Medical coding is a process you should pay attention to when ensuring healthcare providers collect all money due to services rendered.
Whether you are considering partnering with a medical coding company or already working with one, understanding their coding processes and workflows is essential for your business.
Previously, at Health Prime, we have discussed questions you should ask your medical billing partner to ensure cleaner claims, maximum reimbursement, and lower compliance risk. Read the blog here Top 5 Coding Questions to Ask your Medical Billing Partner.
However, there are other bonus workflow questions for medical coding companies that you should take into consideration:
1. Do your medical coding and IT specialists have an ongoing dialogue to optimize the coding process and address issues that arise?
When coding and IT specialists have constant communication, they are in an optimal position to continually refine and enhance the coding process. Medical coders have insights into technological enhancements that can benefit the process. However, it is the IT department that turns these ideas into reality.
Exchanging innovative ideas often results in maximum efficiency, productivity, and accuracy. If both specialists are aligned can lead to an improved coding process that can help providers get paid faster and with fewer delays.
2. Do you have a dedicated IT department?
It is best if your medical coding partner has an internal IT department so implementations are handled inside the company. This allows more control over the process. It also gives the ability to address issues that might arise in a timely and efficient manner.
Proprietary technology allows for fast responses to industry changes through leading-edge automation.
3. How do you ensure you are HIPAA compliant when confronted with paper claims?
A medical coding company should have a detailed compliance checklist to ensure that all HIPAA regulations are thoroughly followed. When dealing with paper workflows, companies must adhere to these procedures.
Covered Entities (CE) and their Business Associates (BA) must comply with HIPAA policies to protect health data from patients. It’s part of the covered entities’ duty to ensure their BA is HIPAA Compliant. Read more on our blog How to make sure your Business Associates are HIPAA Compliant.
4. Have you worked with medical coding files exported from a variety of hospital systems?
Knowing various hospital systems is essential. Sometimes institutions change these systems, and you want to avoid the possibility of impacting your workflows or billing process. The staff working with a specific system must be thoroughly trained in the related workflow. Different systems or even different versions of the same system have distinctive features.
Therefore, it is vital for your practice that your partner knows all the hospital and clinical information systems in use today.
Learn more about improving your medical practice by outsourcing your coding processes. Contact us at [email protected]. Our team will set up a meeting to discuss how Health Prime can maximize your revenue by cutting costs, saving time, and collecting more!
Subscribe to our Health Prime blog Stay tuned to all the latest updates, learn how to improve your medical practice, and ensure you are getting paid for your work.
