Author Archives: Zach Kohlmeier

Patient Financial Counselor

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Patient financial counselor’s (PFC) advises patients and other parties of their financial obligations by compassionately working with them and their families to address questions and concerns they have regarding insurance coverage and related charges. The PFC typically works in a hospital, dental office, medical practice, or other private practice.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • Monitor and collect all financial balances owed by patients during the course of treatment
  • Review the patient’s services for diagnoses and correct insurance coverage
  • Examine all payment/financial options
  • Answer all patient’s questions and concerns
  • Arrange installment plans that meet the healthcare facilities policies
  • Work with patients and their families to bring delinquent accounts current

Education and Qualifications

  • High school diploma or GED equivalent
  • 2+ years in a healthcare field
  • Must have experience explaining treatment costs, insurance coverage, and patient financial responsibility
  • Must be knowledgeable about insurance requirements, medical terminology, and coding
  • Computer literate
  • Excellent written and phone skills
  • Strong customer service skills

 

Remote Coding Specialist

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Medical coding involves assigning special codes to medical diagnoses and services. While many healthcare facilities hire medical coders to work in offices, some choose to outsource the work to remote coding specialists. These specialists perform their duties, oftentimes, around their schedule and from the comfort of their own homes.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • Receive medical charts and records that need to be coded from various healthcare facilities
  • Determine and assign the most appropriate and accurate codes
  • Keep in constant communication with insurance companies for billing purposes
  • Work on several different accounts from numerous healthcare facilities
  • Must be able to complete many deadlines at different times
  • Maintain patient confidentiality and information security

Education and Experience

  • High school diploma or GED equivalent
  • Associates degree
  • 2+ years of medical coding experience
  • Must maintain accurate, organized records
  • Proficient in medical coding software
  • Effective communication skills are a must
  • Strong attention to detail

Coding Analyst

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The coding analyst is responsible for reviewing claims and medical records for correct billing, as well as processing and responding to any necessary incoming appeals and requests regarding determinations with providers.

Job Duties and Responsibilities   

  • Applying up-to-date documentation/guidelines when responding to appeals
  • Creating custom, professional appeal letters
  • Handling telephone/email appeal inquiries correlating to the determination of the appeal
  • Mentoring and assisting with junior coding analysts
  • Maintaining awareness of and ensuring adherence to the healthcare facility’s privacy standards
  • Performing other related tasks as assigned

Experience and Qualifications

  • High school diploma or GED equivalent
  • Some college experience preferred
  • Proficiency in medical coding and use of diverse research materials used to deliver savings conclusions on behalf of clients
  • 3+ years healthcare and medical claims processing experience
  • Appeals experience preferred
  • Excellent customer service skills both over the phone and by email
  • Exceptional professionally written communication skills
  • Strong research and organizational skills
  • Detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

4 Ways Leaders Can Build and Foster a Great Culture

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True leaders understand that in order to create a positive culture for their organization, they must lead by example and display the behaviors they want to see exercised by their staff. Employees look to their superiors for guidance, motivation, and inspiration, and are far more likely to follow the leaders they believe practice what they preach.

Building an innovative culture starts by establishing the right environment. This includes looking at yourself as a leader and being willing to grow and develop as an individual. By working hard, obtaining experience over time, gaining necessary skills, being open to learning, and continuously evolving, you can attract and retain talent whose values align with yours.

As a leader, you can influence company culture by doing the following things:

Hold yourself accountable

If you expect your employees to be upfront and open about the mistakes they make, you must also be willing to admit when you are wrong in certain situations. Leaders who hold themselves accountable will see their team do the same, which benefits the company overall. Do your best to keep your word, establish clear goals, and provide employees with the resources they need to do their job well.

Be consistent

Create a stable work environment by being a trustworthy leader, defining expectations, establishing personal rules, and explaining inconsistencies. Deviating away from consistency causes your employees to feel frustrated, often provoking problems which can slow down the speed of the organization.

Define your purpose 

When you know what your goals as a leader are, your work ethic and passion are stronger. Others catch on to that and work together to back your vision, which in turn creates a strong culture of leadership.

Recognize the value of others

The most valuable part of your organization are the people. Without them, you would have no business. So, invest in your staff, help them cultivate their leadership abilities, and assist them in achieving their own success.

Anyone can hold a leadership position. However, to be a true leader who can build and foster a great culture, you must go beyond just managing your staff. Connect with your employees, be engaged, step in when necessary, be supportive, and work alongside your team to help get the job done.

If you’re looking to get top talent into your healthcare organization, we can help. Since 2002, we have placed administrative to executive level professionals in clinical and non-clinical healthcare fields. HealthCare Support (HSS) is focused on providing our partners and candidates with exceptional service while exceeding their expectations. For more information on the recruiting and hiring services we offer, please contact us today by calling 1-407-478-0332.

Retaining Employees with Good Pay

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With living costs continually rising and more jobs than healthcare workers in the marketplace, employees now more than ever are seeking higher pay to keep up with the demands. Rent/mortgage increases along with monthly bills, and personal life changes like a growing family or school tuitions, are all reasons why employees change jobs. Someone  could love the company they work for, but may pursue employment elsewhere solely for pay.

Knowing there is potential to make more money pushes employees to work harder, and can even keep certain team members in a less than ideal work situation for a longer amount of time. Developing new skills and climbing the corporate ladder are less often the reason employees chose to leave a company. The driving force tends to be an increase in pay.

If employees work hard, put in extra effort, but are left feeling undercompensated with no room for growth, they will take their knowledge and training elsewhere. Most people aren’t expecting absurd pay increases or bonuses, but they do want to get paid what they’re worth. Many tools are available to the public to research average pay rates by position and location. Losing employees over offering a small annual increase means the employer is also losing training and onboarding costs and will hve to invest again in a new employee who may not end up being a fit either. Read more on the cost of a bad hire.

By retaining employees with good pay, you will improve morale, entice them to be more productive, and maintain a lower turnover rate.

At HealthCare Support (HSS), we know that hiring and keeping excellent staff members can be challenging. We offer many recruitment services to help you find the top talent to fulfill your open healthcare positions. For more information, or to begin your partnership with us, please call us today at 1-407-478-0332.

Giving Thanks to Your Employees

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Letting employees know that you appreciate their hard work not only helps improve your organization but also creates a sense of loyalty among your workers. And, by providing a positive work environment, your employees will feel more motivated to want to go into their jobs every day. Sounds pretty straightforward right?

If you’re a leader looking to give thanks to your employees, while at the same time boosting employee morale, here are 6 ways to do just that:

Give thanks

One of the simplest things you can do is tell your employees thank you for a job well done. Whether it’s face to face, through email, or by telephone, be specific on the action they carried out and make the thank you meaningful.

Organize employee events

Putting together a company outing such as a bowling event or happy hour get together is a fun way to show your appreciation. Also, whenever possible, try and involve your employee’s family members into your events. Not only do employees sometimes make sacrifices to be a part of the organization, but their family members do as well. Those late nights at the office spent meeting project deadlines oftentimes cuts into valuable family time, and some simple recognition of that goes a long way.

Show public appreciation

If you want to give an employee (or several) recognition, you can do it during a team meeting. It’s an easy way to show the rest of your staff that you notice and appreciate the extra efforts the specific individual(s) have shown. Just be prepared that certain employees may not like this option if they are shy or prefer that the spotlight not be on them.

Send cards for their birthdays

Keep a calendar in a central area such as a breakroom that has everyone’s birthday listed. Then, each month you, along with any managers or supervisors can sign birthday cards for your employees. Not only is it fun to get a little surprise in the mail, but it also means that you took the time to recognize your employees on their special day.

Remember to give praise for a job well done regularly

While many employees expect to get recognition after a significant accomplishment occurs, not many anticipate their bosses giving thanks unexpectedly. So, whenever you see fit, whether the task was big or small, take the time to regularly thank your staff when you notice they are doing a great job.

Pass out prizes or give mini gifts

When employees reach specific sales goals or get recognized by clients for producing great work, have little items you can give them. Even something small such as $5 gift cards to different stores or restaurants that employees can choose from will be very much appreciated.

As a leader, it’s important you give your staff meaningful and consistent praise that’s specific to them. As a result, you will improve loyalty, results, and the overall lives of your employees.

 

Ways to Speed Up Your Hiring Process

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In March, employment grew in healthcare with an increase of 22,000 jobs, making the job market more competitive. There are now more open positions than there are qualified applicants to fill them, giving outstanding candidates the chance to choose from multiple job offers. If organizations seeking to hire new talent drag their feet during the hiring process, they will lose out on the opportunity to employ top talent.

Although organizations need to move quickly, it’s important that the organization’s talent acquisition specialists refrain from expediting the hiring process without correctly screening candidates or following proper protocol. Because in the long run, acceleration won’t matter if a company ends up with a bunch of bad hires that cost them time and money.

Here are six ways to speed up the hiring process and avoid the risk of losing out on the best candidates for your healthcare organization.

Start with a Clear Ad and Job Description

To improve your hiring process, you must start at the very beginning. Posting an ad or job description isn’t just to let potential employees know you have an open position. The real purpose is to explain your expectations for the role and attract the best candidates for the job.

Eliminate Unnecessary Steps

One of the biggest reasons individuals withdraw their applications is because the hiring process takes too long. Eliminating unnecessary steps helps you save time and allows you to beat out the competition for the most desirable candidates. Think about what each step accomplishes and evaluate whether or not you could remove or alter any of them. It’s also a good idea to see where candidates typically exit the process so you can determine which stages are helping you to move forward and which ones are hindering you.

Be Selective with Your Interviewees

Though most companies have a meticulous screening process (many beginning with phone interviews), there are still too many unqualified candidates being brought in for interviews. If only three to five resumes impress you, only call those three to five people to come in. Don’t feel the need to bring in more candidates just to increase your hiring chances. Scheduling more interviews doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a hire, and it also wastes more time. Instead, focus on the individuals with excellent skills who would fit in best with your company’s culture.

Keep Open Communication

Make sure each candidate understands the interviewing process and then provide them with an expected timeline. When changes occur, check in with the candidate to let them know. Not only will communicating with them make the entire process a more pleasing one, but it will also encourage the candidate to stick around until the end.

Keep Candidates in a Hiring Pool

A person you interview may not fit the role you’re currently filling, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be perfect for a different position in the future. Maintaining a good relationship with applicants from the start can help you acquire a hiring pool full of talented candidates. This enables you to speed up your recruiting process later on because you’ll already have a bunch of screened, qualified, and interested candidates you can reach out to.

Outsource Parts of the Hiring Process

Whether you have limited recruiting resources or are overwhelmed with juggling all aspects of the business, partnering with a healthcare staffing agency can help with the hiring and onboarding process, ensuring you reach your hiring goals.

Making even the smallest of adjustments can help your company save a significant amount of time and money while gaining the perfect match for your business.

At HealthCare Support (HSS), we move quickly to place administrative to executive level professionals in both clinical and nonclinical areas. Our national niche recruitment firm focuses solely on healthcare so you can rest assured you’re getting quality candidates. For more information, contact us today by calling 407-478-0332 or by filling out our contact us form online.

HEDIS Coordinator

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HEDIS, a tool used by more than 90 percent of America’s health plans, measures performance on important ranges of care and service. HEDIS coordinators perform different tasks to ensure HEDIS data and reports are accurate, including investigation, auditing, and improvement opportunities.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • Coordinate, complete, and update management on all HEDIS processes and results
  • Organize and maintain a plan of action to improve HEDIS scores
  • Request and evaluate reports for member compliance and improvement opportunities for each HEDIS measure
  • Work with providers and internal departments on rate investigation and validation activities, which includes maintaining all evidence, documentation, and changes
  • Oversee the HEDIS project for quality and timeliness regarding nurse assignments, vendor oversight, and timeline adherence
  • Ensure compliance by conducting quality audits and maintaining all data and process controls

Education and Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent experience
  • 3+ years of quality improvement or healthcare related experience
  • HEDIS requirements preferred
  • Must be organized with the ability to keep accurate notes and records
  • Excellent verbal/written communication skills
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
  • Should possess leadership capabilities

Referral Specialist

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Referral specialists generally work in an office setting and are responsible for making sure patients are approved by their insurance company to see a specialist. They also handle pre-authorization for specific procedures and gather financial information on patients, ensuring they are aware of costs and have a plan for payment set in place.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • Schedule appointments, surgeries, and medical consultations
  • Maintain referral records and data reports
  • Prepare patients medical records before their visit
  • Communicate with insurance companies
  • Manage follow-up appointments

Education and Qualifications

  • HS Diploma
  • Associates degree or higher
  • 1+ years of medical office experience
  • Must be very organized and detail oriented
  • Needs to be able to work under pressure
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Basic knowledge of email and computer programs
  • Should be familiar with medical terminology

Usually, referral specialists work full-time, but hours can vary depending on the employer. Because much of the work is done using a computer and telephone, this is mostly a sedentary position.

Prior Authorization Nurse

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The prior authorization nurse is responsible for administering prospective reviews of authorization requests, which may include treatments, services, admissions, home care, and referrals. The nurses will also assist in preparing documentation, performing audits of patient records, and helping management with tasks as needed.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

  • Provides clear documentation for approving requests
  • Coordinate care and services for members
  • Update clinical information utilizing various medical management systems
  • Handles telephone requests in a timely and accurate manner
  • Help with interdepartmental projects as needed
  • Develop and update health plan resources and forms
  • Provide training to prior authorization technicians

Education and Qualifications

  • RN/LPN
  • 2+ years clinical nursing experience in an intense care setting
  • Experience with prior authorizations
  • Basic knowledge of computers and working with software programs
  • Excellent verbal and written skills
  • Must be organized
  • Should be a team player and have a great attitude
  • Strong service orientation and professionalism