X-eGroups-Msg-Info: 1:12:0

From: "Earl Freeman" <erfreeman@adelphia.net>
Sender: Practiceimprovement1@yahoogroups.com
Mailing-List: list Practiceimprovement1@yahoogroups.com; contact Practiceimprovement1-owner@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun, 1 May 2005 20:51:28 -0400
Subject: RE: [Practiceimprovement1] Administrative burden and best practice
Reply-To: Practiceimprovement1@yahoogroups.com

Gordon,

Sounds like a good idea.

After 30+ years of a more conventional small town practice with from 2-3 employees, your inital idea of solo pracitce, Gordon, sounded pretty good. So 18 months ago, I went off in the same town by myself with no employees. I try to keep my days to about 12 patients but it usually turns out to be more like 17+. So the administrative stuff usually gets done in the evening and weekends; and I get behind and I’m sure I’ve let a significant amount of money get through the cracks. I have found a company in Pennsylvania that will do my insurance processing. They use Alteer software so it’s just a matter of them logging on just as if they were in the next room in my office. Between Alteer’s messaging system and the telephone, we communicate very effectively and timely. Since I retain administrative control of the software, I can limit their access to the data if need be, simply by removing their password. Additionally, I keep my own mailing address for all insurances and patient billing. That way, all the revenue comes directly to me; I just fax a copy of the EOB’s, etc., to them via Alteer’s messaging system. I once had the difficult experience of terminating a billing agency; they had all the data on their computers and the address for payments was their office. I eventually got it all straightened out but there was a 6 month problem with cash flow that hurt quite a bit. The way I’m doing it now, I retain all the control and if I need to discharge them, then I can get someone else up and running in a fairly short time and I don’t have to go through the tedious, time-consuming and error-filled process of changing addresses with payors. I do the initial coding when I complete the Encounter Form; I expect the billing company to follow-up on claims that are not paid as expected. if I have coding questions, I message them with questions and they advise very quickly.

So far (18 months), so good, but it has used more time than I expected. I under-estimated my time requirement and got behind – some of “today’s work didn’t get done today”. Catching up is a lot more time-consuming than “today”. However, having started a practice 3 previous times, either because of family necessities or because of changes in partnerships, I guess having too much business in less than 18 months is sort of good thing. I’m convinced that you are correct, that various functions and procedures can be streamlined to substantially better efficiency. One of the issues that I deal with is that this type of practice is particularly satisfying to patients; therefore they talk to their friends and I’ve had to become a bit hard-nosed about limiting and saying NO to new patients. I don’t participate in any HMO’s and other managed care plans, but I do process other insurances (I’m amazed at how many insurance companies are in my data base), I’m not a process nut so I’m kind of intrigued by your message.

Hm-m-m-m-m – “efficient processes” – let’s see where this one goes.

Bud Freeman

Kennebunk, Maine