| p>If you are considering medical billing software | | | | enough terminals to support your practice. |
| for your chiropractic practice, with the right | | | | You should also develop a checklist of the desired |
| selection choice, you will realize many benefits | | | | features you need from medical billing software. |
| including: | | | | Examples of features include: |
| · Improved service delivery to your | | | | · Providing for HIPAA compliant electronic |
| patients; | | | | claims and payments; |
| · More cost effective and efficient | | | | · Ability to store patient information you |
| paperwork handling and reimbursement | | | | want to keep on file such as, x-rays, patient visit |
| processing; | | | | details, etc |
| · Reduction in the number of missed | | | | · Comprehensive practice management |
| appointments; | | | | tracking of key statistics |
| · Improved medical records management; | | | | · A list of desired reports such as a |
| and, | | | | chronological report of patient history and the |
| · Improved practice profitability. | | | | ability to create your own customized reports. |
| If, however, you make the wrong decision about | | | | In evaluating different software packages, you |
| which medical billing software package to | | | | should also list one time and recurring costs for |
| implement, the results could be disastrous. For | | | | each package being considered so that you can |
| example, you could lose patients because of | | | | consider all the costs involved with each solution. |
| providing a reduced level of service. A bad | | | | One time costs might include, but not be limited |
| decision could also affect the morale of those in | | | | to: |
| your office who could become frustrated with a | | | | · Hardware and software installation |
| system that doesn't work as expected. More | | | | charge |
| importantly, a poor medical billing software | | | | · Initial user training |
| selection for your practice could have a | | | | · User and system documentation |
| detrimental impact on practice profitability. | | | | · System modification charges based on |
| To avoid making the wrong medical billing | | | | any customization you request for the system |
| software selection, one critical step is to define | | | | · Vendor travel and expense charges |
| the requirements for the system and for your | | | | when implementing your system |
| practice. If you don't define exactly what your | | | | Recurring costs would include, but not be limited |
| practice needs before selecting a software | | | | to: |
| package, you could make the wrong decision. | | | | · Annual software maintenance charges |
| Examples of technical requirements you should | | | | · Software upgrade charges |
| define for medical billing include: | | | | Only by carefully defining what you expect from |
| · Transaction volume - How many | | | | a medical billing software package can you |
| patients and visits are you processing per month | | | | effectively evaluate possible solutions for your |
| now and what volume do you anticipate in five | | | | practice. Just as important is to make an |
| years? Your system must have the capacity to | | | | effective comparison of total costs involved for |
| support processing volume for your practice. | | | | each solution being considered. Don't make the |
| · Number of users by function- How | | | | mistake of not using a planned structured |
| many users will be accessing your system today | | | | approach for evaluating medical billing software. |
| and in five years? This is important to determine | | | | The benefits of selecting the right medical billing |
| so that your system has the capacity to provide | | | | software for your practice are substantial. |