Keep It All In Check
Now you have all your ducks in a row—what are your checks and balances? How do you keep the troops in line and maintain the necessary order?
Audit!
You’ll hear in2itive talk about this often, because we know the true value of auditing your own work. It’s amazing what errors you can catch when you let a new pair of eyes take a look at what you’re doing. This is also where your team can open itself up to new ideas and ways of doing things, because in this business there are multiple ways of doing things with no clear line on which is “right.”
Along those same lines, make sure your team is focusing on accuracy—everything you do in a business office hinges on accuracy, from verifying insurance to filing claims and posting payments. Check, double check and, from time to time, check again.
Now, structure and communication may seem like obvious things to point out, but I assure you that this is something people dismiss. Establishing an internal structure goes hand-in-hand with my earlier point about having concrete processes and policies in place. Specified structure tells your team when and how to follow up with payors and patients, what appropriate steps should be taken to manage a denial, and more. Just think of structure as your train tracks—you and your team keep the engine going but it still needs a grid to follow.
Communication demands structure and policy, too, and in2itive is a perfect example of why.
We work directly with the staff at our client facilities, as well as our own team, and have to stay consistent and focused when communicating expectations with the facility staff, because they’re the ones who then have to turn around and communicate with physicians about completing their paperwork properly, with patients about why they’re expected to pay before their procedure, and with a whole slew of third party vendors and providers about documentation, markup and receipts. Managing that kind of communication demands that everyone be following the same standards for dialogue, tone and information sharing.
Staying on top of things in a healthcare business office is no small task, but with the right attention to detail and the patience to follow process, success and a healthy bottom line are more than attainable.
Whatever you do, don’t forget my initial advice. Stay aware of what’s changing in your industry and keep your team focused on the same initiatives, goals and standards. And if you need help determining what those should be, just give in2itive a call.
Contact In2itive here, or call our Vice President of Business Development, Jocelyn Gaddie at 913-617-5088
