Healthcare debt collection entails a great amount of data for every account. In the midst of such an undertaking a collection professional may lose sight of efficiency. Perhaps certain arduous steps in day-to-day procedures could be bypassed if only certain tasks were automated or if a certain data import function were utilized. Collection Advisor gathered input from technology experts to learn what functionality collection professionals already have in their possession but do not use to its full potential.
Chris J. Roberts President/COO of Sentinel Development Solutions, Inc.
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?
Revenue cycle management is optimized by going to the cloud to gain HIPAA and Hi-Trust security. Many agencies have to do encryption-at-rest and its HIPAA implications.
What is a mistake you see professionals make regarding software use and healthcare debt collection compliance?
When personally identifiable data is stored it must be encrypted. It also avoids hackers who use a sequel injection. It may be required by PCI for all collections some day. GDPR is necessary if you store any data about a consumer in the European Union. They may be ahead of us. GDPR requires the ability to eliminate all information about a consumer if requested.
Fritz Schulze President of Comtech Systems Inc.
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?
Of course, using available integrations to take advantage of newer communication methods like texting improves the response rate. In terms of software functionality, the group promise function allows the creation of a single commitment for all accounts belonging to the same debtor. Conversely, the ability to split payments over multiple accounts manages the payments for the group promise.
What is a mistake you see professionals make regarding software use and healthcare debt collection compliance?
We recommend the proper removal of Do Not Call numbers, and the creation of an audit trail that prevents that number from being used again. Using the automations and tracking that a sophisticated software package provides removes work and responsibility from the collector, leaving them with more time for calls.
Chris Campbell CEO Simplicity Collection Software
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?
Automation hands down! The more automated you can make your business processes, the more profi table and successful you can make your business. Look for a software that allows you the ability to automate accounts and processes for a more streamlined and profi table collection solution.
What is a mistake you see professionals make regarding software use and healthcare debt collection compliance?
Make sure you select a software solution that considers compliance a priority and is flexible enough to adapt and change with the ever-changing compliance rules and regulations. Healthcare collectors are sometimes overly concerned with HIPAA and PCI because they had inadequate tools to store more personally identifi able information properly.
Ranjan Dharmaraja CEO of Quantrax Corporation Inc.
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?Healthcare is a sensitive business. We are not using the options that are most convenient to consumers and patients, when it comes to contacting them. The most convenient and practical options for contact are email, text messaging and self-service for all areas of the collection process. These are signifi cantly underutilized options.
What is a mistake you see professionals make regarding software use and healthcare debt collection compliance?
You will usually not have just one account when it comes to healthcare debt. Typically, there will be multiple accounts for the same consumer. Failing to effectively manage these groups of accounts, due to the lack of an efficient process and/or superior technology, is a mistake we often see in healthcare collections and compliance.
The whole industry is changing. Healthcare is not dying. It is not going to go away. What matters is how we contact people, how to make right party contacts. We are no longer in collections; we are in customer service.
Matthew Hill President/CEO of The InterProse Corporation
What is a healthcare collection software functionality you think is underused considering how useful it can be?
I feel that the reluctance to embrace an omni- channel communication approach with consumers greatly limits the choices the consumer has to engage the agency in the method they most prefer. Whether the consumer prefers a phone call, text message, email or virtual agent interaction, there are modern solutions and techniques to meet those preferences that are fully compliant. In most cases the vendors providing these services have gone to great lengths to insure that the use of their offerings maintain compliance if implemented properly.
What is a mistake you see professionals make regarding software use and healthcare debt collection compliance?
The continued use of outdated or functionally obsolete collection platforms that do not meet the strict HIPAA data security requirements leave collection agencies very exposed to data losses and legal actions from consumers.
Hospitals are catching on and starting to ask hard questions about digital infrastructure, compliance audit certifications, and best practices, so the time has come for everyone to take these security measures seriously by meeting or beating the industry standards from the outset.