The financial health of substance abuse treatment centers is deeply rooted in effective billing. To keep their doors open and continue supporting patients, these centers need to quickly and accurately collect on services rendered. Substance abuse treatment billing software can be a helpful tool for streamlining workflows and expediting reimbursements. But the ROI that comes with a software investment is directly tied to its design and capabilities.
Here are five qualities to keep top of mind when choosing software for substance abuse billing.
Seamlessly Integrates With EHR & Practice Management Systems
When a substance abuse treatment center can synchronize data between their EHR, practice management, and billing systems, workflows become seamless. While clinicians and administrators have an easier way to communicate and collaborate with one another, the seamless transfer of data and clinical documentation expedites the claim submission process.
Before a claim is submitted, patient data from EHRs and practice management software is automatically transferred to the billing software. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors that can lead to claim delays or even denials. The automated compiling of accurate billing information enables a faster reimbursement cycle that improves a treatment center’s revenue streams.
Enables Real-Time Insurance Verification
Before services are provided, it’s important for substance abuse treatment centers to verify a patient’s insurance coverage is up-to-date. When substance abuse billing software automates this process, it saves administrators the hassle of having to call insurance companies for verification while ensuring that billing information is accurate.
While reducing denial rates, real-time insurance verification supports the patient experience in other respects too. On the one hand, personnel can speed up the intake process, particularly for walk-in patients or last-minute appointments. At the same time, they can give patients more transparency into the treatment plans their insurance covers and help them avoid unnecessary financial stress.
Automates the Claims Submission Process
When you account for all rules, regulations, and payor requirements, it’s easy to see why processing claims can be such a hurdle in behavioral healthcare. The process becomes far more straightforward when a billing software automates tedious, complex tasks.
In your search for a substance abuse treatment billing software, look for an option that includes accurate coding tools. With automatic access to up-to-date billing codes, administrators can generate claims in less time — and stay compliant with regulatory requirements.
It’s also beneficial if a billing software features electronic claims submission capabilities. By automating manual billing processes and accelerating the receipt of claim payments, electronic remittance advance (ERA) billing tools can save treatment centers thousands of dollars a year.
Offers Robust Reporting Capabilities
While critical to a treatment center’s financial health, staying on top of patient payments is not always easy. Having access to customized reporting tools via a billing software simplifies this step. At a quick glance, personnel can monitor claim activity, the aging of balances by patients and clinicians, and collection letters — to name a few examples. From there, staff can take measures to reduce their accounts receivable.
There’s also value in a behavioral health billing software that offers business intelligence reports. Being able to break down claim activity and payments by patient, service, and other variables provides further financial insights to support a center’s decision-making.
Offers a User-Friendly Interface
A software for substance abuse treatment billing can come with all the right tools and capabilities. But if the user experience is poor, odds are that personnel will have a tough time using it. This can slow down adoption rates and leave employees feeling frustrated rather than empowered.
With these factors in mind, make sure to choose software that is practical to use. While substance abuse treatment centers have to deal with complex, demanding workflows, the software that supports their efforts should be intuitive. Ease of use translates into greater efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness in managing billing.
Choose ClinicTracker as Your Substance Abuse Treatment Billing Software
ClinicTracker makes the lives of behavioral health professionals at substance abuse treatment centers easier. Specifically designed for the behavioral healthcare industry, our software combines EHR, billing, and practice management in a fully integrated, easy-to-use solution. Equipped with features for real-time insurance verification, automated claims submissions, and customizable reports, ClinicTracker makes a meaningful difference to the operations of substance abuse centers and addiction treatment centers.
Ready to see our behavioral health EHR software in action? Request a demo.
Alongside software to support revenue cycle management, ClinicTracker also offers Revenue Cycle Management Services. Behavioral health facilities can outsource their billing services to our team of experts. While you shorten your revenue cycle, you'll leave your team with less stress and more time for patient care. Find more details about our Billing Service solution here.
