physical therapy documentation Archives | Page 2 of 4

EMR Solution: Monitoring and Improving Staff Productivity

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jun 22, 2015 | Electronic Medical Records, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management

Did you know that electronic medical records can not only make the documentation process faster but they can also help to monitor staff productivity?

Critical business metrics (time in / time out, number of patients seen, number of units billed) can give the practice owner important insight on how to improve the business more and increase profitability. EMR An efficient practice is a productive practice, and one that’s able to treat more patients, expand and prosper. The key to that dream clinic is an EMR or electronic medical records system.

The system has a number of functionalities to help clinicians monitor the productivity of every staff member, identify problem areas or processes, and improve productivity throughout the clinic.

To maintain a steady cash flow within the clinic, practice owners must ensure that each staff member is seeing as many patients as possible each day, but without sacrificing the quality of care provided to each client.

Electronic Medical Record

An EMR can include date and time stamps, or a handwritten copy of the attending therapist or staff member, allowing practice owners to monitor how many patients each staff member is seeing and how much time they’re investing in each.

It’s imperative that practice owners implement an EMR specifically developed for a physical therapy clinic. It will contain the crucial elements needed by the practice and offer customization options that reflect the way the clinic is operated.

Following the implementation of an EMR, it’s normal for productivity to decrease as staff members become familiar with the new system. Speed and efficiency will increase the more they use the system.

The Greatest Challenges

Loss of productivity is one of the greatest challenges facing clinic owners. The problem may be staff members who are stealing time from the practice with extended breaks or lackluster performance, or the problem could lay within the office processes.

An EMR will provide the information needed for practitioners to pinpoint problem areas and take steps to effect improvement. Staffing requirements change as practices grow and an EMR provides clinicians with the information needed for the strategic allocation of employees.

Practice owners strive to maintain a full patient schedule, but some clients may require more involved treatments that are time intensive or there may be an increased need for specific services at certain times of the day.

All of those types of statistics are readily available with an EMR, allowing practitioners to schedule staff for optimum effect or terminate redundant employees. Improving on staff productivity isn’t confined to therapists within the clinic.

An EMR provides the tools to monitor and improve upon billing, coding and reimbursements, along with scheduling and communicating with patients.

Practitioners who have implemented an EMR can coordinate efforts with other healthcare providers to eliminate information gaps or duplication of tests that delays treatment. EMR solution EMR Must Be Fully Understand

Many therapists fear the loss of productivity that immediately follows the implementation of an EMR without fully understanding the benefits to be had once employees are trained in the system.

An EMR offers metrics to identify the most productive employees and areas within the practice where processes and workflow can be improved.

Identifying problem staff and more efficient ways to operate the practice results in significant savings and greater revenues for therapists who want their clinics to grow, prosper and thrive.

EMRs increase profits, efficiency, documentation and staff productivity throughout the practice. An integrated EMR represents a major change for any clinic and provides practitioners with the tools needed to streamline their business, monitor and improve staff productivity, control employee costs and increase revenues within the 21^st century practice.

Physical Therapy Marketing to Patients — Before, During and After Visits

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jun 15, 2015 | Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Management, Physical Therapy Marketing

Effective physical therapy marketing begins even before the patients starts his / her treatment. Nitin Chhoda shares some important strategies about effective marketing to patients before, during and even after their treatment.

Owners of a physical therapy practice will soon learn that marketing takes up a significant portion of their clinic time. The business of physical therapy marketing never stops.

Clinicians must market their business to attract patients, find ways to promote themselves to clients in the office, and develop follow up methods to keep the clinic in the forefront of clients’ minds.

Patients can pick and choose the therapist they see and practice owners must market to ensure those clients are selecting them. Physical therapy marketing can be viewed as a dating game where therapists court new patients, woo them from other sources and keep the romance alive with ongoing strategies.

Good Physical Therapy Marketing

Building a good patient-therapist relationship takes time and effort, but if clinicians are giving clients what they want, or perceive they want, it can be the beginning of a long and profitable relationship.

Successful physical therapy marketing strategies begin with a clinic standing out from its competitors. Practice owners can utilize a variety of techniques that take advantage of referrals, word-of-mouth advertising and free information.

Social media, search engine marketing, patient newsletters and discounts for patients that pay cash can all be utilized to build a reputation as the preferred go-to therapist. Physical therapy patients want to feel better or mitigate their pain and practice owners need to demonstrate to prospective clients how they can accomplish those goals.

Clients want to feel cared for and clinicians that make each patient feel as if they’re the clinic’s only priority are guaranteed return business, an effective physical therapy marketing technique. Clinicians who achieve that are building a team of cheerleaders for the practice that will have far-reaching effects.

Promoting a physical therapy practice doesn’t have to be expensive. Some of the best strategies utilize simple but low-cost methods. The most effective physical therapy marketing strategies use a combination of techniques and can include any of the following.

Patient newsletter (a very effective physical therapy marketing strategy);
Hold a customer appreciation day;
Establish a VIP club with discounts for those who pay cash or pay their balance by a specific time and give away free trial memberships;
Write a column for the local newspaper, do regular radio spots and make the clinic’s expertise available to TV stations;
Submit press releases online to announce new products, methods, techniques and services;
Network with other healthcare professionals for referrals;
Send patients a note, email, voice mail or text message thanking them for their visit, inquire about their health or offer an incentive for discharged patients to return;
Give a community presentation on injury prevention or the benefits of exercise;

Create and distribute an audio CD or short DVD about the practice, its services or the benefits of physical therapy;
Develop a product or treatment method specific to the clinic;
Provide free information on the business website;
Utilize social media to connect with clients;
Offer a core service and two or three specialized services such as massage or acupuncture;
Create a blog;
Write a book;
Seek staff input.

The best therapists,with the help of above physical therapy marketing techniques, are with the most patients. They are clinicians that are warm, sincere and provide a superior patient experience.

They are not afraid to display a sense of humor if appropriate. A good bedside manner is essential and humanizes therapists to their clients.

In the office, even little niceties like free coffee and juice creates a friendly ambiance that makes patients feel welcome, cared for and promotes a practice they eagerly return to for all their physical therapy marketing needs.

Billers: Are They Making These Mistakes with the Billing Service?

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Feb 18, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Software

Billing is more than just submitting claims. It includes denial management, the ability to generate sophisticated reports and posting ERAs to patient accounts.

Billing companies or individual billers may have certain software or clearinghouses they’re used to working with and may be reluctant to change.

Billers may not even be aware that software exists with automatic functions that can make their job easier and more productive.

They’re often spending more time than they should on tasks that can be automated. In Touch Biller PRO was designed to make the biller’s job easier and facilitates quicker claim processing.

Automatic ERA

Electronic admittance advice (ERA), known to patients as their explanation of benefits (EOB), is manually posted to patient records in many practices.

Manual posting is one of the biggest time consuming tasks for billers.

With the touch of a button, In Touch Biller PRO automatically transmits ERAs to patient accounts to become part of their permanent record.

The software automates the payment process, saving time for billers and allowing clinicians to get paid faster.

Quick Compilations

Many billers are still compiling claims manually for transmission to clearinghouses and they aren’t scrubbing claims prior to submission.

In Touch Biller PRO has the ability to automatically collect claims for batch submissions.

It goes one step further, identifying areas where a potential problem exists and then notifying the biller. The software does the scrubbing work for billers and it can be set to conveniently send batch claims at pre-determined times.

Denial Management

Denied claims cost clinicians in lost or delayed reimbursements. They slow the work of billers, who must spend significant amounts of time in pursing those payments.

In Touch Biller PRO is a complete denial management system that relieves billers of the tasks associated with denials.

The software has tracking features that automatically assembles and monitors notes, communications, dates and documentation for easy recall and referral.

Reporting Results

Reports help clinicians determine a wide range of information, from where referrals are originating to payment rates.

Billing software should be able to provide sophisticated reports on accounts receivable, payments made, referral rates, by CPT and ICD codes, or by clinic.

Over 200 reports can be generated with the sophisticated reporting mechanism of In Touch Biller PRO.

Clinicians will always have the needed figures at their fingertips to manage any aspect of their practice.

In Touch Biller PRO can be integrated with In Touch EMR™ and existing systems. To decrease denials and improve reimbursement approvals, clinicians should speak with their billing company about the software’s advantages. It makes their job significantly easier and increases reimbursements for practitioners.

In Touch EMR Eliminates Scanning and Uploading of Patient Documents

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jan 25, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Physical Therapy Documentation, Physical Therapy Software

With the technology of an iPad and the In Touch EMR, there’s no reason to scan and upload documents to a patient’s record ever again. At this time, the In Touch EMR has the only dedicated iPad app for physical therapy.

In Touch EMR stores information securely in the cloud and can be retrieved at any time. Implemented on the iPad, the EMR offers a fast, easy and simple system with almost unlimited uses.

Say Cheese

With the iPad’s built-in camera, patients can take a photo of themselves for identification purposes, right in the office.

The photo automatically goes where it needs to be with the integrated In Touch EMR and it’s permanently stored in the cloud.

Patients can also complete forms and photograph them for inclusion in their records.

It’s essential to verify each patient’s identity for reimbursements, prevent fraud and avoid identify theft.

A photo of the patient’s insurance card can be taken and added to their file for quick verification of coverage and services, thereby increasing front desk efficiency.

Photographic Documentation

Clinicians can take photos of individuals during the patient encounter to document their posture, injuries and other visible data. The photos are instantly attached to the patient’s record to create a visual profile and establish medical necessity.

Clinicians can snap a quick photo of referrals, documents and records from other providers, all of which becomes part of the patient’s record almost instantly.

Education

Clinicians need to understand the various elements of Obamacare so they can provide explanations to patients.

The In Touch EMR is an important tool for patient education.

Clinicians can use the In Touch EMR and iPad as a visual aid to help clients understand what they’re being told verbally. Instructions, examples and pertinent information can be called up, printed and given to patients to peruse at home.

Automating The Workflow

In Touch EMR and the iPad automates the before, during and after patient experience.

Staff members spend less effort on time-consuming tasks and patients receive more quality time with their clinician. Billing can be completed and submitted, even before patients leave the office.

The combination of the In Touch EMR and an iPad eliminates the need for scanning, photocopying and uploading information to patient files.

The EMR in In Touch EMR stores data quickly, safely and securely in the cloud where it can be retrieved any time it’s needed.

Office processes are greatly improved for better efficiency, and clinicians have the ability to create a photographic profile of their patients, allowing them to bill quickly and reduce turnaround times on reimbursements.

Billing: The Importance of Keeping Records in Your MIB Business

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jan 15, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Software

Documentation is the backbone of a medical insurance billing (MIB) business. It’s essential to file claims for clients and interacting with the IRS at tax time. In this informative article, Nitin Chhoda reveals the many reasons for maintaining proper documentation within an MIB business.

Tools of the Trade

Billing software is designed to handle virtually any billing related task an MIB chooses to offer, but MIBs should consider the option of employing electronic medical record (EMR) technology in their business.

Fully functional EMR software is available for free and only requires a modest monthly user fee.

EMRs are in compliance with HIPAA privacy standards and submit claims electronically. They have the ability to maintain multiple databases for any number of patients, providers and payers. The billing software maintains a comprehensive array of information digitally or in the cloud, eliminating the need for paper medical records.

Avoiding the Litigation

Perhaps the greatest need for documentation in a biller’s arsenal is to avoid running afoul of litigation on behalf of their clients. It offers protection against accusations of billing for services and procedures that weren’t provided, altering or falsifying claims, misrepresentation, and billing for non-covered services.

Daily Documentation

Armed with a medical provider’s day sheet, MIBs are tasked with submitting a client’s current claims, complete with the necessary patient data. Documentation must be kept that supports the medical provider’s diagnosis, treatment and procedures performed when claims for billing are sent.

It’s a simple matter to import written records into an EMR for storage and easy retrieval should a claim be denied, rejected or need correction.

Billing software provides a running account for each client that documents which claims have been paid, patent balances owed and payments posted to a clinician’s practice. Billers can quickly refer to their software when dealing with clearinghouses, payers or recalcitrant patients.

Patient IDs and Coverage

A patient must provide a photo ID and a copy of their insurance card for a claim to be filed. All that information can be kept securely within billing software, allowing billers to update the data as needed. Copies of all those insurance cards provide billers with necessary information to submit claims that get paid in a timely manner.

The billing documentation provides essential information about the client’s medical coverage, insurance exclusions, co-insurance, deductibles and co-pays, and who is covered, along with any financial maximums or caps. The documentation contained within the software allows billers to ascertain if the patient’s coverage requires pre-approvals or referrals.

Contracts and Databases

To deal with clearinghouses with authority, billers need a copy of the contract between clients and their clearinghouse. Digital documentation puts the necessary information at their fingertips.

Multiple databases can also be created to provide an array of information that billers have agreed to track for their clients, from referral sources and revenues to the number of procedures performed each month.

Operating Costs

Documentation and receipts are critical for billers at tax time. The data allows MIBs to claim the cost of operating expenses, from equipment replacement and depreciation to loan payments, office supplies and coding updates. Don’t forget to document income.

With the elimination of paper forms, digital documentation becomes a critical element in business, especially in the medical billing industry. Billers who want an affordable full management system that will grow with their business should consider an EMR for comprehensive documentation, storage and retrieval.

Understanding the RAC Audit Process

by Nitin Chhoda PT, DPT | Jan 11, 2014 | Electronic Medical Records, Medical Billing, Physical Therapy Billing, Physical Therapy Software

One of the greatest challenges facing practitioners is a potential investigation by a Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC). Medicare estimates that there is a sixty two percent error rate among reimbursement claims in which documentation doesn’t match the billed expenses.

Private practice marketing expert, Nitin Chhoda, says that when services, fees and documentation don’t match, it increases the possibility of a RAC audit. The good news is that there are concrete steps clinicians can take to reduce the risk. And he shares that information in this article.

Even with the best coders and billers, errors can occur and it’s ultimately the responsibility of the practitioner to ensure that records match.

Knowing how the RAC process works allows clinicians to develop measures and install appropriate software systems to minimize risk factors that lead to an audit.

Medicare RAC auditors examine reimbursement claims after payment has been made, using methods similar to those employed by commercial healthcare insurance carriers.

The practice is known as pay and chase among industry officials. They look for inconsistencies in the billable services and submitted documentation.

RAC auditors utilize methods that comply with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules and regulations.

Determining the Two types of Audits

There are two types of audits – automatic and complex.

An automatic audit seeks easily identifiable errors in payments, but doesn’t require human intervention or medical records to determine a problem exists.
A complex audit addresses improper payments through a manual evaluation and a request for extensive supporting documentation. Medical providers have strict and definite timelines in which to request an extension, comply with producing the appropriate records, and make appeals.

The process doesn’t stop there. Practitioners singled out for a RAC will be reported to CMS for potential fraud. If the RAC determines the problem is a potential quality issue, they report the provider to the state’s Quality Improvement Organization.

Initiate Self-Audits in order to Minimize RAC Interventions

Conducting self-audits will help minimize RAC interventions, but the best way clinicians have of avoiding an audit is to ensure their flow sheet, plan of care and billed expenses all match. If they don’t, it’s a problem and the responsibility of the practitioner.

Integrated electronic medical record (EMR) software is a critical element and provides the first line of defense toward that goal of avoiding an audit.

Each EMR differs slightly, but systems such as the In Touch EMR, and In Touch Biller Pro, have capabilities specifically designed to assist coders and billers.

When data is entered, it prompts and advises the user for information and data to ensure all the components match and support each other.

It’s a crucial feature that offers a greater level of compliance and minimizes the probability of an audit.

Knowing how and why a RAC audit is conducted provides clinicians with the necessary information to help them avoid the experience. Confirming that the flow sheet, plan of treatment and documentation are all in agreement is the first step. The second is implementation of an “intelligent” integrated EMR physical therapy software system.