Education & Support for ENT Billing & Coding: Why It Matters

One of the most proactive and productive things that you can do for the current and future betterment of your otolaryngology management, billing and coding is to make sure that your staff keeps up with education for medical billing services. Clinical coding optimization has changed a lot in recent years, and it is more important than ever before to make sure that all staff members are well versed in surgical chart auditing and other related requirements. Outsourcing with a company that offers services to provide you with education and support, can help you make sure that everyone is up on the latest regulations and that nothing is falling by the wayside.

What’s Coming Next?
Another benefit of getting education and support for your ENT practice staff members for otolaryngology management, billing and coding is that it will help them prepare for what’s coming next. The healthcare industry has been hit by a myriad of changes in recent years, making it even more challenging for practices and clinics to keep up. The importance of staying ahead of the game, of preparing for new regulations, coding changes and other potential game changers, cannot be overstated. While no one can be certain what the future holds for medical billing services in the years to come, there are a few things that are currently in the works that physicians can start looking into to prevent being caught off guard.

• DIGITAL RECORDS – While many practices are already using digital records exclusively, it is expected that even more aspects of otolaryngology management, billing and coding will be digitized in the coming years. Riding on the back of the ICD-10 coding system, as well as the fee-based system of the Affordable Care Act, and even changes in the way that insurance payments are being processed, it will be important for medical offices to learn all they can about how to incorporate digital and computerized methods for working with patients into their practices. Appointment setting apps, new software programs and communications via social media and other online methods can all be used to boost revenue for the practice and value for the patient.
• INCREASED DEDUCTIBLES – Raised plan deductibles are already being seen across the board for employee healthcare plans. This could cause a drop in patients coming in for care until they are really sick to avoid having to pay out of pocket. Higher co-pays and deductibles at preferred providers are also being seen, reducing the number of patients coming in for illnesses like the common cold, preferring instead to treat their symptoms with over the counter medications and bed rest. This could potentially cause a drop in patient visits for otolaryngology practices and physicians, as well as other related specialties.
• STAFF SHORTAGE – Many practices and clinics have outsourced their otolarygnology management, billing and coding to medical billing services and, as a result, there is a shortage of trained and certified workers who can provide clinical coding optimization and services under ICD-10. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that there is a need for growth in medical records technicians, medical billing services and surgical chart auditing across the board by as much as 22 percent by the year 2022. Take this time to train your in-house staff to meet the needs of billing and coding to prevent you from having to go outside of your office to hire qualified staff.
• REGULATORY CHANGES – With the change that occurred in October 2015 from ICD-9 to ICD-10, many practices are being affected by the required regulatory changes to medical billing services. While there is a one year grace period for slip ups under ICD-10, it is important to get your otolaryngology management, billing and coding team the education and support that they need to get on board.
• PAYMENT COLLECTIONS – Practices are finding new ways to meet the demands of their patients who want to pay co-pays and deductibles using alternative payment methods. Mobile device portals are now being used in some facilities to help patients make immediate payments or set up payment arrangements for medical billing services. Unfortunately, there are a lot of complications due to all of the changes being made to coding and healthcare insurance, so we can all expect there to be a lot of bumps along the way.

Trust MD Pro Solutions for Education & Support
If you are in need of education, training and support for your otolaryngology management, billing and coding department, look no further than MD Pro Solutions. We specialize in medical billing services, clinical coding optimization and surgical chart auditing for Ear Nose and Throat doctors nationwide. Give us a call at 508-946-1665 to learn more about the services that we provide or to set up an appointment for a FREE consultation with one of our highly trained service providers. Call today – you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain!