Turn losses into gains: the bad debt audit

The post-bad debt audit is the ideal time to review the policies and procedures that affect patient accounts. Review the Hill-Burton procedures if appropriate; review the manner in which accounts are processed for public assistance or welfare. Investigate unconfirmed third-party coverage and other areas of potential slippage. The bad debt audit is an excellent management tool to gain insight into the entire patient accounting processing cycle. It is an extremely efficient and cost-effective resource if properly conducted and if recommendations for improvement are properly implemented and monitored.