Questions to ask your billing company and EHR vendor.

In the forever changing healthcare field there are some very important questions one should ask if they are considering outsourcing their billing or purchasing an EHR software or service. One must ask questions in order to become knowledgeable on what's out there in the market and how it can impact your practice. With the many changes and compliance rules that have been set forth and some already in play it is imperative that medical providers from all specialties be aware and take heed to companies that are solely in it to make a profit and not have their best interests in mind.  

When deciding to make the leap and purchase a system that will give you control and access to your patients records anywhere, at any time you must do some research. Here are some questions you should ask the vendor to explain as this will be critical to the success of your practice in the long term. 

1. Is your system 100% HIPAA compliant, and what type of encryption do you use for file transfer and storage? 
2. Is your system 2014 Meaningful Use Certified?
3. Does your system possess a Meaningful Use Report Card?
4. Will my staff be able to get real-time eligibility status for my patients?
5. Is your system equipped with ICD-10 codes? 

 If the vendor is unable to answer these questions you may need to keep searching for a company that is equipped and ready for 2014 and all of the deadlines that are in store for the upcoming year.  The reason for that is to ensure that you are in total compliance and do not fall victim to penalties and fines for being in non-compliance. Choosing an EHR system can sometimes be difficult, but by conducting a proper market analysis and research and asking some of the above questions you should be able to easily eliminate some companies from your list. 

The same principles from the above also directly correlate to a practice choosing to outsource their billing, or continue to keep their billing in house but give them the tools to be more effective at posting claims. Why lose out on money from your claim reimbursements? There are many companies out there that can promise to deliver but never do. If you are considering working with a billing service for the first time or switching to a different billing service, it is important to understand what the medical billing service can do for your practice and the various service levels offered by different organizations. Here are some questions you can ask a potential medical billing service company in order to see if they are a right fit for your needs.

1. Are most of their services electronic?
2. Which electronic transactions and operating rules does your company support?
3. How can sending and receiving electronic transactions through your billing service benefit my practice?
4. How long will it take to receive payment from claims?
5. Who owns you're billing data?
6. Do they have a compliance plan in place? Are they HIPAA compliant? What are their security protocols?
7. What will it cost?

By asking these questions you gain a great insight of the company and where they are at and if they can effectively aid in the repair of your revenue cycle. It is no secret that everything in the healthcare arena is changing and there are many guidelines and rules that will have a great effect on a practice if they are not weary of them. 

If you would like further information regarding revenue cycle and how the above mentioned issues can affect you, your practice and your staff do not hesitate to contact us today. 

Triple E Medical Solutions LLC, is here to provide you real time solutions to your real time problems. Let the Evolving, Efficient, Experts in Healthcare patch the holes in your cash flow pipeline. By following the above mentioned guidelines you should be well on your way to making a great decision in the health of your practice. 

Phone: (888) 338-7293
Fax: (888) 391-2109
Email: info@tripleemedicalsolutions.com
Website:Triple E Medical Solutions LLC