By: Tina Bell Director of Marketing, HealthCARE Express When I first moved to the town I now call home six years ago, I didn’t have a doctor. In fact, I didn’t even know where to begin to go if a cold bug bit me that fall. But I knew there was a pharmacy in town on College Drive because I saw their cute little Urkle-Style car proudly displaying their logo as it zipped around town. The only other doctor I knew about was a podiatrist, whose fun yellow convertible with its Austin Power’s design, proudly displaying his logo, was also driven all over town. Later that fall I…

As you begin planning for 2013, set up a budget and timeline for upcoming ICD-10 transition activities. You will want to be sure you continue to plan to ensure a smooth transition to meet the October 1, 2014, deadline. If you are already talking to software vendors about installing a certified electronic health record (EHR) system to qualify for the EHR Incentive Programs, make sure your system will accommodate ICD-10 codes, too. If you have not yet selected an EHR system, be sure to discuss the ICD-10 transition with your vendor. Here are some questions to ask your vendor: • Will the system…

Although the final rule on the proposed ICD-10 deadline change has yet to be published, it is important to continue planning for the transition to ICD-10. The switch to the new code set will affect every aspect of how your organization provides care, but with adequate planning and preparation, you can ensure a smooth transition for your practice. You should consider the following checklist to help keep your efforts on track with your transition: • Educate staff and leadership about ICD-10 … • Appoint an ICD-10 coordination manager and delegate a steering committee to manage the transition … •…

By: Tina Bell … If you have an iPhone 4s or greater, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time playing around with Siri. Designed to be a voice activated personal assistant, Siri helps you send messages, schedule meetings, and much more. One heavily utilized feature on Siri is helping iPhone users find the nearest restaurant, gas station, store, or other nearby place. This feature is critical for healthcare marketers to be aware of. You can simply talk to Siri and find local businesses around you. Have you searched for your Medical Practice business yet on Siri, and if so, do you show…

Assembling an ICD-10 Project Team to oversee your organization's shift to ICD-10 is instrumental to a successful transition. This team will be responsible for overseeing the ICD-10 planning and implementation process. Select Your Team … Since ICD-10 will affect nearly all areas of your practice, project teams should consist of representatives from key areas of your organization, including: • Senior Management … • Health Information Management/Coding … • Billing/Finance … • Compliance … • Revenue Cycle Management … • Information Systems and Technology … This multi-disciplinary team provides…

By: Nila Smith What allows a successful Medical Practice business to open multiple locations and have them be just as successful as the first? Their Policies and Procedures Manual, of course. Policies and procedures are the “formula for success” you have written on how to successfully run your Medical Practice. Let’s face it, from the first day you opened your Medical Practice, you spent a lot of time experimenting and learning some lessons the hard way (unless you’re one of the lucky few who attended the Medical Practice Success Summit before you opened your doors).

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of a rule that makes final a one-year proposed delay—from October 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014—in the compliance date for the industry's transition to ICD-10 codes. Secretary Sebelius first announced the proposed delay in April, as part of President Obama's commitment to reducing regulatory burden. The deadline for the transition to ICD-10 is October 1, 2014. Keep Up to Date on ICD-10 Please visit the ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare.

By: Candice Smith Negotiating insurance contracts. Coding charts. Working accounts. Waiting on payments. Sending statements. Working A/R. As the billing department supervisor for HealthCARE Express Billing, I am grateful for all of those things, as they mean our company is kept busy daily managing the billing cycle for several Medical Practice clinics. All of those duties revolve around the fee schedules created that dictate how much we can bill insurance companies. They also help us understand how much we are getting reimbursed from our payers, help us recognize our allowables, and are a…

By: Tina Bell Yesterday afternoon I pulled into the drive-thru at a local restaurant to order a late lunch. It took me eight minutes to get out of the drive-thru empty handed , after the lady taking my order provided the most horrible customer service I've ever received in a drive-thru. I decided I’d rather spend my money where I felt like a customer not an inconvenience. I told her to cancel my order and took off across the street to another restaurant, where I ordered my usual, “veggie club”. As though I’d just made a big faux pas, I was quickly told…

In February at the Success Summit an attendee came to me and said, “If I had a marketer like yours, my clinics would be as successful as yours.” I smiled and thanked them. In September at the Success Summit I had someone say, "If I had your billing supervisor, we would have the same success with collections as you." Again I smiled and said thanks. A few hours later someone else came up to me and said, “If I had your personal assistant, I could get a lot more done.” And at the conclusion of the event, yet a third person came up to me and said, “It is obvious that…