Include a Data Conversion With Your New Medical Record/Billing System - Its All About The Money!
If you are planning to install a new medical record or billing system, consider converting your legacy data into the new system.
It is all about the money you will collect or be forced to write-off from your soon-to-be old Accounts Receivable (A/R).
Often medical offices are advised to leave the old data behind and "start fresh".
That means your software vendor wants you to do the work of manually loading all the patient data, insurance information, referring providers and other data into their new system.
They expect you to assume all the risk of data entry errors.
The new vendor gets to focus only on installation, training (using their sample data rather than your real patient information) and then collecting their check.
Much of the work caused when you don't do a conversion is unnecessary even when the legacy data is not in the best condition.
Add a data conversion to your system implementation and life gets better for the clinic but becomes a bit tougher for the vendor.
The end result is a better product and a smoother transition for you.
Why? • You and your staff have full time jobs before you decided to get a new system.
• Learning the new system along with changes in office procedure that are necessary to take full advantage of the new system, will place a significant added burden on everyone.
• It is not reasonable nor cost effective to ask your staff to also take on the tasks of re-entering patient and insurance data all over again.
What about collecting on the soon-to-be obsolete A/R which is represents a significant amount of your money? Financial prudence would suggest that an active pursuit of collections remain high on your priority list until the write-off amount falls within your acceptance standard.
All too often the time allocated to collection of A/R on the old system gets reallocated to the all consuming tasks of providing patient care and keeping the practice current.
Last week's A/R gets old way before its time.
Failing to adequately collect on A/R left behind for lack of a data conversion increases the cost of the new system and its implementation in direct proportion to the uncollected earned revenue.
Vendors will provide or assist clinics in securing data conversion services.
If you are told no or are not satisfied with the service offered, get a second opinion.
After all, that is standard practice in you business.
It is all about the money you will collect or be forced to write-off from your soon-to-be old Accounts Receivable (A/R).
Often medical offices are advised to leave the old data behind and "start fresh".
That means your software vendor wants you to do the work of manually loading all the patient data, insurance information, referring providers and other data into their new system.
They expect you to assume all the risk of data entry errors.
The new vendor gets to focus only on installation, training (using their sample data rather than your real patient information) and then collecting their check.
Much of the work caused when you don't do a conversion is unnecessary even when the legacy data is not in the best condition.
Add a data conversion to your system implementation and life gets better for the clinic but becomes a bit tougher for the vendor.
The end result is a better product and a smoother transition for you.
Why? • You and your staff have full time jobs before you decided to get a new system.
• Learning the new system along with changes in office procedure that are necessary to take full advantage of the new system, will place a significant added burden on everyone.
• It is not reasonable nor cost effective to ask your staff to also take on the tasks of re-entering patient and insurance data all over again.
What about collecting on the soon-to-be obsolete A/R which is represents a significant amount of your money? Financial prudence would suggest that an active pursuit of collections remain high on your priority list until the write-off amount falls within your acceptance standard.
All too often the time allocated to collection of A/R on the old system gets reallocated to the all consuming tasks of providing patient care and keeping the practice current.
Last week's A/R gets old way before its time.
Failing to adequately collect on A/R left behind for lack of a data conversion increases the cost of the new system and its implementation in direct proportion to the uncollected earned revenue.
Vendors will provide or assist clinics in securing data conversion services.
If you are told no or are not satisfied with the service offered, get a second opinion.
After all, that is standard practice in you business.