“I wish I knew then what I know now.”
It’s a common, honest thought. But the healthcare billing and revenue management industry is not where you want to hear this. This is an industry in which success demands employee competence, and regular evaluation of specific competencies can help you identify the overall health of your organization.
Just think about all the “big issues” your team has to address: cost management, operational efficiency, integration of financial information, code compliance and a whole lot more. Making sure that every member of your team is in the know regarding current regulations, professional requirements and industry-relevant news pays serious dividends—for you, your facility and even your patients.
Which Competencies to Consider
Employees should be evaluated according to multiple competencies, but you have to decide what those are. For the medical billing industry, common competencies include the ability to:
• Compute charges
• Enter patient data accurately
• Use proper procedure in billing
• Maintain insurance claim support documentation
• Understand basic anatomy and medical terminology
• Receive and receipt cash items
• Understand diagnostic and insurance codes
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Select the key competencies that are most relevant to your team’s function, and then evaluate individual performance accordingly.
In the Beginning
Assessment of competencies should begin with new hires; you’re not out to intimidate anyone, but it’s in your best interest to know right away an employee’s strengths and weaknesses. This lets you know which areas should be regularly re-evaluated in the future, and also helps you build a productive training plan for your employee.
Build the Competencies You Value
If you’ve already identified the competencies that are most important for your team, make sure you’re reinforcing them with onsite training opportunities or continued education programs. If you host training events onsite, you could even consider tying your efforts and your employee’s performance to annual merit increases; this approach can help boost competitive interest without encouraging internal conflict.
Employee competence is critical in your facility’s success, and a well-mapped game plan can help guarantee both quality patient outcomes and staff retention. So if you don’t have a competency program in place, give in2itive Business Solutions a call and find out how we can help you boost both employee competence and bottom line performance.
Contact Jocelyn Gaddie at 913-617-5088 to learn more.