Based on our experience nearly 30% of denials are occur because of inaccurate patient identification. The lack of accurate details not only lead claim denials, but it also triggers delay in getting reimbursement. This shows the importance of accurate patient demographics for ensuring smooth revenue cycle management (RCM).
What is Patient Demographic?
The patient demographic refers to the personal and medical information used in RCM to identify patients and determine their eligibility for insurance coverage or payment for medical services.
Understanding patient demographics is vital for medical billing, because it allows healthcare providers to correctly identify their patients and ensure that they are billed and reimbursed appropriately for the services provided. Moreover, this knowledge helps to keep patient details accurately for smooth processing of claims.
What Does Patient Demographic Include?
It generally includes basic details of patient, employer, and health history information. Patient demographics typically consist of following details;
What is it important to collect accurate patient demographics?
Here’s why it’s a crucial part of the process;
- Patient demographics include insurance details, which is very important to channelize our claim to the right direction and getting payment at one go. This way, we can eliminate delay and repetitive to get payment.
- Having correct contact details and address allow us to send statements to the patient on time. It helps to collect patient payment on time and avoid delay and multiple follow ups with the patient for payment.
- Accurate patient demographics help to reduce rejection due to incorrect patient details like: Name, DOB, Insurance ID, Relationship with insured and so on.
- Demographic data allow provider to prepare personalized treatment plan. It means, based on patient age, race, and socioeconomic status, provider can make changes into the treatment plan. At the end, it improves the comfort for patient.
- Collecting patient demographics ensures compliance with data protection regulations like HIPAA, thereby reducing legal risks for healthcare providers.
What are the best practices can be implemented for gathering, storing and monitoring patient demographics?
Collecting and tracking patient demographics is vital for healthcare practices to ensure accurate and reliable records. To achieve this, implementation of the following strategies can be helpful.
To gather correct and accurate details, provider or practices should prepare list of questions which are important and required. We need to repeat the same set of questions for all of the patient. This list needs to enhance while come across with important and questions apart from the list. It helps to keep the conversation shot and to the point.
Secondly, implementing an EMR platform for easy and secure data intake is highly recommended. These systems provide efficient access to patient data while ensuring robust digital security features and facilitating seamless information sharing among healthcare practitioners across different locations.
Moreover, considering the method of communication when collecting demographic data is essential. Switching to online registration portals can offer increased privacy for patients and improve the overall efficiency of the data collection process. Switch to online platform to gather patient demographics also eliminate so many problems like: incorrect spelling, not readable hand writing, limited space to write and so many more.
Furthermore, adhering to specific guidelines and regulations governing patient data collection is paramount. This means, provider needs to ensure to follow all the rules and regulations implemented by the government to protect health information provided by the patient. If provider or practices are bound by the government rules, then patient feels safe to reveal all the protected information.
Seeking an Ideal Outsourcing Partner for Patient Demographics Service?
Join Ingenious Outsourcing to take-off all your worries about gathering, soring, evaluating, verifying and monitoring patient demographic.
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