The six clinics owned and operated by Central Kansas Medical Center suffered from a few growing pains and the result was their billing practices needed to be streamlined to better accommodate patients.
That need has been met.
From left to right, Susan Bauer and Sherry Rolo, team leaders, and Michael Robinson, director of clinic revenue cycle at Central Kansas Medical Center, discuss the CKMC clinics’ new billing process.
“Patients were telling us that statements were not getting to them in a timely fashion and we listened,” said Michael Robinson, director of clinic revenue cycle. “We have a new, streamlined process that is timely and accurate.
“It is nice to get calls from patients who are extremely pleased with our new process,” Robinson continued. “This opens up communications with our patients that we didn’t have in the past.”
Joan Dick is one of those patients. She sees one of the clinic’s providers and her insurance company did not want to pay a claim. The CKMC Clinic Central Business Office stepped in to help her navigate through the insurance maze.
“Everyone was so gracious and respectful,” Dick commented. “When I visited the Clinic Business Office, they called my insurance company for me. It took a while, but they got it straightened out and the insurance company paid the claim.”
Dick added that the Clinic Central Business Office then went a step further.
“The insurance company had originally told me that the provider was not in my network,” Dick said. “CKMC checked into that for me and the provider is in my network. So, I can continue to be seen.
“Sometimes, in cases like these,” Dick added, “people can get kind of snippy with you. That never happened at CKMC; they were awesome.”
CKMC’s six clinics include Great Bend Internists, Central Kansas Women’s Health Center, St. Joseph Family Medicine in Great Bend and Larned, Central Kansas Surgical Care and Wilder Surgical Group.
The Clinic Central Business Office, Suite 111, manages the new process.
“Having the Clinic Central Business Office right here at CKMC is such an advantage to the patients,” Robinson commented. “We can talk with them directly and call their insurance companies any time on their behalf. We can also set up a payment plan, if necessary.”
The Clinic Central Business Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It can also be reached by calling 620-786-6475 or toll free, 877-346-8181.
In the past, the hospital had outsourced the Clinic Business Office to an out-of-state third party.
“That wasn’t working so we made the change,” Robinson said.
The Clinic Central Business Office employs 11 people, two of whom are professional coders. There are several patient account representatives with assigned accounts to better assist the patients.
In addition, there is a designated team to post payments. Another staff member is responsible for making sure the providers are signed up with the correct insurance companies, which helps maintain a continuum of care. The patient can then be seen by any one of the providers at any one of CKMC’s six clinics. Team leaders, Susan Bauer and Sherry Rolo, assist Robinson.
The clinics’ management duties have also been streamlined through the addition of Robinson, Kandi Willinger, nurse supervisor, and Loretta Kirmer, medical records/front desk supervisor, said Mark Mingenback, vice president of professional services.
“Everyone acknowledged there were administrative problems related to the continuous growth of our clinics,” Mingenback said. “We needed to add these resources and strengthen them.
“All Clinic Central Business Office employees should be commended for their diligence,” Mingenback added. “They understand that patients come first.” |
