Health rule challenges continue, even as October 1, 2015 looms. Individual insurance benefits fluctuate as employers scramble to control costs, making it increasingly difficult for hospitals and physicians to stay on top of diverse policy provisions and exclusions. Myriad new regulations and mandates for providers and employers also means more responsibility for paying for health care services falls into the hands of patients.

The following excerpt is from an article found on U.S. News Health. It was written by Magaly Olivero. The days when doctors riffled through a folder bulging with papers to find crucial information about a patient's medical history are disappearing. Today, health care providers at many physician practices, hospitals and health systems across America rely on electronic medical records that give the medical team, patients and their family members easy access to the same critical data.

Successful medical practices must take advantage of the latest developments in software and computers if they want to position themselves as a leader in their service area. This means, for example, that they will reject old ways of doing things when presented with a more modern and efficient method for finishing tasks. A good example of this is practice management software. Organizations that managed to get by without this kind of software in the past, relying on paper based systems or a cobbled together collection of applications from unrelated developers will quickly see that practice management software will shorten the revenue cycle and keep the office humming along, running as efficiently as possible.

You’ve experienced problems in the past with how you billed your patients, leading to missed payments as well as a much longer revenue cycle for those that do pay. Now you are growing more serious about finally using dedicated software that was built with your organization’s needs in mind. As you and your staff prepare to bring a new medical billing system into your practice, you will likely have some pressing questions that need answering before you can make your selection. Here are the answers to your top five medical billing system questions.

Technology has dramatically changed the way physicians practice medicine today. Connected devices do everything from helping patients manage diabetes and exercise schedules to enabling video conferencing with specialists around the globe to treat complicated cases. In many ways, it has improved both quality and continuity of care while empowering patients to take control of their personal health and wellness. However, simply plugging into the cloud isn’t enough. Optimizing cloud performance is only achievable with stellar software and compatible devices in the mix.

Managing highly-specialized implementation, such as the shift to ICD-10, requires highly-skilled team members. Over the past few years, hospitals and health systems have invested hundreds of millions of dollars collectively to prepare for the complex implementation. And, while physicians have not faced the arduous challenges that vendors, payers and hospitals have experienced, they can benefit from the lessons learned. For example, outsourcing medical coding and billing services may be the key to managing a healthy revenue stream and improving your practice as a whole.

No matter how skilled you are, your success will depend to some degree on the quality of the tools and equipment you use in your profession. Many physicians who entered into their careers before the era of modern, networked computing have become accustomed to using antiquated paper-based systems for patient record keeping. They may be aware of colleagues who use electronic health record software but for one reason or another haven’t acquainted themselves with the benefits of using EHR solutions.

Now that your behavioral health practice is starting to really take off and you are seeing more patients than ever before, you and your staff need to manage your organization’s growing pains. One of the first things medical organizations tend to do when their patient volume substantially increases is to check on software solutions. This is where behavioral health electronic health record software comes in.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study conducted several years ago revealed convenience was the most common reason patients change primary doctors. More than half of the 1423 patients responding to the survey (53%) were willing to find a new general practitioner that was closer to their residence or easier to visit. The same study revealed that recommendations from trusted peers and family members (36%) and positive expectations of service (37%) also ranked high among the stated reasons that a patient was willing to leave one doctor for another.

Revenue cycle management (RCM) must evolve for health care organizations to not only remain solvent, but to thrive in the current environment. The best path to managing the evolution, or more precisely, where to start the journey, depends on which industry expert you believe. However, there is a common thread whether you are listening to a marketing expert, a customer service coach or a financial advisor – process optimization is business-critical.