Difference Between Medical Billing Software and EMR

Medical billing and EMR software systems are often designed to have overlapping features that improve the functionality and usability of the systems in order to make them a “one-stop-solution” for a practice’s medical IT needs. As a result, medical billing software and EMRs end up being interchangeably used discounting the primary objectives of each of the systems.

Medical Billing Software vs. EMR

Many EMR companies are going the whole way to provide doctors with a single, comprehensive solution that will help them achieve Meaningful Use by incorporating crucial features like clinical notes, patient information and history, medication/prescription/drug allergies, diagnosis/treatments/procedures, patient scheduling, appointment reminders, e-prescribing, electronically available results, scans and reports, patient education resources, clinical decision support as well as full-fledged medical billing programs.

Specialized medical billing software on the other hand, is particularly programmed to maintain and keep detailed records of tests, procedures, examinations, diagnoses and treatments conducted on patients. It combines this medical information with the patient’s policy details to formulate a complete medical record that is used to generate bills. 

The software electronically submits these bills to the patient as well as the health insurance company for payment. Before a bill can be submitted to the policy provider, it has to be coded based on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9/ICD-10) protocols. Medical billing software systems are programmed to automatically assign these codes based on the patient’s medical record. After reviewing the bill, the insurance company sends the appropriate payment (or notice of denial) notifying the patient and practitioner via an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter which is added to the patient’s medical billing record by the software. In case of a dispute, rectification of bills with errors or missing information and follow up on claims, the software will update the patient’s medical record and billing details with the revised information. 

Medical billing and coding software is thus equipped to seamlessly and accurately handle all complex processes and correspondence involved in medical billing.

A typical base package of medical billing software would contain features that are restricted to medical billing and accounting functions like patient recordkeeping, claims processing, electronic claims submission, receivables management, patient billing and accounting integration. However, many software providers extend their scope to include features like practice management, scheduling and other administrative and clinical functions that are generally a part of EMR software systems.

Therefore, the difference between medical billing software and an EMR is that of core functionality. While medical billing software focuses on a practice’s medical billing procedures and billing-related administrative and financial processes, features of an EMR are primarily concentrated on clinical functions, records and outcomes. 

Medical billing software may serve clinical EMR functions in addition to electronic billing and coding for greater versatility. The same is true for EMR systems that incorporate specialized medical billing and coding program features to supplement their clinical applications.

References:

1. http://www.wisegeek.com/topics/medical-billing-software.htm

2. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-medical-billing.htm

3. http://www.medical-billing.com/blog/medicalbilling/pid-303/list-of-best-medical-billing-software/

4. http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/43/8/6.3.full

5. http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com/2011/02/emrs-providing-indian-doctors-with-edge.html

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What Do Practices Look For When Hiring A Medical Assistant?

Digitization of the healthcare industry has lead to an increasing demand for qualified, experienced and IT educated medical assistants to help practices and physicians meet their Meaningful Use objectives. Although this has opened up many new opportunities for job seeking medical assistants, it has also resulted in practices raising the bar pertaining to candidate quality, experience and training standards.

Jobs and Duties of a Medical Assistant

As a medical assistant, you are in charge of performing administrative and basic clinical tasks of the practice. While your job description may differ depending on the size and location of the practice, your basic responsibility is to ensure the smooth and efficient running of day to day operations and clinical tasks that are assigned to you. The clinical duties that a medical assistant is eligible to discharge vary according to state law. Practices require medical assistants to be well-versed with patient and laboratory work, administrative activities like maintaining medical records, bookkeeping, filing tax returns and insurance forms, hospital admissions, appointment scheduling, patient-practice correspondence, billing and other practice management duties.

Some practices require medical assistants to help physicians with pre and post treatment procedures like recording vital stats (height, weight, blood pressure, temperature), medical histories, drug allergies and routine lab tests. They may also be expected to provide first aid, remove sutures, change bandages, give injections and take X-rays or other scans.

Formal Education, Training and Certification

Although practices impart training on the job, experienced candidates with formal education, certification or a degree are generally preferred. 1 year certificate or diploma programs, or 2 year associate degree programs are offered in vocational-technical high schools.
 
Candidates who have received formal training in medical assisting are well-versed with anatomy, physiology, medical terminology and administrative functions like maintaining records, transcripts, accounts and insurance processing. Clinical and diagnostic procedures, laboratory testing, pharmaceutical proficiency, first aid are also covered in these programs along with office management activities, skills and techniques. As formally trained candidates already have a good command over the duties and functions of medical assisting, they naturally hold the edge over novice medical assistants in job interviews and selection procedures.


Healthcare IT Skills

Practices require medical assistants to look after the front office administration including staff management, appointment scheduling, filing reports, maintaining patient charts, bookkeeping, billing, tax and insurance processes. With the federal government incentivizing Meaningful Use of EMR implementations, a majority of administrative and clinical tasks have been digitized. As the onus of meeting Meaningful Use objectives lies largely with medical assistants, practices have started to consider IT skills as indispensable to medical assistant skill sets and resumes.

Soft Skills

Medical assistants must be equipped with good communication skills. As they are essentially the connecting link between patients and physicians, it is important for medical assistants to develop soft skills that make the patients feel welcome and comfortable in a place they don’t really want to be in. Interacting with patients and their families, providing them all the information they would need in order to ease their apprehensions, displaying empathy and understanding the delicacies of communication in a dispiriting hospital environment, are skills that practices are imploring their medical assistants to imbibe and develop.

Lastly, medical assistants must be capable of handling intense emergency situations placed against chaotic emotions, flying egos and anxieties. It is absolutely essential for them to maintain a calm, patient and positive attitude to focus on keeping their nerves intact and getting the job done.

References:

1. http://medicalassistant-jobs.blogspot.com/2010/03/communication-therapeutic-skills-for.html
2. http://www.ehow.com/about_5341447_general-skills-needed-medical-assistant.html
3. http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com/2011/05/information-technology-orientation-for.html
4. http://www.medicalassistantx.com/expectations-of-behaviour-and-medical-assistant-code-of-ethics/
5. http://www.medicalassistantx.com/know-the-basic-medical-assistant-requirements/
6. http://www.medicalassistantx.com/the-skills-of-the-medical-assistant/
7. http://www.medicalassistantx.com/whatdoesamedicalassistantdo/

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