Eggleston & Eggleston is proud to serve medical practices and hospitals in Virginia by providing an integrated approach to practice management with a personal touch. Here are our Quarter 4 tips to keep your medical practice on track in 2022.
During Quarter 4:
- Perform a physician chart audit.
- Review annual billing and coding changes.
- Hold a year end “thank you” party for your team!
Perform a physician chart audit.
How to Perform a Physician Chart Audit
A physician chart audit is a tool that physicians use to monitor their performance, determine how they are doing, as well as learn about areas that need changes. It may be a lengthy process, but it is necessary to increase patient traffic, which reflects on your practice’s income.
Why do you need a Physician Chart Audit?
A physician chart audit is an essential tool in practice because:
- It helps physicians to check their performance and identify areas that need improvement.
- The chart audits can be helpful in research
- It is a requirement for insurance compliance.
- It allows one to get quality information.
- It helps one determine what to do better after learning patient history.
- It is an administrative requirement.
How do you do Physician Chart Audit?
Before doing a chart audit, you should first learn the institution’s policies concerning sharing confidential patient data. Here’s how you do a physician chart audit;
- Select a topic of your audit to have a clear focus. Choose an issue that has an external comparison.
- Define what you will measure. The measures should be workable.
- Identify patient population. It’s vital to understand the people you are planning on meeting. Learn things like their age and their gender.
- Determine your sample size. You can decide to use records of patients who have undergone treatment in one day, or you can choose files on a shelf.
- Create audit tools to help you record your findings. Choose a simple tool to get help from non-medical staff.
- Collect data
- Summarize results
- Analyze your results after completing and compiling your research.
- Put your work to use.
Final Thought
To learn more about physician chart audit, visit our website or, better still, contact Eggleston and Eggleston medical practice management. We’ll help you perform a physician chart audit.
Review annual billing and coding changes.
Each year, the medical industry goes through many changes. Some of these changes involve certain adjustments being made to how procedures are being coded. There have been several changes to ICD-10 and CPT coding procedures throughout the years. Medicare fees have evolved as well. If you own a medical practice, these changes could have a big impact on how your business operates. You must take the time to review these changes on an annual basis.
What are these Changes About?
ICD-10 and CPT coding manuals have undergone several adjustments to how medical procedures and diagnoses are coded on a patient’s bill. For 2022, CPT coding has included 249 new codes and 93 revised ones. Different sections in the manual have undergone some significant changes, such as the evaluation and management section. There have also been a generous amount of procedural codes that have been deleted.
New illnesses such as COVID-19 and its variants have impacted the ICD-10 coding manual in 2020 and now. The changes that have taken effect this year have impacted radiologists, due to the 159 new codes. Of these new codes, only a few would be important to medical professionals in this field. The list of Z-codes, which provides additional information relevant to the patient’s diagnosis, is helpful for radiologists in emergency department situations.
Besides ICD-10 and CPT coding systems, Medicare physician fees have also undergone some changes this year. Congress has recently passed a law to prevent physician payment cuts. This updated fee schedule could be found on California’s Medicare contractor, Noridian, website. This revised schedule will certainly impact how the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program is carried out for eligible clinicians.
Why Must You Review these Changes
If you want your medical practice to remain productive and profitable, reviewing these changes is beneficial. The medical industry is always changing and practices must stay up-to-date with the changes to run efficiently. Taking the time to review these new ICD and CPT codes and learning about the effects these have on your business is beneficial for its future. You should also be aware of the deleted ones because using them will cause medical claims to be rejected. After reviewing, make sure you follow through by making adjustments to your templates, EHR systems, and other documentation.
How You Can Review Them
Reviewing annual changes to medical coding systems and Medicare physician fees doesn’t have to be difficult. We at Eggleston and Eggleston Medical Practice Management work with medical professionals who run their own practices in providing numerous services such as Efficiency & Reimbursement Review and Information Management. We provide the tools you need to thoroughly review important annual changes that could affect your business. For more information on how we could help your practice grow, please contact us today.
Hold a year end “thank you” party for your team!
The end of the year is the perfect time to show your team how much you appreciate all their hard work throughout the year. You can have a “thank you” party regardless of your budget. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. A simple end-of-year party can show your team that you appreciate them. Here are a few things to consider when planning a “thank you” party:
- Location: Where do you want to have this party? Could you have it in the office after hours or on the weekend? Do you want to take your team somewhere unique and fun?
- Theme: Do you want your party to have a theme? If your office is already having a holiday or end-of-year party, you could simply incorporate a “thank you” speech or employee awards to add an element of appreciation.
- Food: Will the party be catered or will it be a potluck? The cheaper option is a potluck. You can have your team members sign up to bring different treats to the party!
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