Outsourced Medical Billing: Throw Your Practice a Lifeline in this Pandemic
In the current pandemic environment practice managers and administrators are responsible for a whole host of new responsibilities.
Lois Stewart-Wiebe
July 22, 2020
In the current pandemic environment practice managers and administrators are responsible for a whole host of new responsibilities. PPP, PPE, HHS, COVID...its enough to give anyone nightmares about the alphabet. Along with this comes additional responsibilities of reporting, record keeping, establishing safe protocols for the work environment, which in many cases includes reconfiguration of the office. Then there is the addition of creating/configuring the practice space to keep you patients safe, along with monitoring and complying with state and local rules as they change to adjust to the situation. It's the perfect time to consider outsourced medical billing.
The one thing that has not changed is the need to be paid. In fact, now it's more important than ever. Practices with in-house billing departments face new challenges. The simple solution is to let your staff work from home like very other business does, right? It seems this is the ideal solution for billing staff in particular, since they do not need to interact with patients. However, don't forget those other alphabet combinations, OSHA, and HIPAA, which carry significant risk to the practice if not managed appropriately.
OSHA states that as long as the staff member is on the job, the employer is responsible for ensuring that the employee is not injured on the job regardless of location. Do they have the right ergonomics at home? Do you have to upgrade any equipment? Many hospitals have reported an increase in imaging for neck and back pain since the start of the pandemic. This only makes sense given the upheaval in the work environment.
Let's not forget HIPAA either. The practice is still responsible for protecting the patients' data. How is that being managed when the person is off site? Is their internet secure? Do they have printed material lying around?
Let's face it. This pandemic is not slowing down. Our hopes for just a couple months duration have been dashed. Physicians and practice administrators are responsible for and doing more than ever before. Revenue cycle management is the life blood of the practice. What better time to outsource your billing? Leave it to our billing professionals who are already equipped to efficiently maximize your reimbursement . Let APS lighten your load. Visit our website for more information. Call or send an inquiry at contact.
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