Healthcare

Joint ZirMed®/MedInformatix Revenue Solution Diagnoses Payment Bottlenecks For Large Colorado Imaging Practice

2009-07-14T07:08:36-07:00

LOUISVILLE, KY and LOS ANGELES, CA – July 14, 2009 – Advanced Medical Imaging (AMI) is a major part of the medical community in the metro Denver area, performing over 5,000 imaging exams each month. With such a high volume of patients, operational efficiency is critical—which is why the four-office practice uses the comprehensive MedInformatix Radiology Information System (RIS) software package to oversee its many functions.

“We began using the MedInformatix RIS software in 2003,” said Jyl Nieto, Advanced Medical Imaging’s Billing Manager. “MedInformatix handles virtually every aspect of our practice, from scheduling to billing and collections.”

The paperless, hands-free MedInformatix RIS (Radiology Information System) is one of healthcare’s leading EPM products. The Los Angeles company’s platform, built on a Microsoft SQL database, spans all major business and clinical workflows and departmental functions; as a standards-based package, it can also be integrated with third-party systems as needed.

While the use of the RIS has improved efficiency and productivity in many areas of AMI’s operations, particular benefits have come to the area of revenue management. Using the RIS billing and collections module, for example, Nieto and her staff of five can quickly run claim status reports and check on individual claims with the click of the mouse. Electronic rem ittances are also posted automatically, eliminating tedious and routine manual effort.

Things got even better in 2007, when AMI replaced the local claims clearinghouse it had been using with revenue cycle management company ZirMed. “ZirMed’s service was recommended to us as one that is tightly integrated with the MedInformatix RIS, and therefore could extend our hands-free environment,” Nieto recalled.

ZirMed, a Healthcare Informatics Top 100 company, is a leader in reducing cost and improving performance throughout the payment process. The company’s Internet-based services cover the spectrum from eligibility to online bill payment, check processing and even payment plans, saving staff time and

Joint ZirMed®/MedInformatix Revenue Solution Diagnoses Payment Bottlenecks For Large Colorado Imaging Practice—Page 2
money. The company’s services have also been shown to shorten accounts receivable days, speed payments, and significantly reduce the amount of time lost to insurance claim errors.

“As soon as we began with ZirMed, we discovered instances where our claims processing had been lacking,” Nieto stated. “A number of rejected claims suddenly became visible. The prior clearinghouse had no error correction capability or acknowledgments, so we didn’t know the claims weren’t going through. In the past we had to call the insurance company if we thought a claim was late.”

In addition to instant claim scrubbing and up-to-date status reports on submitted claims, ZirMed’s link to the MedInformatix RIS billing module gives Nieto’s staff the ability to receive instant explanation of benefits for individual claims. “We can highlight a line item in our status reports, click on the “EOB from ZirMed” button, and we’re taken to the relevant screen. It certainly helps us in analyzing and resolving problems,” she commented.

Since signing on with ZirMed, AMI has added the company’s Z-Pay service to manage all of AMI’s front desk and auto-payment functions. With Z-Pay, Nieto’s department can receive daily reports from all locations on cash and check payments.

“We have the Auto Clearing House that allows the front desk person to scan and receive payments for personal checks. That, plus credit and debit cards and the direct payment option, gives our patients a number of ways to pay for services,” she noted.

As a joint solution, MedInformatix and ZirMed have given Advanced Medical Imaging far better control over its full range of payment methods. Nieto states that the practice has realized a 25-30% decrease in accounts receivable days over the past two years.

“We like to run a very tight ship in our billing department. We’re very particular about submitting clean claims, so ZirMed/MedInformatix has been great for identifying errors and reducing the number of claim rejections,” she said. “When you add in our better front desk options, plus the reporting and productivity features in MedInformatix, we feel we’re pretty much state of the art.”

About ZirMed:
Founded in 1999, ZirMed is a nationally recognized leader in delivering revenue cycle management solutions to healthcare providers. ZirMed enables healthcare providers to leverage the power of
technology to cure administrative burdens and increase cash flow. ZirMed solutions include eligibility verification, credit/debit card processing, check processing, claims management, coding compliancy and reimbursement management, electronic remittance advice, patient statements, patient e-commerce solutions, provider credentialing, and lock box services. ZirMed solutions are designed to complement provider workflow and to provide innovative, creative and flexible solutions for healthcare’s most pressing administrative challenges. For more information about ZirMed, visit www.zirmed.com/pr.

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About MedInformatix:
MedInformatix, Inc. (www.medinformatix.com) is a leading national provider of fully integrated Electronic Health Records. The products have been built around MedInformatix 25 years of workflow expertise. The product suite is designed on a single database using Microsoft SQL. Whether the installation is a single physician who went live in 1994, a national cardiology practice, the busiest radiology practice in Manhattan, or one of 15 other specialties they service, they accommodate their needs. See why so many practices from various specialties choose to use their award winning products: 13 Microsoft nominations in 8 years. MedInformatix can turn the dream of a paperless, integrated practice into a reality.

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Medical Data Systems Announces Operations Expansion and Opening of its Primary Collections Operations Office

2009-07-10T07:31:19-07:00

Vero Beach, FL -- National healthcare receivables industry leader, Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS), has announced the opening of its Primary Collections Operations office. After a two-decade tenure in healthcare receivables management, focusing on aged receivables recovery, MDS has expanded its services to include Primary Bad Debt Collections for the hospital/healthcare industry.

"Many of our clients expressed repeated interest in collections offered earlier in their revenue cycle. Given our experience and success collecting on aged receivables, in most cases after an extended business office vendor and primary collections vendor have made attempts to collect, it was a natural progression of our service offering. Requests for MDS to offer its services earlier in the revenue cycle, to collect on their accounts sooner and impact bad debt recoveries earlier, in a more collectible timeframe, became a common request during client service visits/calls" said Estelle Welte, Senior VP of Client Services and Business Development.

Having recently signed clients, for Primary Bad Debt Collections, in Florida, Texas, South Carolina, and Arkansas, it became clear that there was a need, in the industry, for a Proven, Trusted, and Innovative partner in healthcare collections. "In an age when agencies are closing or cutting back…MDS is positioned for growth and continued innovation. We have expanded our technology, tools and system integration internally, recently added some key leadership positions, and we have enlarged our business development division to include sales staff in key territories of growth. With all of this, MDS continues to expand on its 24 year history in healthcare collections, and proven results for clients, nationally," said Gene Schneider, COO.

Serving 425 hospitals, MDS is prepared to dedicate tools and resources to offer its Primary Collections Service to hospitals nationwide. MDS' business is dedicated solely to the hospital/healthcare industry, and 100% of its work is handled in the United States. Offering Extended Business Office, Primary Collections, Secondary Collections and Professional Fee Billing Services, positions MDS to provide a continuum of revenue cycle solutions to hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the country.

For additional information on the expansion and growth of MDS, or any other MDS related information, please contact Estelle Welte (ewelte(at)meddatsys(dot)com) or visit www.meddatsys.com.

About MDS
MDS is a proven, trusted and innovative leader in revenue cycle management. For 24 years MDS has successfully partnered with multiple hospitals and respected health systems across the nation. We understand the specific demands and concerns of the provider community and it is reflected in our unparalleled client service and performance value.

Founded in 1985, MDS (Medical Data Systems, Inc.) pioneered Secondary Collections. Offering a full suite of revenue cycle services, MDS offers: Professional Fee Billing, Extended Business Office and Primary Collections, and Secondary Bad Debt Collections.

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Unpaid Medical Bills and Health Care Initiatives Increasing Demand for ARM Help

2009-07-09T07:11:22-07:00

A recent survey of hospital financial executives showed that the vast majority of medical business leaders believe implementing information technology and outsourcing more of their receivables management is the best strategy to reduce their administrative costs. Even better news for revenue cycle managers is that most health care providers surveyed expect to do so in the coming year.

Hospital financial executives are turning to outside help because of the growing number of patients who are unable to pay their medical bills, according to a survey by Louisville-based revenue cycle management firm MedAssist, Inc. And with the national unemployment rate near 10 percent, these executives say securing payments from uninsured or underinsured patients is their greatest challenge.

Hospitals executives have had to deal with lower revenues during tough economic times before. But many see the escalating costs of health care and anticipated changes from health care reform as a challenge that will require expertise offered by ARM professionals, said Brenda Snow, MedAssist’s executive vice president of strategic planning and analysis.

“Right now providers are seeing things as a threat of the unknown,” she said. “Many in healthcare are just seeking answers to what’s going on.”

HFMA Spokesman Richard Gundling told insideARM that while health care providers are hopeful that health care reform will secure coverage for all Americans, they fear it will bring lower reimbursements from public and private insurers.

“They are not opposed to new legislation, but they fear the details,” Gundling said. “Greater coverage for everyone is good. But if we cover everyone and pay below cost, that’s a big challenge for hospitals.”

To help mitigate the impact of lower reimbursements in the future, hospitals and the Obama Administration Wednesday announced a deal for hospitals to accept $155 billion less in Medicare and Medicaid payments over the next 10 years to help fund healthcare reform. In exchange hospitals were promised that if legislation includes a public health insurance plan, it will reimburse hospitals at rates higher than what Medicare and Medicaid pays.



Regardless of whether federal lawmakers pass health care reform legislation, lower payments remain a possibility because public and private insurers are beginning to tie reimbursement to patient care outcomes.

“Medicare is driving ‘no pay for never events’ and requiring quality reporting too,” said Lauren Coste, a Fitch Ratings director covering For-Profit Health Care Facilities. “(Insurers) are starting down that road and that’s clearly where they want to end up. It won’t be overnight, but it will happen eventually and gradually.”

That trend has more health care providers focusing their attention on prevention and quality programs that will position them for higher reimbursements, Coste said. At the same time, falling revenue and staff cuts have left many hospitals with inadequate resources to ensure claims are properly submitted and received in a timely manner, creating new revenue cycle opportunities for ARM professionals, Snow said.

“Just to be able to get paid is going to become harder,” Snow said.

Falling revenues is why more than 80 percent of survey respondents say they’ll also turn to technology to help reduce administrative costs.

Jim Lacy, CFO and general counsel of ZirMed, a Louisville-based revenue cycle firm, said the company is benefitting from a renewed focus by health care providers to use technology to become more efficient. He said technology firms, however, should not expect hospitals to invest in software they can’t afford or that does not address their industry specific needs.

“Many hospitals have made the point that there is no (capital expenditure) budget this year,” he said, adding that hospitals may want everything, but will have to make a commitment to find solutions that most fit their needs. Likewise, hospitals must realize to maximize revenue they need to utilize the same tools regular retail merchants use to collect payment, including self check-out terminals and on-line bill payment options.

“Most hospitals don’t give you the ability to pay online,” he said. “With more high deductible accounts most patients have to pay with a credit card for their Health Savings Account to cover the bill.”

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Patients Ability to Pay and Federal Healthcare Reform Are Greatest Challenges to Hospitals: MedAssist Survey

2009-06-30T07:10:02-07:00

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Growing numbers of patients unable to pay their medical bills due to the economic downturn will be the greatest challenge to hospitals going forward, according to more than half (54%) of those responding to a survey conducted this month by MedAssist.

The survey, which polled healthcare executives attending HFMA’s Annual National Institute in Seattle, Wash., June 14-17, showed that one in three respondents believe the next greatest challenge facing providers will be changes to the American healthcare system as a result of President Obama’s healthcare reform.

Furthermore, 80% of those surveyed believe healthcare providers will need more assistance managing their revenue cycles in the coming year. Closely reflecting this wide consensus, more than 80% of respondents chose outsourcing financial/revenue cycle services and implementing new IT programs – over cutting fixed cost – as the best strategies to reduce hospitals’ administrative costs. At the same time, three out of four (75%) executives responding to the survey believe customer-facing functions (e.g., patient access services, financial counseling) should continue to be handled by providers’ staff.

“It’s clear that healthcare providers are facing a perfect storm that combines growing costs, declining revenues and industry reform,” said Michael Shea, president of global healthcare solutions and CEO of North America for MedAssist. “What’s also clear is that providers will need to become more innovative than ever in finding ways to boost economic efficiencies without lowering standards of care.”

“The survey confirms our belief that certain functions are core competencies that belong in the domain of healthcare centers, while other areas will continue to be addressed most effectively by experienced providers of financial and revenue cycle management services,” said Brenda Snow, executive vice president, strategic planning and analysis at MedAssist. “The question is how soon healthcare providers can make this transition.”

Asked which categories afford the greatest savings opportunities for hospitals, 29% of respondents pointed to improved technology (e.g., electronic health records, computerized physician order entry), while 26% mentioned preventative care and chronic disease management (e.g., asthma, diabetes). Survey participants also cited streamlining administrative costs and reimbursement contingent upon quality outcomes (both at 21%) as viable areas for cutting costs.

Survey Methodology

The MedAssist survey was conducted among a random sample of 107 decision-makers at the HFMA’s Annual National Institute, a healthcare finance conference held in Seattle, Wash., June 14-17, via an anonymous survey form.

MedAssist currently provides revenue cycle management solutions to more than 1,000 healthcare providers nationwide, including eligibility services, receivables management solutions, patient access services, complete business office outsourcing and collection services. Capitalizing on established economies of scale and the expertise of parent company Firstsource Solutions Ltd., a premier provider of business process outsourcing solutions, MedAssist offers healthcare providers a total business office solution.

About MedAssist
MedAssist, Incorporated, a Firstsource Company, is one of the nation’s premier providers of eligibility and revenue cycle management solutions. Recognized as an industry leader in delivering the professional excellence required for success, MedAssist’s comprehensive suite of innovative, technology-driven services includes Medicaid eligibility, account receivables solutions, business office outsourcing and collection services. MedAssist utilizes a proven operational strategy, focused on social services and a commitment to treating every patient with dignity, compassion and respect, while improving cash flow, maximizing reimbursement and reducing bad debt for healthcare providers nationwide. All of MedAssist’s major service lines are certified by HFMA’s Peer Review Process. (www.medassist.biz).

About Firstsource
Firstsource is a leading global BPO (business process outsourcing) service provider headquartered in India. Firstsource provides customized business process management to global leaders in the Banking & Financial Services, Telecom & Media and Healthcare sectors. Its clients include Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. Firstsource has a global delivery model with operations in India, U.S., UK, Argentina and Philippines. (www.firstsource.com).

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McKesson Revenue Management Group Honored for Consistent Excellence in Customer Service

2009-06-26T06:37:04-07:00

ATLANTA -- McKesson’s Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) group has been recognized for outstanding excellence in customer service with the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award(SM). The award is presented annually by Omega Management Group Corp. to companies who exceed expectations in customer satisfaction and support, as rated by their own customers. This latest honor marks the sixth straight year that McKesson has received the prestigious award.

With more than 1,000 clients and 4,000 employees dedicated to helping physicians grow revenues, control costs and reduce regulatory risk, McKesson’s RMS group is the leading provider of medical billing and accounts receivable management services.

Stamford Hospital (Stamford, Conn.) is one of McKesson’s RMS clients. “McKesson continues to demonstrate its commitment to us by adjusting to meet our evolving needs,” said Dr. Robert Babkowski, laboratory medical director and chair of pathology, Stamford Hospital, and president of Stamford Pathology Group PC. “For example, our practice recently introduced a new medical procedure, and McKesson worked with us to quickly adapt our revenue management approach to accommodate the change. We consider McKesson to be a trusted partner and rely heavily on the company’s support and industry knowledge.”

In 2008, Omega judged more than 200 projects worldwide from more than 75 companies. Omega’s research demonstrates that companies that consistently achieve a 4.0 or higher score succeed in establishing customer loyalty and build profitable long-term relationships with their clients.

“As a multiple recipient of the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award, McKesson’s RMS group has demonstrated a consistent commitment to excellence in meeting the business needs of hospitals and physicians as judged by those who know best – their own clients,” said John Alexander Maraganis, president and chief executive officer of Omega. “Especially in a difficult economy, a strategy centered on customer service is a proven method for achieving business success.”

Established in 2000, the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award measures overall customer satisfaction and recognizes organizations for achieving outstanding customer service and excellence in product quality, service, training, account management and other customer-facing operations. A specialist in developing and implementing Customer Experience Management (CEM) programs, Omega’s comprehensive NorthFace ScoreBoard Award methodology measures customer satisfaction and loyalty levels on a 5-point scale via surveys taken at least twice during the year. Awards are presented to those companies who, based solely on responses from their own end users, achieved a weighted average score of 4.0 or higher in the categories measured.

“The NorthFace ScoreBoard Award survey provides us with an effective means of measuring and monitoring just how well we’re doing in achieving a high level of customer satisfaction – a top goal for our organization,” said Pat Leonard, senior vice president and general manager for McKesson’s RMS group. “McKesson’s commitment to building a customer-centric culture has helped our group lead the industry in long-term customer retention. Our established clients often become our strongest advocates in the marketplace.”

About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson has been in continuous operation for more than 175 years, making it the longest-operating company in healthcare today. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

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Receivable Recovery Partners Expands in Historic Neighborhood

2009-06-26T06:37:04-07:00

Indianapolis - Receivable Recovery Partners, LLC (RRP), a receivable management company focused on the healthcare industry, is pleased to announce the expansion of its office located at 1041 Shelby Street, Indianapolis, IN, in the historical Fountain Square district.

Fountain Square is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis. It served as the center of Indianapolis southside commerce beginning in the 1870’s. The company has, by increasing their office space, allowed for future growth in this historical neighborhood.

Receivable Recovery Partners CEO, Toby Spreitzer says, “This expansion will not only allow us to better serve our growing customer base but will give us room for future staff growth as well. We feel this is another step toward demonstrating our commitment to healthcare providers and their unique receivables management needs.”

Receivable Recovery Partners offer healthcare providers with receivable management services in early-out, insurance billing and follow-up, worker’s compensation, payment monitoring, and traditional bad debt recovery and is dedicated to raising the standard® in the accounts receivable management industry.

More information is available about RRP at the website www.rrpllc.com.

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Recent Acquisition Gives ARM Firm New Healthcare Services Expertise

2009-06-18T08:19:04-07:00

The year 2008 was bad for hospitals - non-profit hospitals in particular. Profits were down for most hospital operators, layoffs increased due to weak admissions rates, and an American Hospital Association survey this year found that nine in 10 hospitals are making cutbacks to help weather the economic storm.

Consequently, many will be looking to outsource non-core businesses such as billing and collections and FirstPoint Collection Resources, Inc. is hoping that its recent acquisition of Mosaic Revenue Solutions will better position it to be on hospitals’ call list for services.

A recent proposal by leaders of the Senate Finance Committee to change when, and perhaps what, not-for-profit hospitals outsource to collections agencies may limit the acquisition’s potential, however.

FirstPoint, based in Greensboro, N.C., is already one of the largest accounts receivables management companies in the Southeast serving the healthcare, retail, utility, commercial and government sectors. Business has been so good, FirstPoint bought Mosaic with its own cash and the company remains without debt, said Gil Gimbel, FirstPoint’s senior vice president and chief operating officer.

The management team headed by CEO Mike Bumpass wanted to grow the business in an area it wasn’t as strong to make it more attractive to health care providers looking for one-stop revenue cycle solutions. Mosaic’s niche in the extended business office operations for health care providers fit the bill.

“To just buy revenue in times like this is problematic,” Gimbel said. “You’re not growing your horizon as a business. You’re just buying more of the same. That revenue (stream) could dry up. It doesn’t make your roots wider.”

FirstPoint bought Mosaic from High Point Regional Health Systems, which operated Mosaic as a standalone company out of High Point, N.C. The company did early out billing work for its parent company and other hospitals and health care entities.

Kaulkin Ginsberg Analyst Michael Klozotsky said hospital systems operating subsidiary ARM businesses have dwindled from about 90 in the late 1980s to less than 40 today as the health care providers sold these businesses to raise cash, focus on the core business, or maximize efficiencies. He said legislative changes could make selling such assets even more attractive to hospitals who want to avoid the costs of becoming compliant with new rules.

Gimbel said FirstPoint retained Mosaic’s leadership, most of its staff, and adopted Mosaic’s EBO business model, rather than having it conform to the system FirstPoint had in place. He estimates that the Mosaic acquisition could boost FirstPoint’s revenues by as much as 60 percent during the first year as it benefits from economies of scale and the companies’ close proximity to each other negating the need for employees to be relocated. Profits, meanwhile, could increase as much as 30 percent, Gimbel said.

Future revenues and profits, however, could be held back if proposals from senators Max Baucus (D-Mont) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to restrict tax-exempt hospitals’ use of collection agencies becomes law. An aide for Sen. Baucus said told insideARM that legislation detailing the proposals is tentatively scheduled to be released this week.

Gimbel said he isn’t worried that any new law affecting ARM companies will affect FirstPoint’s business in the short term, partly because it could take several years to have an impact, giving FirstPoint and the rest of the ARM industry time to modify their business plans.

“There’s going to be a place for companies to come in and offer outsourcing services. All we are is a temp firm for health care, but a temp firm with very skilled people,” Gimbel said.

Klozotsky added that ARM companies with a diversified service line may be better able offset any risks from new legislation that potentially could affect one or several service categories more than others.

“If you have more than one service line, you spread your risks,” he said. “You still have to be compliant, but you don’t have all your eggs in one basket.”

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Conifer to Provide Revenue Cycle Services for Three Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System Hospitals

2009-06-17T06:55:53-07:00

Dallas -- Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions, Inc. announces it has reached an agreement to provide revenue cycle services to three Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System (SCLHS) hospitals in Montana through the end of 2012. The hospitals include St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, St. James Healthcare in Butte, and Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City, Montana.

Under terms of the agreement, Conifer will be responsible for complete revenue cycle management – including people, processes and technology – at all three hospitals. These solutions include patient access services, coding, claim submission and processing, and accounts receivable management. SCLHS Chief Financial Officer Mike Rowe says while the transition represents significant change for their Care Sites, they believe it will serve to strengthen their ability to serve patients and improve health.

“Given the current challenges facing healthcare, we must be even more responsive to the patients at the point of care,” says Mr. Rowe. “We believe Conifer has the depth and breadth of talent to help us meet the challenges we are facing. Based on their decades of experience managing the revenue cycle for the hospitals of Tenet Healthcare, we know Conifer will provide us with key insight and best practices.”

Beginning on June 15, 2009, Conifer began utilizing its revenue cycle expertise, proprietary processes and patented workflows to maximize yield for the hospitals, which is allowing the hospitals to focus on delivering high-quality healthcare and superior patient and physician experiences.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and their Montana Care Sites, and we greatly appreciate the confidence they are showing in us,” says Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions President Stephen M. Mooney. “We are confident we can make a positive difference in their results as we support and serve their patients.”

About Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System
The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System (SCLHS) owns nine hospitals and four clinics for the uninsured in four states (California, Colorado, Kansas and Montana). The Health System is headquartered in Lenexa, Kan. SCLHS is a Catholic, not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to improving the health of the individuals and communities they serve, especially those who are poor or vulnerable. SCLHS is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, who opened their first hospital in 1864. To learn more, visit www.sclhealthsystem.org.

About Conifer
Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions and Conifer Patient Communications are operating subsidiaries of Conifer Health Solutions, Inc., which provides services to more than 100 hospitals and health systems nationwide. Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions utilizes proprietary workflows and technology to offer comprehensive revenue cycle services ranging from patient pre-registration through the processing of governmental, managed care and self-pay claims. Conifer Patient Communications provides best-in-class communication services that include physician referrals, patient education, marketing services and pre-admission clinical appropriateness reviews.

Born from healthcare, Conifer Health Solutions is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and employs more than 2,000 people. For more information, call 1-877-CONIFER or visit the company’s Web site at www.coniferhealth.com.

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Follow Michael Klozotsky on Twitter at the HFMA Conference

2009-06-15T09:15:40-07:00

Michael Klozotsky is at the Healthcare Fianacial Management Association's ANI: The Healthcare Finance Conference in Seattle.

You can follow Michael's real time updates from the conference right here on this page, or subscribe directly to his Twitter feed:

follow me on Twitter

ARM Industry Gets Face Time with Lawmakers on Health Care Reform Proposals

2009-06-12T07:05:46-07:00

Accounts receivable management industry advocates had several face-to-face meetings in Washington Thursday with Capitol Hill lawmakers working on health care reform.

ACA International executives and members were in the capital to rally around the not-for-profit hospital industry that could be harmed by proposed legislation to toughen standards affecting their tax-exempt status eligibility.

Specifically, Senate Finance Committee leaders Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have proposed mandating that not-for-profits provide a minimum amount of charity care to qualify for the federal tax credit. They also are considering proposals that would affect how not-for-profit hospitals engage collections agencies.

“Our position now is against any punitive measures that would restrict any use of collection companies or outsourcing,” said ACA President Jay Gonsalves, who met with lawmakers.

Earlier this week, ACA issued a news release alerting members that the proposals could be devastating to the medical ARM industry and called on its members to help educate their representatives in the House and Senate. In the release, Adam Peterman, ACA’s government affairs director, said that his chief concern is discussion on restricting the ability of non-profit hospitals to seek payment for services, including making it difficult for providers to outsource collection activity to third party vendors.

After the meetings on Thursday, Peterman told insideARM that he doesn’t believe lawmakers are considering delaying when not-for-profit hospitals can outsource a bad debt for collection. However, when asked if lawmakers have similar views about early out billing and collections before an account is classified as bad debt, Peterman said, “We are continuing discussions on a whole host of issues. I’ll have a lot more to say once we have a bill introduced.”

An aide to Sen. Baucus told insideARM that legislation detailing the proposals that would affect non-profit hospitals’ tax-exemption eligibility and their use of collections agencies is tentatively scheduled to be released next week.

Peterman said ACA representatives in their meetings Thursday focused more on educating lawmakers about the nuts and bolts of what health care providers do and what services collection agencies provide on their behalf.

“I would stay the meeting was helpful to both parties and the dialogue will continue,” he said.

Kaulkin Ginsberg Analyst Michael Klozotsky said he applauds the ACA for staying out in front of issues affecting the ARM industry and its clients. However, he is concerned that the organization may have rushed to judgment about what the health care reform bills will contain.

Klozotsky said revisions to Form 990 that tax-exempt organizations must file with the Internal Revenue Service already put the spotlight on not-for-profit hospitals’ free care practices. He said some of the proposed legislation on the issue is in tandem with the new IRS mandates and would not hurt the ARM industry.

“Those accounts (charity care) are expensive and difficult to collect,” Klozotsky said. “They’re asking that you get people in the right bucket before you start collecting on those accounts.”

Klozotsky cautioned that reacting without adequate information could foster an adversarial relation between Congress and the ARM industry, which he said isn’t viewed as a friend to many consumers in this economy. Nonetheless, he said new legislation that places additional requirements on hospitals may not be bad for health care collections agencies.

“There may be opportunities for collections agencies to develop new business lines,” such as patient counseling, scoring or analytics, to help hospitals meet the new legislative requirements, he said.

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Aspect Customer Wins 1to1 Customer Champion Honors

2009-06-11T08:27:06-07:00

Chelmsford, Mass.–Aspect, a unified communications (UC) solutions provider, today announced its customer, Fran Horner from NorthShore University HealthSystem, won the 1to1 Customer Champion Award from 1to1 Magazine. As the senior director of patient access, Horner is being recognized for successfully driving patient services initiatives and leveraging industry-leading UC application for the contact center capabilities from Aspect to ensure that NorthShore is delivering quality customer care and building loyalty among its patients.

“The patient experience begins the moment you call a healthcare provider, so the contact center plays a key role in making the process as pleasant as possible,” said Horner. “Aspect has been a significant piece of our patient care initiatives, and has helped us gain a strategic advantage in a competitive healthcare market. It’s gratifying to have our hard work at NorthShore University HealthSystem validated by 1to1 Magazine and to recognize our tremendous efforts and commitment to providing exceptional patient communications.”

To create the best patient care experience, Horner and NorthShore University HealthSystem embarked on a people-focused, cross-departmental initiative supported by technology. NorthShore, a healthcare provider based in the northern Chicago suburbs, implemented the inbound, outbound, voice portal, recording and workforce management capabilities of Aspect’s UC application for the contact center, Blended Interaction. In addition to deploying extensive customer interaction capabilities, Horner established new recruiting and training initiatives to better equip the contact center to address patient inquiries.

The new technology and training initiatives helped NorthShore improve its contact center satisfaction level from 60 percent to up to 98 percent. Horner has also helped the organization lower agent turnover by 58 percent, and calls answered within 30 seconds have increased by 82 percent.

“NorthShore is a great example of how the right technology coupled with customer-focused initiatives can translate into a major competitive advantage,” said Serge Hyppolite, director of interaction product management, Aspect. “We’re so pleased to see a business leader like Fran succeed with her customer care initiatives using Aspect technology and innovative strategies. As more companies see the benefits of using unified contact center functionality, they’ll turn to Aspect and the capabilities of our UC applications to reduce complexity, streamline communications, and build customer satisfaction.”

The 1to1 Customer Champions are business executives focused on customers and are chosen by 1to1 Magazine based on their ability to transform customer loyalty into profit. To read more on Fran Horner and NorthShore University HealthSystem, read the magazine (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/1to1/2009summer/#/18) or the case study (http://www.aspect.com/09/Library/casestudies/Aspect-NorthShore-Univ-HealthSys_CS.pdf)

About Blended Interaction

Blended Interaction is a unified communications application for the contact center that provides inbound, outbound, self service and workforce optimization capabilities. By eliminating complex integration and providing common management, reporting and administration, Blended Interaction gives you greater visibility, control and staffing efficiency in your multichannel contact center to enhance customer satisfaction and improve business results.

About Aspect

Aspect provides software and consulting services that turn the potential of unified communications into real business results across the enterprise and in the contact center. Applying 35 years of insight and experience, Aspect helps more than two-thirds of the FORTUNE Global 100, as well as small and medium enterprises, power their business processes with communications. For more information, visit www.aspect.com.

Healthcare

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Twitter Updates

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