Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Another Optometric Billing NO-NO!

"A New Whiteland optometrist could retire any time he wanted, but he keeps going because he likes the work and the patients, some of whom he has treated for decades. Joseph Claudy began his practice after graduating from Indiana University School of Optometry in 1968. He began his career working from the New Whiteland home he still shares with his wife, Mary Jo, before moving to the current office a short distance away on U.S. 31.

Claudy, 75, works nearly full time. Patty Towles has worked for him for 23 years, scheduling appointments, billing patients and helping repair glasses.  (entire article)"

I want to congratulate Dr. Claudy for finding and doing something he loves, it is a rare thing to be able to do that these days, it seems. However, I want to rebuke him for what he has put poor Patty Towles through for 23 years. Dr. Claudy has given a perfect example of the BIGGEST mistake I find being made in optometrist's office day and day out; USING ONE STAFF MEMBER TO DO TOO MANY THINGS.

When we go to Walmart and ONE cashier is ringing out customers don't we get agitated when no one is sent in to open another line and help relieve the traffic at the check out? WE ALL GET AGITATED AT THIS, so doesn't it stand to reason that when we run our practices shouldn't we provide the best customer service possible by not assigning one staff member too much work?

I understand that alot of times this decision is driven by economics. However, it is a proven fact that medical practices whose billing departments are made up of regular office staff routinely post lower collection amounts from insurance than their out sourced counterparts. So, with this in mind, doesn't it make more financial sense as a BUSINESS OWNER (notice the emphasis on business ower) to pay a few extra dollars in the short term to hire someone that specializes in insurance and patient billing than to loose more money in the long run relying on "Patty Towles" to do it all by herself for 23 years?


RELATED POSTS:

Optometric Billing-The REAL Way To Simplify Insurance Billing

3 comments:

  1. I'd like to point out that though Patty Knowles probably doesn't mind doing her job, whatever it may be, that doesn't make it right.

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  2. Are you a doctor or just in the medical billing business?

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  3. This is really a wonderful and a fabulous post. I enjoyed your views, this was really informative. I have understood few great things here. Thanks for sharing this post. Keep up your work.

    ReplyDelete