The Importance of Investing Your Clinic’s Virtual Services

If there’s one thing that will most likely continue after the pandemic it is virtual healthcare. While virtual health was slowly being integrated into healthcare before 2020, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic drastically sped up the need for telehealth options. Due to that, many clinics have had to finally take the leap and invest in virtual systems, which also means that we will continue to see these services going forward. Unfortunately, this could work against clinics that have not yet invested in a system that supports telehealth, so here’s some important aspects to consider when moving to integrate more virtual services.

HIPAA issued guidelines for providers to allow them to use video apps, such as FaceTime, Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype, for their telehealth services even if they do not fully comply to HIPAA standards. They recommended informing patients that their privacy was of utmost importance to the provider, but there are always risks to consider when introducing a third-party technology. Overall, this will allow your clinic to introduce virtual appointments for non-emergency services like check-ins or initial consultations.

New telehealth and COVID-19 codes were introduced due to the increase in virtual services and cleaning procedures. If a clinic’s billing team isn’t up to date on those, then the clinic could be losing revenue because they’re not being properly reimbursed. Additionally, if the codes are incorrect, that costs your office time and money as claims are rejected. Reviewing your current team’s work could help you pin down any repeat issues so you can try to find a solution. During these unprecedented times, lost revenue could be especially detrimental to a clinic.

Without a system that can properly keep up with your clinic’s demands, your office can very quickly fall behind, seem unreliable to patients, and lose revenue as a result. A software the allows your staff to streamline your entire process—from scheduling to recording patient info to online payments—will increase productivity and allow your staff more time to focus on patient relations. Patients now expect the ease of digital communication, and they are much more likely to pay their bills on time when it’s sent online.

By focusing on these three important categories, your clinic will be better up to the task of offering virtual appointments now and for the future. If you’re still struggling to make the leap because your system doesn’t properly support your team or your billing has been falling behind, then it might be time to get the help of experts. Outsource Receivables Inc. serves specialty clinics nationwide and helps them improve their revenue cycle.