Few things in life are more horrifying than getting hit with a medical bill that was vastly larger than you initially expected. Yet every day, countless people in this country are getting hit with exorbitant medical bills, and it’s more than likely your patients are among the victims.
Are there any steps you can take to help patients avoid surprise medical bills? Absolutely.
It’s Time to Have “The Talk”
A Duke University professor and his colleagues found that patients and doctors are talking about money frequently during office visits. The study, published in the journal Medical Decision Making discovered that in about one-third of office visits the topic of health care costs came up, with half of these discussions focusing on how patients can save money.
No doctor is taught in medical school to bring up the subject of money with their patients, but, being naturally caring people, when doctors see …show more content…
Tell them to get specific codes, if they can, that will help you bill them correctly.
Use a Quality EHR
A recent Health Data Management article highlighted ways doctors are using their EHRs to save their patients money, particularly when it comes to cost of medications. As you may know, EHRs can be set to suggest the generic version of a medication. Often when physicians see this suggestion, they in fact prescribe a generic prescription to their patients, saving them significant money.
A study conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine, the Wharton School, and the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, suggests that default settings presented to physicians could change their behavior. And the change in behavior would save their patients money.
This is just one of the ways a quality EHR can save your patients and your practice money every
Are there any steps you can take to help patients avoid surprise medical bills? Absolutely.
It’s Time to Have “The Talk”
A Duke University professor and his colleagues found that patients and doctors are talking about money frequently during office visits. The study, published in the journal Medical Decision Making discovered that in about one-third of office visits the topic of health care costs came up, with half of these discussions focusing on how patients can save money.
No doctor is taught in medical school to bring up the subject of money with their patients, but, being naturally caring people, when doctors see …show more content…
Tell them to get specific codes, if they can, that will help you bill them correctly.
Use a Quality EHR
A recent Health Data Management article highlighted ways doctors are using their EHRs to save their patients money, particularly when it comes to cost of medications. As you may know, EHRs can be set to suggest the generic version of a medication. Often when physicians see this suggestion, they in fact prescribe a generic prescription to their patients, saving them significant money.
A study conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine, the Wharton School, and the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, suggests that default settings presented to physicians could change their behavior. And the change in behavior would save their patients money.
This is just one of the ways a quality EHR can save your patients and your practice money every