Accelerate New Patient Data Capture With 5 Expert Tips

A smart registration process can avoid claim-submission headaches.

In case you're trying hard to grow your practice, you'll require having a logical, simple form to get data from your new patients. Notonly is a patient form valuable for collecting vital insurance information, however it can help you find patients who owe your practice money and carry out collection activities when the patient is present. Our medical coding and billing experts offer spot on advice.

In case it's been a while since your practice updated its new patient registration form or you're creating one for the first time, follow these expert medical billing suggestions to make sure you can find patient's medical billing information quickly and easily:

1. Keep the Form Simple

Ask vital questions on the patient information intake form that you need all new patients to fill out. Ensure you have basic demographic information for instance:

The policy name and number
The insured's name
Social Security number
Dates of coverage
Secondary-insurance information (Households with more than one income often have more than one insurer. The patient must designate which payer is primary and which is secondary.)
Guardian or responsible party name
The name of the person or physician who referred the patient.

It may look obvious, however in case your form does not ask patients for their fax, cell phone number, or e-mail address, you could be losing out on valuable information.

2. Copying the Insurance Card is a Necessity

Besides having the patient fill out the new patient form, ensure to ask for, and keep a copy of, his insurance card. You should always make a copy of the patient's insurance card, front and back. This has important information on where to send the claims correctly the first time, ensuring the medical coding and billing accuracy and obtaining revenue faster.

As you'll make a copy of the insurance card's front and back, you don't require to ask the patient to give that information (policy number, group number, phone numbers, etc.) on a form.

Medical Coding and Billing Tip: You must ask for the card upon each and every visit by the patient. Insurance information can change regularly, and the patient may not even be conscious of the change. Certain payers have dissimilar addresses for different specialty medical billing.

3. Get Referring Physician Details

Once a new patient arrives due to a referral, ensure you have clear info on the referring physician as well. When the patient arrives, a staff member must be examining referral data for Medical Coding and Billing accuracy.