Unless you run a cash-only practice, your chiropractic office relies on medical claims billing.
In order to generate revenue in a timely and reliable manner, your billing process must be scalable, predictable, and transparent.
In this guide, we’ll share our best tips for streamlining your chiropractic billing. Spend less time bookkeeping and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a smooth and efficient billing system.
Tips for Streamlining Your Chiropractic Billing
Effective chiropractic billing involves organization, communication, and the willingness to embrace new technologies. Follow these tips for improving your billing process.
Be Transparent with Your Patients
According to ChiroTouch, approximately 30% of chiropractic patients don’t pay their bills immediately after their appointments. Chiropractors and their teams have to devote time and resources to following up and working with debt collection agencies.
Miscommunications regarding payments can be time-consuming, unpleasant, and costly. Even if a patient is thrilled with the care they receive, confusion regarding payment may discourage them from coming back. Payment issues are also a common source of damaging negative online reviews.
To streamline and dispute-proof your billing process, always be transparent with your patients about their out-of-pocket costs. Transparency builds trust and helps patients to avoid surprise payments and prepare for their financial obligations.
For best results, communicate clearly and via multiple channels, including verbal, written, and digital messages.
Integrate Automated Tools
There are numerous software programs for streamlining medical billing, including some designed specifically for chiropractic. The best billing software systems allow chiropractors to automate and simplify granular data-entry billing tasks.
Look for a system that:
- Is easy to use and not loaded with features you don’t need
- Is well-reviewed
- Fits your budget
- Generates real-time financial data that you can use for tracking earnings
- Engages with patients with reminders and appointment confirmations to reduce no-shows and misunderstandings
After choosing a system, first learn the ins and outs of the system yourself, then train your staff.
Shopping for billing software is challenging because the market is highly competitive and fluid. For advice that’s informed and unbiased, discuss the decision with your business coach.
Improve Your Organizational System
How long does it take you to locate a file that you’re looking for? Do you lose time sorting through paperwork or retracing your steps just to remember how your own organizational system works?
Disorganization slows down your entire operation, including your billing process. Taking the time to get organized might seem like a hassle, but the effort should be viewed as an investment.
If your office is too reliant on paper files, consider developing a new system for digitizing all of your documents. Digitization should occur during the origination of a document, not after the fact when a large stack of papers has developed.
As you adopt new software and organizational methods, bring your entire staff up to speed—including yourself. Back-ups and messes occur when some team members have to rely on others to perform certain tasks that require a bit of tech-savvy.
If you aren’t sure where to start, talk to your business coach about organizational strategies.
If Necessary, Outsource Your Billing
If billing is overwhelming your staff or slowing down your operations, consider outsourcing.
Outsourcing involves contracting with a third-party company for handling all or some of your back-end billing. Your billing service provider may perform any of these tasks:
- Coding review
- Claim submission
- Payment posting
- Appeals processing and claim rejection reprocessing
For busy and growing practices, outsourcing is often a more scalable and affordable solution compared to hiring an in-house billing specialist. Outsourcing allows your staff to focus on core duties where their talents are most useful.
Keep Up to Date With Insurance Regulations
Insurance regulations are always changing. To avoid billing problems and delays, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest insurance requirements and options.
If you work with a chiropractic coach, they can help you to learn about and adjust to the latest regulatory updates that may impact your practice.
Get Expert Guidance for Your Chiropractic Practice
At Aligned Mentoring for Chiropractors, we provide in-depth business coaching exclusively for chiropractors. Our dedicated team of mentors and trainers helps chiropractors build their practices into the ones they’ve always dreamed of owning.
To learn more, contact AMC today to discuss how we can help you grow and sustain your practice.
