What You Need to Know About ENT Billing Education & Training
One of the most important things you can do for the success of your medical practice is to provide your in-house staff members with all of the billing education and training they need to provide comprehensive account management for all of your patients. Due to all of the changes that have affected the healthcare industry in recent years, including the added spectrum required for ENT billing and coding, many practices and clinics have gone the extra mile to hire a healthcare consulting firm like MD Pro Solutions to come in and train their staff.
10 Critical Elements of Proper ENT Billing and Coding
In order to stay on top of all your billing requirements and ensure that cash flow comes in at a steady pace, there are ten critical elements required in order to maximize your account management abilities with regard to billing education and training for Ear Nose and Throat practices and clinics. Once you ensure that your staff is adequately prepared in all of these areas, you can rest assured that everything will function as it should. If you are still in need of assistance in any of these areas, consider hiring a healthcare consulting firm to get your staff and practice on track.
#1 – Knowledge and Understanding of Current Procedures
It is important that everyone in your otolaryngology office is on the same page with regard to ENT billing and coding. Having knowledge and understanding of current procedures and policies within your own practice, as well as requirements for account management, billing and coding within the medical field as a whole, is an important ingredient to a smooth running office.
#2 – Ability to Explain Benefits to Patients
Communication is key, but your staff won’t be able to properly explain insurance benefits and billing issues with patients if they don’t understand them for themselves. Make sure that you stay up on the latest billing education and training and consider working with a healthcare consulting firm to ensure that your team is well prepared to interact with patients and file claims properly on your behalf.
#3 – Understanding of Patient and Physician Confidentiality
One of the most important agreements between a patient and a physician is the confidentiality agreement. It is essential that your staff members have respect for this relationship and embrace an understanding of the confidentiality agreement and follow it to the letter.
#4 – Proficient in the Functions of the Computer System
Much has changed in recent years with regard to ENT billing and coding, as well as to basic account management. Make sure that any employee who will be touching the office computer system has knowledge of what it is, how it works and what is required to use it.
#5 – Knowledge of Medical Terminology
While most of your staff members who work with billing and coding won’t have had any medical training beyond the billing education and training they receive for the healthcare industry, it is important that they have a strong understanding of medical terminology in order to properly manage patient accounts of make claims.
#6 – Understand ICD-10 Coding
One of the biggest changes to happen in the healthcare industry is the transition between ICD-9 and ICD-10. If your team is not already trained and well versed in ICD-10 coding, you need to hire a healthcare consulting firm to help you prepare for this important change right away. Consider outsourcing ENT billing and coding to a trusted resource until your team is ready to do it in-house again.
#7 – Accuracy and Diligence
Two of the most important qualities in any billing and coding account management team are accuracy and diligence. ENT billing and coding must be accurate in the posting of all charges, changes, payments and adjustments made to each patient account.
#8 – Knowledge of Patient Charts
Another area that your staff should be very familiar is with the reading and understanding of patient charts. They should be able to retrieve ENT billing and coding information from the patient chart in order to properly encode it for account management.
#9 – Filing Medical Claims
Your in-house staff should have a strong understanding and familiarity with preparing and filing medical claims. This includes all of the changes made to billing education and training in recent months and years. Make sure they know how to go about following up on claims that have not been paid within 45 days, 90 days and more.
#10 – Understand the Rules of Claim Filing
Filing claims for ENT billing and coding can be complicated. It is important that your team understand the rules surrounding the filing of patient claims so they won’t get kicked back, denied or delayed for any reason.
Call MD Pro Solutions for Professional Consultation
If you are having issues with your in-house account management team or if you want to make sure that your staff are providing you with the billing education and training required to keep your office running smoothly. Outsource ENT billing and coding if necessary to improve account management and bring in an outside healthcare consulting firm, such as MD Pro Solutions, to provide your team with support and other essential services. Give us a call at 508-946-1665 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation or to learn more about our services.