With the increased availability of health insurance and the aging of the enormous baby boomer generation, the number of patients coming into medical practices for regular care continues to grow steadily. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are seeing an ever-growing workload, leading practices across the nation to expand and bring on new staff to address the increased number of patients and appointments.
What many don’t realize is that this influx of business also means a drastic increase in medical paperwork, especially in the case of billing. With some practices already struggling to balance their patients’ needs with the administrative tasks of dealing with HMOs and insurance companies, offices are turning to nurses and other non-administrative staff to help with the desk work. Medical billing and coding now comprise a full-time business, and doctors are in greater need of trained, dedicated help.
The Importance of a Dedicated Billing Team
With the increased federal oversight of insurance and the very personal nature of the medical industry, it’s important that all administrative tasks are performed by a team with full focus and plenty of time to input data carefully. When an office uses staff with other primary duties to complete billing and coding tasks, there is a greater chance for error in both billing and in that staff’s other duties.
From an employee satisfaction perspective, having a specified billing and coding staff also ensures that employees are not rushed, stressed, and/or overworked. While it might be all right to ask staff to take on additional tasks temporarily, a prolonged period of extra work can decrease morale and lead to conflict.
In-Office Staff, Outsourcing, and Opportunities
For those practices that are large enough to house and manage a full-time in-office staff, billing and coding can be performed onsite by the doctors and nurses directly at hand. Unfortunately, not all doctors are able to house such a team. As a result, some offices are turning to medical billing outsourcing services.
Like other industries, outsourcing is a convenient way to manage extra duties.
Whatever method a practice chooses to use, now is a time of unprecedented opportunity for those trained in the field of medical billing. In fact, the work of outsourced medical billing and coding has become a convenient source of income for individuals with young children or disabilities that require them to work from home.
Train in the Medical Billing Field with ABC Training Center
Do you have an interest in being a part of the medical field in an administrative capacity? Consider a career in medical billing and coding! According to data from medicalbillingandcoding.org, the average salary for medical billing and coding employees is around $39,970 per year in the state of New York and as much as $51,850 in New Jersey. Our medical billing and coding classes in NYC can help you take your interest in the healthcare field from curiosity to a lucrative career.
To learn more about our classes and how ABC Training Center can help you start your career in medical billing, contact us today at (718) 618-5589.