• Is it necessary for the organization to adopt an EHR system?
• If so, what specific system and features should the organization look for?

Many successful rural hospitals have found the following functionalities and features to be crucial to consider during the decision-making process of EHR system adoption for small rural physician clinics and hospitals.

1. A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Solution, Available via Web Browser

At the top of Rural Health Clinic’s (RHC) list of must-haves is a lightweight system that is easy to deploy and maintain. A SaaS solution, that can be used on a browser with comparatively lesser bandwidth requirements, is the most desirable deployment option within the rural setting. A lightweight EHR is able to load and function, supporting quick patient care and easy documentation utilizing even the lowest levels of internet connection.

2. The Ability to Configure and Customize the Core EHR Functionality

For rural hospitals, configuration over coding is the desired option. The EHR should be equipped with the ability to configure and customize according to the workflow and specific level of care the organization is providing. This feature would allow a hospital’s local IT team to support localization and workflow customization, without depending on the vendor for development or additional coding. This gives more control to RHCs and allows them to function and maintain more quickly and easily.

3. Applications like Telehealth & Patient Portal should be Included in the Solution

Applications that support instant communication and connection along with devices and machines that reduce dependency on city or urban based facilities should be at the top of the list. It is critical to both continuity of care for patients and the survival of rural practices. It not only reduces administrative burden but also helps in improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Applications that support the virtual care delivery enable RHCs to extend their reach to new patients and augment their practice with specialists and clinical resources that they may lack in their current healthcare setting.

4. Affordable Options

Thirty percent of hospitals are located in rural communities. These rural hospitals face their own struggles in terms of resources and funding. Therefore, they must look for a solution that not only fulfills their functional needs but also meets their budgetary requirements. A cloud-based EHR, such as iPatientCare, is an affordable option as it does not require buying servers or employing IT staff.

5. Analytic Tools
   

The EHR system your organization implements should have smart analytic tools that can help staff access data and develop reports for quick patient care decisions. Your EHR system should be able to quickly and painlessly pull large amounts of data and generate reports on a daily basis.

6. Strong Support & Services

Real-time support is key to the success of an EHR implementation and long-term EHR goals, so it’s vital to understand the support system and check client services before choosing an EHR vendor. iPatientCare’s next generation EHR software offers exceptional support to our valued customers.

About iPatientCare EHR

Not familiar with iPatientCare EHR? For over two decades, iPatientCare has helped providers improve the quality of care, patient satisfaction, and revenue with an EHR developed by physicians for physicians. We are proud to serve providers across the U.S. and globally. We have dedicated ourselves to helping rural communities meet their healthcare IT needs and goals with easy-to-use, affordable, and interoperable healthcare IT solutions and services. Our impeccable ability to customize our EHR solution is a big advantage for rural clinics.

Contact us today to learn more about iPatientCare for Rural Health Clinics (RHC).

The goal of EHR optimization is to make the EHR easier and more efficient to use so that clinicians can spend more time with patients and less time on the process. EHR vendors are using this new wave of technology to their advantage by creating tools to aid clinician’s productivity and reduce medical errors and burnout.

User Interface: 

Many EHR systems remain difficult to use today. They are often designed by engineers who have never used an EHR in a clinical setting. As a result, they can be hard to navigate and lack usability and interface features needed by clinicians. Clinicians still spend a lot of their professional time typing information and clicking through the electronic form fields, which leads to EHR burnout.

Vendors are recognizing this and are becoming more focused on developing and delivering a great user experience; a well-designed and simple-to-use interface for complex functionalities significantly improves clinical satisfaction and productivity. A user-friendly EHR interface, such as iPatientCare’s intuitive navigation, will lead to a higher level of engagement from both employees and patients, which directly helps in increasing the quality of care and improving outcomes.

Interoperability:

Interoperability has been a challenge for EHRs since their inception. The ability to exchange data between EHR systems is essential for providing quality patient care. Unfortunately, most existing EHRs are “islands” of information that were not designed to work together. This lack of interoperability can lead to errors, duplication of work, and inefficiencies.

Related Article: Ensuring a Successful Electronic Health Record (EHR) Implementation

The most recent federal government report on hospital interoperability shows that only 55% of hospitals can now send, receive, find, and integrate patient information from outside sources into their EHRs. And nearly 45% of clinicians have had to re-enter patient data into a new EHR because the old one could not share data with the new one, which is a massive waste of time and resources.

Fortunately, new standards are being developed that will make EHRs more interoperable. The goal is to make it easy for EHRs to share data so that clinicians can focus on providing quality patient care instead of worrying about data entry.

Documentation:

A common complaint about EHRs is that they require too much documentation. It can be a considerable burden for clinicians already busy tending to patients. Additionally, the data entry required by EHRs is not always intuitive to the way clinicians think and document patient care resulting in clinicians spending more time figuring out how to document their care in the EHR.

Fortunately, new tools and technologies are being developed to address this issue. Some EHRs, such as iPatientCare, now offer best-practice templates that can be used to document patient encounters,  saving clinicians time by pre-populating certain fields. New speech recognition technologies have also been developed that can be used to convert clinicians’ dictated notes into text, improving workflows.

How can iPatientCare Help Optimize your Practice’s Technology?

This new wave of healthcare technology development is changing the landscape of EHRs. By focusing on EHR usability, interoperability, and documentation, vendors can create tools that aim to improve the efficiency and productivity of clinicians, a significant benefit for both clinicians and patients alike.

iPatientCare is committed to providing a user-friendly EHR interface that is designed by physicians for physicians. Our EHR is fully interoperable, so you can easily share data with other EHRs. We’ve designed EHR documentation to be efficient and straightforward, offering templates that can be used to document patient encounters and speech recognition technology that can be used to convert dictated notes into text.

If you are looking for an EHR that can help your practice continue to provide quality care to your patients, contact us today to learn more about our EHR and how it can benefit your practice.

What is Patient-Generated Health Data (PGHD)?

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) defines PGHD as, “health-related data created, recorded, or gathered by or from patients (or family members or other caregivers) to help address a health concern.” PGHD includes patient-reported information collected through surveys and data produced by remote monitoring devices, mobile health applications, and wearable devices. PGHD can consist of, but is not limited to:

• Health history
• Treatment history
• Biometric data
• Symptoms
• Lifestyle choices

Integrating PGHD into an EHR

When PGHD is integrated into an Electronic Health Record (EHR) software, clinicians can use it to make more informed clinical decisions regarding patient care. Clinicians can integrate PGHD manually by entering it into their EHR when they see patients. Patients can directly upload PGHD data using patient portals either manually or via interoperability between devices and EHRs or portals.

The Benefits of Using PGHD

• Increase Patient Engagement and Satisfaction: Using PGHD to inform medical care decisions allows patients to take a more active role in their health. This increased level of engagement and empowerment can contribute to better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.

• Improved and Quicker Decision-making: Clinicians can use PGHD to make more informed and quicker decisions, visualizing trends, and spotting irregularities earlier.

• Reduce Costs: PGHD has the potential to avoid unnecessary routine tests and office visits. It also helps the patient understand their health conditions better and helps them avoid unnecessary suggested treatments, ultimately reducing the cost of care.

• Improved Outcomes: Data generated by a patient from their previous medical cases and treatments can assist clinicians in making a more informed health plan that could save the patient from future threats and sudden criticalities.

• Improve Population Health Management: When collected and analyzed correctly, PGDM can provide insights into population health trends. The gained information can be used to develop interventions and programs to improve the health of a population.

• Drive Research: By collecting data from large numbers of patients, researchers can identify patterns and trends that would not be apparent from smaller studies. This information can be used to develop new treatments and therapies.

The Challenges of Using PGHD

Lack of interoperability and data standards can make it difficult to collect data into one EHR platform. Some devices and platforms may not be compatible with each other yet, making the collection of PGHD a more manual process. Privacy and security are another concern of patients. When patients share their health information with clinicians, they expect their data to be safeguarded from unauthorized access. However, due to the lack of interoperability and standards, it might be challenging to ensure the security of PGHD.

Despite these challenges, PGHD has the potential to transform healthcare by making it more patient-centered and data-driven. When used correctly, PGHD can improve the standards of patient care delivery.

Where Do We Go From Here?

With improved communication, more complete data, earlier intervention, improved self-management, and increased patient engagement, the use of PGHD in outpatient clinics may have the potential to enhance care for those who are disproportionately impacted by chronic illness and for those with higher social risk factors such as low income, food insecurity, and housing instability.

iPatientCare offers a robust Electronic Health Record and is committed to providing patients with the best possible care. Our EHR software helps clinicians collect, store, manage and share patient data more efficiently and securely. It also allows patients to upload their PGHD health data, which their clinicians can access. Contact us today to learn more about our EHR software and how it can benefit your healthcare organization.

Are there other potential benefits or challenges of using PGHD that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments below.

What are CPT Codes?

CPT codes, also known as service codes, are five-digit numeric and alphanumeric modifiers that identify each task or service a healthcare provider offers. These codes are used by both providers and payers to communicate services rendered, billed, and paid for. The first four digits identify the specific procedure or task that was carried out while the fifth digit, an alphabetic modifier, identifies if there were any additional services provided in connection with this code. CPT codes have helped reduce billing-related disputes between healthcare providers and payers by providing a common ground for understanding the service that was provided.

As an example, CPT Code 80233 – minor office/outpatient visit includes history and examination while CPT Code 80233 with modifier -25 (office/outpatient visit for evaluation and management of a new patient) signifies a new patient who has not been seen by any other physician at this practice or elsewhere.

Types of CPT Codes:

• Category I: codes assigned to medical procedures, services, devices, and drugs, including vaccines.

• Category II: codes enabling performance measures and quality of care.

• Category III: temporary CPT codes used for new or emerging technologies, services, and procedures.

• PLA codes: recently added to the CPT code set describing proprietary clinical laboratory analyses and testing.

How to Find a CPT Code?

American Medical Association’s (AMA) website provides an online search tool for CPT codes. Inputting the list of services provided prompts the tool to deliver the CPT code for that service. CPT codes are updated every year by the American Medical Association (AMA) in collaboration with other medical specialty societies. The updates help reflect changes in technology, services, and procedures that have taken place over the past year.

Alternatively, Electronic Health Record (EHR) software has the ability to select appropriate CPT codes when billing patients. EHRs have drop-down menus that list all the CPT codes and their descriptions for each service offered by a provider.

It is also recommended to hire professional medical coders or coding services to correctly bill for services rendered. Medical coders use CPT, HCPCS Level II, and ICD-CM codes to assign codes correctly.

How to Submit the CPT Code?

If your office staff is using paper forms, then the CPT codebook must be used to find the right code. If your practice utilizes an EHR, such as iPatientCare, then the software should automatically populate the CPT codes as you type in descriptors of each service on the visit note screen. Always review all the information before submission. It is important to note that the billing process may vary from one healthcare setting to another.

Submission: Healthcare providers or staff generally submit the medical documentation to the coding staff at the billing service. They review the documentation, assign CPT and other codes, and forward the claim to the appropriate insurance company.

Verification: The insurance company reviews the claim and responses, which is called remittance advice. The advice informs the provider of what services are covered, the amount that will be paid, and other information related to the payment of the claim.

Claim Processing: Once the verification is confirmed, the insurance company will process the claim and initiate the payment process.

Preventing Incorrect Coding

CPT coding is a complex process that requires experienced medical coders. It is vital to stay up to date with the latest CPT codes and changes to ensure a smooth billing process. Take the time to review each bill carefully and compare it to your medical records. If you find any discrepancies, don’t hesitate to reach out to the billing department and ask for an explanation.

Common mistakes include:

• Incorrectly billing a service
• Incorrect CPT code entry
• Including incorrect modifier
• Billing for services not rendered
• Filing a claim before all documentation is received
• Not verifying that the coder understands how to bill your services correctly

Medical billing is a complex process; iPatientCare offers a comprehensive and user-friendly EHR and Revenue Cycle Management solution that can help your practice streamline its coding and billing process. Our team manages all aspects of provider billing from claim submission to denial management. If you are interested in boosting your practice’s revenue and reducing denials contact us today.

Questions to Ask EHR Vendors:

Selecting the ideal system for your practice depends on a variety of factors: practice size, patient mix, number of daily users, data collection, patient access to health information, and integrations. Make a prioritized and detailed list of EHR requirements for your organization. This should include categories such as “must-have”, “should have,” and “nice to have.” Below are questions to consider asking EHR vendors to ensure you are selecting the best fit for your practice.

Cost:

• What is the base price for the EHR software?
• Are there additional costs associated with it, such asadditional modules like practice management, billing, patient engagement, etc?
• How do you determine costs of support fees or licensing?
• How is training priced?

EHR Software Usability:

• Is the EHR software intuitive?
• How will this impact workflow for clinicians?
• How will it impact daily users such as physicians, nurses, or other clinical staff members?
• Is the EHR ONC-certified?

Patient Engagement:

• Can patients view lab results, medication lists, and appointments?
• Can patients easily communicate with their healthcare team?
• Can patientsrefill prescriptions without having to call the pharmacy?
• How much control do they have over their personal information?

Implementation, Training, and Customer Service:

• How long is the implementation period?
• Are there training videos or webinars available for clinicians and users to learn more about the software before we go live?
• How much support is available after you go live?
• How responsiveisthe customer service team?
• How easy is it to escalate issues?

Integration:

• Can the EHR software integrate with other hospital systems such as your billing provider, lab, and radiology?
• Are there any known issues with the software’s integration?
• What is the process for resolving any conflicts that may arise during the integration process?

Cloud-Based Software:

• Is this EHR softwarecloud-based?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of having a cloud-based EHR system?
• Does the EHR also offer an on-premise alternative?

Backup and Data Security:

• Do you have a backup plan in the event of an emergency or disaster, like ransomware attacks?
• How quickly can data be recovered should an issue arise?
• What happens to patient records during data recovery?

After determining the vital EHR features for you organization and compiling a list of questions to ask vendors, it’s time to initiate the evaluation and selection process.

Determine the Decision Committee:

Determine the people who shouldbe involved in selecting the EHR system. Committees of 10 to 20 clinicians may seem large, but it promotes representation across the organization.

Evaluate EHR Options and Create a Scoring Matrix:

Narrow down the EHR systems starting with those that have good customer ratings online or those you have received references for. There is an abundance of EHRs available; take time with the evaluation process, assessing each product thoroughly. What are the specific needs of your hospital and how do they align with what each EHR vendor offers? How does each potential vendor meet your requirements head-to-head against competing products?

Related Article: Ensuring a Successful Electronic Health Record (EHR) Implementation

A scoring matrix will help compare each software side-by-side. Compare features such as implementation time and constancy, support services offered, cost of implementation and maintenance.

Shortlist Vendors and Demo Products:

Once each vendor is evaluated, select the EHR systems that are best suited to fit your organizational needs. We recommend identifying at least three finalists for reference checks, demos, and pricing negotiations.

Schedule demos with each finalist; this is a great opportunity to meticulously evaluate each option and ask the vendor your questions. Pay particular attention to the items important to your practice needs, such as usability, navigation, and customization.

The EHR vendor selection process can be a daunting task. It’s important to do thorough research and consider the options available to ensure a compatible system. For more tips on how to choose an EHR system for your practice, contact our experts and learn more about our vendor selection process.

iPatientCare experts are available to answer all your inquiries about our robust, customizable EHR system. With over 20 years of experience, iPatientCare is one of the leading EHR vendors in the market and offers a comprehensive EHR system that is designed to meet the needs of clinics of all sizes. Schedule a demo today to see how we can help.

What is an Electronic Health Record (EHR)?

An EHR is a digital record that contains the entire history and current state of a patient’s physical and mental healthcare, including record of allergies,diagnoses, prescriptions, etc. Syncing EHRs with EMRs enables your practice to share key patient data between providers at different locations.This allows practitioners to provide better, more complete care for their patients. It also helps reduce redundant testing by ensuring everyone has access to the same patient information. EHRs require an experienced IT professional dedicated full-time or part-time for installation, configuration, and support.

What is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR)?

An EMR refers specifically to a company-wide electronic database storing clinical documents such as diagnoses, treatments prescribed/administered, test results, and more. A clinic’s EMR is generally utilized by all medical providers and staff, including nurses and technicians. EMRs help improve patient care coordination, enhance health record availability to authorized personnel, reduce the risk of medical errors/misdiagnoses through improved data accuracy and-completeness within a single practice. EMRs can be integrated by internal staff without much experience working with these types of systems.

Related Article: Top Four Reasons to Invest in a Customized EMR or EHR Software

How do Electronic Health Records (EHR) differ from Electronic Medical Records (EMR)?

• An EHR is a record of an individual’s health history, while an EMR stores a clinic’s or hospital’s general medical data.
• EMRs are more comprehensive across a practice, while EHRs are more patient focused and detailed at the patient level.
• EMRs contain a lot of confidential/sensitive information that EHRs do not.
• An EHR allows your clinic to share key patient health data between providers at different practices, while EMRs are usually shared between providers within a clinic or organization.
• EMRs are only accessible within the clinic/hospital that it pertains to, but EHRs can be shared with anyone the patient permits access to.
• EMRs help track and monitor a patient’s course of treatment, while EHRs store a patient’s entire medical history.

The differences between EHRs and EMRs can be difficult to discern; they are often used together to provide a more complete picture of a patient’s health journey. Both records are important for any small to large healthcare organization as they provide digital access to patients’ medical history and improve communication between different providers within or outside an office or clinic.

If your practice does not utilize these types of record systems yet, it may be time to upgrade.iPatientCare’s EHR is easy to use, efficient, and customizable. We offer a complete Electronic Health Record system that helps you work smarter not harder. Our EHR is built with years of experience and industry-leading expertise ensuring our clients receive the highest level of support possible when implementing anew EHR or upgrading an existing one. If you’re interested in learning more about iPatientCare’s comprehensive EHR system, contact us today.

A successful EHR implementation process will benefit your practice by:

• Improving clinical decision-making with high-quality, complete data insights.
• Enhancing communication across the continuum of care through interoperability between multiple sources of clinical information, in a secure environment.
• Improving patient outcomes by proactively addressing their needs through increased clinical insights.
• Reducing costs through workflows that are streamlined and automated, decreasing the likelihood of errors or duplicative services.
• Reducing staff burnout and improving communication with EHR functionality such as timestamps on entries, alerts for follow-up care needs, and documentation compliance all in one system.

Successfully implementing an EHR at your healthcare practice requires thorough planning prior to your anticipated launch date. Below are a few critical steps for you to consider when getting started.

• Create awareness among key stakeholders on the EHR’s benefits and implications for their workflows.
• Conduct an analysis on whether your current infrastructure is compatible with the system you are looking to implement (e.g., will it integrate well without causing downtime).
• Carefully plan what data needs to be migrated over first, to reduce disruption in provider workflows. Different types of data need varying amounts of preparation before they can be migrated to new software.

As your healthcare practice implements your EHR, remember to:

• Establish internal communication channels between facilities that have already implemented a solution, so there’s no disruption in workflow processes when facilities begin sharing patient health records.
• Ensure that all staff members utilizing the EHR are properly trained.
• Establish parameters for measuring integration success levels such as increased revenue, reduced adverse events or errors, or fewer complaints from patients/families.

A successful EHR implementation process is vital to eliminating workflow setbacks within your healthcare practice, and it is essential to be prepared and plan ahead. If you want to learn more about our successful EHR implementation process and why iPatientCare’s EHR is best suited for your practice, contact our experts today.

What is an EHR?

Electronic Health Records (EHR): An EHR is a complete record of a patient’s health information that includes demographic details, current and historic medical conditions, treatment and medication history. EHRs are designed to allow users to access patient records from any remote location, securely share information, and track family medical history, allergies/medical conditions, and more.

Benefits of an EHR for practices:

• Streamline office management
• Digital charts
• Quickly transfer data in and out of your practice
• Increase patient engagement and compliance among your patients
• Increase patient safety with reduction in medical errors
• Receive EHR incentives through CMS programs when meeting certain measures
• Close gaps in care

Benefits of an EHR for patients:

• Eliminate redundant paperwork and duplicated tests
• Reduce medical errors
• Improve patient care measurably
• Enhanced patient health data security and privacy
• Coordinate care among healthcare providers
• Access to patient health records

What is an EMR?

Electronic Medical Records (EMR): EMR is a digital version of patient medical records stored within a computer. It helps maintain an organized record-keeping system for patient health details such as current and historic diagnoses, lab reports, medications, etc. Unlike an EHR, EMRs do not offer remote access features but they do allow fast retrieval of data among medical staff. An EMR is generally utilized by smaller clinics or offices that have fewer patients.

Benefits of an EMR for practices:

• Quickly transfer patient data from one department to another
• Increase the number of patients served per day for enhanced patient workflow and increased productivity
• Improve results management and patient care with a reduction in medical errors
• Reduce operational costs such as transcription services and overtime labor expenses
• Customizable and scalable electronic medical records grow with your practice
• e-Prescribing and clinical documentation capabilities

Benefits of an EMR for patients:

• Reduce medical errors
• Improve treatment and diagnosis
• Identify required screenings and preventive care
• Receive follow-up support like reminders, weblinks and self-care suggestions
• Access to patient health records

Primary Differences between EHRs and EMRs

An EMR is a digital version of patient information charts, while an EHR is a more expansive record of health information that includes demographics, current and historic medical conditions, treatment history, and medication history.

• An EHR is a digital record of patient health information
• An EMR is a digital version of a patient chart
• An EHR can streamline updated, real-time information sharing with other providers and other clinical systems
• An EMR is not designed to share information outside the individual practice.
• An EHR offers remote access which helps you share data with other users from any location
• An EMR lacks this feature

It is important to understand the differences between EMRs and EHRs and the benefits of each before implementing one. If you are looking for a digital option that offers remote access, enhanced security features, with the ability to view a patient’s complete health journey, select an EHR. On the other hand, if your practice only needs patient information stored in a computer system without remote access, focusing on a patient’s treatment received solely at your facility, select an EMR.

Want to learn more about how an EHR or EMR can transform your practice? Connect with our experts today.

According to Trends in Healthcare Payments – Annual Report, the average medical practice writes off over $30,000 in unpaid medical bills each year. 28% of the practitioners have no idea how much they are or should be writing off. As healthcare reimbursement evolves, healthcare providers must adapt and start focusing on increasing payments and decreasing A/R time in order to increase cash flow and collection at their practice.

Increase cash flow and collection at your medical practice by implementing these four simple steps.

1. Follow efficient insurance verification process
2. Send pending invoices at regular time intervals
3. Offer multiple payment options
4. Outsource your revenue cycle management process to a trusted partner

1. Follow efficient insurance verification process prior to offering service

The first step in this process is to ensure that each patient has valid, active insurance coverage before they receive any care. A simple way to do this is through software tools integrated with your electronic health record (EHR) system that can do quick insurance checks.

2. Send pending invoice at regular time intervals

Sending a copy of the bill to the patient’s insurance company after each visit, will significantly shorten A/R over time. Additionally, asking patients to pay their bills as they leave can also increase revenue flow. The most common reason for not receiving payment from insurance companies is incorrect or lack of information from your office. By reducing the number of outstanding claims, you also reduce the amount of reimbursement they can deny and increase cash flow and collection in medical billing.

3. Offer multiple payment options

Offering multiple ways for your patients to pay is one of the easiest steps you can take to improve cash flow and collection. By offering credit card payments, checks, cash, etc., you broaden the options for your patients. Taking it one step further, sending electronic statements via email or text messages attached with these payment options or online payment links, makes payment simple and fast. Additionally, offering payment plans adds an extra layer of convenience by allowing patients to take control of their healthcare costs.

Offering payment assistance programs will also improve cash flow and collection within your medical practice. This option is quickly gaining popularity across all industries. Position yourself for success by providing information on your website about financial relief options.

5. Outsource your Revenue Cycle Management process to trusted partner

Outsourcing your Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) process is the best way to transition your medical billing processes in-house and improve cash flow and collection for your business. By partnering with a qualified RCM company to take care of all aspects of your A/R process, including accounts receivable and collections, you will be able to save money on labor costs while increasing customer satisfaction due to faster payments and reduced A/R time.

Taking some of these simple steps, can greatly reduce outstanding claims and collection issues, while quick improving cash flow. Efficient Revenue Cycle Management is key to successful revenue generation. With a qualified workforce, checkpoints at each stage of the claim processing, and regular audits, you can build an efficient and effective RCM process for your practice.

If you are interested in learning more about iPatientCare’s advanced RCM solutions, contact our experts today.

Here are 3 steps to help you manage claims denials at your medical practice and start receiving timely reimbursements.

1. Ensure that all patient demographic and insurance information is entered into the EHR accurately.

Correctly capturing patients’ demographic and insurance information is the first step to successfully billing claims and avoiding denials. Insurance companies will check this information against their records during the claims reimbursement process and may deny claims if demographic or insurance information is incorrect. Train front desk staff and registrar personnel on how to capture and enter this information as accurately as possible.

2. Obtain prior authorizations when required by insurance carriers.

Insurance payers often require prior authorization for high-value services and drugs. Obtaining this prior authorization information from the carrier prior to billing the claim will help ensure that the claim has all of the information it needs to be paid and will reduce the chances of a claim denial. Implementing a streamlined process among your billing team to obtain prior authorizations is an important consideration to manage prior authorizations.

3. Proactively identify and review denials.
   

Implementing a process to proactively identify and work denials is critical in the denial management process. Request that a member of your billing team run denials reports and check claims statuses frequently to ensure denials are worked and resubmitted in a timely manner. It is important to make sure denials are worked quickly so payments can be received as fast as possible for maximum reimbursement.

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce claims denials and get paid for the services your practice renders. iPatientCare’s efficient billing workflow makes it easier to identify and work denials to maximize reimbursement potential for practices. Our expert revenue cycle management team is also available to manage all aspects of billing, including denial management and follow-up.

If you would like to see how iPatientCare’s Practice Management software and or Revenue Cycle Management services can help your medical practice schedule a demo or contact us today.