No matter what technology you deploy or the strength of your process, superior medical billing ultimately relies upon a strong billing staff. There are four key elements to creating a world-class billing team:
1) Set up a cadre of tools, individuals and policies to insure you find, hire and retain the best employees:
The leading billing organizations recruit the best staff. A dedicated, specialized HR team evaluates applicants-applicants must pass a proprietary billing testing process assessing both skill and will. This process shouldn't be different from the recruiting process of a Fortune 500 organization.
The leading billing organizations train to develop desired quality. Junior staff members must pass demanding training programs-junior team members are developed into billers, capable of following the measured and monitored billing process. In addition, staff is trained throughout the year in latest payer rules, follow-up techniques and compliance guidelines. A dedicated Compliance Officer is responsible for all additional HIPAA and OIG training.
The best staff is retained; weak staff released. The billing organization's staff is evaluated every year to assure proper development and progress. Evaluations are based on tangible, measurable targets and quality indicators. Best performers are properly rewarded and the lowest 10% of performers are asked to leave. This should be done methodically in an effort to continuously improve the quality of billing staff.
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) Supply your billing team with strong data driven analysis: This rings back to the "You can't manage what you do not measure" message. Your team cannot systematically improve their performance or your billing without in-depth measurements of how billers behave and how the billing process is working.
4) Incentivize the billing staff: All positions in billing process are monitored and incentivized to perform optimally for your account. The incentive system while highly motivating for the staff, falls within the parameters established by the OIG for an acceptable incentive system in a medical billing environment. The best performers should be rewarded accordingly.
Utilizing these concepts will allow you to assemble and grow a medical billing team that will be capable of utilizing a great medical billing process to deliver powerful results.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II - 15359
1) Set up a cadre of tools, individuals and policies to insure you find, hire and retain the best employees:
The leading billing organizations recruit the best staff. A dedicated, specialized HR team evaluates applicants-applicants must pass a proprietary billing testing process assessing both skill and will. This process shouldn't be different from the recruiting process of a Fortune 500 organization.
The leading billing organizations train to develop desired quality. Junior staff members must pass demanding training programs-junior team members are developed into billers, capable of following the measured and monitored billing process. In addition, staff is trained throughout the year in latest payer rules, follow-up techniques and compliance guidelines. A dedicated Compliance Officer is responsible for all additional HIPAA and OIG training.
The best staff is retained; weak staff released. The billing organization's staff is evaluated every year to assure proper development and progress. Evaluations are based on tangible, measurable targets and quality indicators. Best performers are properly rewarded and the lowest 10% of performers are asked to leave. This should be done methodically in an effort to continuously improve the quality of billing staff.
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) Supply your billing team with strong data driven analysis: This rings back to the "You can't manage what you do not measure" message. Your team cannot systematically improve their performance or your billing without in-depth measurements of how billers behave and how the billing process is working.
4) Incentivize the billing staff: All positions in billing process are monitored and incentivized to perform optimally for your account. The incentive system while highly motivating for the staff, falls within the parameters established by the OIG for an acceptable incentive system in a medical billing environment. The best performers should be rewarded accordingly.
Utilizing these concepts will allow you to assemble and grow a medical billing team that will be capable of utilizing a great medical billing process to deliver powerful results.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II - 15359
About the Author:
Carl Mays II is an expert in medical billing and medical revenue management. He has worked with practices and facilities throughout the United States for over 16 years. Carl is President & CEO of ClaimCare Medical Billing Services. Read more about the medical billing industry at Carl's medical billing services Blog.
