The Medical Practice Front Desk Screwed Up Again

An insurance claim that results in non-payment due to a denial is a waste! Statistically we know that the cost of handling a denial is about $25. Costs start from input, maintenance of the account, receipt of the EOB, the RE-WORK, re-submission and the time value of money. If your practice has only 10 denials a week that’s $250 times 52 totaling $13,000. You’re not writing a check for that amount but you might as well.

The cost is in the re-work where staff can be doing something else with their time. Today’s cash flow has a greater percentage of patient payments than ever before.

The main source of denials is from demographic errors. Is that what your denial report shows? You do get and review a denial report at least weekly, right?!

Let’s assume it’s at the front desk. How about doing a Gemba and checking things out and you will find phone, patient questions, noise, copying, scanning, patient check in and check out and many other activities. Draw a process map and see what steps are there and who makes what decisions.

This simple step will create a picture, which should result in changes as to how this key area is handled. How about shifting staff from the denial management department to the front desk. You won’t need the staff in the back if the front is staffed correctly! This is an assumption and jumping to a conclusion. More importantly, it is intended to suggest that a look at your denials, making an effort to repair them by using Lean tools and determining that many activities can be changed.

Challenge one is to look at your denial report, identify the main source of denials, calculate the cost of processing them, evaluate the main source, use the time as a teachable moment, and things will improve.

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