Practice Management Alert

Here are the essential qualities to look for in a job candidate.

In today's job market, chances are that if you're in the market for a billing manager you'll have plenty of candidates to choose from. That's why it's vital to know exactly what to look for.
 
Much of the responsibility for financial success of an entire medical practice lies within the billing department, so it's essential that the person at the helm be the most qualified. The dynamics of the practice play a large part in the kinds of skills it will require in a billing manager, notes Adrienne Rabinowitz, CPC, billing manager for Western Monmouth Orthopedic Associates in Freehold, NJ. Each practice has different needs, so it's important to find someone who will mesh well with your culture.
 
Generally speaking, there are several qualities every practice should look for when interviewing potential billing managers, experts agree. First and foremost, the person must have good accounts receivable management skills, says Catherine Brink, CMM, CPC, president of HealthCare Resource Management Inc. in Spring Lake, NJ. Also, the person must be meticulously organized and extremely detail-oriented, says Joan Elfeld, CCP, president of Medical Practice Support Services Inc. in Denver, Col.
 
Another essential quality is good people skills, says Rabinowitz. Remember, this person has to work directly with the physicians in your practice, which can be a challenge. That's why it's so important to find someone with "a good command of the rules and regulations (for both private and government carriers) and the ability to communicate them to physicians," Rabinowitz points out.
 
Also, the person must have good leadership and teaching abilities to "properly train front desk and billing staff to effectively and efficiently obtain insurance information, check eligibility, collect co-pays at the time of service and collect other monies owed the practice," Elfeld adds. Additionally, the billing manager has to be able to manage the accounts receivable and billing staff, and interact well with payers and staff in other offices.
 
Elfeld offers a few other qualities to add to your list of things to look for in a candidate:   minimum of five years experience with billing procedures and management of A/R
  knowledge of billing system (or ability to learn),
  ability to set fees,
  ability to ensure that daily deposits are fully reconciled with the daily posting,
  knowledge and application of the seven elements of a working compliance plan,
  knowledge and application of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules, and
  ability to meet deadlines. Coding Savvy Is Increasingly Important  "Some billing managers are involved in deciding which insurance payment denials get appealed and the manner in which they are appealed," observes Rabinowitz. "This is where being a certified professional coder (CPC) comes in [...]