A medical billing company lays a major emphasis on the successful completion of revenue cycle. To control it according to the goals, medical billing companies make sure to optimize the role of various departments in a practice. Every component is vital in its success which includes the operations of the front desk. Tasks of a healthcare facility can overlap which is why the absence of any component can result in bad performance. Among the various tasks performed by the front office, there are certain essential ones including:
- Appointment Scheduling
The main goal of scheduling is to improve the patient experience. This means that appointments must be organized in a way that allows short waiting times for all patients. Such scheduling will also result in increasing the efficiency as there will be no empty time slots. Long waits can cause frustrations among patients which can lead them to seeking care from other providers. Scheduling will, therefore, make sure that patients are given treatment on time whilst also keeping the physicians busy. Thus, both efficiency and effectiveness will increases, helping the reputation of the business.
- Verification and Authorization
The front desk is considered to be the ‘face’ of the business. It is the first impression a patient gets where they are greeted and their insurance information is verified. This makes the back end’s job easier, helping them reduce any denials that may take place. The interaction also helps the patients to express any concerns they may have. These concerns are addressed accordingly with appropriate explanations. Among the questions that are considered important to be asked by the front desk, there is:
- Is the patient covered on the plan?
- Is the insurance information up to date and accurate?
- Are there any other insurance plans providing coverage to the patient?
- Is there a limit on the number of allowable visits?
- What is the patient’s liability for the total cost?
These questions will help the medical billing company to receive appropriate information which eliminates any future hindrances. Thus, the number of denied claims would decrease, leading to a positive effect on the revenue of the business. Prior authorization is also asked about by the payers before any services are provided. This reduces the problems that back-end staff may face.
- Upfront Collections
The front office allows for the “point of service” collections to take place. They can collect monies owed to them without any hassle. This includes co-pays for any particular visit as well as any other amounts owed. This is especially a good option for higher-deductible plans where more money is due to the patients.
Therefore, collections on the front desk will help make the back office’s job a simpler one. It will portray a positive image to the patients as well. Goodwill might increase if the staff shows willingness upfront to work. This would help the patients to feel less pressurized about the payments and balances.
How to Improve?
Feedback
Front desk personnel can focus on certain aspects to improve their performance. Their operations are vital in helping out the other departments as well as the overall business. Therefore, it is important to ensure the balancing of clinical and clerical demands. Feedback can help them in this regard as it will inform them about how they can make their engagements better. It can be a method of measurement of the front desk performance. Patients and back-office employees, both can contribute to this feedback. Task designation is done by the medical billing companies to minimize any problems that can take place. However, feedback is always a good way to further improve your practice.
Communicate
Considering that the operations of the company are bound to overlap at some point, communication is an important factor. Good coordination can be achieved with the help of good communication. Therefore, to ensure that denied claims are reduced, the front office must stay in constant contact with the back office. The information verified and collected by the front staff will help in such cases and keep the business organized.
Therefore, it can be said that an efficient front desk can help in medical billing and insurance collections. It can reduce the errors that are likely to occur. Along with this, it will also decrease the burden on back offices by taking on the information before treatment. Thus, the revenue cycle of the company will be positively impacted. It will ensure that inaccuracy and incomplete information are eliminated to the full extent. This means the medical practices will be provided with the revenue they have targeted.
