How do I know if I need help with my documentation and coding?
Chiropractic is under regular scrutiny by the managed care industry. Any edge you can gain helps. If you have not changed your SOAP note style in several years, or if you have not kept up to date with changes in physical medicine coding, you need a little help.
Do I need to document with an Electronic Medical Record right now?
Clearly, EMR's are the future for documenting care. However, the content in your medical record is more important than the method. There are a number of EMR software versions with variable costs. We can discuss your particular situation and make EMR recommendations depending on your needs.
There are other chiropractic coding consultants that charge a lot more than you. Why are your fees for so low?
Many Chiropractors are hurting. To charge excessive fees would be unfair and another burden to the doctor. Chiropractic is an elegant and simple healthcare delivery system. We use finite code sets and typically treat a limited range of diagnostic conditions. It is not that complicated or time consuming to help a doctor do it right.
I have a cash practice. Why do I need to worry about my documentation when I don't bill insurance companies?
From a risk management perspective,such as a malpractice case, quality notes can save you a lot of stress, heartache, time and money. It's relatively easy to document well enough to protect you and clearly define what you do during your treatment. Also, oftentimes, a patient may pay cash, and then submit a claim for reimbursement. Your records may be requested prior to paying the claim.
Why are insurance companies targeting chiropractors?
Having worked in the insurance industry, it has been my experience that we are not specifically being targeted. All healthcare providers are subject to audits, claims analysis and potential investigations. However, we are an easy profession to analyze and audit due to the limited number of codes we use and conditions we treat. It is therefore easier to identify chiropractic doctors whose coding is aberrant, which may trigger an audit.
