Medical Billing Software Selection Criteria

Running a profitable practice has become increasingly more challenging for many medical and dental practitioners. With so much to focus on at any one time, practice goals often get pushed aside to address daily tasks, concerns and issues requiring immediate attention.

Medical billing software is a great option, yet choosing which will suit your practice best can be overwhelming. With so many choices in software and features, it can be hard to know where to start.

Here are some tips to finding which medical billing software will be best for your practice:

Evaluate your current practice’s systems.

What makes each task productive or unproductive, and which takes up more time than necessary? Which tasks are keeping you from reaching your practice’s goals? Be sure to choose medical billing software with features that will address the unproductive tasks in your practice.

Make a list of features you need in your medical billing software.

This can simplify your search by narrowing your list as you cross out software that will not work for your practice needs. With an edited list, you can decide on which is most user-friendly, which can be adjusted to flow with your current practice systems, which is priced better, and which has unnecessary extra features you will in reality rarely be using.

Choose medical billing software that enhances staff’s efficiency.

Medical billing software should free staff time and enhance the way your practice is run. Make sure this system will work for your current staff and practice’s systems; the wrong one can lead to endless problems and frustration later on.

Submit claims electronically and get paid faster.

Make sure the system you choose can handle claims electronically, has direct billing for patients and medical aids, levies and benefits not covered by their medical aids. Don’t waste time handling tedious manual paper statements when you can electronically send your medical aid claims seamlessly via EDI. Your practice can get money faster, without all the stress of claiming and resubmitting rejected claims.

Choose medical billing software that is comprehensive.

Does this system handle sick fund billing, open item accounting, allow you to add your own treatment and fees, handle dispensing, handle laboratory fees (lab fees), separate patient and medical aid billing for the same encounter, medical aid member credit control, and of course, billing and claims?

Choosing the right medical billing software for your practice is essential to increasing profitability and efficiency. Medical billing software can help simplify unproductive practice administration tasks and again put the focus back on reaching your practice’s goals. With the right software, your practice can get paid faster, enhance your staff’s efficiency, and save both time and money.

Remember to take the time to ask questions, list your needs and you’ll be able to find the right fit for your practice management software.