Benefits of automating your Medical Billing Process
Humanity is evolving, embracing a digitally advanced future. The use of artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses operate. Business that are not adjusting to this change will struggle to survive.
Healthcare automates revenue cycle to match tech advancements.
Healthcare and Automation
Healthcare pros spend twice as much time on admin as patient care.
Medical practices face declining profits due to repetitive administrative tasks required by CMS. CMS urges practices to automate or control administrative tasks.
CMS urges practices to automate or control administrative tasks.
Automation is feared for complexity, but it means more work with less human effort. Examples of automation: alerts for appointments or allergies from databases.
This article explores automation's impact and benefits in healthcare.
What do we cover in this article?
- What is Automation?
- What does automation in healthcare industry mean?
- What are the benefits of automation for a Medical Practice?
- What steps can be automated in a Practice Management and Medical Billing/Revenue Cycle Management process for maximum optimization?
- Why is automation feared by the Medical Practice’s staff?
- How to make best of this information?
What is Automation?
Automation means using technology applications to minimize human effort and maximize results. This may include business process automation, IT automation, Artificial intelligence automation. Following are the types of automation:
What does automation in healthcare industry mean?
Automation in healthcare is highly complex. Healthcare leaders need to grasp automation's benefits and challenges for effective technology use.
It’s important to know the difference between true automation and a mere marketing ploy. Vendors often misrepresent automation. True automation requires no human intervention.
Operations of this type include:
Adding a patient to a list
Checking them in and out
Requiring patients to use a new portal or site
True automation works in the background without constant attention. A solution that would still work even if the staff didn’t know it was on is clearly automatic. Automatic solutions can complete tasks or sequences without human intervention.
When Is the Time to Automate?
Healthcare has many tasks that could benefit from automation, making prioritization challenging. Automating time-consuming, rarely performed tasks is often a good priority.
Automate processes where effort exceeds benefit. Healthcare professionals avoid tasks with low benefit-to-time ratio. Example: Orgs avoid standardizing appointment types due to difficulty quantifying benefits.
Healthcare leaders must adapt to automation trends.
What are the benefits of automation for a Medical Practice?
Healthcare leaders already know that automation works.
* As per healthcare industry organization CAQH
New healthcare leaders must implement automation to lower costs, improve care, & use data.
This article discusses eight of the most important benefits of automation in healthcare.
Benefits of Automation
Automation is transforming healthcare by enabling efficiencies beyond manual methods. As a result of freeing staff from less human-facing work, patients receive better care. The following list describes some specific benefits of automation in healthcare.
1. Simple Scheduling
Manual appointment scheduling is complex due to conflicts and rules for patient-provider matching. Appointment scheduling software automates tasks efficiently.
Considerations are crucial for the software to effectively manage practices and patients' needs. Scheduling software must integrate with EHR/PM to apply scheduling rules.
2. Reducing Cost
Cost reduction is the primary reason most healthcare executives implement automation solutions. They achieve this through reduced overtime, increased efficiency, and fewer errors. Automation helps practitioners achieve more in regular shifts, reducing stress. Automation improves efficiency, reducing the need for staff overtime. It also allows staff to focus on patient care, resulting in fewer payouts due to medical errors.
Scheduling software reduces training/onboarding costs by automating rules previously managed manually. Additionally, online patient scheduling reduces acquisition costs.
3. Easy Transfer and Access to Data
Many facilities are automating the transfer and access of patient data. Automated solutions integrate patient data into a shared database. Automation helps share data across healthcare.
Automation connects devices to share data, reducing workflow bottlenecks. This capability saves time by reducing administrative overhead.
Ensure technology partners have proper security certifications for HIPAA and TCPA compliance.
4. Fewer Errors
Automation reduces error risk by minimizing human involvement, improving treatment effectiveness. Automation enhances both clinical and administrative healthcare operations.
Data sharing across systems enables process optimization, like reducing surgery wait times. Automation enables healthcare facilities to serve more patients and provide timely care.
5. Handling Emergencies and Adapting to Change
Healthcare uses machine learning to dynamically adjust staffing based on patient volume changes. This feature of automation can also reduce wait times for ambulatory services. Healthcare can predict staffing needs, like for flu season, by analyzing historical data.
Practices use automation to adapt to pandemic changes. Automated messaging helps healthcare adapt to changes and emergencies.
6. Higher Patient Satisfaction
Patient satisfaction depends on the level of care received. Ease of scheduling and appointments is key to patient satisfaction. Appointment time and wait times impact patient satisfaction.
Automation improves patient satisfaction and experience. Automated appointment reminders and rescheduling improves patient experience.
Patients can schedule appointments online anytime. Self-scheduling software gives patients flexibility to choose convenient appointment times.
7. Better Privacy
Healthcare must follow HIPAA to protect patient data. Automated case management configures usage rights to ensure HIPAA compliance. This function ensures that only authorized personnel are able to access PHI.
8. Scheduling Patients More Quickly
Online self-scheduling is easier and faster for patients than calling. Online self-scheduling allows patients to conveniently schedule appointments anytime.
Patients can specify appointment details online. Online scheduling allows patients to filter and find the right providers. Online scheduling maintains practice controls and workflows.
What steps can be automated in the Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Management / Medical Billing Processes?
- Scheduling
- Insurance Verification
- Claim Creation and Validation
- Claim Submission
- Claim Tracking
- Denial management
- Payment Posting
- Patient AR Management
- Analytics and Reporting
Contact us for more details on automating the above steps.
Why is automation feared by the Medical Practice’s staff?
The prospect of automating processes often raises concerns about reducing staff. Automation frees staff for clinical work. Automation in healthcare doesn't mean layoffs. In fact, studies consistently show that fully automated solutions improve staff satisfaction.
Staff training should be an integral part of the deployment of an automated solution. Training should show how new tech makes work and patient care easier. These steps all help staff members adapt to their new schedules as quickly as possible.
How to make best of this information in healthcare?
Automation is growing in healthcare, but true automation differs from vendor claims. Prioritize automating healthcare tasks with the biggest benefits. Automation benefits healthcare with lower costs, better patient satisfaction, and more efficient staff.
Analyze medical billing for repetitive steps and automate them.
AltuMED pushes its client Medical Practices and Labs to conduct systematic Medical Billing Performance Audits. A Medical Billing Performance Audit is often viewed as a defensive measure where as it should be practiced regularly. Think of it this way, what would you rather prefer? A visit to preventive care or to an emergency room? Why not start your Medical Billing Performance Diagnostic instantly, Click the button below
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