Tackling billing errors can cause some strain in your healthcare organization. Not only does it delay payment to you and your providers, but it also affects the experience that your patients have. By using the Lean Six Sigma Principles, you can likely reduce costs for your patients and place a strong emphasis on streamlining and improving operational efficiencies.
What is the Lean Six Sigma?
The Lean method is primarily focused on reducing waste while the Six Sigma focuses on reducing variation for optimal quality control. When these two methods are combined, it becomes the Lean Six Sigma. By refining your production processes, you are able to reduce the 8 wastes that are analyzed in the Lean method.
5 Key Principles
There are 5 key principles to keep in mind when adopting the Lean Six Sigma method to ensure the success of your financial transformation.
-Define
The first step is to define the problems within your current laboratory billing process and set the goals, such as a reduction in denials, shorter wait times, etc. Using these definitions, you can begin to develop a process map that goes through each step to achieve your goal.
-Measure
It is important to measure your current processes and how they are performing. Are there bottlenecks? These are areas that are slowing the process down that could be improved
-Analyze
After collecting data from each step, analyze that data and look for areas that can be streamlined or even eliminated. This will be helpful in identifying the root cause of your bottlenecks.
-Improve
It is important to test a few various solutions to improve your medical billing process. Are there ways to collect insurance and patient information before treatment? Maybe there are communication errors that can be improved upon, such as provider and laboratory coordination.
-Control
Once you have developed a new procedure, ensure that this new process stays on course by conducting frequent check-ins and documenting the improvements that you have made.
Benefits of the Lean Six Sigma
Patients should be the main focus of your organization. By implementing changes that deliver the maximum benefit to your patients, you increase patient retention. Reducing medical billing errors is a great way to achieve this retention.
By maintaining relationships with your clientele, they are more likely to return to your facility which brings in streams of revenue. As you begin to see the same patients more than once, there is less room for error regarding informational data and you can provide them with a more personalized and seamless experience. All aspects of the billing process are important to your patients and your providers, so it is important that they get to experience an easy process.
Credence Global Solutions
Are you ready to take the dive in improving your laboratory billing processes but may need an extra hand? Our experts at Credence Global Solutions are here to help you each step of the way. But working with your organization to provide a personalized, streamlined, and effective process, you can be sure your providers and patients will achieve the highest level of service. Contact us today to learn more!
