Advantages of a paperless medical office
It looks as though all those jokes (and lawsuits) that have centered around doctors’ terrible handwriting may soon be a thing of the past. Medicare’s recently passed law HR 6331, which gives providers financial incentives to e-Prescribe, has strengthened the growing trend of medical practices moving toward a paperless office.
It’s not just the prescription pad that is falling by the wayside. An increasing number of practices and payers alike are recognizing that documenting and charging for a patient visit electronically through a practice management software system is the most efficient method of operation. The benefits for providers are numerous - electronic medical billing can dramatically reduce rejected claims and shorten the reimbursement cycle, and electronic medical records keeps organized (and legible) patient information at a care provider’s fingertips. But there are advantages for payers too. They might not benefit from fewer rejected claims or having to reimburse providers more quickly, but they do benefit from a streamlined claims process that requires less administrative support. In a system where the take-up rate of innovations depends greatly on payers’ acceptance, completely paperless medical offices might be commonplace within a decade.
Tags: medical billing, medical software, medicare, paperless office