Seeking a Super Biller

Question: I have become very frustrated regarding the lack of answers from my billing department. I feel that I have two mid-level billers who do not have the attention to detail required to collect as much money as possible. I am “held hostage” as I do not know our software billing system as well as they do, and therefore must accept their vague answers as to the lack of results. The physicians in our practice have collectively agreed to hire a billing manager with a higher skill set. Where could we find such a “Super Biller”?

Answer: Well, a couple of suggestions:

First, why have two poor billers and a manager instead of just replacing your billers and having two good billers?

Second, you can consider outsourcing to a revenue cycle management company that can keep you on track without heavy staffing.

Third, it may be well worth your time to grab the software manual and get some answers yourself.

Now, to answer your actual question:

You’ll find a billing knowledge assessment form here:

http://www.karenzupko.com/resources/forms.html
Use it with your candidates. Also ask any serious candidate to review your current A/R report and policies and identify things she’d change.

Look for someone who can talk about how she made-over another practice. You can even, strategically, cherry pick from another office that is doing well.

You also can try advertising with the HFMA. Some of these folks will be more sophisticated than you might need, but I don’t know what other management you have.

I would encourage you to solve the problem quickly. When employees know more about the accounts than the owners and the money trail isn’t transparent, the situation is ripe for embezzlement.