September 09, 2008
With MTBC, the local doctor’s office finally joins the present – and future – of healthcare it
New integrated IT system provides patient scheduling, touch-screen check-in, integrated
records and billing with mobile access, real-time adjudication of claims and more
SOMERSET, N.J. – Sept. 9, 2008 – Unable for years to match the cost-cutting IT advances
of deep-pocketed insurance companies and hospitals, private physician practices
are now embracing a level playing field with innovator MTBC.
This playing field extends throughout the patient-physician-insurer continuum, from
the Internet to the paperless doctor’s office, creating enormous efficiency for
all involved parties—even the pharmacy and medical laboratory. Through MTBC’s integrated
system, patients schedule appointments online, receive automated reminders by phone,
and check in at the doctor’s office at a touch-screen kiosk.
“Technology becomes far more dynamic as it enhances the patient-physician relationship,”
said David Rosenblum, president of MTBC. “Our newest services reduce the time the
patient spends in the doctor’s office and increase the care the physician can provide.”
Patients whose physicians use MTBC can schedule appointments privately with their
doctors on a secure web site, while viewing available blocks of time. The reason
for the appointment and medical symptoms may be entered, along with current insurance
information. The patient will receive automated reminder calls prior to the appointment,
minimizing no-shows—a bane of most doctors’ offices.
At the doctor’s office, the kiosk scans a patient’s insurance information with a
swipe of a card and then conducts a brief survey of medical questions. This information
is integrated into MTBC EMR software for easy access by doctor and staff.
During and after the appointment, doctor and staff enter notes, diagnoses, and prescriptions
into MTBC EMR software. Prescriptions are transmitted by electronic fax to any pharmacy—handwritten
prescriptions are obsolete. Lab reports are also electronic, accessible securely
by the doctor on the web.
Insurance claim data, such as procedure and diagnosis coding, is entered and transferred
securely via automated synchronization on a daily basis to MTBC’s web-based billing
platform, with its real-time financial reporting and array of practice management
tools. MTBC’s dedicated teams in billing, practice and patient support complement
the cutting-edge service package.
After the patient examination, MTBC will determine exactly how much of the visit
is covered, and how much the patient needs to pay out of pocket, thanks to Real-time
Adjudication (RTA), a new service spearheaded by certain insurance companies.
MTBC’s system means no more waiting in a doctor’s office for hours due to poor scheduling
practices. It means having the physician know what the problems are the moment the
appointment begins. It means no more uncertainty or confusion over insurance payments,
avoiding the unpleasantness of an unexpected bill that arrives weeks later.
And for the physician, MTBC creates a streamlined scheduling and billing system
that allows substantially more time to be spent on the patient’s needs and questions.
“These advances demonstrate that we’re a nimble technology company that acts quickly
on the issues reshaping the entire healthcare industry,” said Mr. Rosenblum. “We
are always committed to maximizing and accelerating our clients’ collections.”
MTBC’s system integrates several advances in healthcare IT—previously available
only at hospitals or insurance companies— to revolutionize private practices:
- Doctors migrate to MTBC’s free EMR (electronic medical records) software and slash
records-related administration.
- MTBC provides access to real-time adjudication (RTA) of insurance claims for patients
with UnitedHealthcare insurance, greatly accelerating related payment.
- MTBC recently launched the PDA version of its billing platform so that clients can
access their practice’s financial reporting, claims data, and scheduler through
an iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Mobile device.
- MTBC is now rolling out physician web sites that allow patients to schedule appointments
online.
- MTBC conducts automated phone reminders to patients.
- MTBC is integrating a detailed survey program that patients can access online when
an appointment is made. This survey gives a physician a better sense of the patient’s
symptoms before the appointment even begins. And unlike other companies that have
started to offer patient survey services, MTBC does not sell patient information
to third parties – everything is kept confidential between doctor and patient.
- MTBC is testing patient kiosks that read a patient’s insurance card, take his or
her picture, and conduct brief medical surveys. This will dramatically reduce waiting
times and bottlenecks in physician offices.
“We’ve always been committed to bringing state-of-the-art technology to private
practice physicians and practice administrators,” said Mr. Rosenblum. “Our business
model makes all these innovations easy to use, integrated, and remarkably affordable.”
ABOUT MTBC
Founded in 1999 and based in Somerset, N.J., MTBC performs revenue cycle and practice
management for healthcare providers in all specialties. The standard service, billed
at 4 percent of collections, includes practice management tools, financial reporting
capabilities, online patient scheduling and office forms, and online access to billing
and scheduling information. The premium service, billed at 5 percent of collections,
includes integration with a third-party EMR, online insurance eligibility verification,
digital prescribing and electronic lab requisitions. Practices in 37 states have
embraced MTBC. To learn more about MTBC’s medical billing and its medical transcription
services, visit www.mtbc.com
Contact:
Axiom Communications
James A. Quirk, VP/Media Relations
(201) 348-8998
jamesq@axiominc.net
MTBC
Michael Menche, VP/Marketing & Sales
(732) 873-5133
mmenche@mtbc.com