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Precise patient scheduling is a need of healthcare practices. Patients are being moved more and more on digital systems during COVID-19, particularly for scheduling appointments. That’s why most of the patients prefer online scheduling. If patients prefer this appointment then healthcare providers definitely want to improve their services because over 80% of people choose a doctor who provides online scheduling including primary care and specialty doctors. This huge number forced healthcare providers to allow online scheduling services. For efficient revenue cycle management, practices need precise patient scheduling services. The way you schedule patients can have a massive impact on how smoothly (or not) your billing process runs. So let’s discuss why that is and how you can improve your scheduling to make efficient billing.

Link Between Scheduling and Billing

Scheduling and billing seem like two completely separate functions. Scheduling is about getting patients through a way at the right time and billing is about making sure you get paid for the services you provide. Then how patient scheduling system can impact medical billing? 

Both patient scheduling and billing are connected with each other. When scheduling is slow then it directly impacts the billing system. Patients might show up at the wrong time or not show up at all, insurance details could be missing or incorrect, and procedures could get misclassified. All these confusions translate directly into billing errors, delayed payments, and sometimes outright claim denials. Scheduling is like a foundation. If you start off on the wrong side then the whole process gets affected and no amount even can fix it. 

How Poor Scheduling Derails the Billing Process

Incomplete or Incorrect Patient Information

When you do not have an efficient scheduling system then there are more chances that critical details like insurance info or patient demographics get skipped or entered incorrectly.  If the front desk staff doesn’t have time to double-check these details, they’ll show up later when the billing team tries to submit a claim. And when insurance companies find these errors they directly send that claim right back, delayed or denied. To overcome these issues it is important for staff to invest more time in the scheduling process to confirm patient details. Use automated systems that allow staff to double-check insurance and personal info before finalizing an appointment.

No-Shows and Late Cancellations

No-shows aren’t just annoying but also expensive. Every missed appointment means lost revenue and it’s not enough here. When a patient misses a scheduled visit, it creates a gap in the billing flow. If that appointment involved a procedure or test that was supposed to be billed to insurance, you’ve now got a hole in your expected revenue. Here practices need to use patient appointment scheduling reminders in the form of text, email, or phone to overcome no-shows. Additionally, you can consider charging a no-show fee (within reason) to encourage patients to keep their appointments.

Double Booking and Overlapping Appointments

Waiting in a room is the most frustrating condition for patients and waiting is a sign of poor scheduling. Double booking or scheduling appointments too close together stresses out your staff and leads to poor services which increases the occurrence of coding mistakes and incomplete documentation. Coding errors cause billing issues. Optimize the scheduling system to avoid overlaps and give providers enough time to properly document each visit.

Failure to Verify Insurance and Coverage

A lot of practices make the mistake of not verifying insurance details until after the appointment. If the insurance info is outdated or the patient isn’t covered for a particular procedure then your practice faces billing issues that are difficult to remove. Verify insurance at the time of scheduling, not after the fact. Most modern scheduling systems can integrate with insurance databases to automate this step. 

Mismatched Appointment Types and Billing Codes

All appointments are not always equal. A quick consultation and a complex procedure have different billing codes and if the type of visit isn’t scheduled correctly then you could end up using the wrong code. That’s practically an invitation for an insurance company to reject the claim. That’s why it is compulsory to train your staff to categorize appointments accurately when scheduling and use templates to make sure the right codes are attached to the right visit types.

Why Precise Scheduling Makes Billing Efficient

When your practices have precise and organized scheduling processes, billing becomes faster and smoother without any complication but why? Let’s get the answer. 

Better Documentation Leads to Fewer Errors

When appointments are scheduled correctly then providers have enough time to document visits thoroughly. That means accurate coding and complete records which are two of the biggest factors in getting claims approved quickly.

Cleaner Claims Mean Faster Reimbursements

Insurance companies always prefer clean and complete claims. When patient details, procedure codes, and coverage info are all correct from the start then claims can be processed on time without facing any difficulty. Fewer rejections mean less back-and-forth and ultimately faster payments.

Higher Patient Satisfaction

We all see patients hate waiting and they hate dealing with surprise bills even more. When scheduling and billing are aligned then patients get a smoother experience from start to finish. No one likes getting a bill for a procedure they thought was covered and precise scheduling reduces the chances of that happening.

Tips for Streamlining Your Scheduling to Improve Billing Efficiency

• Use Patient Scheduling Software That Integrates with Billing Systems

• Implement Pre-Appointment Verification

• Categorize and Code Appointments Correctly

• Automate Patient Reminders

• Track and Review Scheduling Metrics

Outsourcing Patient scheduling services

Outsourcing your patient scheduling billing services to the best medical billing company can be the better option for those healthcare care providers who want consistent cash flow with a higher patient satisfaction rate. However, selecting the best company might be challenging because 65% of consumers have broken up their relationship with a firm after receiving poor customer service. And obviously, all healthcare providers do not want this bad experience by choosing a bad company for outsourcing their patient scheduling processes.

That’s why you need QuickPay Solution, a medical billing company that has provided patient scheduling services for years. Their experience shows the results that healthcare practices expect. QuickPay Solution facilitates patient care through its online scheduling system. Patients can schedule their appointment in the comfort of their home and save their time. QuickPay Solution schedules appointments accurately, reduces errors, speeds up claim approvals, and keeps your revenue cycle flowing smoothly.