The Truth About Medical Management Software
Medical management software is a little more than a database. No matter how you slice it, dice it or try to dress it up, it's a program that arranges data into various groups then rearranges that information as needed. What makes it a little more than a database is the fact that it's capable of sending specific information over to a clearinghouse. Impressed yet?
The whole idea behind medical management software is to get information from point A (the provider) to point B (the clearinghouse). It is also designed to arrange data into groups then rearrange that information so that providers can better understand what is going on in their practice. Healthcare providers need only decide whether they want to get from point A to point B with a Hummer or a Volkswagen.
That's right. A good medical software package should be reasonably priced. If it's not, you're being overcharged. It should also come with reasonably priced updates and tech support. It should also allow you the liberty of selecting the clearinghouse of your choice.
Medical management software companies have implemented several strategies to keep the cost of their software as high as $25,000.00 or more.
- Use the providers' fear and lack of knowledge against them.
- Charge for extra services that unfortunately most don't know can be purchased more cheaply elsewhere.
These software companies know that most healthcare providers know next to nothing about electronic claims processing. That's not intended to offend anyone, but if you don't work in the industry on a daily basis you'll believe just about anything anyone will tell you about it. Unfortunately, medical management companies know this about healthcare providers. As a result, they keep their software outrageously overpriced because they know that fear and a lack of knowledge will get them their asking price.
What keeps this cycle going?
The billing process is comprised of multiple steps: patient information, coding, billing slips or superbills, collection strategies, software, clearinghouse services, claim follow up, and the like. Medical management companies have made their money by successfully convincing their clients that one single step in this whole "multi-step" process is far more valuable than any or all the other steps. That's just not true. Some companies will emphasize only the coding aspect or the collection strategies or the medical billing software. The truth is that each one of these steps is of EQUAL value, and should never, ever be singled out as the culprit or the savior of your medical billing.
We had one client, an internal medicine physician, who had no coding problems whatsoever because he used only a small number of codes. He didn't have any problems gathering patient information nor did he have problems with his superbill because we custom designed one for him. He was losing tens of thousands of dollars monthly, however, simply because he wasn't transferring the needed information onto the superbill. We sat with him, even on Saturdays, to try to help him get all the patient information from his computer to a superbill. We offered to take his computer and do it ourselves. We tried everything. It helped, but he was still losing more money than he should have. Eventually, he learned that the only way our system will work is when the provider or the biller works our system!
The greatest software package out there isn't going to help him or anyone else do what only they can do. In fact, he was using a very expensive medical record software package that was actually costing him money.
"Ohh, come on," you say. "Is it really fair to blame the medical record software?" This healthcare provider had to take full responsibility for not doing what he needed to do, but we all know the promises that were made to this provider when he was being given the software sales pitch.
When medical software companies tell healthcare providers that these great, expensive software packages will do it ALL for them, they're not being told the truth. Too often these expensive software programs lull healthcare providers into believing that all is well, when the truth is that things are not well at all. It would have cost this provider far less to do things the good old fashioned way (by hand) than it did for him to keep his information locked inside his very expensive computer software package. "But that's not always the case," you say. Good point.
Indeed, a good software package is a valuable tool, but it is only a tool. If you treat software as anything but a tool then it will cost you far more than what you'll ever spend on it. Computer software programs should never be given the job of running your business. You certainly wouldn't give your stethoscope the job of doctoring so don't let any software package be your biller or office manager.
There is good, reasonably priced software out there. Some will try to add expensive clearinghouse fees to their software price, so be careful.
What to buy:
- Reasonably priced software should cost no more than $500.
- Only get a software package that offers technical support and inexpensive updates.
- Only buy software that allows you the freedom to use a clearinghouse of your choice.
After we too were swindled out of thousands upon tens of thousands of dollars for multiple medical management software packages and billing franchises, we found that ONLY ONE billing system will do EXACTLY what it is has been designed to do. Click here to find out more
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