Patient-friendly billing helps interpret critical information & eases payment process

Simplify the claims processing for H1N1
Gibberish. Babble. Gobbledygook.


That’s what many patients think of “medical talk.” From patient access to the bills that come after care is complete, patients often struggle to make sense of it all. They’re unfamiliar with the medical terminology and nature of the information involved in their care. Even though their providers might be located just around the corner from their homes, patients often find the language barrier makes trips to the doctor feel like journeys to a foreign country.

Communication problems lead to confusion among patients, increased risk of bad debt for providers.
This communication disconnect poses significant challenges for patients and providers. Patients who lack adequate or interpretable information are left to navigate the system in a state of confusion, questioning everything along the way and feeling unempowered. Not surprisingly, these patients may become overly cautious, distrustful or even unwilling to pay. On the flipside, providers must juggle the barrage of patient inquiries, expending valuable staff time revisiting issues of care and billing or even chasing payments. “Language” can be a major barrier--for patients trying to get well and providers striving to care for patients’ health while also managing the all-important revenue cycle.

Statements can serve as a translator between patient and provider.
In any business, finding a common language is essential to effectively communicating, relating and, ultimately, building trust with patients. Of course, the “language” of patient billing in the healthcare industry is a figurative one, but the same positive results can be achieved in the healthcare industry through the use of patient friendly billing language.

With the increase of consumer-driven health plans that eliminate the layers between patient and provider even during billing, that language barrier must be removed. There’s simply too much that can be lost in translation. Enter the era of Patient Friendly Billing, a collaborative project lead by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) to promote clear, concise, and correct patient-friendly financial communications. Today, the healthcare industry is increasingly motivated to translate the “medical talk” in patient bills to make them easier to understand and simpler to pay. By approaching medical billing as a patient-focused function, the industry is veering from institutional language and becoming more fluent in the billing language of the people.

“It’s a matter of trust,” states Tim Tucker, Vice President of Provider Services for Emdeon. “Billing for healthcare is unnerving for most patients from the get-go. Many people feel like everything on their statement is fine print. We have to create more familiar, accessible language to ensure consumer-patients aren’t overwhelmed in trying to pay their portions of medical bills.”

Emdeon has long been on the forefront of consumer-facing revenue cycle management solutions, developing an ever-expanding suite of products to help providers engage, inform and guide consumers who are responsible for portions of their healthcare payments. Emdeon ExpressBill Services is an immensely helpful tool to aid in “speaking the language” of patients, even during the often daunting billing process, using cleanly displayed information conveyed in common language.

Emdeon ExpressBill Services creates patient statements in plain language that’s simple to understand,” says Tim Tucker. “Using this product, providers will improve communications with patients by educating them about payment responsibilities. It also makes the billing process efficient, so transactions are timely and fresh on patients’ minds. In relying on expert solutions for interpretative billing, providers actually enhance their relationships and connectedness with patients.”

The increasing importance of translating critical patient statement information.
It’s clear the trend toward consumer-driven healthcare is moving forward at a rapid pace. That’s why healthcare providers need reliable partners to help them interpret billing effectively--so they can focus on what’s most important, patient care.

“Speaking a language the patient understands is a must,” Tim Tucker summarizes. “When providers prioritize the use of clear, easily interpreted data on statements, they are really extending patient care into the billing process.”

And that’s the ultimate message, plain and clear.

Want to learn more about Emdeon ExpressBill Services? Visit www.emdeon.com/expressbill for full details.

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