physical therapy billing and coding Archives | Page 3 of 3

The Right EMR System Provides the Solution to the Physical Therapy Practice

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Aug 17, 2013 | Electronic Medical Records, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management, Physical Therapy Software

Physical therapy clinics and providers should opt for the right EMR system that serves as the solution for improved management and better delivery of patient care. Nitin Chhoda reminds physical therapy practice owner to always choose the right EMR system to maximize its use and increase profitability.

Individuals in need of physical therapy services will always check on the expertise and capability of the clinic.

This will serve as the deciding factor in figuring out the physical therapy clinic or provider they will choose.

The same degree of professionalism and efficiency is also expected from the office solutions that are being utilized with electronic medical records for physical therapy services.

It is essential for any physical therapy clinic or provider to select the best EMR system or physical therapy documentation software.

Focus on What Your Practice Needs

Due to the wide selection of EMR system for physical therapy services, clinic owners and providers are having a difficult time sifting through the various features and functionality of every EMR system. Finding the right EMR system that fits perfectly with the practice’s needs and preferences are overwhelming.

The navigation and the user interface are the main features being focused on. The ideal EMR system can make the daily tasks a lot easier to handle while at the same time, make the office organized, thus, saving time and money for the practice.

User Interface

With many different EMR systems shown to practice owners, there are certain ways in which a user can interface in order to view and manage the documents online. The user interface is available in various forms.

The files are neatly categorized based on the chosen arrangement. This can greatly help in locating required files for a particular treatment as well as other important files such as the workflow items, insurance files, messages and many more.

Simplify Practice Flow

The right EMR system should involve the review of the workflow processes, particularly repetitive steps undertaken in the office.

EMR system for physical therapy services that meets the needs of physical therapy clinic can greatly help save time and money in the long run.

The EMR system that will be chosen will not only establish how the practice is organized, but also how well the patients are treated.

The professional image of your practice is also greatly affected. As the best solution for better management, workflow and delivering quality patient care, the ideal EMR system for physical therapy services must be chosen.

Electronic Medical Records and Its Role in Patient Billing

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jul 29, 2013 | Electronic Medical Records, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Software

Convenience is the keyword for the 21st century clinic. Today’s population is busy and mobile, with little time left after meeting, work, and family obligations. Nitin Chhoda discusses how electronic medical records system (EMRs) simplifies billing for both physical therapists and patients in a variety of ways.

Patient income has long been the lifeblood of medical providers. Effective physical therapy billing is a highly necessary procedure for physical therapists in particular, as some patients may have sessions last over a period of several months.

Versatile Billing

Electronic medical records allow patients to make payments on their own time with a push of a button. Today’s consumers are used to online billing for various services.

However, some medical providers still insist on paper bills. Online billing through an electronic medical records system allows patients to make either one-time payments, ongoing payments, and sometimes participate in automatic billing via credit or debit card.

EMRs make it easier for both patient and physical therapist. If a physical therapist would like to move into online billing, electronic medical records system is a logical step.

Instant Transactions

Prior to online billing, physical therapist billing used to involve mailed checks or credit card payments taken over the phone. Both of these practices took office assistants’ time to manage billing, and involved a lot of upkeep.

However, with electronic medical records, physical therapists can receive their funding in as little as 48 hours. Consumers are also able to pay on a variety of devices, such as phone or tablet, without waiting for a paper bill. Providers can increase their income by 23% by adding the ability to receive credit card payments, and EMRs provides that opportunity.

Electronic medical records represent a new wave in improved patient care and physical therapist billing.

Physical therapists who are looking to streamline their practice in income and medical records should consider using EMRs.

As one of the facets of the changing face of healthcare, electronic medical records are an essential tool for the survival of a physical therapist office.

CPT Codes — from the Medical Coder Perspective

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Aug 3, 2012 | Physical Therapy

Nitin Chhoda explains how medical billing and coding can be simplified with an integrated electronic medical records and billing system. The importance of communicating with patients and elaborating costs and financial responsibilities is also discussed.

CPT codes are pretty complex to use if you are unfamiliar with the process.

However, because they are so widely used, there have been many improvements in the way that medical coders and billers can access the codes they need.

Especially in an increasingly electronic age, CPT codes are only getting easier to use. Coding speed and accuracy can be increased with special physical therapy software that allows you to search for the right CPT codes quickly.

The most common reasons that insurance claims are rejected or denied have to do with incorrect coding or policy non-compliance. And every claim that has to be re-done makes the medical coding in your office slower and more costly.

With the Internet and software prices going down, these problems are being reduced for medical coding professionals and for the clinics that they work for. The high-end EMR solutions also include coding databases and can help improve efficiency and accuracy.

In order to draw more clients to use EMRs, software developers are learning to provide just what clinics and clinicians need from a complete electronic system.

Not Just CPT Codes – All Medical Coding

And of course, CPT codes are just one aspect of the job of a medical coder. CPT codes for Medicare are the same as certain HCPCS codes. Not every clinic will use all CPT codes, but only a certain sub-set. CPT codes list are only good if they are combined with the appropriate ICD codes when submitted with claims.

These kinds of important requirements keep medical coding staff very busy, which is one reason why many practices prefer to hire certified medical coders.

Communication with Patients

Another important way that CPT codes are used is in communication with patients. After a claim is filed and the insurance company responds with the amount they are covering, if there is any leftover amount it is up to the medical biller to bill the patient.

Patients usually find the medical billing paperwork to be confusing and overwhelming, especially patients who have recently undergone a medical procedure or have been diagnosed with a serious disease or condition.

Medical billing staff have to be able to communicate why certain CPT codes are used, why the insurance company did not cover the entire cost, and what the patient is responsible for paying.

Determining Future Costs

It can also be helpful if patients get an explanation about what future costs to expect due to discrepancies between the amount the insurance company will cover and the amount the patient has to pay.

CPT codes dictate how much a patient will be charged as well as how much the insurance company will pay.

The hope is that with a reasonable agreement between the health care provider and the insurance company, the patient will not be responsible for partial payments all the time. CPT codes can be used to ensure that pricing is consistent with the expected reimbursements from insurance companies as well as programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

CPT Codes: What's In It?

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Aug 2, 2012 | Physical Therapy

CPT codes and ICD codes are the terms used when discussing medical situations, and are used by the insurance and medical billing companies as guides. Nitin Chhoda describes the categories and roles of these codes as they relate to the physical therapy business.

CPT stands for Current Procedural Teminology. The CPT codes have been set and maintained by the American Medical Association and they are updated every year in October.

One of the easiest ways to understand the CPT codes is to compare them to ICD codes. While ICD-10 codes identify the diagnosis of a patient, CPT codes identify the services rendered.

CPT codes are used by clinicians, medical billing and coding professionals, and patients, as well as accreditation organizations, as a standardized communication tool for talking about medical services.

In fact, the reason that CPT codes are so useful is that everyone uses them when referencing medical services. The most prominent uses are in medical coding and billing, when a clinic needs to bill an insurance provider or government program. Medicare and Medicaid are both billed using CPT codes list along with ICD-10 codes.

Categories and Sections

CPT codes come in three categories, Category I, II, and III. Category I is split into six sections: Codes for Evaluation and Management, such as home services, hospital observation services, or emergency dept services; Codes for Anesthesia, such as obstetric, head, or neck; Codes for Surgery, such as nervous system, digestive system, or general; Codes for Radiology, such as nuclear medicine, diagnostic ultrasound, or mammography; Codes for Pathology & Laboratory, such as drug testing, immunology, or transfusion medicine; and Codes for Medicine, such as dialysis, allergy & clinical immunology, acupuncture, and ophthalmology.

Categories II and III are a little different. Category II are CPT codes that measure performance and are entirely optional. Category III are CPT codes for emerging technology use.

Not Optional

CPT codes are required by health insurance companies, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, in order for medical or physical therapy billing to be successful.

Additionally, HIPAA requires that CPT codes are used as part of a national data standardization and collection effort.

However, the copyright for CPT codes is help by the American Medical Association (AMA). That means that anyone who uses the CPT codes must pay license fees. This usually falls on the shoulders of health care services providers.

Insurance companies and government programs also use CPT codes as a reference for the amount of reimbursement that the clinician or clinic is paid for services. Insurance companies will negotiate with health care service providers in order to determine the precise amount, but once the amount for a service is set, all both parties need to know is which CPT code to use and the payment can be made in the agreed upon amount.

Updates and Improvements

But paying for access to CPT codes isn’t all bad. The AMA maintains the system and ensures that updates are made every year. The resulting system provides all users with a way to share information quickly and in a standardized way. The AMA has workshops to get informed feedback in order to make the system easier to use. The uniformity that CPT codes provide benefits everyone who works in medicine.