing is their charges for using the clinical side." I was really wondering if this is true and if anyone uses Athena's pm side without using Athena's billing services/company?
Thanks!
RichardP:
--- Quote from: desheba on September 22, 2014, 01:11:56 PM ---The doc says "the revenue from the billing is their charges for using the clinical side." I was really wondering if this is true and if anyone uses Athena's pm side without using Athena's billing services/company?
--- End quote ---
We had a client who wanted to switch to AthenaHealth. We researched it and were told what your doctor told you. The only way you can use AthenaHealth is to let them do the billing (which is shipped overseas). Additionally, the doctor must assign his benefits to AthenaHealth. The insurance companies pay AthenaHealth, AthenaHealth takes their cut, and then sends the remainder on to the Doctor. Both of those were deal-killers for our client, but particularly the fact that the doctor loses control of HIS money - because it must be signed over to AthenaHealth.
This was about three years ago, so I don't know what provisions are still in place now.
PMRNC:
I'm sorry but that is just CRAP. Ask the provider if he is ok accepting 100% Responsibility of all consequences of any negligence or BREACH. We can't STOP offshore companies but we sure can educate providers on the REAL life consequences and liability THEY take on by hiring offshore.
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