Advice

Physicians have a lot on their plates. There is unyielding demand for better service, faster service, expanded service…the list goes on. That in itself is a challenge, but then there’s also the accompanying headaches of paperwork to do, calls to make, and emails to check. Oh, and don’t forget about billing.

Medical billing is an essential component of any successful medical practice. Unescapable for any medical professional, medical billing can, unfortunately, pose a multitude of challenges to physicians, which results in mistakes, missed charges, and frustration. Whether you are a new resident or an experienced staff physician, new research has shown that no one is immune to the most common billing errors like inaccurate coding and underbilling.

I can still remember when I was first taught how to bill. Every doctor who taught me seemed to have their own unique interpretation of the schedule of medical benefits. I witnessed enormous practice variation with dramatic differences in code selection and subsequent pay for the delivery of very similar patient care.