Impact of a specialty trained billing team on an academic otolaryngology practice

To determine how the incorporation of specialty specific training for coders within a focused billing team affected revenue, efficiency, time to reimbursement, and physician satisfaction in an academic otolaryngology practice.

Our academic otolaryngology department recently implemented a new billing system, which incorporated additional training in otolaryngology surgical procedures for medical coders. A mixed model analysis of variance was used to compare billing outcomes for the 6 months before and 6 months after this new approach was initiated. The following metrics were analyzed: Current Procedural Terminology codes, total charges, time between services rendered and billing submission, and time to reimbursement. A survey of department physicians assessing satisfaction with the system was reviewed.

There were 4087 Current Procedural Terminology codes included in the analysis. In comparing the periods before and after implementation of the new system, statistically significant decreases were found in the mean number of days to coding completion (19.3 to 12.0, respectively, p < 0.001), days to posting of charges (27.0 to 15.2, p < 0.001), days to final reimbursement (54.5 to 27.2, p < 0.001), and days to closure of form (179.2 to 76.6, p < 0.001). Physician satisfaction with communication and coder feedback increased from 36% to 64% after initiation of the new program.

The implementation of additional specialty training for medical coders in the otolaryngology department of a large medical system was associated with improved revenue cycle efficiency. Additionally, this model appears to improve physician satisfaction and confidence with the coding system.