The consequences of inaccurate coding and billing can drown a healthcare business. It can lead to loss of revenue, higher claim denials, federal penalties, and fines. Many organizations don’t even realize the extent of the damage until it’s too late.

Fortunately, medical billing errors are preventable if you use the right technologies.

Technology to help keep physician data entry error at bay

Although computerized physician order entry has reduced paperwork for physicians, data entry errors are still common. The error rate for human-caused data entry is 0.5%. The good part is that there are software and technologies to keep such errors at bay. A software, named digital employees, cannot just reduce data entry errors but also speed up data entry.

Foxtrot Software, for instance, is an EnableSoft product, which automates data entry, maintenance, migration, integration, aggregation, and testing. The software is designed to perform these tasks in various applications, including Windows-based programs, spreadsheets, web-based applications, and green screens (legacy systems).

Expert Tip: When looking for software to prevent data entry errors, always look for how the technology helps reduce errors and time in data entry.

Tracking surgical items using barcodes and RFID tags

RFID tags and barcodes have been around for a long time, but it’s only recently they have been added to hospital use. When combined with technologies such as electronic medication administration records (eMARs), they can greatly reduce hospital error rates.

A good example of this is – barcoded patient wristband, which can be used with an eMAR to ensure the administration of the right drug to the right patient.

Another example is RFID-tag surgical equipment and smart cabinets for surgical supply tracking.

There are three advantages of using these technologies:

• • They are fairly cheap
  • They can greatly reduce hospital errors.
  • They add useful and correct data to a hospital’s database.

Determining patient identity using Iris and fingerprint scan

Determining patient identity can sometimes be difficult if the patient is unconscious or badly disoriented. Also, some people hide their identity for myriad reasons, including health insurance fraud. Not knowing the patient’s identity can lead to non-payment issues and medical errors. Fingerprint and Iris scans can help in such cases.

During an iris scan, the system scans the eye using near-infrared illumination and video camera technology to capture the unique patterns found in the iris. Then using complex algorithms, the patient’s identity can be ascertained.

These technologies can be very helpful in giving emergency room doctors access to patient charts and records.

Wrap Up

Medical billing errors can be detrimental to your practice. One of the most common issues is the increased denial rates. If your practice continues to have claims turned down, you need to consider investing in these technology-driven prevention measures to reduce costly errors and oversights.