Self audit is important to protect and increase the efficiency of coding and billing

One of the most important processes in medical billing and coding services is self audit.  Survey says that self audit protects the system and enhances the chances of error free medical billing. The main reason for using the medical billing services is to generate bills for health care claims and to ensure effective care for the patients. In order to achieve these two major goals of the medical billing services, they have to follow the some important processes and the one of the mandatory process is self audit.  Most of the companies that do self auditing their medical billing processes and results could do better and they could protect their efficiency. Maintaining the efficiency is one of the most important aspects of medical billing services.

Self auditing

Self audit is to review the system and to check the efficiency.  In order to do self audit the billing services or company has to make sure that they keep track of each process and they maintain the records. Self auditing can be done only if there are proper records to check and review. Complete billing system of the company will be reviewed in the light of evaluating the billing system, coding formats, proficiency of coders and billers and other things. The number of auditing done for the company is based on different factors that include the practice of using resources for billing.  Different experts give different details and approach regarding self audit. Altogether it is mandatory to evaluate and increase the performance for better results. Accuracy is a key factor in medical billing and it can be done only after repeated evaluations.

Frequency

 As far as self auditing is concerned, most of the companies take it as yearly but most importantly it should be taken often in a year.  It is better to do self audit more often as it increases the effectiveness of accurate results of the company. Though the medical coders and billers are trained, the chances of mistakes in billing are more common hence the company has to include all the components in the system. As far as the billing system is changed and new systems, strategies and components are added, the self auditing should be done completely.

Time frame

If you are using a new billing system or if you have added any additional components then you should have to do self audit within 90 days since the new component is added to the billing system. On the other hand if a new physician is added for billing and coding then auditing should be done in 30 days since the new doctor is added. Therefore self auditing differs as per the new system or components added in the system.

Proper coding audits

It is always important to make sure that the medical billers and coders know about the change in the system if anything in the system is changed and if any new component is added. Proper coding audits should be used to audit the complete system as the change may be needed anywhere in the system and also the chance for errors may be anywhere in the system.