Weigh the pros and cons of product-line billing
Weigh the pros and cons of product-line billing
Before you rush to overhaul your practice’s billing system in favor of a product-line model, it may be helpful to review the advantages and disadvantages of using such a system in your practice, advises consultant Heather Auld of Physician Billing Solutions of Wayne, PA. (See related stories on pp. 20-21.)
Traditional Billing Office Setup
Advantages:
• Staff get to know a specific function or payer
• Repetition of specific functions increases speed at which tasks are completed
• Lower staffing costs due to more limited skill level demands
Disadvantages:
• Minimal accountability
• No clear career opportunities
• Difficulty in developing good working relationships between physicians and billing staff
Product-line Billing Office
Advantages:
• Intimate knowledge of specialty or product line
• Provider service orientation
• Promotes feeling of ownership
• Encourages cross-training and higher- caliber staff members
Disadvantages:
• Work can be more difficult to distribute
• Steep learning curve
• Substantial training often required
• Higher salary requirements due to higher skill level
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