A Must Attend Meeting Series: Wound Clinic Business

Today’s Wound Clinic spoke with Andrea Clark, President, Health Revenue Assurance Associates, Inc., Plantation, FL about the Wound Clinic Business meeting series that she oversees with Kathleen Schaum. For information on the 2011 Wound Clinic Business Meetings, make sure to check in often for updates at https://www.woundclinicbusiness.com/ 1. Today’s Wound Clinic (TWC: What is your role with the Wound Clinic Business Meeting? Andrea Clark (AC): Providing education along with insight and experience for the wound revenue cycle team. Specifically how to strengthen their policies and procedures to include complete and compliant documentation, accurate ICD-9-CM and CPT code assignments, precise charge capture and reliable claims submission. 2. TWC: Why do you urge clinician's working in a wound clinic to attend one of the regional Wound Clinic Business Meetings in 2011? AC: Exposure to the multi-layered mechanics of how Medicare reimburses for the vital services performed by the clinicians in the HOPD is essential. With that said, clinicians need to understand what is the “insurance” required to keep and hold dollars receive today and this is obtained very simply by complete documentation of their intensity of services. 3. TWC: Please tell our readers one take away idea or point that you would like attendees to get from the WCB? AC: Read, dissect and engage the wound care revenue cycle team regarding local coverage determinations (LCDs) for your facility. LCDs are the compliant “aorta” for revenue survival and pivotal to every wound care revenue team. Without LCD understanding and implementation; every wound care service is at risk. 4. TWC: What members of the wound care revenue cycle team do you believe should attend the WCB meeting? AC: It starts at registration and ends by patient financial services (PFS) submitting the claim. Along the way, we have the wound department personale, clinicians, HIM coders, CDM experts and billing. Bringing a representative from each facet of the revenue cycle will improve understanding and accuracy within the group; remember it takes a village. 5.TWC: How is the information in the WCB meetings updated each year? AC: Reviewing the current OPPS revenue landscape along with CPT and ICD-9-CM updates keeps it fresh and updated. Also, keeping our finger on the future pulse of healthcare to include ICD-10-CM diagnosis assignments by 2013 continues to keep the participants on their toes. 6. TWC: Have you gotten any positive feedback from the WCB meetings and if so what have they said? AC: The most eye-opening comments are how much goes into the revenue cycle and how clinicians and others begin to understand what they do each day has a revenue and compliance impact. 7. TWC: What do you enjoy most about doing the WCB meetings? AC: Having 2 speakers with a wealth of experience going back to back and interacting with each other is not only entertaining but so informative. The participants are very engaging and they all learn from each other by sharing experience and operational processes. 8. TWC: Is there anything else that you would like to add? AC:With federal auditors swooping down on hospitals to include both inpatient and outpatient claims, it is critical that the wound care department understand both risks and opportunities within their business unit. For more information visit www.woundclinicbusiness.com Subscribe to the print version of Today’s Wound Clinic now to receive exclusive information, which will help you grow the business end of your wound care clinic. Click Here Now