Betty Harder, owner of BJ’s Medical Billing Service in Portland, Michigan, was looking for solutions to help grow her business. She had worked directly as a medical biller for several providers but wanted to branch out on her own. Betty doesn’t just enter and process claims for her providers and their patients, she’s an advocate for patient satisfaction. She makes sure their claims get processed quickly and accurately.
Why did you decide to change your medical billing software?
Betty: The software I had been using was time consuming, confusing, and difficult to navigate. I had to enter patient information and billing codes on multiple screens. If anything happened, I lost all my information on multiple patients and had to start from scratch. I wasted a lot of time using that software.
What were you looking for?
Betty: I really wanted software that would remember what I had typed in already and be ready to continue entering data if anything happened. I also wanted a system that was user friendly and a natural fit to my daily workflow of entering medical billing data. If I could save time and get things right the first time, I could build an efficient business and keep my clients happy.
Betty: PracticeSuite filled all of my needs and allowed me to reduce the time I spend entering and re-entering medical billing data, so I went with them. Now I get it right the first time, and it saves everything while I’m working. When I’m entering multiple records, things like entering the first part of a code and having options show as a pull-down menu are huge time-savers.
I also really like the way medical claims are handled through their Clearing House. It’s fast and easy to track claim status through their portal screens, which I can’t say about other software. Now I can review both the status of a claim and the claim itself on two screens and make any adjustments quickly and efficiently. This saves me a lot of time and allows my providers and their patients to process their claims more efficiently.
The biggest reason I went with PracticeSuite because of support. In fact, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a problem with other software and tried to get some help with no response. With PracticeSuite, I’ve been able to call in with a question and get an answer within a few hours if not sooner. They seem to care about me more than other companies I’ve dealt with. They also offer weekly training webinars that have been very helpful in getting up to speed quickly.
Was it difficult to set up?
Betty: Not really. The first time you set up for a provider, getting the database set up, your codes, etc – it can take a while. After you set up, things flow very efficiently. PracticeSuite was very helpful during my first time. Now, I can handle everything myself.
What about price?
Betty: For an independent medical biller like me, price is a big factor. Medical billing software can easily cost between $5,000 -$10,000 and and it can take years to pay off that investment. That doesn’t even include support, which can cost $100 an hour or more. The affordable cost of PracticeSuite surprised me and the fact that support and all updates are included in the monthly subscription cost. Now, I can also offer a discount to my provider clients, which helps me grow my business.
All-in-all, Betty Harden is very pleased with her decision to change her medical billing software. She’s reaping the benefits of moving to PracticeSuite by saving time and money and by being able to build her service in an affordable way.
