How To Have More Timely Collections



Having a problem with claims that stay in accounts receivable longer than necessary? Do you have a system in place to deal with the problem? At our practice, the billing staff is small, but efficient. Still, to help them maintain their workload, I created the following criteria:


1. We have a written policy that office visits are entered by our staff into the system within 48 hours, and surgery within four days.



2. We also strictly monitor the documentation provided by physicians, since the more time which elapses after a visit, the more likely there will be errors in billing.



3. Copay collection at the time of the visit is crucial. It is an unfortunate reality that insurance companies and employers are squeezing the patient to make higher copays, but a doctor's office is a business and sympathy has its limitations. We train our staff to courteously and firmly request payment whenever possible, and to monitor every patient zealously should a past due situation occur. Sometimes, it's not what you ask, but how.



4. We also have a written policy regarding collections for unpaid patient deductibles or any out of pocket expenses. We follow a set pattern regarding statements, and an established time frame before sending any account to a collection agency.



5. The people in our billing department have clearly defined roles. The senior person runs reports every month to track appeals and maintain a percentage of which denied claims are ultimately paid. This same person is responsible for writing appeal letters and any related follow-up.



The main point is to have a system. As medical professionals, we can easily forget that without a stringent collections process, the success of our practice can be seriously affected. It's as important to have rules in place for the business side of things, as it is to have stated ethics for the compassionate, medical side. What do you think?