What To Look For In A Medical Coding Staffing Service

The goal of the revenue cycle is to get paid for the services provided. But how do you make sure you receive accurate and timely reimbursements. The answer is simple – it all comes down to getting your coding right. Yes, accurate coding holds the key to ensuring that you are paid in full and on time. Are coding inaccuracies causing repeated denials, compliance issues and revenue loss? Do you lack certified medical coders? Find it challenging to hire and retain skilled and certified coders? Is high coding staff turnover leading to delays and backlogs? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, partnering with the right medical coding staffing service provider can help overcome these challenges and ensure you receive accurate and timely reimbursements.

Keeping up with regulatory changes, ICD-10 updates, and evolving payer rules in-house can be quite challenging. Outsourcing offers the best in class virtual coding staff to get your coding right, every time. But it’s a big decision that impacts your revenue cycle, compliance and overall financial performance. Not to worry! This blog post will walk you through a guide to choosing the best medical coding staffing service provider.

• Assess Your Needs: Before you begin your search take the time to determine your exact requirements. Decide on the type of coding (inpatient, outpatient, or specialty), the number of coders required, and your budget to ensure that you get quality services within your financial limits.
  
  
• Check For Accreditation And Certifications: Ensure that the staffing service provider is accredited and their coders are certified by reputable organizations like the AAPC or the AHIMA. Accreditation and certification are indicators of professionalism and expertise. It ensures that the company is committed to achieving industry-recognized standards the coders are proficient in coding practices. This is a perfect way to get the codes right and claims spot on.
  
  
• Evaluate Experience And Expertise: When it comes to coding, experience matters. So, stay away from companies that are just starting out. Check how long they have been in business and if their clients have had a satisfactory experience. Also, make sure to enquire if they have experience in your specialty area.
  
  
• Understand their screening and training processes: A reputable medical coding staffing service provider should have a solid screening and training process in place. Ask how they vet their coders and whether they run background checks and skills tests. Also, check if they provide ongoing education and training to keep their coders up-to-date with the latest coding updates and changes.
  
  
• Evaluate Technology And Tools: High-quality medical coding requires advanced software and tools. So, make sure that they use the latest coding software to enhance accuracy and efficiency. Also check their ability to integrate with your EHR system, because smooth integration allows for a smooth workflow.
  
  
• Assess Communication And Support: You need a partner who is just as responsive and communicative as your team to minimize issues and keep your revenue flowing. Find out if you’ll have a single point of contact for any issues or questions. Make sure support is available when you need it and ask how quickly they’ll respond to your queries or concerns.
  
  
• Consider Compliance And Security: Compliance with healthcare rules is a must-have, not a nice-to-have. Make sure the staffing service provider sticks to all relevant regulations and has strong security measures in place. Ensure they strictly follow HIPAA guidelines to protect patient information ask about their data security protocols to safeguard sensitive information.
  
  
• Check For Quality And Accuracy: Getting medical coding right is key to a successful revenue cycle. So, make sure they consistently hit the mark with quality and accuracy. Find out how they keep quality in check, their error rates, and how they monitor accuracy. Also, check if they run regular audits and provide feedback reports.

Hiring medical coders is tricky beyond just the cost. There's currently a shortage of qualified medical coders, partly because ICD-11 reduced productivity as coders adjusted to the new system. Finding a coder with specialty experience can be even tougher, and the overall shortage is driving up their salaries. Additionally, retaining these coders can also be a challenge because of the high demand. So, the best thing you can do is hire a virtual medical coding staff from Physicians Angels. We have a big team of AAPC certified coders with specialty-specific knowledge which helps you achieve higher accuracy, cleaner claims and faster reimbursements! Curious to learn more? Reach out to us today!.