Medical Billing Blog: Section - HIPAA
Archive of all Articles in the HIPAA Section
This is the archive containing links to all articles written in the HIPAA section of our blog.
Click any of the article links below to read the entire article or browse another section to the right to read articles on another subject.
Managing accounts receivable (A/R) effectively is crucial for the financial health of any independent doctor’s medical practice. A/R management encompasses the processes involved in tracking patient billing and payments, ensuring timely collections, and maintaining a steady cash flow. Independent practices often face unique challenges compared to larger healthcare organizations, making efficient A/R management even more vital. This article explores the key aspects of managing A/R as an independent physician, including best practices, common challenges, and practical solutions. Understanding A/R in a Medical Practice Accounts receivable represents the money owed to a medical practice for services provided. This typically includes payments from patients, insurance companies, and other third-party payers. Efficient A/R …
Published By: Dana H. - OMG, LLC. A/R Data Specialist |
Healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) is a critical component of the healthcare industry, encompassing all administrative and clinical functions that contribute to the capture, management, and collection of patient service revenue. Ensuring compliance within the revenue cycle is paramount, given the complex regulatory environment and the potential for significant financial and legal repercussions for non-compliance. This article aims to provide healthcare administrators and doctors with a comprehensive understanding of compliance in RCM, highlighting the challenges, strategies, and best practices to maintain adherence to regulatory standards and optimize financial performance. Understanding Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM) is the financial process that healthcare facilities use to manage the …
Published By: Kary C. - OMG, LLC. COO |
Medical billing can be a labyrinthine process, often leaving patients feeling overwhelmed and confused. From deciphering complex codes to negotiating with insurance companies, the journey through medical billing can be as challenging as the medical treatment itself. However, in this maze of paperwork and jargon, patient advocacy emerges as a guiding light, helping individuals understand and navigate their medical bills with confidence and clarity. Understanding the Complexity Medical billing is notorious for its complexity. It involves a myriad of stakeholders, including healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government agencies. Each entity has its own set of rules, codes, and procedures, making the billing process intricate and opaque for patients. One of …
Published By: Melissa C. - OMG, LLC. CEO |
Matt Fisher clears up some confusion related to HIPAA and individuals on Health IT Answers. “The spotlight continues to shine brightly on HIPAA, especially as an excuse, when it comes to professional athletes responding to questions around COVID vaccine status. The most recent string of erroneous responses started strongly over the summer when NFL training camps kicked into gear. As players returned and the league indicated its intentions for health safety, questions were often posed to players to find where they all stood. Before diving into a bit from my perspective, I encourage readers to check out a similar article by Charles Curtis on ForTheWin with USA Today where I …
Published By: Melissa's Mentions |
If you are a healthcare worker in any field, you are probably aware of the HITECH Act. This Act was the inception of the electronic medical record (EHR), and meaningful use. Meaningful use was the proposal from CMS and ONC. The idea was to have the electronic medical record have interoperable capabilities throughout the United States (cdc.gov 2019). We know now that is not in effect. The introduction of the HITECH Act was to demonstrate to the reader that the front line healthcare worker (Physician, Nurse, Physician Assistant, Certified Nurse Assistant, etc.), are the workers that are the most impacted by the use of the electronic medical record. If …
Published By: Michelle Bottone |
Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, the health care system has had to rethink how to deliver care and one of the most remarkable ways to care for people’s health is with the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine is known as the remote delivery of healthcare services. Telemedicine has been in existence for years now but, it is historically only used to reach patients in remote areas. However, with the rapid changes in technology in the last decades, telemedicine has transformed into complex integrated services used in hospitals, private physician offices, homes, and other healthcare facilities. Telemedicine was originally developed by health professionals as a way to treat patients living in rural …
Published By: Melissa C. - OMG, LLC. CEO |
Art Gross poses a great question over at Health IT Answers… Is COVID-19 unraveling HIPPA? “The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) was created in 1996 to protect patients and their privacy, and if you are in healthcare, you already know this and are familiar with what it means. With a goal to ensure that people could maintain health insurance between jobs, thus the “Portability” part of the name; along with a second, and critical goal, to address the “Accountability” of insurance to protect the confidentiality part of patient information and data. This meant mandating standards of privacy for electrotonic protected health information (PHI) and data that was …
Published By: Melissa's Mentions |
Physician News posted a great article discussing EMR documentation issues during the pandemic. As hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and staff are stretched to their limits, electronic medical record (EMR) documentation may suffer as a result of rushed, less detailed and error-prone entries. EMR workarounds are also expected to flourish. In the current medical malpractice climate where greater scrutiny can be placed on the EMR and audit trail over the medicine itself, it is very important to maintain an accurate chart. There are steps that can be taken now to prepare for anticipated documentation issues related to care rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most important recommendation is to …
Published By: Melissa C. - OMG, LLC. CEO |
HealthIT Answers has an article outlining five ways data interoperability can play a pivotal role in addressing the epidemic… “Even as capacity restrictions force organizations to work without barriers—via drive-thru screenings, make-shift tents or by way of telehealth—real-time access to data can help streamline care management, whether fast tracking admissions or empowering patients at home through online portals. Here are five ways data interoperability can play a pivotal role in addressing the epidemic: Coordination of Care: COVID-19 provides a sobering reminder of just how much a fully integrated, scalable and interoperable healthcare infrastructure is needed. Coordination among first responders, public health officials, labs, acute, and post-acute facilities will be critical …
Published By: Melissa C. - OMG, LLC. CEO |
“There are many positives associated with EHRs. However, EHR usability is a common negative among EHR users, which leads to clinician burnout. As the calendar flips to 2020, technological advancements in the EHR are key to addressing this epidemic that makes its way around medical facilities throughout the country. According to a study completed in a partnership between the Mayo Clinic and the American Medical Association (AMA), researchers found that EHR usability was largely graded an “F” when evaluated on a traditional letter grade scale, and that failing grade was strongly tied to high clinician burnout scores. “A new study issued today found electronic medical records (EHRs) – as currently …
Published By: Melissa C. - OMG, LLC. CEO |
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