Patients have more choice than ever when it comes to their healthcare. If you want to build a successful healthcare practice, you’ll have to continually ensure that you’re in touch with patients and what they want. Here are some strategies to help you get started.
Get Involved in Your Community
Look for opportunities that allow you to get involved in your community. This is one of the best ways that you can showcase your knowledge and your commitment to the people in your area. Talk to schools about when they plan to focus on specific health issues, such as Jump Rope for Heart. Offer to come in and talk to students about the importance of heart health. Check with community centers and offer to help put together a health fair. Volunteer your time with local food banks and free clinics.
Create a Simple Patient Intake Process
Your patient intake process should be simple. While there are forms that have information you need, you could also collect an email address when the appointment is made over the phone and email the forms to the patient. This gives patients the option of completing the forms and bringing them at the time of their appointment. You could also perform some of the patient intake over the phone.
Additionally, every time a patient comes in, the receptionist should ask about any changes to personal information and ask to see the patient’s insurance card. This can help your office stay on top of changes that could slow down your ability to get paid.
Updated Coding and Billing Help
You need to ensure that the right ICD codes are used when you file claims with private health insurers or with the federal government. If the wrong code is used, the doctor is the one who is ultimately responsible. Incorrect codes can cause you or your healthcare facility to face civil or federal charges. It is imperative that you hire coding and billing help that stays on top of the ever-changing world of coding. Clients ARM provides ICD coding assistance and electronic healthcare claims filing for healthcare providers and facilities.
Accounts Receivable
One of the best ways that you can build a successful healthcare practice is to use accounts receivable best practices for your industry. Make sure that patients understand that their copayment or payment in full is due at the time of their appointment. If they need to make payment arrangements, you should have a set of standards that your office follows. Did you know that Clients ARM offers a free financial tool for your patients? It’s called Hello Finance Manager. We help your clients find a lender and you get paid in advance of providing services.
Have a Plan to Handle Past Due Accounts
Since it’s not uncommon for a healthcare facility to create a payment plan so that patients can get the care that they need, it’s important that you have a plan to handle past due accounts. Medical bills are one of the biggest reasons that people file bankruptcy. If a patient files bankruptcy, there’s a very good chance that you won’t get paid at all. So, how you handle past due accounts is very, very important. Create and follow a timeline. Follow-up calls on past due accounts should begin the day after the payment was due. This is important because not only can it help you get paid faster, it also gives patients the opportunity to ask questions they may have about their bill. You should also have reminder letters ready to send. Finally, your timeline should include when you plan to send accounts to collections.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with Clients ARM
If you’re starting a healthcare facility and you’re looking for a way to get the help you need while keeping costs under control, schedule your free consultation with Clients ARM. Clients ARM helps healthcare facilities with patient intake, ICD coding, billing, electronic claims filing, accounts receivable, customer support, appointment setting, collections, and more.
