Q: What is one way MNGI ensures the billing process is running on a timely and efficient manner?
Ms. Mary Igo: We are able to do some pay-for-performance things that encourage the staff to process bills faster. For example, all charges from the previous week have to be sent to the central business office by Monday morning. The billing office also has goals it has to meet in order to get a part of the money that is in a gain-sharing pool. Goals will depend on different departments that are part of the billing cycle, and they are usually a combination of a measurable goal time to enter charges, maintaining a low percentage of claims that come back as denials or following up with insurance companies about those denials.
The gain-sharing pool is basically a pool of funny money, but we look where there is extra money to spare in various budgets to put in the pool. There are individual goals and team goals. Twenty-five percent of the pool goes toward individuals achieving their goals, another 25 percent goes to teams achieving their team goals and the organization gets the other half [if it meets its overall goal].
Q: How is healthcare information technology helping you to maintain billing efficiency?
MI: We have an electronic system set up to verify and audit charges to make sure they correspond to the procedures that were done. We use that system to also ensure coding is appropriate. Inputting charges on the day of the procedure into the system is equally as important to ensuring the charge was paid and confirm that in the system as soon as possible. You have to look at processes that’ll help you input information into the system sooner so you can minimize days in accounts receivable.
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