FQHC Billing Tips & Strategies for 2016

Maintaining the revenue of a federally qualified health center (FQHC) is far more complicated than we expect. It is mostly affected by delay in getting payment for medical services and patient billings. In order to maximize and improve the revenue from billings in FQHCs, all the concerned departments have to work professionally and efficiently.

The primary roles and objectives of a FQHC is to:

• Provide comprehensive medical services combined with a quality assurance program
• Be well equipped to serve an underserved population
• Enhance reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare
• Bid a sliding fee scale for patients
• Have a prevailing board of directors

Therefore, FQHCs should implement effective procedures and billing policies while applying billing strategies that will help reduce costs, enhance revenue and improve the care and satisfaction of patients. To improve the medical billing process, federally qualified health centers should apply these five important strategies.

Comprehend the FQHCs Overall Revenue Cycle

Understanding your revenue’s overall cycle functions effectively and is very significant in improving the medical billing process. Billing officially begins right from the time of a patient’s appointment and ends when a specialist has attended the patient and makes the payments. All the staff members in a particular center play an important role therefore a FQHC should institute proper medical billing process channels that has the patient’s registration, payment costing and charge entry

Acquire the Right Resources 

A FQHC can acquire the correct resources by working with a qualified FQHC billing consultant that will guide you through any difficult situations and matters concerning your medical billing. There are also a number of medical billing softwares that you can use for your billing. They will make your work easier and it saves time too.

Record All Charges

Recording a day-to-day encounter form with an appointment will enhance a corresponding charge and patient attendance too. It is important to daily reconcile the total fee on the encounter forms in the reports which the running system generates. This will maximize the revenue since the health facility will be able to trace missing forms and prevent revenue loss through health center visits and nursing homes. The most preferred method that most centers use to capture charges is by using the preprinted index cards.

Share Financial Policies With Patients

A federally qualified health center should share its financial policies and billing to their patient. You can simply use a single-page document to summarize all your financial policies and should be signed by every patient and placed in their file. Especially when developed with an experienced and professional FQHC medical billing company, the policy should clarify the authorization, terms of payments, insurance information and cancelation and collection policies.

Update & Review Fee Schedules

Updating the fee schedules annually with reasonable charges will maximize billing revenue in any FQHC. Before charging any fee, it is important to first compare the fees with other Medicare or contracted fees charged by a health center billing service. Most insurance companies pay lower than the billed or contracted amount therefore, any billing lower than the contracted amount is likely to lose revenue in any health facility.

Although there are other tips and strategies to improve the medical billing process for FQHCs, these 5 strategies will be very beneficial to keep any federally qualified health center financially stable and healthy.

An Inside Look at Robotic Spine Surgery

The primary goal of spine surgery has always been to help the patient realize a successful and sustainable outcome with minimal complications. However, in the last fifteen to twenty years when technology in the medical field has taken off, robotic spine surgery has allowed for more specific goals and objectives with greater efficacy.

Some of the most goals behind robotic spine surgery include: allowing the patient to return to as normal a life as possible after surgery; to get them to that point as quickly as possible; and to minimize the amount of trauma done to the body during the surgery. If you think you might be a good candidate for robotic spine surgery, then read on to learn more.

Advantages of Robotic Spine Surgery

As a form of minimally invasive surgery (or MIS,) robotic spine surgery has many benefits. There is improved safety when using a robot guided by the CT or MRI scans of the patient. The robot knows where to, and where not to, go. This is true for both simple and complex surgeries so accuracy rates have risen dramatically when it comes to MIS spine surgeries, resulting in fewer instances of patients having to have their spinal surgery re-done within a few years.

Also, there is a minimized use of radiation, as the CT or MRI scans only have to be done once prior to the surgery, instead of having to have the patient under constant radiation in the operating room to see where the instruments are in the spine as most robotic devices are also equipped with cameras.

For more insight regarding the advantages of robotic spine surgery, see the video below of Mazor's Spine Assist technology:

 

Applications for Robotic Spinal Surgery

There are many types of spinal problems that robotic spinal surgery can be used for, including: degenerative spinal conditions, spine tumors, spinal deformities, and more. If there is a slipped disc or instability in an area of the back, the robotic spine surgeon may perform a fusion of two or more vertebrae. Before robotic spine surgery, this would include an incision to open up the back long enough to expose all vertebrae involved in the fusion.

Now, it can all be done with the robotic device using MIS. Because of this, the recovery time for this type of surgery has drastically reduced and patients are getting on with their lives faster than ever.

A study done recently looked at over 600 surgeries where nearly half were considered MIS. Over 3,200 implants were placed during these surgeries and the overall accuracy rating was over 98%. The use of robotic spine surgery compared to open surgery on the spine has led one study to determine that implant accuracy has improved by at least 70%, the radiation that patients get with each surgery has been reduced by over 50% and the amount of time that each patient stays in the hospital after surgery has been reduced by over 25%.

There are many types and designs of robotic spine surgery devices and each one is proprietary to the manufacturer and the surgeon that uses each one will need training on how to use them. Chances are that a spine surgeon will have a preferred robotic spine surgery unit that he prefers to use so that he or she is comfortable with it every time in the operating room.

An Inside Look at Rapid Release Technology

Rapid Release Technology is a groundbreaking invention utilized within the therapeutic arena for the purposes of relieving soft tissue problems, especially the kind that affects the nerves, tendons, and muscles.

Rapid Release Technology (RRT) depends on targeted high-speed vibrations to break apart scar tissue and adhesions. RRT operates at a very high frequency with small strokes, this not only ensuring that patients are comfortable but delivering lasting results.

When used properly, RRT should deliver results in just a few sessions.

Who Needs Rapid Release Technology?

RRT has become commonplace in physical therapy and mobility sessions because of the complementary role it plays in chiropractic care, sports massages, triathlon coaches, and other forms of therapy. In fact, one chiropractor in Berkeley, California is seeing great success with his patient using RRT. He is one of the few practitioners using Rapid Release Technology in San Francisco Bay Area.

If you have a history of old injuries and repetitive stresses, then you will find some use for Rapid Release Technology. When muscles are overused or incur injury, scar tissue forms in the body. Scar tissue is the result of a temporary patching mechanism initiated by the body to contend with wounds caused by repetitive stress, surgery or injury.

Made from collagen, just like the skin, because scar tissue has no blood supply, it tends to dry out, growing stiff and hard in the long run. When scar tissue becomes fastened to tissues that are not normally connected, it becomes an adhesion.

The presence of adhesions can cause pain, nerve entrapment and numbness, this along with limiting one’s range of motion. While there are various traditional therapies that have been designed to deal with such complications, most of them short.

Rapid Release Technology has, thus far, proven to be the most effective means of breaking up painful adhesions, releasing muscles and nerves and granting the body optimal health.

The capabilities of RRT are not restricted to scar tissue. The treatment approach has been used to contend with ailments such as headaches, back pain, ankle pain, tendonitis, knee conditions, tennis elbow, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and pinched nerves to mention but a few. The number of treatments required and their duration will vary depending on the patient and the severity of their medical condition.

How does Rapid Release Technology Work?

The operations of Rapid Release Technology revolve around the science of resonance. Think of an Opera singer that shatters glass across the room using vibrations. RRT produces high-speed compression waves that reverberate through the body, targeting scar tissue adhesions with a specific frequency.

Rapid Release Technology rarely requires more than five minutes to deliver the results it promises, freeing up adhesions and relieving pain even while improving one’s range of motion. More than merely attacking scar tissue, the frequency at which RRT operates also triggers what is known as the tonic vibration reflex which not only relieves cramping but spasms and guarding as well.

By increasing the hyaluronic acid pressure in the place where the fascia resides, Rapid release technology will also create additional space between fibers, this easing movement, especially since the muscles and ligaments can now move more smoothly over one another.

There is really no end to the benefits RRT brings to the table. If you have exhausted your options for medical doctors and you haven’t really benefited from the surgeries, acupuncture, traditional chiropractic sessions and other treatments, it might be time to complement your physical therapy sessions with Rapid Release Technology. Whether you're a multisport athlete looking to become a better triathlete or simply want a solution to improve mobility and get out of pain, RRT offers a sound solution.

How Laser Therapy Works to Reduce Pain & Accelerate Healing

Laser therapy has become an innovative medical treatment that utilizes a special kind of laser light spectrum to reduce pain and accelerate healing. These lasers, which are considered class IV cold lasers in most health and medical settings, use a light that is tuned to very specific wavelengths, allowing it to be safe and effective at stimulating cellular regeneration.

Shown here is a chiropractor administering laser therapy on a
patient's neck. Image credit: chiromik.com

Although utilized in Europe from the early 1970s, laser treatment was verified and cleared by the FDA in the year 2005. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) suggests that lasers can be used to treat the very early stages of cancers, including the following conditions:

• Penile cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Vulvar cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Basal cell skin cancer

When the laser therapy is used in cancer treatment, it is usually combined with other treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation.

Therapeutic Class IV "K-Laser"

Among the most popular systems used among chiropractors, surgeons, and related health and medical professionals is the K-Laser. The K-Laser uses class iv therapeutic lasers that render near-infrared wavelengths of laser light. These wavelengths are useful in inducing a therapeutic effect alongside photochemical reaction to alleviate pain. It encompasses a couple of physiological effects, which include reduced inflammation, increased circulation, enhanced tissue healing and overall pain reduction.

How K-Laser Therapy Works

The Class IV K-Laser therapy uses a process known as photobiostimulation in treating a variety of conditions. Increased amounts of Adenosine Tri-phosphate are typically released by focusing deep-penetrating photonic energy on the tissue. The Adenosine Triphosphate, simply abbreviated as ATP, is a useful substance that serves to produce cellular energy.


The cellular or soft tissues in the body include the muscles, joint capsules, ligaments, intra-articular surfaces and vertebral discs. ATP jumpstarts a broad chain of intense healing effects in soft tissues, resulting in the following:

• Improved circulation
• Increased cellular function
• Reduced stiffness, muscle spasms, swelling and pain
• Reduced inflammation
• Enhanced transportation of nutrients throughout each cell membrane
• Influx of nutrients, water and oxygen to the damaged parts of the body

This laser comprises pulse mode that is seamlessly designed to deliver the laser energy to deepest issues in the body. It is proactive in the delivery of laser energy to tissues situated deep in the body without having to warm the superficial tissues.

Additionally, it consists of both modulating and continuous frequencies that enhance pain control and overall healing. It highlights a higher power that allows it to accomplish an incredible therapeutic dosage, resulting in shorter treatment times. It delivers safe and consistent treatment outcomes.

Professionals That Use Class IV K-Laser Therapy

As mentioned earlier, this laser was cleared and approved by FDA in 2005. Since then, it has turned out to be a standard of care for musculoskeletal injuries. Dozens of professional clinicians and chiropractors worldwide utilize this kind of laser therapy in their treatment programs, thanks to the growing body of literature that endorses its efficacy.

Class IV K-Laser proves to be effective when it comes to reducing inflammation as well as accelerating body recovery. The technology is endorsed by professional organizations like IASP, WHO, and APTA. It is powerful.

Overall, Class IV K-Laser is effective in terms of creating an optimal condition for the injured area of the body to heal. The laser energy accelerates circulation, consequently drawing oxygen, water and nutrients to all the damaged parts of the body. This treatment has proven worthwhile in reducing swelling, inflammation, stiffness, spasms and other pains. It relieves pain with the utmost ease.

Minimally-Invasive Spine Surgery Procedures That Work Wonders

For many individuals, a time comes when you might feel an exercise and form of therapy is not effectively lessening your back pain. In cases when individuals must reach to their last resort, spine surgery can offer a great solution.

While many spine surgeons will suggest almost every alternative to before going under the knife, still many individuals qualify for spine surgery. When this is the case, opting for minimally-invasive spinal surgery procedures can be the best route.

There are several forms of minimally-invasive spine surgery, each of which depends on the unique situation of each patient. Below we discuss a some of the most common and why they are highly effective procedures at helping individuals restore their spinal health, mobility, and overall well-being.

What is Minimally-Invasive Spinal Surgery?

When a tubular restructuring part is utilized to gain success in spine surgery then it is being called “minimally-invasive spine surgery”. In this way the spine surgeon does not need to cut the back muscles but does it by split opening the back bone. This particular form of minimally-invasive spine surgery in New Jersey is being used to eradicate the herniated back disc.

If somebody is suffering from spinal stenosis or spinal fracture and compression then he might get relief from this surgery. It requires less recovery period as compared to the other spinal surgeries and can treat problems in the area of lumbar and cervical spine disorders. It never causes any inflammation or infection to the operated area.

Laminectomy

This particular minimally invasive spine surgery is used to eradicate the bone named lamina that is why it gets its name as laminectomy. This procedure is being called as decompression by the spine surgeons.

A Laminectomy is really a simple spinal surgery and is used to heal spinal stenosis, lumbar cord problems and spondylitis. It is also considered to be the safest and affordable spine surgery above all.

Discectomy

Your spine is created by twenty four vertebrae altogether. The shape of this seems like a tower of hollow bricks and all the bones are connected by a rubbery item called discs. The whole arrangement made us stand straight or bend our back portion.

If you contain any hernia tic disc among them then you first need to cut that off and discectomy procedure helps you with that. This spine surgery eradicates a herniated portion from the lined discs between each spinal bone. After the herniated bone gets operated then patient can feel the normal pressure of the nerves.

Spinal Fusion

When a patient has an unusual problem, like if his body needs to keep two vertebrae closer together, then spine surgeons will often use the procedure named spinal fusion. The relapsed disc attacks in the ache on movement of all the spinal bones. If someone got into any accident and broke one limb and wish to remove that then he took the help of spinal fusion surgery.

Foraminotomy

When the back tissues start to compress the nerves, then spine surgeons use foraminotomy to make people free from pain. Foraminotomy only assists to eradicate a fraction of a bone of the compressed human nerves. If the herniated bone does not get relief by the Discectomy procedure then also this process come to a use for spine surgeons.

5 Most Recent and Effective Innovations In Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic is a holistic health practice that involves the examination of the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical and structural disorders experienced in the spine and the skeletal structure. The process is bounded by different types of spinal adjustments based on the complication experienced. The most common one though is the spinal misalignment.

Manual adjustment methods have been in use for quite a while in this treatment but thanks to advancement in technology, new equipment has found its way in the chiropractic field heightening it to a greater level. Here are the most effective innovations in chiropractic care.

1. Disc Decompression Machines

Disc decompression is among the most potent and innovative systems in the chiropractic field. Its main operation module is offering therapy that aids in stretching and relaxing the spinal cord. With the regular upgrades and advancements, disc decompression machines are set with computerized technology that is used to regulate the amount of stress applied to the spine.

Due to this feature, chances of muscle contractions can hardly be encountered. To make it even more convenient and reliable, disc decompression tables can be adjusted according to the patients' needs to achieve more comfortable and relaxing sessions.

2. Laser Therapy 

Laser therapy is another innovative invention that has served a significant purpose in chiropractic. Class IV or cold laser therapy is structured with top notch technology that enables it to offer fast healing in the treatment process. This implement is effective at relieving chronic pains, severe injuries, and arthritis.

The curative property behind cold laser therapy is endowed with an infrared red light that penetrates the injured spots to offer relief from pain. It can also be used to heal wounds, reduce inflammation and repair broken tissues and muscles. Laser therapy is a reliable procedure that has been accredited to be painless, safe and productive, and is now being adopted by most chiropractors

3. Adjustment Instruments

Spinal adjustment instruments are used to treat joints’ complications and to improve their performance. The complications addressed here include joint pains, inflammation, and misalignment. There are various marques offering these machines: the top ones include ProAdjuster and Pulstar.

These chiropractic adjustment tools are deemed potent than the previous treatment modes since they are safer, and they can solve different body complications. They are inbuilt with computerized systems that are set with contemporary treatment inventions in chiropractic.

4. Insight Subluxation Station

Patients can get their chiropractic conditions with the use of this machine. The Insight Subluxation Station can be able to scan the patients and give out accurate results, that will in turn help to decide on the better and efficient treatment to opt for. There are various modern applications in this tool that facilitates the tool’s accuracy. Appropriate safety standards have been put into account as well.

5. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy

Another great innovation in this field is the Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy that has revolutionized the chiropractic treatment with a significant step. Its treatment module is centered on therapeutic ultrasounds that can generate strong shock waves. It is used to treat injuries and muscle problems such as the muscle strains. The only drawback linked to this therapy is denaturing of tissues.

The need for chiropractic care has risen due to increase in spine and other bone complications. This has fueled research in this sector that has in turn led to diverse inventions and innovations to cater for the treatment. Among the most recent and effective innovations ever experienced in this field have been shown above.

If you're looking for a chiropractor who can offer some of these specialized therapies and advanced chiropractic treatments, visit:

Bly Family Chiropractic
2501 E College Ave. Ste. C
Bloomington, IL 61704
Phone: (309) 661-1155
www.BlyChiropractic.com