Electronic Medical Records Healthcare Practice Management

What to Expect From Your Biller

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Mar 5, 2014 | Healthcare Practice Management, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Software

The biller is the most important person in the practice other than the clinician. It’s time that clinicians stopped accepting inefficiencies in their billing department by automating many of the biller’s tasks. The right software can help billers work better and faster, submit claims that are less likely to be denied, and increase the overall efficiency of the billing department.

Stop Manual Input

There’s no need for billers to manually enter every scrap if information. In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO are both integrated software systems that feature one-touch functionalities to input information and even send batch claims. That ability increases the biller’s efficiency, allowing them to spend more time following up on claims.

One-Touch Posting

A lot of information comes through the billing department, from claims and communications from payers to ERAs. In Touch EMR™ provides billers with one-touch posting of ERAs to patient accounts. A wide variety of information can be securely sent to patient files with a simple click of a button. Manual posting is one of the most time consuming tasks for billers and the software makes their job quicker, while assisting in quicker returns on claims.

Reporting Techniques

Billers should be able to provide clinicians with sophisticated reports about any facet of the practice. In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO both provide billers with the ability to generate reports by payer, provider and patient, along with location, ICD and CPT code, and by referral sources. Reports can be created by accounts receivable, payments made and by clinic.

In Touch EMR™ provides a depth of diagnosis that most EMR systems can’t. The software includes diagnosis pointers that allow users to produce reports that correlate CPT and related ICD codes. Reporting is available that demonstrates income by ICD code, allowing clinicians to determine which types of procedures pay the most, and which insurance companies offer the best reimbursement rates.

When billers are more efficient, so is the practice. Clinicians deserve all the help and advantages they can get and software makes the job easier for them and their billers. With In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO, billers can spend more time following through on claims and getting clinicians the money to which they’re entitled.

Web-Based Vs. Server-Based EMR Systems

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Mar 3, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare Practice Management, Physical Therapy Marketing, Physical Therapy Software

The advantages of a Web-based EMR system have proven so great that server-based systems are slowly being phased out. Web-based systems utilize cloud storage and access from a wide variety of devices. They also address HIPAA compliance issues and are generally updated regularly and automatically to take advantage of new features and functionalities.

Anywhere Access

A Web-based system like In In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO can be accessed from any device and any location where an Internet connection exists. Clinicians simply pick up their device and begin using their system. Information can be accessed from a laptop or desktop computer, tablets, and from PC or Mac operating systems. They’re affordable and don’t require purchasing a lot of equipment. Web-based systems are flexible and really are the wave of the future.

Patient information can be updated instantly and accessed by multiple physicians for continuity of care and patient safety. In Touch EMR™ is compatible with multiple browsers, allowing clinicians to work with systems with which they’re most comfortable. The integrated software provides practitioners with a portable solution for the practice, while allowing them to expand services to off-site venues to generate additional revenues.

Electronic Communication

An online system is required for conducting business with Medicare and Medicaid. Many payers, such as Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Aetna and others, are only accepting claims submitted through electronic means. In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO offers instant submissions and return notifications from payers that are transmitted securely for quicker reimbursements. Claims can be submitted automatically, either individually or in a batch.

HIPAA Security and Compliance

In Touch EMR™ and In Touch Biller PRO are both Web-based systems that are automatically updated and employ strict security measures to ensure the safety of patient information at no additional cost to clinicians. Practitioners don’t have to worry about maintaining HIPAA compliance, the system was designed to protect the interests of users.

The integrated In Touch EMR™ provides clinicians with an affordable, flexible and secure EMR solution. Records are stored securely in the cloud and can be accessed from multiple locations for ease of use. Updates and HIPAA compliance are included automatically, allowing clinicians to focus on treating patients and growing their practice.

Cost Savings with Your EMR and Billing Software

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Mar 1, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare Practice Management, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Software

Imagine an EMR system that verifies patient eligibility, documents and provides prompts for billers to get the most out of each patient visit. That system is now available in the In Touch EMR™. In a two-physician practice that sees 100 patients per week, In Touch EMR™ can add up to more than $50,000 in savings each year.

Front Desk Savings

With In Touch EMR™, the front desk can check insurance eligibility online in seconds. The front desk can create a patient chart automatically and another click of a button schedules an appointment that automatically appears in the EMR program.

There’s no need to call insurance companies or enter information manually, for savings of at least 10 minutes per patient. If front desk staff is making $15 per hour, that’s a savings of $300-$400 per week for a two-physician practice.

Documentation Savings

In Touch EMR™ already has the patient information in the system, ready for the clinician when the client arrives for their appointment, allowing physicians to immediately begin an assessment. In Touch EMR™ has voice recognition capabilities for documentation that will save five minutes per patient. That adds up to 16-18 hours per week for a minimum savings of $300 per week.

The In Touch EMR™ allows clinicians to make custom templates that conform to the way they work, not the other way around. In Touch EMR™ is also the only EMR system with iPad compatibility that enables patients to complete much of the intake work themselves that provides further savings.

Billing Savings

When the patient visit is completed, a single button click sends the claim directly to billing. The information doesn’t have to be re-entered and billers can review, edit, add modifiers and provide secondary documentation if needed. In Touch EMR™ has an automated scrubber, provides billers with prompts for a variety of information, and notifies them of potential problems.

A single click of a button automatically creates the claim and submits it at the end of the day. No manual batching of claims is needed. ERAs are automatically sent to the patient’s record with one-click functionality and statements generated.

In Touch EMR™ prompts for notes and when certifications are about to expire. All this saves 10 minutes per patient for savings of up to $300 per week.

In Touch EMR™ is a merger between theory and practice. Clinicians know they need every minute they can get and the software is quick, easy and compliant. The In Touch EMR™ is like having another full-time employee and results aren’t linear, they’re exponential.

The savings that can be attained in a two-physician office seeing 100 patients per week amounts to $52,000 a year. That’s a significant addition to the bottom line of any practice.

Will Obamacare Make America Healthier?

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Dec 24, 2013 | Healthcare Practice Management, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management

Obamacare is definitely trying to create a population of healthier people, especially in the workforce.

It does so through free, government approved services and employer-based incentive programs with an emphasis on prevention, since it’s much cheaper to prevent than cure.

Free Services For The Asking

Patients will now have access to a variety of guaranteed preventative services at no cost to themselves.

Services are free, even if they haven’t met their insurance deductible, and when the services are delivered by providers in their healthcare network.

Guaranteed services include screenings and counseling for conditions ranging from alcohol and domestic abuse to colon cancer and diabetes.

Patients will have access to screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and colon cancer, along with depression, heart disease and breast cancer.

Counseling will be provided on diet and nutrition, depression and tobacco use, along with HIV/AIDS and STDs.

Vaccines are an important part of Obamacare’s plan to prevent the spread of disease and prevent potential pandemics. Vaccinations can be obtained for chicken pox, flu and pneumonia, along with tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis.

Children are eligible for screenings to detect autism and developmental problems, along with hearing, vision and lead-related health issues.

Youngsters can receive fluoride and iron supplements, though the final list of free services hasn’t been finalized yet.

Employers, Incentives And Penalties

Obamacare encourages employers to offer workers incentive programs to get healthy and stay that way.

Incentives can take the form of cash and discounts on insurance premiums.

Employers can also choose to make contributions to flexible spending accounts that patients can use to pay for specified medical-related expenses.

Employers who provide workers with insurance must now offer a core group of benefits in those policies.

It represents a considerable cost to businesses and Obamacare legally allows employers to charge their staff penalties for not being healthy.

Penalties can be assessed in the form of higher insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles for transgressions that include smoking, weight gain, high cholesterol levels and not getting enough exercise.

Employees can be charged up to 50 percent higher premiums than healthier coworkers.

A Golden Opportunity

This is a huge opportunity for therapists to create programs that focus on prevention and maintenance.

With the assistance of the In Touch EMR and In Touch Biller PRO, corporate wellness programs are easy to administer and reimbursements are obtained quickly.

The systems enable clinicians to work with the greatest number of people to increase revenues.

Obamacare focuses on negative reinforcement to improve patient health and disciplines transgressors with higher insurance costs.

There’s debate about the effectiveness or fairness of the approach, but the benefits and penalties of Obamacare are a fact and it’s essential that clinicians find ways to work within the law to treat patients and increase revenues.

Obamacare 101: The Impact on Your Patients

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Dec 20, 2013 | Healthcare Practice Management, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management

Obamacare means major changes for virtually every segment of the population and clinicians will need to educate their patients about those changes and how it will impact them on a personal level. The healthcare climate will also affect practitioners and how they deliver healthcare services.

To keep up with changes in Obamacare, remain compliant and receive timely reimbursements, it’s essential to have the right software tools.

In Touch EMR offers a complete system that grows with practices. In Touch Biller PRO can be fully integrated with EMR technology.

Together, the systems make practices more efficient, help educate patients and obtain payments quickly.

Upcoming Changes

For many, Obamacare means healthcare coverage for the very first time through the Health Insurance Marketplace and the expansion of Medicaid, for others it will mean no change at all.

Parents can now keep their adult children on their policies until the age of 26 and no one with a pre-existing condition can be turned down for insurance.

A $63 fee will be levied on all policies to help pay for high-risk patients.

Most individuals with employer-based insurance won’t have to purchase coverage through the Marketplace. If their cost is more than 9.5 percent of their annual income, they can apply for coverage in the Marketplace.

Marketplace insurance plans don’t automatically extend coverage to spouses. Employer-based plans typically offer spousal coverage, but companies are not obligated to do so.

Employee spouses may have to purchase personal coverage through the Marketplace or their own workplace.

Married couples may have to purchase coverage independent of the other through the Marketplace.

Medicare recipients will still be able to choose their own physician and Obamacare closes the donut hole, allowing seniors to pay less for prescriptions.

Seniors with high medical costs will be able to receive in-home care. Seniors with annual incomes of $200,000 or more will see an increase of .9 percent in Medicare payroll taxes.

Penalty Fees

The individual mandate tax (IMT) fines anyone without healthcare insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, though there are a few exemptions. Beginning in 2014 the IMT is $95 on adults and $47.50 for children.

The tax increases each year to a maximum of $695 for adults in 2016 and $397.50 for children.

After that, the fee is adjusted each year for inflation.

Buying Marketplace Insurance

A bronze, silver, gold or platinum policy can be purchased on the Marketplace. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the average price for a policy on the Marketplace will be about $328 per month.

Consumers can also purchase what’s known as a catastrophic policy for around $129 per month. The actual cost will depend on the level of coverage purchased and the geographic location of the buyer.

Federal subsidies are available to help individuals purchase Marketplace insurance coverage.

Subsidy amounts will depend on household income, family size and geographic location.

Core Services

Under Obamacare, each consumer is entitled to a core group of services ranging from hospitalization to prescription coverage.

The emphasis is on preventative services and those will be offered free, with no co-pays from patients.

Consumers can receive free cancer screenings and vaccinations, along with consultations on nutrition, diabetes, and HIV and STDs.

Obamacare will affect patient coverage, how insurance is purchased and used, and the way clinicians dispense healthcare services in the U.S.

The exact impact remains to be seen, but it’s imperative that practitioners educate patients about their options and how their decisions will affect their coverage and finances.

How Obamacare Supports Affordable Care Organizations

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Dec 12, 2013 | Healthcare Practice Management, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of healthcare professionals and facilities that work within a network to deliver services and coordinate care for Medicare patients. They attempt to deliver the best care that stays within a specified “pre-paid” dollar amount.

Under Obamacare, ACOs are tasked with saving billions for Medicare.

ACOs accomplish that goal through eliminating duplication of services, utilizing in-home care when appropriate, reducing the use of costly tests, and eliminating long-term hospital stays.

When an ACO succeeds in its goals, every member of the team shares in the savings achieved for the Medicare program through a bonus system.

Participating in an ACO is voluntary, but in an Obamacare economy, many clinicians are faced with a loss of revenues if they don’t become part of an ACO network.

ACOs were designed as a means of providing better care instead of more care to patients.

Providers are paid more if they keep their patients well.

Many practitioners are concerned about the financial viability of their practice should they choose not to participate in an ACO.

Funding ACOs

The federal government has money to fund ACO startups and incentive programs to assist providers and facilities that want to participate.

Meaningful use incentives can be accessed and programs specifically developed for rural areas can receive money up front to develop and implement a Medicare Shared Savings Program to cover costs ranging from staff to infrastructure.

Continuing operation costs would be financed through Medicare and Medicaid, along with insurance premiums from patients and/or employers.

Healthcare Communication

To provide the level of care expected of ACO members, each individual and facility must be able to communicate seamlessly and electronically with each other.

That requires the availability of comprehensive software functionalities available in the In Touch EMR. Billing is a prime consideration and can be addressed through the In Touch Biller PRO software.

Clinician And Patient Concerns

The fear for clinicians and many patients is that a lower level of care will become standard as providers try to retain a greater part of the money saved by not ordering tests that are deemed as too expensive.

The current trend is to utilize preventative tests and screenings to prevent health problems before they occur, but it leaves many who already have health concerns wondering what direction their healthcare will take.

Obamacare takes from Medicare with the ultimate goal of giving back through an extensive array of cost cutting measures achieved through the managed care of ACOs. A key element is making patients accept responsibility for the state of their health, a segment of the population that’s traditionally one of the costliest to treat.