EDUCATION AND TRAINING
It is one thing for a few members of an organization to have defined best practices and to be able to articulate group policies, but it is quite another for the rank and file to share the same level of understanding and be able to consistently apply it in daily practice and clinical documentation. It goes without saying that any anesthesia practice is only as compliant as the least compliant provider.
Too often educational activities fall to the bottom of the priority list when, in fact, they should be near the top. Over its 30 year history ABC has come to appreciate the importance of provider education and the need to make educational sessions concise, consistent and compelling. This requires a detailed understanding of risk areas, human nature and some basic principles of learning. Among other things we have learned is that it is not enough to simply articulate logical policies and conventions for billing and documentation, the key to effective learning is validation that the message has been heard and understood.
To this end, ABC staff custom tailor compliance in-service sessions to the unique and specific requirements of each practice. Invariably this will entail some general sessions and a variety of specific and targeted follow-up sessions. Typically, initial sessions will present general guidelines while subsequent will provide an opportunity to review audit data and focus on particular risk areas.
The value of this approach is realized on many levels. Through regular review of clinical protocols and billing policies ABC will routinely identify opportunities for revenue enhancement. Such practices also demonstrate the group’s fundamental commitment to compliant billing, which makes the practice more secure and less likely to be audited.
