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How to protect sensitive patient information and avoid incurring hefty penalties There’s a lot to juggle when running a medical practice, and the myriad of HIPAA requirements aren’t often top-of-mind for many administrators. However, HIPAA violations can cost you dearly. Did you know that you can incur a fine of $50,000 per occurrence and a maximum annual penalty of $1.5 million per violation? It’s important to ensure that your processes are HIPAA-compliant at all times and your staff is trained to adhere to the regulations. To help you take the necessary steps so you can properly protect PHI (patient health information, such as social security numbers, medical procedures, diagnoses, etc.) and avoid hefty penalties, here are 10 common HIPAA violations and what you can do prevent them: 10 Common HIPAA Violations: 1. Unsecured Records Containing PHI It’s not uncommon for busy medical staff to leave patient files or computers unattended or unsecured when things get hectic. However, this c...

The medical sector is currently experiencing a rapid shift toward greater patient fiscal responsibility, meaning healthcare practices are struggling to collect patient payments. Industry initiatives are laying the groundwork to prioritize patient collections over government and commercial payers. This adjustment to the revenue cycle must focus on convenience and patient preference. With patient collections accounting for more than 30 percent of industry revenue, it is crucial for healthcare providers to integrate advanced patient payment services into their billing systems. The following six technology-driven patient payment services will incentivize patient payment, making it easier to collect debt through the patient’s preferred payment method. Providers who choose to integrate these advanced payment technologies will experience an increase in revenue through patient collections. Cloud-Based Patient Payment Services Implementing a  cloud-based patient billing system  provide...

It’s no secret that patient collections are a common revenue cycle struggle. With out-of-pocket costs  projected  to climb  6.1%  in 2022 and an average of 4.6% from 2021 to 2030, patients are struggling to pay their obligations. In addition to costly deductibles, traditional patient collection methods not only complicate the payment process for patients but also increase the time between service and collection while simultaneously decreasing the likelihood that the patient will pay for their medical services. In short, traditional patient collection methods decrease both patient satisfaction and practice revenues. As many practices site severe  revenue cycle issues,  there is no better time to evaluate and improve payment collection methods. Interactive and accurate technology is at an all-time high, offering secure and reliable ways to enhance the patient payment and collection process. Although such methods are proven to appeal to patients and increase c...