Friday, July 22, 2011

How a healthcare audit can be helpful

Next to the budget debate healthcare is on the minds of many Americans. Like my family, hard questions are being tackled. When someone is sick we wonder how the bill will be paid. We ask ourselves how medications will be purchased and what would we do if a medical crisis were to occur.

Most of our friends are in the same position as we are. It is not a comfortable situation to be in. Yet, we have friends who are without health insurance. They live fearing disaster. That too, is an uncomfortable situation.

The only thing that seems to be spreading faster than privacy concerns are the number of illnesses being treated. Health challenges are being identified in record numbers. New names for old illnesses and symptoms are coming out daily being realized daily.

That's why accurate medical coding is increasingly important. An inaccurate code can cause a cascade of billing problems. The problems can cause insurance companies to over or underpay or withhold payment altogether.

A drg audit can help find errors so they may be corrected. These errors can go beyond billing problems and can affect patient care. The audit can effectively identify complications, comorbidities and conditions. It can also provide reports and make recommendations. Plus, it can identify and also make suggestions surrounding training needs that may need to be addressed.

Healthcare is a complicated business. Patient care is always the most important challenge. Anything that can help with other matters (billing, files, identifying training needs) can help professionals do what they do best – take care of patients.

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