Even the most experienced and knowledgeable healthcare services know that there’s certain complexities in the medical billing and coding process they just can’t handle alone.

This plight for medical practices isn’t anything new, and is exactly the reason why medical billing services are so effective for owners all across the country. When you work with one of these services, you’ll be receiving expert guidance from a range of certified medical coders, but how should you conduct yourself during consultations with them?

In this article, we’ll discuss how you can create a healthy relationship with your medical billing company, as well as providing a few tips on how to prepare for and participate in any consultations you’ll have with them at some point.

Whether you’re a healthcare provider looking for better revenue cycle management, or you’re just a patient interested in learning about the process behind the scenes, this article is for you.

Preparing For The Consultation

If you’ve ultimately decided to outsource medical billing to a third-party service, there’s really no point in turning up to one of your consultations without first being prepared ahead of time.

Let’s go over a few simple steps you should keep in mind when working with medical billing companies:

1. Gather Necessary Documents & Information

Before your consultation, take some time to first gather all the relevant literature and documents they might need to do their job. This includes having the following at hand:

– Any kind of patient information, such as names, dates of birth, and insurance details
– Provider information, including tax identification numbers and contact information
– Procedure codes and diagnoses
– Any outstanding claims or denials
– Revenue reports or financial statements

2. Outline Your Goals & Concerns

Now let’s think about what you’re actually hoping to achieve by outsourcing your medical billing and coding services. Are you looking to reduce denials, or simply just free up your staff’s time a bit?

Make sure you’re jotting down any aims or qualms you might have about your current process so you can bring them up later during your consultation.

3. Research the Provider

This is perhaps the most important step of all, as you’d never want to partner with medical billing and coding services that are inept or incapable of matching your goals. Before you’ve even considered scheduling a consultation with them, it’s wise to check for reviews and testimonials so you can get a more authentic sense of their reputation and track record.

It’s also worth having a look to see if they specialize in the particular field of medical billing you need them for, or at least if they’ve got any experience working with similar practices to yours.

4. Prepare Questions

Never be afraid to ask some challenging questions during your consultation. Remember, medical billing and coding services can only adhere to your specific requests if you’ve actually told them about what they are, so don’t shy away from difficult topics out of fear of being too pedantic.

Here’s a few questions you can ask a medical coding provider to get you started:

– What services do you offer?
– How do you ensure compliance with regulations and guidelines?
– How do you handle denials and appeals?
– What is your pricing structure?
– Can you provide references or case studies from other clients?

5. Organize Your Information

Once we’ve actually started the consultation, you’re naturally going to want to have all your information organized and presented in an easily digestible manner.

You could even use binders or folders to ensure all your documents are kept together, or if you prefer storing your information digitally, consider creating a summary sheet that can outline key metrics for your practice.

6. Be Open & Honest

Lastly, always be transparent when you’re working with medical billers. Share information with them about issues your practice might currently be facing, like problems with medical billing software, denial management, or even just making medical claims in general.

This can be a massive help for an outsourced medical billing company, as they’ll be able to develop customized solutions tailored specifically towards your practice.

Outsourcing With PMN

Now that we know how to attend consultations with medical billing and coding services, we’d like to recommend PMN as a candidate to outsource to.

When you work with PMN, they’ll walk you through any questions you have in mind during consultations with them. Ultimately, they get how no medical practice is the same as the next, and as such will look at them accordingly to address their wildly different financial needs.

That’s also why they take the time to learn about whatever specific requirements you may have and create plans to address them. This all results in a boost in productivity, so you can be confident you’re reducing your overhead despite having to fork out a bit extra to hire such a service.

If you’d like to learn a bit more about what PMN can do to help your practice, consider having a chat with them at (949) 215-5055. Alternatively, you can check out their office in Laguna Hills, Orange County, California, if you’d prefer talking in person.

FAQs

What Kind Of Benefits Can I Receive From Outsourcing Medical Billing?

Typically, by working with a physician services like PMN to handle your medical billing, you’ll also see reductions in your A/R days, as well as receiving a bunch of reports/audits specific to each month.

What Steps Should I Take After Consulting With Medical Billing Services?

After you’ve had your first consultation, there’s a few steps you can take to ensure a smooth transition. Firstly, you can discuss the next steps with your medical coding provider, and let your staff know about any major changes that may be taking place.

Secondly, update your practice management system, and continue working on improving your revenue cycle management processes!