One of the most important aspects of a practice is its reception. Receptionist positions, the person who verifies a patient’s insurance, and data entry are vital to the financial health of a practice. If the receptionist isn’t friendly or can’t multitask, you have a problem. The first (and last) person your patient meets, whether on the phone or in person, is the receptionist. The receptionist must have an upbeat personality and the ability to handle many tasks at the same time. Providers often forget the important role the receptionist plays in their success. Unfortunately, the receptionist is often at the end of the line for monetary compensation.

receptionist

Role

  • Answer the telephones and the doubts that a patient may have
  • Schedule appointments and start patient registration startup, including insurance information
  • Greet and register patients
  • Schedule follow-up appointments
  • Call patients who do not show up
  • Collect copays, coinsurance and deductibles
  • Extract patient charts for the next day and archive the charts
  • Anything else the provider decides to include in their responsibilities

Ratings

  • Warm and optimistic personality (better known as a people person), they don’t have to be cheerleaders.
  • Focus and attention
  • Above average computer skills
  • Better voice and phone manners than average
  • Better than average skill with time management – multitasking
  • Good memory
  • mathematical skills
  • Not afraid to ask for money

If any of these skills are lacking, the practice will eventually develop a financial problem. The problem may be minor or it may be a major problem. If your receptionist is not a “people person” or has problems with their communication skills, you may lose patients. If there are problems with your memory, math, and/or time management skills, it will affect your accounts receivable. An example of not charging copays or collecting incorrect insurance information. It is crucial to have the correct personal data and insurance information from the beginning.

insurance verification

The front must work as a team. The person responsible for verifying insurance may spot a mistake made by the receptionist. If the receptionist makes a mistake regarding personal data or insurance information, the person will be able to correct the problem. By calling the insurance company, the person will know right away if they have the correct information. If the information is incorrect, the patient will not exist in the insurance company’s database. The person verifying the insurance should always call the insurance company. Even if multiple patients have the same insurance, don’t assume the policies are the same. One thing to remember is that the employer decides what coverage the employee receives. Another point; two patients can be employed by the same company but have different coverage. The more information you collect from insurance, the better you can play at your ballpark. Remember that it is your ball park. The person verifying insurance should ask questions related to her specialty.

Role

  • Benefit Check
  • Request clearance and/or referrals from respected vendors/outside administrators
  • Inform the digitizer and/or supplier.

Ratings

  • assertive personality
  • Enjoy investigating problems
  • good communication skills
  • Experience and knowledge within the insurance industry.

Failure to verify your patient’s insurance coverage could lead to large accounts receivable and/or high write-offs. Bad or missing information turns the back end (billing department) into a nightmare. Misinformation leads to decreased gross collections = low profits.

Data entry

Data entry Another link in the chain; incorrect information entered into the computer will result in claims being denied. Claims that are denied convert 30 – 60 days to 90 – 120 days to receive payment. Your cash flow is affected.

The role of data entry

  • Complete patient registration
  • Posting Authorizations
  • publication expenses

Data Entry Qualifications

  • Above average computer skills
  • Knowledge of CPT codes and ICD-9 codes
  • Detail oriented.

Every position on the front end has a direct effect on your accounts receivable. The billing department cannot do a good job if the initial information was incorrect. Incorrect information will result in claims being paid within 90-120 days or large amounts being written off. In today’s market a practice cannot afford wrong data. As a coach tells his players, mental mistakes are not acceptable. Yes, people make mistakes, but I have seen practices fail to verify insurance coverage and/or have authorizations/references, leading to cancellations. Another problem is incomplete personal data or incorrect insurance information, causing payment to arrive in 90 to 120 days and resulting in decreased cash flow.

It is difficult to operate a practice, but it can be done. An internship can be profitable! Running a profitable practice requires the provider to remember and understand how important the front end is to their success.