According to The Doctors Company, The Medicare Conditions of Participation make it mandatory for hospitals to keep patient records for five years. However, medical offices will sometimes encounter errors or unfollowed procedures that dent the quality of healthcare that patients receive.
As a person who runs or manages a medical practice, you’ll agree that medical billing issues always come up, and it is almost impossible to avoid them. However, focusing on preventing the most popular medical billing issues will improve patient healthcare.
Below are the main medical billing issues that affect patients. Read through to find solutions to help you deal with the problems.
Inaccurate Patient Information Leads to Wrong Treatment
If an office staff has illegible handwriting and notes down the wrong patient information, like the wrong date of birth, it could wreak havoc during the healthcare process. The wrong date of birth, for example, may lead a doctor to prescribe underage or overage medication. The mistake will make it more challenging for your medical practice to collect the money the patient owes. To solve this medical billing issue, staff members in the office should remain undistracted and put away all non-work gadgets during work hours. That should help decrease the likelihood of making a data entry mistake.
Not Informing Patients on Financial Responsibility, Leads to Delayed Medical Processes
Some consumers are not aware of the true magnitude of their healthcare expenses. They only realize when they are too deep, and it becomes difficult for the medical practice to collect the entire amount. Sadly, because someone did not inform them before they sought healthcare, patients sometimes pull out of medical treatment. In other cases, their medical processes are delayed, putting them at risk of health deterioration.
To solve that issue, your practice should implement firm financial policies that require staff to inform patients about the estimated cost of services and the collection of said amounts during any visit. That way, you’ll streamline the process and render healthcare services to patients without delays.
If you maintain an updated and proactive medical billing practice, you will eliminate all the problems that make it difficult to offer excellent healthcare to your patients. And one of the best ways to resolve medical billing issues is to work with professionals. They will help you boost revenue and improve the healthcare situation at your practice.
