Method and system for management of patient accounts
First Claim
1. A method for managing a healthcare patient account lifecycle comprising the steps of:
- identifying a plurality of flashpoints corresponding to defined operations in the patient account lifecycle;
providing an output at said plurality of flashpoints, said outputs comprising a control report; and
converting at least one control report from a first flashpoint into an input for a subsequent flashpoint, the input for a subsequent flashpoint including at least one of a checklist, an alert, and an edit relating to information required for obtaining payment from a healthcare payor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for remote management of patient accounts for the healthcare industry comprising key flashpoints in the patient account lifecycle and a centralized management unit that oversees and manages the entire patient account lifecycle. The centralized management unit comprises a manager and a plurality of management control reports, alerts, edits, and checklists. The manager communicates with the healthcare provider, patients, and payors to obtain information required to ensure maximum reimbursement of claims for healthcare services. Operating reports are included whereby healthcare providers can monitor the performance of the system and continuously improve the process resulting in improved cash flow, reduced bad debt, reduced costs, and reduced healthcare days in receivable. Standards are defined for each of the performance measures. An apparatus for remote management of patient accounts using this method is described comprising an encrypted communication network with user authentication to protect patient privacy and the security of the healthcare service provider'"'"'s data and network whereby the centralized management unit can use the existing healthcare service provider'"'"'s patient accounts system or whereby the healthcare provider can outsource any portion or all of the patient accounts system for management by the centralized management unit without having to maintain two sets of patient accounts.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for managing a healthcare patient account lifecycle comprising the steps of:
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identifying a plurality of flashpoints corresponding to defined operations in the patient account lifecycle;
providing an output at said plurality of flashpoints, said outputs comprising a control report; and
converting at least one control report from a first flashpoint into an input for a subsequent flashpoint, the input for a subsequent flashpoint including at least one of a checklist, an alert, and an edit relating to information required for obtaining payment from a healthcare payor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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17. A system for managing a healthcare patient account lifecycle comprising a healthcare provider, a centralized management unit, a communications network between the healthcare provider and the centralized management unit, the communications network including a plurality of encryption devices establishing an encrypted session over the communications network and including a means for authenticating remote account managers in the centralized management unit, and said centralized management unit accessing patient account information from the healthcare provider and providing information to the healthcare provider for managing information retrieval required for billing a healthcare payor.
Specification