Testimonials
"I have had the privilege of working with HMI for twenty plus years and have always found their representatives to be professional and knowledgeable in all aspects of acute hospital and professional service charge master management. Additionally ongoing coding related reviews and billing reviews and associated report backs are timely and positively impact appropriate revenue capture - billing - and compliance." "I recommend HMI to be considered when choosing a partner to assist with the...
Greg Yost, PFS Director Princeton Community Hospital, Princeton WV
We have utilized HMI Corp. since 2002 for consultation services related to chargemaster review and updates and have always found their services to be professional of nature and valuable to our organization.
https://www.starrregional.com/
David Alley, CFO Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens TN
We recently transitioned to HMI from another Physician Documentation & Coding Compliance Review vendor, and the entire experience has been positive. HMI has been extremely accommodating throughout the process and has demonstrated a willingness to adapt to our workflows, leading to a seamless transition. We’ve received positive feedback from our providers about their experiences with HMI, and the Coding Hotline has been an invaluable resource. For anyone looking for a new consulting partner,...
http://www.heritagemedical.com/
Dawn Chrismer, RHIT, CHC, CCS-P Director of Business Services/Compliance Officer Heritage Medical Associates, Nashville, TN
HMI has been a very reliable resource for Princeton Community Hospital for many, many years. I have had the opportunity to work with many staff members and have found all to be reliable and courteous in every aspect. The staff is very flexible and provides Princeton Community with the support and coding stability needed. Thank you for the sometime short notices for coding coverage when unexpected situations arise with our staff. We thank you for your coding expertise as well as your...
Denise Moore, CCS Coding Manager Princeton Community Hospital
I’ve worked with HMI employing them to conduct audits of physician documentation and coding. They have consistently produced quality work in a very timely fashion with reports that were well written and easy to understand. Communication has always been prompt and effective. I have such confidence in their work that, over the years, I brought them from my prior location to my current location. I would recommend HMI to anyone in need of accurate and timely coding or auditing.
https://www.stchristophershospital.com
Robert C. Kay, RRT, MBA, MJ, CHC, CPC-A Chief Compliance Officer St. Christopher\'s Hospital for Children
“I have had the privilege of working with HMI over the past 10+ years with two different health systems. I have used HMI for hospital CDM and compliance reviews as well as physician coding reviews and education. I always receive top-notch service from the HMI team and I appreciate working with a partner that is always honest and responsive to my questions and needs. I have worked with Mary Quimby and Vickie Faler and both have proven to be very knowledgeable, accessible, and...
https://williamsonmedicalcenter.org/
Rodney Adams, MMCH, Associate Administrator of Finance Williamson Medical Center
HMI has been a great partner with MedStar Washington Hospital Center now for many years. We can always count on them to provide us with support on small to very large projects. HMI delivers consistent and honest results and additionally provides very thoughtful & targeted education to our physicians.
https://www.medstarwashington.org/
Purvi Jani AVP Reporting and Revenue Cycle MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Having worked in healthcare revenue cycle for more than three decades, I have partnered with many vendors. My vendor of choice for CDM Review, E/M Coding Compliance and Physician Education is without a doubt HMI, LLC. Mary Quimby and Vickie Faler are not only subject matter experts, they are true partners providing that extra level of service that sets them far above others in the industry. I have worked with them for 15+ years in 5 different acute facilities, and multi-specialty physician...
MaryAnn Hastings, CPMA, Director Revenue Cycle Operations, Galen Medical Group
We have been working with HMI since 2010 and have expanded the use of their services to include CDM and ED Coding. The HMI coding staff is extremely knowledgeable and has become an integral part of our coding team. Our consultant Beth never shies away from any CDM project that comes her way. We appreciate the professionalism and teamwork we have with HMI.
https://monadnockcommunityhospital.com/
Janet Willis, Director of Revenue Management, Monadnock Community Hospital
We have utilized HMI’s for chargemaster compliance and billing reviews for nearly 10-years. We have always found that their staff to be knowledgeable, resourceful and professional in all services provided to our organization.
https://www.muhealth.org/locations/university-hospital
Jessica Mayfield, Manager Revenue Management University of Missouri Health Care
How to Improve Customer Service to Optimize Revenue Cycle Management
Customer Service to optimize revenue cycle management
Patient care is crucial for healthcare organizations. It starts with good customer service.
Unfortunately, many healthcare organizations ignore patient care. They focus on optimizing other areas of their organization instead of customer service.
That’s a mistake. According to a 2021 Top Health Industry Issues report, patients are twice as likely to choose or reject a doctor based on staff friendliness and attitude.
Meanwhile, a July 2020 study found a positive correlation between patient care and patient outcomes. Patients who had a good customer service experience with a healthcare organization were more likely to experience better clinical outcomes. They were more likely to follow recommendations and check up with the doctor, for example.
Customer service impacts your bottom line. You should not ignore customer service when optimizing revenue cycles.
Today, we’re listing some of the strategies America’s top healthcare organizations are using to improve patient care and optimize revenue cycles:
Hire Intelligently
Good customer service starts with hiring the right workers. By hiring intelligently, you can create a strong foundation on which to build the rest of the customer service experience for your organization.
Fierce Healthcare recommends hiring frontline staff who meet the following requirements:
- Dedicated to creating positive relationships with patients
- Understand the correlation between their work and patient outcomes, including how their actions impact the health and experience of patients
- Foster a real human connection with patients
- Balance automation technology and customer service skills to improve patient outcomes and optimize payer reimbursement
Find staff with proven experience in the above areas. Emphasize problem-solving and critical thinking skills during the interview phase. Shadow candidates to ensure a good fit. Maintain a good onboarding and training program that emphasizes customer care.
Healthcare hiring is expected to get more competitive over the next few years. According to projections from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country will need 3.5 million more healthcare workers over the next seven years to fill new jobs. Change your hiring practices today to ensure you get the right frontline staff for your organization.
Treat Patients the Way You Would Want to Be Treated
It’s called the Golden Rule for a reason: since childhood, we’ve been taught to treat people the way we would like to be treated.
Unfortunately, many healthcare providers get the Golden Rule wrong. They make patients feel unimportant or disrespected.
Some healthcare organizations take advantage of patients, confusing them with unclear billing. Some organizations fail to explain payment options to patients. Others force patients to figure everything out on their own.
Doctors may make patients feel disrespected. Nobody likes to have a conversation with someone who is looking at a screen the entire time.
A healthcare visit should be like any other interaction between people: by treating people the way you would like to be treated, we can make the world a better place.
Regardless of your setting, the size of your organization, or the type of care you provide, you can always follow the Golden Rule to optimize patient care. It should be the foundational rule for treating patients with your organization.
If you don’t follow the Golden Rule and make patients feel appreciated, then patients will quickly leave for competitors – like telehealth services.
Optimize Wait Times
Patients have more options for healthcare than ever, including telehealth services. Telehealth can be performed from the comfort of home. Patients don’t need to leave their home – and they may not even need to wait.
If patients routinely have long wait times at your organization, then you’re pushing patients towards competitors.
As competition heats up in the healthcare space, it’s harder for organizations to justify long wait times. Get better scheduling procedures. Take steps to minimize the time patients spend in the waiting room. If wait times occur, take time to explain those wait times to patients. Even if you’re understaffed, small changes can make a big improvement in patient experience.
Treat Frontline Staff Well
This is another basic rule for running a business that many healthcare organizations get wrong. If you don’t treat frontline staff well, then they won’t present a good face for your business.
Some strategies for treating frontline staff well include:
Start with Good Employee Training: Train employees during the onboarding phase. Make sure they understand the expectations you have for them. A rigorous training program weeds out unfit hires while ensuring good employees understand their expectations.
Match Employees with the Right Role: It’s not just about creating a good work environment: it’s also about fitting the right employee with the right role. By hiring intelligently and identifying strengths and weaknesses, you can ensure each employee is comfortable in the role – which is crucial for making frontline staff feel valued.
Invest in Continuing Education for Employees: Healthcare organizations who continue to invest in the growth of their employees can keep employees engaged while maintaining high morale.
Maintain Good Communication: Frontline staff have a hard job. Some healthcare administrators have limited experience in a front-end role. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain open communication with frontline staff. Make sure staff have a way to make their voices heard. Respond to their observations and complaints. Create a formal system for managing communication.
Treating frontline staff well isn’t rocket science: with good communication, effective training, and a comfortable work environment, you can grow employees who value your organization and present a good image to patients.
Invest in Communication Training
Communication training is about more than knowing how to talk to patients. It’s about reading verbal and non-verbal cues.
Patients may be angry or frustrated. Some patients are going through the most difficult period of their life. Frontline staff need to know how to communicate with patients in different mindsets.
Communication training is an art. It involves reading negative and positive body language, dealing with difficult people, and maintaining empathy at every step.
Teach patient-friendly phrases to frontline staff. Teach them phrases to avoid. Emphasize clear and transparent communication with patients.
All of these tips are easier said than done – but they can drastically improve customer service within your organization.
Final Word
Improve your patient experience with HMI, LLC. We have proven experience improving customer service to create better patient care at every step of an organization.
Request a consultation to discover how HMI, LLC can improve customer service within your organization to optimize revenue cycle management.