- Paper-based medical billing was previously used almost three decades ago and demanded a great amount of time and effort but had coped up and adapted with the advances in technology.
- Medical Billing Software has increased workload productivity and lessened the turnaround time in the revenue cycle management
- The billing technology-enabled medical billers and coders to work remotely since the task is available virtually and can be done at the comfort of their own home
The Role of Technology in Medical Billing
Medical Billing and Coding kept up with the fast-paced evolution of technology in the healthcare industry. Many years ago, the work for medical billing relied heavily on paperwork which was slow and tedious and prone to a lot of human errors. With the increasing population, particularly the aging group, the need for a faster turnaround time is expected. Medical billing software is now used to translate the diagnosis and procedure to a vernacular universal to the healthcare system that can be used to properly compensate the physicians and the hospitals for the services rendered. Today, medical billers and coders are redefined as to what they can do and even if another set of training is required to maneuver in this new playing field, the amount of workload is lessened and they are able to catch up with the demands of the billing industry.
The amount of attention to detail poured into the usual paperwork medical billing process is still applied to the digital system. Therefore, a highly-skilled and properly trained medical biller is still necessary for this system to work. Though the system is efficient and there is competent manpower behind it, there is always the issue of manpower. Medical billing and coding are two professions that are not well-known and are still have high demand. No comprehensive medical educational background is needed for billing. However, in coding, a strong fundamental knowledge of basic health sciences and medical terms might be needed and be a part of the training process to understand the story behind every patient encounter.
Medical Billing Software
Medical billing software, as the name implies, is used for digital medical billing purposes which are proven to increase workload productivity making it easier for healthcare professionals and organizations to handle all medical billing transactions in the revenue cycle management. My RCM Group utilizes Kareo as one of its main medical billing software and is one of the top emerging software out there. It is a company based in Irvine, California that provides software as a service for independent medical practices. It offers cloud computing products and services for electronic health record (EHR) management, medical practice management software, managed billing services, and software to help practices engage with their patients.
A work-from-home setting is not fully embraced by most sectors up until the pandemic started when they started to see, both employers and employees, that most jobs can be done at home with results comparable to on-site work and at the same time offering flexibility and reducing operational costs. Of course, since the information being handled is sensitive and private, protocols like HIPAA are extended to these out-of-office sites to make sure it won’t leak out for public access.
Virtual medical billers have the opportunity to focus on their tasks with very minimal distractions since they are in the comfort of their own home while increasing productivity but this really depends on the setting of a virtual medical biller at home. It is on a case-to-case basis depending on what they perceive as efficient. Some may prefer to go on-site because, for them, more work is done at the office, on the contrary, there are more distractions at home. Some believe that electrical and internet consumption should be shouldered by the company while some believe that more money is saved by reducing gas consumption and physical energy from the daily commute.
Most who prefer to work from home are working mothers, single parents, people with disability, and caregivers to family members. In short, family reasons are the main driving force for them to come up with this decision.
My RCM group understands these situations from its employees. Even if so, we don’t risk the exposure of private health information to the public since our staff is trained and monitored to handle their job with complete discretion.
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