Practice Management Case Study: Nadolne Family Practice & Preventive Care
How Nadolne Family Practice took control, increased collections and reduced overhead with Avisena’s Practice Management Software
Nadolne Family Practice & Preventive Care At a Glance:
Practice Management Goals:
- Wanted to incrase collections
- Trouble tracking denials and write-offs
- Needed to reduce staff overhead
Practice Management Results:
- Collections per Encounter Increased by 7%
- Avisena's Reimbursement Management System provides visbility into denials and write-offs
- Easier usability and accessibility for all staff
- Dedicated Account Manager
| Net Collections | Days Sales Outstanding |
| Nadolne Family Practice: 97.3% | Nadolne Family Practice: 44 days |
| *Industry Average: 90% | *Industry Average: 55 days |
| *Industry Best Performers: 95% | *Industry Best Performers: 45 days |
*Data has been taken directly from the Medical Group Management Association
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Background:
Nadolne Family Practice & Preventive Care, a solo medical practice located in Marietta, GA, was established in 2001 by Brian K. Nadolne, MD. Dr. Nadolne offers the usual full array of primary care services to his large patient base, as well as additional testing and diagnostic tests such as advanced cholesterol screening and primary preventive skin care. Because he planned from the beginning to offer a wide array of services to patients with a varied payer mix, Dr. Nadolne knew his office would need a practice management system that could track a broad spectrum of codes and payer contracts.
The practice started out using traditional practice management and medical billing software. This first system was inexpensive but it was cumbersome at the front desk and provided no real reporting or analytical tools for his growing practice. Dr. Nadolne then adopted a second practice management system, but found that it was very person-dependent. Only one biller was knowledgeable in the system, and the entire office depended on her for the financial livelihood of the practice. When his biller of six years left, Dr. Nadolne was stuck.
By late 2007, Dr. Nadolne’s practice needs were simple and specific: he needed a solution that would help him track payments among 80 different payers, increase his collections, and give him more visibility into the medical billing and collections process. Ultimately, Dr. Nadolne wanted peace of mind that his practice’s billing and collections were being managed by a trustworthy and reliable partner.
In January 2008, Dr. Nadolne partnered with Avisena. Among his specific concerns, the practice’s net collection rate was dropping, and he realized it was taking too long on average to be reimbursed because collections efforts on denials were ineffective. Furthermore, because of Dr. Nadolne’s large payer mix, he was having trouble keeping track of reimbursements relative to contract amounts.
Practice Management Implementation:
Avisena’s web-based practice management system was deployed within 30 days of contract signing. Training of the physicians and staff was handled on-site at the practice. Dr. Nadolne’s staff was very involved in the entire activations process, which helped Avisena’s Activations Team provide the best training possible.
Early practice management goals included:
- Improve denial management by sending cleaner claims utilizing the Avisena Rules Engine
- Track denials by having complete visibility into all collections activities
- Detect and track underpayments by entering payer contracts
- Decrease DSO by aging receivables daily through the Advanced Accounts Receivable Methodology
Collaboration, Analysis & Client Service:
Dr. Nadolne found that through Avisena’s advanced reporting capabilities, his practice was able to track underpayments in a much more efficient manner.
Specifically, by utilizing Avisena Perspectives – our business intelligence and data mining tool - the practice uncovered that one of their major payers was underpaying on immunizations, and level 3 and 4 office visits. “When Avisena says they are coming to integrate a best in class revenue cycle solution into your office, that’s exactly what they do,” said Dr. Nadolne.
Avisena’s advanced customizable practice management reports help Dr. Nadolne see his practice’s financial health in real time. Some of Dr. Nadolne’s preferred reports include:
- Patients for the day
- Procedures done for the day
- Codes used for the day
- Physician Assistant activity
- Total Daily & Monthly Charges
- Outstanding Accounts Receivable
- Monthly write-offs
- Total Monthly & Yearly Collections
- Month-to-Month Trending
Dr. Nadolne now has complete visibility into every claim and every reimbursement thanks to Avisena’s Reimbursement Management System. He is in control of what procedures are adjusted for, and what amount is written off. He sees that even simple procedures such as a glucose exam or a vein-puncture are tracked and pursued. He is also able to keep track of his profit centers, such as immunizations and strep cultures through real-time data and reporting capabilities.
Avisena also provides Dr. Nadolne with a dedicated Account Manager whose responsibilities include assisting him with collections, compliance, business analytics, and customer service – all of which allow him to concentrate more on seeing patients. “One of the things that I really love about Avisena is the fact that I have one person that I work with. It makes all the difference, it really does,” said Dr. Nadolne.
Lastly, the staff’s accessibility to learn and use the system was also essential for the complex practice. Dr. Nadolne was able to hire a new biller – who had no previous medical billing and coding knowledge - after his old one left. Dr. Nadolne’s account manager trained the new medical biller, and she seamlessly integrated into the day-to-day billing functions of the practice.
Practice Management Results:
After 12 months with Avisena, Dr. Nadolne’s practice has increased collections per encounter by 7%, which has improved his overall collection rate and significantly increased his revenue. Since choosing Avisena, Nadolne Family Practice & Preventive Care has surpassed industry best performer standards by achieving a 97% net collection rate and a DSO of 44 days.
The practice no longer relies on one person for their medical billing needs. The entire staff is able to use and access the system in a quick and reliable manner.
“I would definitely recommend Avisena to a colleague, and I have recommended it to many.” -Dr. Brian Nadolne.