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RCM

RCM: The Art of Compassionate Billing – Reasons to Put Patients First

The most common answer, when people ask about the area where medical practitioners have to be the most compassionate, is the clinical side of things. This is the right answer, however, it’s not the only place where people should be careful. 

Getting billed out of nowhere is a real surprise and one that happens quite often. Not only does it hit you financially but emotionally as well.

People think that getting insurance might save them from such costs, but as people spend so much time providing documentation, and following up, these costs still manage to creep in from somewhere.

Surprise billing adds frustration as it fails to uncover costs or to make matters worse they appear when the patient thinks everything has been paid for.

Intimidating the collection of bills stresses people out nowadays, especially during a crisis like COVID-19. A more compassionate and open approach to billing helps patients understand their financial situation so that they know what to do to build long-term loyalty, something that the providers look to aim for, more so in this time of crisis.

We Need It Now More Than Ever!

Surprise bills amount to millions of dollars each year. According to a poll where people were asked about the costs that worried them the most revealed that 2 in 3 adults said unexpected medical bills.

This is a problem as on average 1 out of 5 emergencies and 1 out of 6 in-network hospitalizations have one bill that’s not related. 

Things are starting to change for the better with new rules and regulations, like the No Surprises Act, however, people still are not aware of these rules.

According to a recent study, only 5.6% of hospitals were fully compliant with the new regulations, and that only 1 out of 10 patients know that hospitals now need to post prices online. 

Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are facing financial uncertainty due to unemployment and other challenges. Hospitals are coping with the financial issues from the COVID-19 pandemic, a good enough cash flow is more important than ever.

The bigger and more important challenge is to have some compassion towards the patients so they feel supported by their providers.

What Is Compassionate Billing-RCM & Why It’s Important?

Compassionate Billing is the practice that healthcare providers carry out by supporting patients with empathy and care throughout the billing process, this promotes patients in taking control of their finances, managing payment plans, and finding other modes of payment, improving health as a result.

For effective communication with patients regarding payments, caregivers convey kindness to the patients in every possible way. By this simple act, caregivers can turn a stressful situation into something that helps consumers feel cared for.

Working closely with consumers should be crucial by using modern ways of communication. Below we discuss why compassionate billing helps and how it should be done.

Flexible Payment

The size of monthly payments does not negatively impact the rate, suggesting that patients want to cover their duties and choose the number of bills that fit their budget. More options, due to compassionate billing, both the patients and providers win.

Patient Care Mindset

It has happened in many cases, when second or third statements are left unpaid, the patient often is removed from your team’s mental side. This shouldn’t be the case.

Medical providers should train the medical billing team so that they remember that billing is the crucial and final step of the care and treatment that they deliver to help patients be healthy – not just a regular exercise that manages income.

Data-Driven Payment

Just like medical don’t provide identical medical treatment to every disease and patient, then processing all your patient’s accounts uniformly doesn’t make sense either. Every patient and their bill is different.

Medical providers should invest more in comprehensive data and advanced analytics. By this providers understand an individual’s ability to pay. Making the payment process positive as they assess and assign each patient based on their unique financial situation.

Easier Payment

Minimizing barriers and bumps during payment is crucial towards compassionate bill collections.

In this world of high technology, providers should start to offer multiple payment options that include, telephone, mobile and online portals, so patients pay in a way that’s most convenient for them.

As a result, freeing up staff to help the patients who need a little extra help in understanding their statements.

Personalized Payment Plans

Providers and patients come most in contact during the process of Medical billing as money is a sensitive topic for humans in general. Also because bill statements can be overwhelming and difficult for patients to understand.

Customizing patient statements allows providers to simplify the patient’s bills quickly and easily, turning a  confusing process into something simple of more value.

Personalized messages and updates can turn the billing experience easier for them and simpler for you. Not only saving time but increasing customer retention in the process.

Of course, billing is only one part of the medical system that needs a modern kick, but it’s important to keep in mind that billing can be a pleasant process when done with compassion, and understanding.

By treating consumers as people with unique circumstances, we can support their needs, meet revenue goals, and collectively take a big leap forward into a better healthcare system.

To help you with this cause, medical experts here at Med-Miles can help automate and simplify your billing process, so that you don’t worry about your patient’s satisfaction in the future.

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Healthcare in the US

Healthcare In The US Is Outdated: An Overview

We live in a world where industries have to find ways of improving and updating, there is no time to stop. Constant improvement in technology is making it crucial to stay informed about new systems.

This is most beneficial if you apply it in your healthcare practice, especially in these times where millions are vulnerable to diseases like COVID-19 and heart attacks, etc. Having older systems makes the healthcare processes slow, often at the expense of your patient’s health.

According to reports by Palo Alto Networks, 83% of devices in US healthcare run on outdated systems.

Let’s find out why running on outdated health care systems is not recommended and how you can improve them.

What Systems Are Being Used Today?

Palo Alto networks checked 1.2 million devices of healthcare organizations in the United States. The results showed that 83% of devices in the US healthcare run on outdated software, with 56% of them operating on Windows 7, 27% on Windows XP, or decommissioned versions of Linux OS.

This is a major issue as Microsoft themselves encourages their users to update to Windows 10. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7, even if you do not upgrade to Windows 10, your device will continue operating normally.

But, you will no longer receive essential security updates or bug fixes, meaning your device becomes vulnerable to various security threats. Yet, over half of the medical devices in the US are still using Windows 7.

Risks Of Outdated Healthcare Systems

The practice of having updated systems is still lagging significantly when it comes to healthcare. This is an issue that healthcare systems and organizations need to seriously consider, due to these reasons!

Cybersecurity

Security breaches in the US healthcare system have been growing a lot over the past three years. In 2017, there were 5.1M registered stolen medical records, and the number has been increasing ever since.

In 2018 this figure reached 14M. Until 2019, the number increased by 65%, leaving 40M Americans having their health records compromised. There is a constant increase in these issues and solving them should be a top priority for everyone.

Healthcare cyber threats are a major problem for a few reasons:

-Medical provider networks can contain valuable financial information. Since there are very few people who do not see healthcare providers, nearly everyone’s personal information is available in some form.

-The linked nature of healthcare systems means hackers have access to the data that has been collected under patient’s names for years. Sharing patient information is a very important part of providing the best possible treatment to patients, however, that same sharing also makes networks extremely valuable targets.

-The attacker’s goal is to gather information either to sell or for their personal use. Using the content available through electronic health records, a stranger could use insurance information to set up appointments, undergo expensive medical procedures, or obtain prescription medication under the patient’s name. In these cases, the patient or healthcare organization may be held responsible for the charges or medications.

Communication

Communication breakdowns in healthcare can lead to significant issues and failures, often at the expense of patient health. Having outdated systems makes healthcare communication challenging for many reasons.

  • One patient can have various professionals providing care often over several unconnected locations. This can create dangerous communication gaps between care coordination and leaving limited opportunities for interaction.
  • Differences in education, background, and training amongst healthcare practitioners can result in unclear communication methods. Diversity in communication leads to ineffective communication and misunderstandings.
  • Many hospitals and clinics are still using outdated technology and communication systems. While most industries have swapped out their fax machines for email, pagers for smartphones, healthcare clinics are still using these outdated, inefficient communication technologies as a result costing everyone. If a healthcare provider isn’t able to quickly access patient information and collaborate with colleagues efficiently, not only is time and funding wasted but delivery and quality of patient care are inhibited.

Malware and Phishing

Malware and phishing schemes that plant malicious scripts on a computer or steal login credentials can jeopardize an entire system. Outdated systems make businesses vulnerable to these attempts even more.

It’s essential to train staff to recognize common phishing attempts. One common scam is to have emails from authentic-looking sites request login information, something reputable companies never ask through an email. Once a user provides that information, the hacker on the other end can log in to the system. Outdated systems don’t have the antivirus software that new ones do so why not get one?

Benefits Of Using Updated Systems

Updated healthcare systems in hospitals provide a clearer, more complete picture of the patient’s health, helping doctors to confidently do their job. Here are some advantages of updating your systems.

Updated Tools

Wireless medical devices have become more user-friendly, and their technology is always improving. Hospitals have to ensure that their operating systems are not only keeping up with these advancements. However, if the hospital’s operating system cannot keep up, the device may be partially or fully unusable. With an updated computer system in place, your hospital can utilize smarter technology and serve your patients better.

Streamline Information

Once linked to the system, you can streamline the data and create a complete patient profile. These devices save the patient’s information in easy-to-read formats preventing any misunderstanding of their results. No longer making you rely on handwritten and outdated data but rather clear and complete profiles.

They can also sync their inputs and share among departments more easily, generating clear and fast communication. Additionally, by allowing patients to schedule their appointments on the system, both of you know where and when the patient needs to be somewhere.

Management Improved

The management experience also prospers with this technology. These systems help you understand the staffing needs of your hospital by showing who is working where and for how long. Additionally, you can keep track of how patient care is being managed by seeing what tests are being ordered and their results. As an administrator, you receive a full record of what is going on in the hospital.

Reputation 

Being known as a technologically advanced hospital can improve your rankings. Patients trust hospitals that show that they continue to update and move with the times. This leads to improved reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. Additionally, insurance and Medicare companies tend to prefer hospitals that provide digital copies of their records. All of this earns you further distinction on the market.

Improve Your Systems Today!

There’s no denying it computers are now the present, not the future. The sooner a hospital adapts and updates these systems, the greater the benefit is to the patient and doctor. 

Securing a network can seem like an overwhelming task. Not only must all questions be considered when forming a plan, but you must find a way to provide substantial maintenance to keep systems from becoming outdated by the latest hacking methods and stay in compliance with renewed regulations.

Med-Miles is here to look at your questions and provide professional feedback, making sure your practice keeps growing and is secure at all costs. All you have to do is contact us at 

+1 888-598-9181 or email us at info@med-miles.com

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Virtual Care

Virtual Care Challenges In 2021

The year 2020, also known as the “year of the pandemic,” had been remarkable in terms of the extent and degree of change taking place around us, in all industries, regions, and organizations.

As COVID-19 had a bad impact on the health care system in 2020, which is why there is a huge opportunity for payers and stakeholders to reconstruct the health care system into a more effective and consumer-driven system in 2021.

Telemedicine has taken a dramatic leap forward in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as organizations have looked for rapid implementation so that they can continue providing services among isolated groups and social distancing protocols.

While the move from in-person visits to virtual care – both by phone and video – provides several conveniences, there are unavoidable difficulties for health systems, and challenges continue to arise as telemedicine becomes more prevalent.

Before understanding the challenges, let’s know about virtual care!

What Is Virtual Care?

Now many health care providers and health care systems are looking for ways to increase access to care for their patients along with a decrease in overall health care costs, which has made the health care industry grow at a faster pace. 

It is fortunate that digital technology acts as a means for health care providers to communicate with their patients while breaking down barriers that can hinder a patient’s access to care. This is how virtual care is an important role.

To define virtual care- “it is the comprehensive term that consists of the ways that most healthcare providers are using to interact with their patients remotely” one of them is Telemedicine. Providers typically use video, audio and real-time instant messaging to communicate remotely with their patients.”

Moreover, there are many benefits of telehealth and virtual care which are comprehended because of the pandemic, but it still contains many difficulties. As it has said in the report that there are a lot of difficulties in telehealth and patient experience of virtual care. Let’s understand them!

Challenges of Virtual Care

  • Technology & Connectivity 

Wi-Fi connectivity and different software with application platforms present technical difficulties. Even though laptops having basic hardware also don’t have enough sufficient video capabilities which will affect provider and patient communication. 

Also, many patients who belong to remote areas don’t have access, affinity, or skills to use the virtual platforms and medical groups also don’t have enough time to train patients that required for virtual treatment. 

  • Correct Use

It is important for healthcare providers and patients to use virtual care appropriately. There are certain conditions that might not safe and appropriate for virtual care. 

For Example – Metabolic conditions and behavioral health may be appropriate for virtual visits but exam dependents are not fit for this. 

  • Ongoing Personal Connection

 The third challenge is a personal connection. Healthcare providers are finding ways to make a personal connection with patients especially for those who are using digital health as use cases tend to be one-off visits (for acute needs like a sore throat) or care that’s not connected to a patient’s usual doctor (such as mental health).

  •  Reimbursement

Most of the providers are facing transition problems to virtual care and telehealth. Due to pandemic, virtual care and telehealth reimbursement arguments are highlighted. 

It is important for health insurance companies to learn that provider satisfaction is necessary for strong virtual care. Their primary concern is to get paid faster for the services they provided. Whether it is face-to-face visits or virtual care, reimbursements are essential. 

If you need help then outsource your virtual care billing to our safe hands. The dedicated team at Med-Miles will assist you in all virtual Care billing requirements and help you to get paid faster. Call our experts at +1 888-598-9181.

  • Limitations For Physical Examination 

In today’s technological world, many providers and patients have access to high-quality video conferencing but it is not easy for some providers to diagnose or treat a patient virtually. 

Moreover, the conditions that are not serious can be effective for virtual care. In some conditions, providers may not feel comfortable conducting an examination over video chat. This is the reason patients prefer in-person visits over virtual appointments. 

  • Awareness About Virtual Care

Some of the virtual care services such as chronic patient monitoring, therapy appointment, and post-operative care are specifically run on the software and hardware which are more costly that requires additional IT training, more staff, and purchase of different servers and supplementary equipment. 

Patients who are not computer-literate or don’t have a budget to purchase equipment and software have faced many problems in virtual care treatment. For this reason, it is necessary to aware of the patients of all the required needs of virtual treatment. So, he/she can plan accordingly. 

Want to know more about virtual care? Contact Med-Miles LLC!

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Importance of Patient Compliance In The Healthcare

Importance of Patient Compliance In The Healthcare

All over the world, it has been noted that patient compliance is a multifaceted and complex health care problem. 

There is no secret that most patients with chronic conditions have a hard time adhering to medical recommendations and treatment plans. No one likes to go to the doctor, but there are occasions when we don’t have a choice because our bodies eventually need some kind of repair. But, what is the actual problem? 

The problem is that a lot of people go to the doctor with health problems but they don’t take their medications as scheduled, skip their appointments, and/or ignore suggested lifestyle changes and health dietary recommendations.

There are two types of non-compliance- one is primary non-compliance and the other one is secondary non-compliance. A primary non-compliance happens when a patient fails to fill a prescription.

Around a third of noncompliant patients fall into this category. There are several ways a secondary mismatch can occur, and these include missing a dose, stopping the medication altogether, taking the medication at the wrong time, and medication misuse

According to the research study, approximately 50% of patients do not take their medications as prescribed and about 75% of patients are non-compliant in one way or another. 

Importance of Patient Compliance In Healthcare

Patient compliance is defined as the extent to which the patient follows the prescribed diet or treatment, and whether the patient returns for follow-up, observation, or treatment.

This non-compliance behavior costs more than $100 billion to $289 billion a year to the U.S. health care system, and this figure is expected to rise more in the future.

If there is a mismatch between the patient’s willingness to take the health care plan and the physician’s attempt to initiate an intervention, noncompliance with the plan is likely to follow. In the end, the patient suffers. 

Nevertheless, some solutions exist to help physicians adapt treatment plans to the individual patient that will provide them with the motivation to work together in their care and lead to better health, shorter hospital stays, and stronger health systems. 

Let’s look at the strategies to boost Medication Compliance!

Strategies to Boost Medication Compliance

  • Involvement In The Process

Many non-compliant patients feel they don’t have the proper support system to help them keep track of their daily medication usage or feel they are not involved in their own care process.

Patients who are not compliant usually feel that they don’t have the proper support system for tracking their daily medication usage. They also feel that they are not involved in their own process care. 

However, it is important to involve patients in their treatment process to get a high level of patient satisfaction. 

The research study also shows that providers who actively involved their patients in a diagnosis or treatment plan will get positive results in terms of patient satisfaction.

It has also been said in the study that when patients view their physician as honorable and trustworthy, chances that they will obey the following recommendations.

  • Compliance Reminders

With the help of compliance reminders, it is easy for patients to get to know when it’s time to take their medications. This will also help patients because it has been shown to increase compliance substantially, which will lead to better results. 

Also, 73 percent of test participants reported being satisfied with the program, while 88 percent claimed that interaction with health professionals plays a big role in their engagement.

  • Understand Patient Behavior

One of the most important things that providers should consider is the understanding of patient behaviors. Moreover, providers need to understand all the problems that patients have to face more often such as problems in filing, taking, or affording medications. 

For this reason, create motivating environments for patients is necessary to make patients feel comfortable in speaking openly and honestly. 

  • Create Awareness About Side Effects

In order to create awareness providers should talk about side effects with patients to let them know about the serious adverse drug reaction. Also, tell them how to prevent them. How treatment pan will be changed if they don’t resolve? Are they typically resolve without intervention? Providers should have answered these questions. 

  • Understand Patient’s Financial Condition 

It is also important for providers to understand the patient’s financial condition. Whether they can afford the medications or not, providers should actively involve in this process to boost patient compliance.

If you want to make your patients compliant then it’s time to make your patient’s aware of pharma company-based assistance plans, state-based assistance plans, and pharmacies that arrange for 30-day supplies of broadly suggested medications.

  • Decrease The Complexity

Reducing the complexity of the drug regimen will help patients to follow through with taking medications correctly. Some ways to reduce complexity are providing combination products and prescribe medications with once-daily dosing instead of multiple doses per day etc. 

  • Use Technology 

Patient medication compliance may improve with the help of technology such as automatic pill dispensers, pillboxes and timers, and alarm watches. A Bluetooth pillbox can provide physicians the information they can use to detect adherence issues.

  • Follow-Up With Patients 

Use medication reminders via text, email, or direct mail or during time allotted for chronic care management services. Also, schedule follow-up appointments to discuss medication compliance. You should tell your patients why they need their medication as prescribed even they are symptom-free. 

Considering that patient non-compliance is an issue in the U.S. that costs billions of dollars each year, the number of preventable deaths has occurred already. For this reason, it is important to find out the root cause of the problem and then address it with a proper solution. Hopefully, the above strategies will help you improve patient compliance while we help you with medical billing and coding.

Leave your billing and codding worries to Med-Miles LLC so you can focus more on what you love the most!

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Healthcare Trends

Top 8 Healthcare Trends In 2021

As hospitals, health systems, and patients increasingly relied on digital health technologies for quality care during COVID. At this stage payers and providers are looking for ways to minimize costs, enhance care, create awareness, and broaden relationships.

To understand better where the medical technology industry is headed, examining key technology trends is paramount.

Let’s have a look at healthcare technology trends in 2021. 

1. Real-Time Use Of Data and Advanced Analytics

With the rise in technology, the future of healthcare will be characterized by the re-engineering of clinical care and digital health operations with the wide use of real-time data and analytics.  

Real-time analytics will help hospitals to have a 360-degree view of the patient. With the use of real-time data and advanced analytics, the healthcare industry can deliver proactive care, improve healthcare outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and improve all-round efficiency.

2. Cloud-Based Technologies

The current environment of healthcare has underlined the value of improving workflows, achieving greater efficiencies, and better-integrating data across organizations by the use of important resources such as remote process automation, national language processing, and cloud-based technologies. 

With the use of cloud-based technologies, the efficiency of the industry can be increased while reducing the costs. This technological trend has made medical record sharing easier and safer than before. In addition, it also automates backend operations to make the industry efficient. 

3. Build a Multi-Channel Digital Experience Portfolio

Today, more than ever, healthcare organizations need to develop a portfolio of multi-channel digital services to offer customized, consumer-centric services that promote engagement and reduce costs.

4. Advanced APIs and Interoperability

As the healthcare industry is now relying more on cross-platforms such as EHR, EMR, CMS, CRM, and virtual health, etc. Advanced APIs and Interoperability can ensure safe and efficient sharing of data to reduce inefficiency, confusion, and ultimately patient experience. 

Healthcare APIs act as a bridge to allow seamless communication and help to increase efficiency and productivity so that you can deliver better patient care. 

5. Telehealth and Remote Care Expansion

While CMS and large payers have relaxed telehealth regulations to help providers continue to provide care safely during a pandemic, hospitals and health systems will continue to consider how to incorporate virtual care as part of their long-term post-pandemic public health care strategy.

The pandemic also accelerated progress in remotely managed care for both patients with chronic conditions and those who have COVID-19 but do not need hospitalization. 

These advances signal a shift toward a hybrid model of care that will largely replace in-person visits with both telehealth visits and in-person visits for services ranging from the follow-up to acute care.

6. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technology

By having greater access to healthcare data, artificial intelligence and machine learning technology can provide faster and deeper insights to assess and predict outcomes that help improve patient care.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are not new in the healthcare industry. Many organizations already used AI and machine learning in hospital administration and operations for years, more specifically in the revenue cycle process.

By combining wearables and other biomedical devices, combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence, it will continue to transform clinical research, treatment protocols, and increase the virtual care capabilities of medical professionals.

Moreover, it also enables healthcare to bring data to the forefront and improve patient care outcomes. 

7. Social Determinant of Health Strategies

Organizations will continue to look for social determinants of health strategies to help understand health disparities – including those highlighted by COVID-19 infections – and to mitigate some of the financial strains of providing high-quality care.

8. Greater Price Transparency

Moving towards greater market transparency will put healthcare organizations in compliance and also help satisfy patient demand, increase patient engagement, and even point to services. By encouraging transparency about price and quality, health plans can promote more cost-effective use of health care services by both patients and providers.

With the rise in transformation, it’s important to know new healthcare trends in order to increase the efficiency and productivity of the healthcare industry. If you need help, our experts are helping the largest providers and payers with comprehensive solutions. 

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