Summer Motivation – is it really as hard as it sounds?


Hooray! Summer is here! The weather is beautiful and you are ready some much needed time outside in the beautiful sunshine. But wait, you have to focus on SCHOOL?!?! So how do you do it? Below are a few tips to keep you focused and motivated.

Keep a regular schedule!

Okay, so I know that is not as easy as it might seem. If you have school age children that are now on summer vacation, you may not be able to focus on school as much as you can during the school year but guess what, it is okay! Just keep putting in a regular amount of studying each week and you will keep progressing. You do not want to get behind, so try to work ahead if it allowed that way when the kids are calling, you have the extra time to put school away for a while and focus on them.

Soak up Some SUN!

As an online student you will not be able to spend all day outside but you can schedule a break that will allow you to go get some of the much needed Vitamin D. Even a few minutes outside watering the plants or sitting out in the sun can make a difference to improve your mood and keep you motivated.

Be as organized as possible (Make a plan).

Take the extra time to know what is required of you for each section of your program. Once you know the requirements, make a “game” plan for getting it done. This will keep you organized and on track. This will give you a sense of accomplishment each time you check off the next thing on your list!

Try to find a balance.

Finding a balance, that is a hard one! You must remember what is important to you outside of school, whether it be family and friends, your health, a hobby or work. Yes I know, I just told you to keep a schedule and now I am telling you to try to find a balance? But we need to set aside a few hours or so to spend time on something other than school work. Remember to set priorities in your life! You may need to readjust your schedule to fit this all in but remember, you cannot spend every moment studying!

Keep your eye on the PRIZE!

You are in school for a reason!  Always remember that you are working hard with a goal in mind, and that you won’t be an online student for the rest of your life. The skills you learn now will last a lifetime! When it comes to motivation, attitude is everything.

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.

B.B. King

IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE POSSIBLE WHEN YOU WORK AT HOME?

You’re at your desk and ready for work.  Your computer is on, your phone is off, you have the latest antivirus software, and you have taken great pains to set up an “EC” (ergonomically correct) workstation.  You’re in your pajamas and bunny slippers.  Nirvana!

Or is it?

Finding a balance between our work and home lives is a challenge that many of us face.  In this technological age when messaging is instant and coworkers span multiple time zones, it’s a challenge to leave your work at work once you head home.  Now…what about when work and home are under the same roof?

While there many obvious benefits to working from home, it may not be for everyone.  Working from home requires self-discipline.  It doesn’t matter if you are an employee of a large company, an independent contractor, or a student taking courses at home.  Setting routines and boundaries is critical.  Without them, you could find yourself working far more than 8 hours a day, or even going in the other direction.

If you don’t already have a schedule that your employer (or school) expects of you, create one and stick with it.  Let others know your schedule and set the expectation that you will be unavailable during that time; set that expectation for yourself, as well.

When at work, be at work.  Take breaks as you need them so that you stay refreshed and productive, but avoid getting sidetracked by non-work-related things when you should be completing a report or an assignment.  Household tasks can wait until you are “home” to do them.

On the flip side, just because you can turn on your computer and work after hours doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.  When it’s time to play, play.  Spend time with your family, go out with friends, or spend time doing something that is important to you.

Setting these boundaries and prioritizing your time will ensure that your remote career or education is a happy, productive, and fulfilling experience.

What has been the most difficult adjustment you’ve had to make in your at-home school or work experience?

Games Medical Transcription Services Play…

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Have you analyzed your outsourced transcription services contract recently?

  • Is your current vendor charging you a fair “market” rate?
  • Is your current vendor leveraging speech recognition technology for your benefit or theirs?
  • Is your transcription being done overseas – without your knowledge?
  • Are you benefiting financially for the work done in India or does this benefit accrue solely to the vendor providing the services?
  • Are you aware of the added legal exposure you assume when having your work sent to other countries (with or without permission) not governed by the laws of the United States?
  • Has the transcription services market evolved to a point where you are currently paying your in-house medical transcriptionists above market wages?

These are some of the questions recently faced by a 245-bed acute-care hospital based on the Northeast. The answers were startling:

1) Fair Rate: No
After careful evaluation we identified a significant disconnect between what the hospital thought they were being billed for and what their actual bills reflected. Unfortunately this practice dates back a long way, has given our industry a black eye and appears to be rearing its ugly head again as the industry experiences significant consolidation. This difference resulted in a 22% increase in transcription costs representing approximately $68,000 in potential cost savings annually.

2) Speech Recognition: Yes
The current vendor has publicly stated that over 83% of the work processed is being done with the assistance of speech recognition technology; although there is no mention of this to the client or in the client’s contract. When the client specifically asked if their work was being processed this way and requested to share in the financial benefit the current vendor was repeatedly evasive and eventually declined to make an adjustment. In follow-up we determined there was an additional $36,000 in potential cost savings opportunity in leveraging speech recognition technology for this client.

3) Off-shoring: Yes
The current vendor has publicly stated that over 35% of their total work volume is done overseas and they are focused on increasing this amount; although there was no mention of this to the client or in the client’s contract. To make matters worse…when the vendor was asked about off-shoring the answer was again very evasive and declined to provide an answer the hospital could respond to. What’s the take-a-way: If your current contract doesn’t specifically state “no off-shoring” or “U.S. based labor only” you can be assured there is a high likelihood the work is being sent off-shore and as such you should derive some benefit for the increased exposure you (knowingly or unknowingly) assume.

4) In-house – Above Market Pay: Yes
Again, after careful analysis we determined this hospital was spending approximately 20% more per line in-house as compared to their current “inflated” outsourcing cost per line. A potential cost savings of $85,000 annually, a figure that would increase to over $100,000 if this hospital moved to a total outsource arrangement.

In conclusion, we identified approximately $157,000 in potential costs savings for this hospital or approximately 24% of their total annual transcription spend.  Imagine how surprised the HIM Director and Chief Financial Officer were when we presented these findings to them. Don’t let this happen to you.

Wouldn’t you rather be the “hero” who discovered this type of financial cost savings for your hospital?

This type of analysis is not hard and does not require a lot of time to complete…but it is amazing how many times we find prospective hospital clients who are surprised by findings like these.  If you suspect your organization might be in the same boat as this one we encourage you to spend the time to ensure you are not  surprised by the “games medical transcription services play.”

The American Healthcare Documentation Professionals Group offers a free, no obligation analysis, to U.S. based hospitals interested in determining how to reduce their in-house and/or outsourced transcription costs and improve the overall efficiency of their healthcare documentation process. To request our assistance, please contact Peter Reilly at [email protected] or call us at 508.925.5400 for more information.

ICD-9-CM vs. CPT-4

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ICD-9-CM versus CPT-4

Do you know what the header of this article means?  If you do, you more than likely have some experience in the medical billing and coding profession.  The next question would be; do you know the answer to this question?  What are these things? Are they important and how are they different?  Are they for facility coding/billing or are they for physician based coding/billing.  What are your thoughts?

If you have spent any time in this profession, you should know the difference in these items and how they affect your working environment.  When do you use ICD-9-CM and when do you use CPT-4? Can you explain the process?

Here is the insight to the above questions:  ICD-9-CM stands for the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modifications and the CPT-4 is the Current Procedural Terminology, 4th edition. ICD-9-CM is used for facility coding and CPT is used for physician based coding.  What is so interesting is that ICD-9 is diagnoses and procedures where CPT-4 is only procedures and services.  Many people question why we need to still learn ICD-9-CM when ICD-10 is getting ready to be implemented?  Well, here is the reason why…even if ICD-10 were to be put into effect next October1, 2013 every biller and coder will still be working with ICD-9-CM for one calendar year following the implementation date.  So, ICD-9-CM may seem obsolete but this resource is not going away quickly and it may be around longer than some would hope.  If it has been determined that the profession is not prepared for the implementation of ICD-10, the profession will wait until ICD-11 will be released as it is being worked on at this time.

So if you ever find yourself questioning why you need to learn the ICD-9-CM, there is a good reason for this and you should embrace this process. Just imagine that eventually CPT-5 will be on the horizon and we will be answering these questions all over again only this time for CPT rather than ICD.  If you are looking to grow your prospects in this profession, there really is no better time than the present to take the reins and learn the process.  What are you waiting for?  Your future is waiting…….

The OpenNotes Project – Shared Medical Records Online

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You may have signed a release to review or obtain copies of the documents in your medical record.  Your primary care physician may have faxed or mailed copies of your notes to a specialist you were referred to.  You may have even found it necessary to make a formal request to have an error fixed in your health record.  Your PCP has given you a laundry list of instructions to follow before your next visit in a few months, but darned if you can remember all them.

What about if you had online access to your electronic health record to see what your doctor is writing about you, have copies for yourself at home to refer to, share with others as you like, and request corrections to that information?

OpenNotes, a recent year-long study, has explored this idea on a fairly large scale.  Three medical facilities in different areas of the country participated in the study:  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts; Geisinger Health System of Danville, Pennsylvania; and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.  Approximately 100 physicians and 20,000 patients participated in the study.

Many physicians were optimistic about the impact patient online access would have, such as improved patient-doctor communication as well as increased patient cooperation and engagement in their healthcare.  Still, others were concerned about confusing or worrying their patients, increased demands on their time when answering questions about what was written in their notes, and perhaps feeling they should be less candid and more careful about what they write in patients’ reports.

The majority of patients were enthusiastic about the opportunity to view their records online, feeling that it would lead to better understanding of their treatment plans and improved accuracy of their records.

You may read more about the OpenNotes project here http://www.myopennotes.org/.  Through this link, you may also connect to the perspective and baseline findings articles that were published in the December 20, 2011, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

What are your thoughts on online access to your medical records?

Medical Billing and Coding as a Career

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Have you been one of those people that have been laid off due to downsizing or let go because your job has been outsourced by your company?  Have you often thought that you need a career that can take you to retirement and beyond in case you are not ready to retire at age 65 or even 70? Medical billing and coding is a great pathway to follow for these exact reasons.  It can become a career that you fall in love with, enjoy getting up for every day and should not leave you out in the cold for the above reasons.

I have a life long career in the medical profession and I cannot imagine my life without the medical experience.  Working in so many different facets in the work place has provided such a great rounded background that I find myself being able to work pretty much anywhere within the profession.  Billing is more than just “billing”.  Billing identifies registration, insurance verification, referrals and authorizations, surgery scheduling, claim form processing, data entry, accounts receivable and collections. Coding encompasses office visits, immunizations, diagnostic studies, special procedures, surgeries, laboratories, medical supplies, facility stays and so much more.  It is a challenging career and in many cases a diverse experience.

The opportunities that become available when you start working in this profession are amazing.  Inpatient facilities, outpatient facilities, rehabilitation’s, nursing facilities, physician offices, specialty groups, insurance companies, billing companies, consulting companies, auditing companies…..the list goes on. The one that everyone wants to pursue of course is the “working from home” option.  This is possible but you need to realize that as a newcomer to the field, you will have to find the right employer that will allow this arrangement and prove that you have the work ethic and quality of work they are searching for to make this happen. This generally requires a minimum of 6 months to a year on-site with your employer before this arrangement is offered.

The challenge in today’s society is that many employers will not hire right off the street any longer without some type of experience.  The reason for this is that employers do not have the time or staff to devote to training new staff from scratch.  There has to be a basis to run with as you begin in this profession.  Gaining basic knowledge on medical terminology, anatomy and physiology as well as functions of insurances and how they work is invaluable today.  Gaining this information and knowledge today happens by completing some type of program that is designated to provide this background.  Thousands of programs exist and you need to find the right one for you.

Certifications are the next item that every employer seems to be searching for and that is because it justifies the working knowledge of people hired.  Certifications show your dedication to your career and that you are looking to add to that commitment.  It does not necessarily matter how many certifications you hold, but where ever you may land, you should look to have at least one to run with.  This one certification can make all the difference in your employment opportunities.

The trick in life is to find something that you can develop a passion for.  I was lucky early on in my working career to find just that and it is working in the medical profession as a biller and coder.  I cannot imagine where I would be today if I did not follow this pathway so many years ago and I am very grateful that I will have this to take me well into retirement age as I choose.  So if you took the time to read my entire posting, I suppose at this point I would ask “what are you waiting for?” This is a career that will give back and you will be happy that you made the decision.  Your options are endless.  It really can be the best of both worlds if you take the pathway and see where it will lead you.

When Does Meaningful Use Become Meaningless or Worse?

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Many individuals believe that electronic medical records (EMRs) are a major component driving the digital transformation of the healthcare industry. The value of EMRs have been well published and include the following benefits:

  • Remote access to patient information.
  • Immediate access to the information.
  • The elimination of chart chasing.
  • The elimination of duplicate entry of the same information on multiple forms.
  • The information is continuously updated.
  • Concurrently available to many users simultaneously.
  • Automated medical alerts.
  • Automated reminders.
  • Built-in intelligence which can recognize abnormal test results or potentially life threatening drug interactions.
  • Provide a link to the clinician to protocols, care plans, critical paths, literature databases, pharmaceutical information and other databases of healthcare knowledge, etc.
  • Provide information to improve risk management and assessment outcomes.
  • Better population management.
  • Reduction of medical errors.
  • Decrease charting time and charting errors, therefore increasing the productivity of healthcare workers and decreasing medical errors due to illegible notes.
  • Provide more accurate billing information.
  • Will allow the providers of care to submit their claims electronically, therefore receiving payment quicker.

But are we fooling ourselves?  Has anyone ever stopped to consider the impact EMRs will have on our healthcare delivery system if the information placed in them is not accurate?

For the fun of it, let’s take the same list of benefits and assume the worst…I wonder what our healthcare system might look like under this scenario?

  • Remote access to inaccurate patient information.
  • Immediate access to inaccurate information.
  • Inaccurate information is concurrently available to many users simultaneously.
  • Inaccurate automated medical alerts.
  • Inaccurate automated reminders.
  • Built-in intelligence which can inaccurately recognize abnormal test results or potentially life threatening drug interactions.
  • Provide a link to the clinician to inaccurate protocols, inaccurate care plans, inaccurate critical paths, inaccurate literature databases, inaccurate pharmaceutical information and other databases of healthcare knowledge, etc.
  • Provide inaccurate information to improve risk management and assessment outcomes.
  • Ineffective population management.
  • Increase in medical errors.
  • Increased charting time and charting errors, therefore decreasing the productivity of healthcare workers and increasing medical errors due to  inaccurate notes.
  • Less accurate billing information.
  • The ability for providers of care to submit inaccurate claims electronically, therefore delaying payment or worse, driving up the cost of healthcare due to billing confusion and the ordering unneeded tests.

Wow! That’s quite a frightening picture.

An interesting point to consider this particular week…National Medical Transcriptionist Week.  A week first set aside in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan. At the time, President Reagan recognized the important jobs these highly trained professionals do when he proclaimed, “Record-keeping is a vital function in our society, and one of the most important records for every American is the medical record. That record, including reports prepared and edited by a medical transcriptionist from physician dictation, is the permanent history of a patient’s medical care. It is appropriate for our Nation to recognize the contributions of medical transcriptionists.”

Since 1985 technology has changed every aspect of our lives.  But even with the passage of time, President Reagan’s words are more accurate today with the proliferation of electronic medical records.  The EMR places today’s Medical Transcriptionist in the role as “gatekeeper” responsible for ensuring the information going into each and every person’s medical record is complete, accurate and available to all caregivers.  We need these folks as a vital check and balance to make sure “meaningful use” doesn’t become “meaningless” or worse, is allow to negatively impact patient care.

I urge all Americans to carefully consider the important role these well trained and highly qualified individuals bring to our healthcare delivery system…in the future our lives or the lives of our loved ones WILL depend on it.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this subject with your own personal comment. Click the comment link below.

Healthcare outpaces all other sectors in jobs growth

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I have read several times of recent, a few interesting articles about the economy and jobs market.  One interesting fact seems to keep popping up in all the articles, the healthcare sector is the place to be.  The healthcare sector is growing by leaps and bounds and any jobs related to that industry are on the rise. Jobs like medical scribe, medical billing and coding, medical transcription/speech editing, healthcare IT, just to name a few would all seem to be in demand. It would appear to me that any training or certifications in the healthcare arena would be a worthwhile investment in ones future. I suppose as long as people are in need of medical attention requiring the services of a medical facility, and those facilities have a continued need to be paid for their services, this will be the case for a long time to come.  Not all the jobs for healthcare industry are for doctors and nurses. Certainly there are a lot of other areas that need skilled employees to make the whole thing work like those coders, transcriptionist, scribes ,admin and of course us IT folks. Here is an example of one of those articles I read recently.

 Healthcare IT News

Get a Jump Start on a New Career!

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By simply receiving a medical coding certificate, you will become prepared to work inside the one of the fastest-growing fields. With the major changes in health care, Medical Coding is quickly becoming on of the fastest growing professions in the United States.  

What is Medical Coding?

Medical coding professionals provide a key step in the medical billing process. Every time a patient receives care, the provider must document the services. This is where the Medical Coder is important. The Medical Coder must create a claim and assign CPT codes, ICD-9 codes and HCPCS codes for the claim so the provider can be paid.

At AHDPGTM, we offer Medical Coding Programs which are all online for your convenience. We also have created a “Jump” Start Coding Program for practicing medical transcriptionists or other allied health professionals who are looking to make a career change. The AHDPGTM Medical Billing and Coding Program is an approved education provider and nationally recognized by AAPC – The American Academy of Professional Coders.

According to The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to increase by 21 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.

Medical Coders play a vital role in the delivery of the healthcare system. Consider training in this exciting and fast growing field. Online distance learning education can open the door to new opportunities, are you ready?

Important Features of an Online Education Program

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Online education is not the best choice for everyone but is a good choice for you?  Here are some thoughts for you to consider.

Flexibility – We are busy people! We have kids; we have full time jobs, etc. When do we fit in education? Flexibility is a HUGE benefit when doing online education. We can set our own schedule for school and study time around all the “busy” in our lives.

Self-motivation- With freedom and flexibility of the online environment there is responsibility. The online process takes a real commitment and discipline. Online education is not for everyone. You have to be determined to do it; you have to do it because it’s important to you! With that in mind, you must be self-motivated to succeed! Remember that it is extremely important for you to stay on top of your work without procrastinating. At times you might have to close out distractions in order to study and complete your assignments

Setting Goals- First plan on success! Distance learning has its own special challenges but when you set your goals in mind the chances of success is greatly increased. When you have accomplished an assignment or you received a good grade on a quiz, reward yourself! Remember to be proud of your accomplishments!

Expense – In the current economy, cost is often a big factor to consider. We do not need to spend more money than needed on our education.  Traditional universities or schools usually have many factors that make their costs higher than the online schools. Universities have costs of buildings, maintenance, staff, and many other costs. Also, students have to travel to the school adding fuel expenses and time to their already busy day. Online students avoid these costs making it more affordable and more convenient to attend an online school. Also consider how the school determines its tuition. Some schools charge by the class and other schools the semester. Maybe it is better financially to find a school that charges a flat fee.

The combination of everything above makes online education a great option for those of us that need another option. That’s my list, what would you add?