| The role of the Medical Office Manager or Practice | | | | Avoiding Potholes in the Road to Getting Paid, says |
| Manager is varied and complex. The OM basically runs | | | | the cure is in finding the source of the problem. In the |
| the business side of a medical practice, clinic, or group | | | | book she suggests the Office Manager make a |
| of physicians. That means he or she is responsible for | | | | "rejection log" of the denials for each payer with key |
| billing, scheduling of patients and staff, maintaining | | | | information of the patient, the service provided, the |
| inventory, balancing the books, complying with Regs, | | | | codes, the charges, and of course the reason for the |
| and a whole host of other day-to-day tasks. | | | | denial. Doing this usually for just one week will help |
| But ask Practice Managers to define their role and | | | | identify and correct the problems. She also suggests |
| most will say they are "problem solvers." On a given | | | | using a practice management system that uses |
| patient's chart it's easy to find his or problem or "chief | | | | "claims scrubbing software" which can prevent errors |
| complaint" for the physician to deal with. Practice | | | | before claims are processed. |
| Managers on the other hand spot problems in the | | | | Even When Claims Are Approved – It Takes |
| office, and they usually do not need a chart to | | | | Forever to Get Paid. "Slow-pay-a-dosis" isanother |
| recognize the signs and symptoms of "Office | | | | common problem. And the best cure is a "pit-bull" of an |
| Tension", "Compliance-itis" or "Code-a-phobia." Here | | | | Office Manager who is not afraid to be aggressive |
| are some of the most common problems that ail | | | | with follow up. This also goes back to office |
| physician's practices today – and "prescriptions" for | | | | efficiencies, if workflow and other procedures are |
| the best solutions from top practice and office | | | | working smoothly and in synch, then the Practice |
| management experts. | | | | Manager is free to pursue revenue-generating |
| Working more – Earning less. Many physicians | | | | activities, such as collections. |
| say that today, they have to see more and more | | | | Patients Waiting Too Long. Call it "Waiting Room |
| patients – and yet they still seem to be unable to | | | | Fatigue Syndrome." There can be many reasons for |
| make up for shortfalls in reimbursements, etc., and are | | | | this, from workflow issues, to lack of qualified |
| earning less than they did years before. Yes, the | | | | assistants, to not enough exam rooms. Often doctors |
| experts agree that problems from third party payers | | | | are to blame for poor time management skills. But |
| have a lot to do with this. But so does office | | | | where the OM can make a real difference is in |
| inefficiencies. Streamlining procedures, and improving | | | | scheduling -- understand why a patient is coming in, |
| technology, such as adopting an EMR, could make a | | | | and do not be unrealistic in scheduling appointments. |
| major difference. The Office Manager is a major | | | | These are just a few of the major problems that |
| resource for streamlining procedures and improving the | | | | Medical Office Managers are expected to "treat" |
| bottomline. | | | | everyday. Each month we will look at some other |
| What about those denials? A major symptom many | | | | symptoms – and some of the best practice |
| medical offices are suffering from is a bad case of | | | | "cures." |
| "Chronic Insurance Denial." Deborah Walker Keegan, | | | | HNA-NET. |
| who co-wrote the book, The Physician Billing Process: | | | | |