Even if you’ve worked in healthcare only a short time, you’ve probably noticed that many providers are overwhelmed by the idea of ICD-10-CM and may not know quite where to start. In addition, transition to these new code sets has been pending for so long that healthcare professionals still aren’t convinced these deadlines are “really real.” The common quip for years now: “I’ll be retired before it happens!”

But the truth is that you already lag behind suggested timelines if you haven’t mapped out your transition plan. Read More ›

Every practice manager needs to fully understand how analyzing data related to the billing process can improve the management and bottom line of a practice. In a one hour webinar, Knowledge is Power – Using Data to Improve Your Revenue Cycle, Bryan Koch, VP of Strategic Services focuses on how to analyze this data and how to use it to improve your practice.

During the event, Bryan discusses:
• What business intelligence is, and why it is important to the health of your practice.
• How business intelligence can improve all aspects of the revenue cycle.
• What key performance indicators you should be tracking.
• How the data that you’re capturing today can be used to prepare your practice for future healthcare reforms, initiatives and regulations.
• How business intelligence can improve the performance of you and your staff.

To learn more about using business data to improve your revenue cycle, download the webinar here.

The ever-growing complexity of federal regulations and insurance plan rules continues to wreak havoc with the physician revenue cycle. Consider the effect on your practice of expanding global periods, bundling edits, Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) and non-covered procedure lists.

Even the savviest medical billing staff must fine-tune the appeals process to prevent it from becoming a lengthy battle. Knowing how to write an effective appeal letter can greatly enhance your practice’s chance of getting paid for initially-denied or underpaid claims. Read More ›

Human beings continually search for better, easier ways to get things done – in the field of healthcare and elsewhere. We’ve been advancing the concept of medical technology since the first x-ray was recognized as a useful diagnostic tool. From the simple electronic blood pressure cuffs now found in almost any grocery store to complex robotic arms used by skilled surgeons, we continue to see an explosion in medical automation.

And the upsurge isn’t limited to clinically-focused technology. It also encompasses software and systems that streamline front- and back-end operations, improving both patient flow and revenue cycle management. Read More ›

In just a few short days – March 15, to be exact – we’ll take one more step toward understanding how the government will define “meaningful use.” That’s the last day the public will be allowed to comment on the proposals released in December that outline the meaningful use definition, as well as the various incentive programs. (Anyone who would like to view the comments, submit a comment, or link to the proposals can do so online.)

Meanwhile, every so often I hear a comment from all manner of intelligent, informed professionals that goes something like this: “What’s so hard about interoperability? Lots of hospitals and physician practices already have integrated practice management (PM) and electronic medical record (EMR) systems…” Read More ›

Webinar: Knowledge is Power – Using Data to Improve Your Revenue Cycle

Join us on Thursday, March 25 at 1 p.m. EDT for a complimentary webinar hosted by Bryan Koch, VP of Strategic Services, to learn how analyzing data related to your billing process can help you improve the management of your practice. In under an hour, you’ll learn: Read More ›

This year, you have to contend with 151 new ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes, as well as 16 invalid codes. Rather than just list the changes in code order, the following tables are meant to provide them in an easy-to-read summary format. You’ll find the names of the chapters in the ICD-9-CM tabular list below –alphabetically – that contain either new or invalid codes. To see the entire list of changes for the chapters that interest you, click here. Read More ›

Although the year is still young, 2010 promises to be a year of challenges. The economic news remains unstable and, like all sectors of American business and industry, healthcare will need to adopt strategies to protect its financial health.

Many pundits predict that the first and second quarters may be particularly tight for physician groups and other providers. Patients’ health plan benefits will reset to zero, and they may be pressed to meet their co-pays and deductibles as they, too, struggle with the economic downturn.

Here are five strategies you might consider implementing to help you manage through tight times: Read More ›

Given the financial crunch, it is more critical than ever for practices to collect what they’ve earned. Click here to access a webinar, presented by Elizabeth Woodcock, MBA, FACMPE, CPC, that focuses on the 2010 reimbursement environment — and how to avoid the pitfalls and take charge in 2010.

In this one-hour event, she discusses:

• How to leverage 2010′s key changes—including the Medicare payment cut, the elimination of reimbursement for consults, and more
• How to maximize patient volume and minimize bad debt—even in uncertain economic times
• How to take maximum advantage of government incentive opportunities—such as ePrescribing, PQRI and the federal stimulus package Read More ›

We now have our first look at the official shape “meaningful use” of electronic health record (EHR) technology will likely take – in the near future, at least. As many had anticipated, one of the principal underlying themes is interoperability.

The long-anticipated proposed rule defining meaningful use finally was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Dec. 30. On the same day, we also received the interim final rule setting initial EHR technology standards, implementation specifications and certification criteria from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

You can view both rules in the Jan. 13, 2010, Federal Register at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a100113c.html. Read More ›