Dec 16, 2021 | EZClaim, Support and Training
From year to year, EZClaim’s Support Team has one thing in mind—to improve continuously—and 2021 has been no different. EZClaim’s Support Team has implemented a new Service Desk—powered by Hubspot—which includes enhanced automation, automated surveys, a comprehensive Knowledge Base, and more. In 2022, we will launch an interactive online chat and more.
Hubspot has allowed EZClaim to go to another level in supporting customers, and with our customer’s help, we can get even better! EZClaim launched an updated ticket website (www.ezclaim.com/ticket) that provides categories to choose from when creating a ticket. These categories are linked to a group of team members that are experts in those categories. That means, if you select the category ‘Importing from EMR,’ your question will go directly to the importing experts. For more tips to help get your answers quickly, please view this support tickets tip page!
EZClaim can also use your help by providing feedback from your support ticket experiences and how easy EZClaim’s Support Team makes it to get your issues resolved. After a ticket, you submit is closed, you will receive a survey in your email. The survey asks you to rate the experience on a scale from 1-7 and provide any comments that you may have from your experience. These survey responses help tremendously by giving us feedback for things we’re doing right and things we need to improve. EZClaim’s mission is to improve continuously, and the best way to improve is to get feedback!
EZClaim is excited to continue to improve the customer experience and we look forward to implementing new and better things in 2022! We would like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support and patronage throughout each and every year.
We hope everyone is safe and healthy going into the holiday season!
All the best,
EZClaim Support
ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.
Nov 11, 2021 | Health eFilings, Partner
MIPS Strategic Guide – How to Choose the Right Reporting Partner
Given the way the MIPS program has evolved, all healthcare practices regardless of size or specialty must evolve their approach to MIPS reporting to assure their success with the program. However, most clinicians do not understand or don’t have awareness of, the different reporting methods available to them and the impact the reporting method can have on their success with MIPS. With what is at stake financially, it is critical that you understand and select the right methodology and partner to maximize your MIPS points and protect your bottom line.
Many clinicians erroneously think that a registry is the only reporting option available to them or that they are required to use a registry. Or, they think that their EHR handles reporting for them. These misperceptions and general lack of awareness of the other reporting methodology will be detrimental to your ability to be successful with MIPS. And, given that 50% of all clinicians will be penalized annually by next year, the legacy reporting methods (registry or EHR) will not be able to fulfill enough of the reporting criteria to earn the minimum MIPS points needed to avoid the 9% reduction in Medicare reimbursements.
To help you determine if you are choosing the right reporting method and partner, we’ve identified the five most important factors to consider in order to increase your probability of avoiding the 9% penalty.
- Reporting Classification – is the reporting partner a CEHRT?
- Service Approach — Does the reporting partner use ONC certified software to do all the work with no IT resources, administrative support, or workflow changes?
- Quality Measures — Is the reporting partner certified by CMS to calculate all eCQMs, which earn significantly more points than registry measures?
- Benchmarking — Are proprietary algorithms used to assess the 9 million possible combinations of Quality measures to maximize earning MIPS points?
- Submission Method — Does the reporting partner submit a comprehensive electronic file directly to CMS to comply with reporting for all MIPS categories?
If you answer “no” to any of these questions, then the reporting partner you are working with will not be able to maximize the MIPS points you can earn. Given every MIPS point matters, because MIPS points determine your reimbursements and impact your bottom line, it’s time to consider a new strategy with a new reporting partner.
Health eFilings, a CEHRT, is the national leader in automated MIPS reporting. They utilize ONC-certified software to handle 100% of the tracking and reporting of the required data to CMS. And because their service is classified as an end-to-end electronic solution, you’ll also earn additional bonus points toward your MIPS score even though they are doing all the work. Health eFilings as your partner is the more effective and efficient reporting method so you will earn more points and, ultimately, receive higher reimbursements.
Learn more about how Health eFilings can help your practice here: https://healthefilings.com/ezclaim. Contact Sarah Reiter, sreiter@healthefilings.com, or 608.841.1866 to find out how to maximize your Medicare reimbursements and protect your bottom line.
About Health eFilings:
Health eFilings, a CEHRT, is the national leader in automated MIPS compliance and quality data analytics. Its services drive improved patient outcomes, optimized quality measures, and stronger financial results for healthcare practices. Their proprietary cloud-based ONC certified software is significantly more efficient and effective than any registry as it does all the work to extract, calculate, benchmark, format, and electronically submit MIPS data to CMS so clients avoid significant penalties and earn maximum reimbursements. And, you can have peace of mind knowing you are working with the best partner because CMS has accepted 100% of Health eFilings’ submissions. Learn more here: https://healthefilings.com/ezclaim
ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.
Sep 29, 2021 | Partner, TriZetto Provider Solutions
With healthcare costs on the rise and an increasing segment of uninsured consumers, the patient payment landscape is changing rapidly. How can medical offices evolve and optimize collections while keeping patient satisfaction high? Thankfully advancing technologies are making it easy to simplify collection processes to increase revenue.
1) Communicate responsibility
How many times have you purchased a good or service without knowing the cost beforehand? Probably not many. Healthcare should not be any different. By providing cost expectations, care providers can give patients the opportunity to not only understand their fiscal responsibility but to also take a proactive, involved approach. Communication allows patients to determine if the value of the service they are receiving is worth the cost. When finances and choices are transparent, patient satisfaction rises.
2) Collect upfront
It’s said that medical providers collect only 25 percent, on average, of available co-pays and deductibles at the time of service. If the patient departs after the initial visit without making a payment, the likelihood of receiving the co-pay drops significantly. Consumers are used to paying for a product at service at the time of use, so why should medical care be different? Capitalize on patients that are willing to pay at the time of service by collecting upfront. Processing payment during the appointment is a step toward helping the patient to be invested in their care, which increases the chance of gaining future payments.
3) Empower patients
We know that patients are taking a more active role in their care and like to be in control of costs. Knowledge is power, and giving patients the information and tools needed is critical to empowering patients to pay. An effective strategy engages the patient early to learn their payment and communication preferences, then proving the proper options.
4) Build awareness
When adding payment options or considering changes to your payment workflow, increasing awareness is key. Be sure to engage your staff and provide the most accurate information on your website and within advertising tools (such as posters in the waiting room). If time and budget allow, conduct a survey to gain patient feedback. A small sampling of users will give insight into the likelihood that patients will adopt new tools and practices. It’s critical to explain the value in an informative, yet simple to understand the way that will resonate with your audience.
Thinking your practice may not have the staff or means to optimize payment processes? Consider tools from TriZetto Provider Solutions that can enable patients to conveniently pay by utilizing a variety of methods, including easy-to-understand statements. Learn how our partnership can help you streamline your workflow, improve efficiencies, and get paid faster.
ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.
Jul 29, 2021 | Medical Billing Software Blog, Partner, Waystar
As patients return to doctor’s offices and health systems around the country, healthcare organizations find themselves in uncharted waters, with a greater need than ever to make data-driven decisions that grow revenue. Per a recent report from KLAS, 63% of hospitals found themselves struggling with real-time data analytics.
It should come as no surprise then that investments in new analytics tech and training are on the rise. According to a report from the Society of Actuaries (SOA), 42% of surveyed healthcare executives reported an improvement in patient satisfaction since implementing predictive analytics, while 39% said they had cut costs. Since 2011, over $39B has been invested in digital health tech, including $7.48B in 2019 alone. It’s estimated that roughly 20% of that has been funneled into the development of technology-focused on managing health records and analytics. Furthermore, some models have estimated improving available data collection and analysis tech could save the healthcare industry roughly 25% of its total costs.
The question is, what can you do to unlock that potential within your own organization? There’s a deep well of data that each revenue cycle feeds into, which if properly analyzed, can help organizations operate at their most efficient and effective. Here are the four stages of data analytics workflows that are key to developing those actionable insights.
1. A trigger, or the point in your revenue cycle that sets up the call for deeper analysis
2. Interpretation of data to determine root causes and identify appropriate next steps
3. Intervention to improve specific metrics
4. Tracking of said metrics to chart success in achieving desired outcomes
Let’s examine what a successful version of each stage looks like.
1. Trigger
The trigger occurs when you notice something that needs further investigation. With the right analytics tool, you can easily access all of your key performance indicators, financial goals, and more, providing the visibility you need into your rev cycle. When something looks amiss or needs improving, you can drill down to the level that shows what’s really going on.
2. Interpretation
Even a wealth of data amounts to nothing without an efficient way to process and communicate key takeaways. You’ll need to equip your team with access to concise reports, smart visualizations, and relevant historical data in order to get them to the insights that drive action.
3. Intervention
Now is the time to take action. Intervention is ultimately tied directly to your ability to drill down into the data underlying problematic areas of your revenue cycle and clearly communicate takeaways with your team. Success at this stage depends on designing a plan based on your best understanding of underlying issues and the most effective way to address them.
4. Tracking
Your intervention plan is built on KPIs that naturally intertwine with the way you measure success across your revenue cycle. With proper implementation and tracking, running with the analytics cycle can become a simple addition to your everyday workflow. More than delivering on your initial goals, the true power of analytics is the ability to deliver repeat value on your initial investment.
A strong analytics solution does more than deliver a more fully developed picture of your rev cycle performance. It provides actionable business intelligence, cuts down on time between analysis and action, and lessens the strain on your IT department.
Beyond the actionable internal insights it can provide, analytics is also a key tool for helping you benchmark performance in comparison to peers in the industry. And with the right analytics solution, competitive analysis is a simple task, using automation that reviews customizable benchmarks for a tailored review of the claim, payment, and denial performance.
Looking for a truly comprehensive analytics solution to help improve performance and enhance your benchmarking capabilities? Find out how Waystar can help you harness the power of your data through analytics. Visit Waystar.com
Heading to AMBA in October? Visit Waystar and EZClaim while you’re there! Stay tuned for more event details.
ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.
[ Contribution from the marketing team at WayStar ]
Jul 27, 2021 | HIPAA, Live Compliance, Partner
HIPAA Social Media Do’s and Don’ts in Healthcare
There are many benefits to social media in the healthcare industry, however, there is also huge potential for HIPAA violations of patient privacy to be violated on social media networks. The Privacy Rule protects All “individually identifiable health information” held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper or oral. The Privacy Rule calls this information “protected health information (PHI).”
Did you know that more than 71% of recorded data breaches in the healthcare industry are attributable to employee actions?
The most important rule is to never share Protected Health Information or Personally Identifiable Information on social media. Social media may include personal blogs and other websites, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, or others of the like.
A few common identifiers include but are not limited to:
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- demographic data
- medical histories
- test results
- insurance information
- and other information used to identify a patient or provide healthcare services or healthcare coverage.
What is a breach and what can I do to avoid it?
A breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information. This means employees should refrain from posting, commenting, or sharing patient information on social media including patient names, photos, and descriptors that would identify the patient.
What is considered identifiable information?
The most common social media HIPAA violations include:
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- Posting of images and videos of patients without written consent
- Posting of gossip about patients
- Posting of any information that could allow an individual to be identified
- Sharing of photographs or images taken inside a healthcare facility in which patients or PHI are visible
- Sharing of photos, videos, or text on social media platforms within a private group
“Friending” patients on social media websites is also strongly discouraged. This can lead to accidental identifying of patients, especially if your place of work is listed in your profile and accidental ‘discussion’ about the patient’s care. Therefore, employees in inpatient care roles generally should not initiate or accept friend requests. Do not enter into social media discussions with patients who have disclosed PHI on social media.
Employees should also refrain from messaging or texting PHI or PII on social media or messaging applications not approved by your organization. In general, no personally identifiable health information should be sent in any manner which does not ensure communication encryption in transit and at rest.
So, what do you do if you think you may have exposed a patient’s protected health information or personally identifiable information?
In general, it’s advised to, follow your organization’s Incident Response Policy immediately and notify your supervisor and/or designated HIPAA Security Officer for immediate next steps.
At Live Compliance, we make checking off your compliance requirements extremely simple.
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- Reliable and Effective Compliance
- Completely online, our role-based courses make training easy for remote or in-office employees.
- Contact-free, accurate Security Risk Assessments are conducted remotely. All devices are thoroughly analyzed regardless of location. Conducting an accurate and thorough Security Risk Assessment is not only required but is a useful tool to expose potential vulnerabilities.
- Policies and Procedures are curated to fit your organization ensuring employees are updated on all Workstation Use and Security Safeguards in the office, or out. Update in real-time.
- Electronic, prepared document sending and signing to employees and business associates.
Don’t risk your company’s future, especially when we are offering a free Organization Assessment to help determine your company’s status. Call us at (980) 999-1585, or email me, Jim Johnson at Jim@LiveCompliance.com or visit www.LiveCompliance.com
For more information about DarkWeb breaches please contact us at (980) 999-1585 or email us at support@livecompliance.com
ABOUT EZCLAIM:
As a medical billing expert, EZClaim can help the medical practice improve its revenues since it is a medical billing and scheduling software company. EZClaim provides a best-in-class product, with correspondingly exceptional service and support. Combined, EZClaim helps improve medical billing revenues. To learn more, visit EZClaim’s website, email them, or call them today at 877.650.0904.
