All Articles Written by Kathryn Disney-Etienne, CCS-P, RT
All Articles Written by Kathryn Etienne, CCS-P - RETIRED
Welcome to the archived list of all medical billing articles written and previously posted to the site by Kathryn Etienne, CCS-P, retired Director of Operations.
All articles are listed below and categorized by date, newest to oldest. Click any article link below to read the entire article.
Medical Billing vs Medical Coding, What’s the Difference?
Medical coding and medical billing are two of the reimbursement systems within the healthcare organization. The professionals who perform these tasks are known as medical coders and medical billers, respectively. The work of medical coders and medical billers is to analyze medical treatments received by patients while at a healthcare facility to coordinate payments from insurance companies and patients. In this article, we will discuss the difference between medical coding and medical billing. However, it is important to have a brief understanding of what medical coding and medical billing entail. What is Medical Coding? Medical coding is a way of converting healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal …
10 Common Physician RCM Mistakes
If you’re familiar with the beloved sitcom “Seinfeld,” then you have probably seen “The Opposite,” an episode where George Costanza takes it upon himself to do the complete opposite of what he believes is right. The episode serves as the inspiration for Craig Pedersons’ presentation, “Physician Compensation: 10 Common Mistakes (and Four Solutions),” at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. “I am going to go through case studies and specific examples of financial train wrecks. I’m not trying to tell people what to do, I’m telling them what to avoid. Case studies allow examples to become a lot more real,” says Pederson, a principle consultant …
Your Medical Billing Team is The Center of Your Business
Over the past three years, I’ve really managed to shift who makes policies, enforces policies, and understand why policies are made. Often times, leaders and managers who lack either training or experience create more and more policies rather than approaching a specific person about their behavior. Typing up a policy seems the least resistant way to handle a problem. But I warn you this is the worst approach to take. When you create policies for this reason, you are stifling and handcuffing your remaining staff, who will most likely end up leaving the company due to so many rules and policies. Let’s be clear here, I love structure and process, …
Improving Patient Experience and Your Bottom Line
No matter how big or small your medical practice is, most administrative leaders and physicians are stressed about outcomes, paying bills, compliance, and — most importantly — keeping patients happy. Unfortunately, while realizing your practice has the same issues as any other brings a feeling of camaraderie, it doesn’t solve any problems. Many practices still carry the mindset that, “if you build it, they will come.” However, the day-to-day challenges of staying profitable in a challenging patient environment dominated by Google reviews and a major push for value-based care are becoming harder to bear. As patients are behaving more like consumers, practices need to embrace a patient-centered mindset in order …
New Orthopedic Coder Position at OMG
We are hiring again. Outsource Management Group, LLC, is seeking an experienced orthopedic coder to work in our office and closely with our numerous orthopedic clients. This position is to be full-time with all benefits, however, a part-time position is possible for a candidate that fits perfectly, but is unable to be full-time. This position is to be filled in our office at the address below, if you are unable to work in our office in Bloomington, Indiana, please do not submit a resume for this position. Acceptable candidates possess either 1 or more of the following: 1. Currently holds a coding certification through AHIMA or AAPC 2. Has 2-3 …
