Your practice is doing well. You've got a compliance program in place and you're regularly auditing your coding and billing practices. But something just doesn't seem right. Maybe you've seen an increase in denials. Or an unexpected decrease in cash flow. Maybe you've heard from colleagues who are facing a RAC or ZPIC audit. Or maybe your doctors have told you to figure out how they can be paid better for the work they're doing.
Whatever the reason, external audits can be your ally and help calm your concerns on what may be happening in your practice. Use of external auditors may be threatening to coders, billers or internal audit staff. But this is an opportunity to gain an external view on how the practice is doing and identify areas where improvements can be made to make your staff's jobs easier. Some of the benefits of an external audit include the following:
- Improved documentation
- Identification of missed revenue opportunities
- Identification of potential compliance risks to be addressed
- Greater physician and staff awareness of coding requirements
- Validation of RAC/ZPIC audit findings
Get a second opinion: External audits can be another tool in your arsenal to educate staff and demonstrate your commitment to be a compliant and profitable practice.
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