Articles by Merrilee Severino

I am shocked when I see providers that are reimbursed on a fee-for-service model that have not done the research to optimize their reimbursement on coding.<br>

Since the launch of Obamacare, many practices are seeing more insured patients and those insured patients usually have pretty high deductibles and coinsurance.<br>

Effective communication is important in everything, but in matters of money and health matters, it is vital that you are clear.  When having meetings with providers about money matters, there are a few things to keep in mind.  <br>

At the end of a year, we begin to brainstorm ways to offset the deficit that most practices face at the beginning of the year, which is caused by the new deductibles, and the rescheduled visits from holiday travel and plans. In my experience as a revenue consultant, I try to help providers minimize any slump in receivables. Most practices can benefit by adding customized wellness programs no matter what the practice's specialty. I have found that primary care specialists should not try to operate without a wellness program due to the financial incentives offered for meaningful use. You can capitalize on reporting your measures and marketing a wellness program simultaneously and it will help mitigate any expense on your part for the additional work to report.

Congratulations on your decision to start your own business. This can be an exciting as well as a very scary time. People usually start their own business because they love what they do or believe in a product.

It is common for communication breakdowns to occur when it comes to practices and their billing departments or billing service. For that matter, there is a wide variance in job descriptions when it comes to what practices feel that their billing departments should do. Some practices don't even know what that is; it is the ambiguous "make sure we get paid" statement.

What is sensitivity training? Why would we provide it? Some of us do it (usually specialty practices); others say who has time. This training is probably the most important training you can do for your office.

The topic of healthcare for the older adult has become increasingly popular among physicians and other healthcare organizations. The aged population is growing at a very steady rate. This is attributed to many factors - the use of vaccines, the baby boomers, etc. As a matter of fact, the fastest growing sector of the industrialized world is the "oldest old"-meaning those whom are over eighty years old. Physicians are becoming increasingly aware of these trends and as such medical care of the older persons is becoming increasingly central to clinical practice as opposed to an outsourced referral for "geriatric care".

Lack of understanding and fear of the prolonged service codes is the main cause of improper billing of them. I am certain that after reading this article, you will have a clear understanding of how and when to use these codes and that you will begin to utilize them when applicable.

It all comes down to three things; education, communication, and positive behavior. Practices that consistently award and promote these traits are profoundly successful. Every single person in a physicians practice is a part of the revenue process. Learning is perpetual in healthcare and technology. Networking is a great free resource for knowledge and generating increased patient volume. This helps employees feel empowered, proud, and ownership of their career. Professional associations are excellent resources and usually have great benefits for their members.