A weak medical billing staff can undermine the best technology and billing processes. Medical Billing success requires great medical billing employees. Developing a strong medical billing team is a difficult, but worthwhile effort. Here is how to make it happen:
1) Installing a well-defined and predictable method for recruiting, identifying, hiring and keeping great medical billers:
Medical billing is a critical function and the process for finding and selecting medical billing employees must reflect the criticality of the job. You would not hire an accountant or an attorney based upon a few questions about what they liked or did not like about previous jobs, you should not hire medical billers with any less rigorous a process. Install multiple interviews and multiple testing levels. Test for billing knowledge, work style and work effort. Check references and check criminal history.
In addition to finding great people, you must continuously develop them. Less experienced medical billers should be continually trained so they can take over more difficult assignments. All staff must be trained in the latest changes to rules and regulations relevant for billing.
Part of building a great team is removing the weakest performers and replacing them with strong performers. Such action raises the bar for everyone and leads to a stronger team. Each year disciplined and measurable reviews must be given and the weakest performers replaced.
2) Specialize the billing team: The top billing organizations' billing team is composed of dedicated specialists in demographic data entry, charge posting, payment posting, insurance follow up, and patient collections. Each position is designed to excel in its role and is properly supervised and incentivized.
3) Invest heavily in analytical efforts: Continuous improvement of the billing process and the billing team requires significant and on-going analytical efforts. By measuring key factors about both payers and the billing process, a billing group can speed up collections, lower denials and lower the cost of the billing process.
4) Motivate your billing team: Utilize an OIG approved compensation system for the billing team. Aligning their interest with those of the practice is a huge source of billing improvement.
If you follow these guidelines you can assemble, develop and retain a world-call medical billing team. The results will be well worth the efforts of assembling the team.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II - 15478
1) Installing a well-defined and predictable method for recruiting, identifying, hiring and keeping great medical billers:
Medical billing is a critical function and the process for finding and selecting medical billing employees must reflect the criticality of the job. You would not hire an accountant or an attorney based upon a few questions about what they liked or did not like about previous jobs, you should not hire medical billers with any less rigorous a process. Install multiple interviews and multiple testing levels. Test for billing knowledge, work style and work effort. Check references and check criminal history.
In addition to finding great people, you must continuously develop them. Less experienced medical billers should be continually trained so they can take over more difficult assignments. All staff must be trained in the latest changes to rules and regulations relevant for billing.
Part of building a great team is removing the weakest performers and replacing them with strong performers. Such action raises the bar for everyone and leads to a stronger team. Each year disciplined and measurable reviews must be given and the weakest performers replaced.
2) Specialize the billing team: The top billing organizations' billing team is composed of dedicated specialists in demographic data entry, charge posting, payment posting, insurance follow up, and patient collections. Each position is designed to excel in its role and is properly supervised and incentivized.
3) Invest heavily in analytical efforts: Continuous improvement of the billing process and the billing team requires significant and on-going analytical efforts. By measuring key factors about both payers and the billing process, a billing group can speed up collections, lower denials and lower the cost of the billing process.
4) Motivate your billing team: Utilize an OIG approved compensation system for the billing team. Aligning their interest with those of the practice is a huge source of billing improvement.
If you follow these guidelines you can assemble, develop and retain a world-call medical billing team. The results will be well worth the efforts of assembling the team.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II - 15478
About the Author:
Carl Mays II is an expert in medical billing and medical practice management. He has been working with practices and facilities acrossthe United States for more than 16 years. Carl is founder of ClaimCare Medical Billing Services. Read more about the medical billing industry at Carl's medical billing services Blog.
