Expensive Half-Truths About Your Billing & Collections

How do you know if expensive half-truths about your billing and collections company have cost your physical therapy clinic thousands of dollars? Most EMR companies use comforting terms when discussing Outpatient Rehab billing and collections. Their generalities describe the complicated world of physical therapy billing as really “pretty simple” when in fact, those comforting terms are half-truths that are costing you tens of thousands of dollars each year.

Everyone understands why billing integration is a must-have feature. That’s why so many EMRs say they are integrated when in fact, they are not.

A non-integrated system is easy to recognize: The billing module comes with different software and a different brand name than the EMR module, i.e., the billing and EMR are two completely separate software programs.

First problem: Many times, CPT codes and/or unit charges do not successfully export to the separate billing software. The EMR blames the billing software and vice versa. The practice owner is left with two unattractive options: Either pay the staff daily to manually check if all charges transfer or accept that he/she is under billing and, therefore, under-collecting their cash.

Second problem: Patient obligations posted in the billing office (coinsurance, deductibles, etc.) do not transfer to the front desk, i.e., the non-integrated billing system cannot communicate back to the front desk. Consequently, as patients who owe money are checked in, the non-integrated schedule screen does not show what they owe. In short, a non-integrated billing system is a very bad choice for an outpatient rehab clinic.

Third problem: Collecting money from insurance companies is severely compromised because the collector cannot access documentation and scans. Unfortunately, collectors either call the front desk asking for printouts, or you pay extra EMR user fees every month to access the information.

It’s very simple. Scheduling, EMR, Billing, and Reporting modules are all in the same database (see illustration below). Data flows smoothly back and forth between all departments and your staff has instant access to the information needed to perform their respective responsibilities, including collecting your money.

Systems 4PT was the first EMR in outpatient rehab to have a fully-integrated system (2004). Every year, consistent with our philosophy of constant improvement, we refine our technology, most recently adding an artificial intelligence component.

Since 2012, while reimbursements have declined for everyone else, Systems 4PT has increased our customers’ average collections per claim by 18%

On average, when practices install Systems 4PT, their collections per claim increased 9%

Our customers’ collection cycle averages 18 days, which is 68% faster than the industry average and 50% faster than the other two leading EMRs

Non-integrated billing is costing you tens of thousands of dollars every year.