You work hard as a medical provider taking care of patients. There are the countless hours interacting with nurses and families. Then comes the documentation, which seems to get more demanding with each passing year. To not receive compensation for your work is not an option. Yet somehow we have processes in place that do not ensure that charges are not missed.
The Office Is Simpler
The throughput in the outpatient setting lends itself to a simpler process. There is a schedule, and with each visit there is the opportunity to put in a charge. Most modern EHRs expect you to create your visit note, and then will not let you close it without a charge. Without this feature it would be hard to reconcile which encounters are missing charges. Realistically, there are always those providers with unfinished notes dating back months, so this system is far from perfect. Procedures in the office also need an accompanying charge, again built into the process of scheduling and creating that encounter. Reconciliation built in to the software: this is clearly the way to go.
Welcome to the (Hospital) Jungle
Contrary to the simplicity of the office process, hospital visits usually take place outside of the EHR, losing the reconciliation and layers of protection. Documentation and even rounding lists often sit in the hospital’s EHR, which, unless you are employed by that hospital, do not handle provider charge capture. Medical practices have created elaborate methods of keeping track of charges in the hospital and conveying them to billers, most of which are based on paper. The ones not using paper are typically using non-HIPAA compliant means of communication, making this not an ideal situation. Most importantly, these hospital processes bleed charges. Probably 8-12% of charges are missed, resulting in an unnecessary loss of revenue. Remember, this is work you’ve already done. At least put in place a process that ensures you get paid.
Burnout Is Real
Physician and APP burnout is on the rise. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic the concept of physician job dissatisfaction was gaining national attention. People who had worked their whole lives towards becoming a medical professional were suddenly abandoning their careers. Many reported that medicine was not what they thought it would be. Many underestimated the emotional toll it would take on their personal lives. Much of the frustration relates to the financial aspect. Fighting for reimbursement, the ever-increasing requirements to be paid, even uninsured patients, all start to add up. Over the past 20 years, Medicare (and private insurance) reimbursements have gone down. Being paid less for an increased amount of work does not build job satisfaction. Anything that would increase revenue for work already done will help offset the burnout factor.
Modernize the Business of Medicine
Change is hard, especially for medical providers. Bringing in newer solutions for processes that appear to be functional is hard to enact. Yet these modern solutions bring with them efficiencies that improve provider quality of life. Safeguards protecting the medical “supply chain” – from provider charge to biller to insurance claim – improve revenue in an industry already suffering from reduced margins.
The concept of working “smarter not harder” can be applied to all industries, including healthcare. A lack of universal standards and a general skepticism on behalf of the providers themselves have made implementing meaningful changes harder. Modernizing processes surrounding the practice of medicine will have a positive impact on the profitability of your medical business, ultimately offsetting provider burnout. Smarter processes are out there. Seek them out.
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For A Better Hospital Rounding Experience
At HybridChart, we provide technology that connects your healthcare team, increases efficiencies, AND improves your bottom line. HybridChart’s cloud-based software adapts to your practice’s unique workflow and will improve your profitability and patient outcomes by utilizing our 5 features: charge capture, census management, secure messaging, discharge planning, and data analytics.
NEVER miss another charge and get PAID for the work you do!
If you are interested in taking your medical practice to the next level and want to employ the best hospital charge capture practice available in the industry, come visit our website at www.hybridchart.com, call us at 1-877-977-5544, or click here to schedule a demo today!
