Managing mental health billing can often be a challenging and time-consuming task for mental health practitioners. With the increasing demands of running a practice, automated billing software is essential to save time, reduce errors, and improve efficiency.
This is where mental health automated billing software comes into play. However, automation can be something of a buzzword, and you might have to dig a little to find a genuinely automatic option. This blog post will discuss the critical factors to consider when selecting mental health billing automation software for your practice.
What is Automated Billing Software?
When we say “automated billing software”, we specifically refer to a system that automatically handles specific billing tasks, such as invoice creation or claim submission, without manual input. There are a lot of billing software and EHR with features that streamline billing (say, batch submissions), but if it requires manual intervention, it’s not automated.
Now that you know what to look for, let’s explore how to choose the best option for your practice.
Is Automated Billing Software Easy to Use?
Choosing a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate solution is crucial when considering mental health billing automation software. The last thing you want is to spend additional time and effort learning a complex system. Look for software that offers a simple and intuitive interface, allowing you to manage and track your billing processes easily.
TheraNest makes billing automation easy: all you have to do is toggle the options you want to “on”, and your automated workflows will run every night.
You need to keep one thing in mind: easy to use should NOT mean lacking in features. Billing is difficult, and some practices, especially larger practices dealing with multiple payers, have complex needs that need sophisticated solutions.
So when you’re looking for automated billing software, make sure it’s scalable and can solve more complex problems. Even if you’re running a simple solo practice now, you may grow into a larger clinic with more demanding billing. It’s best to be prepared to grow.
Can It Integrate with Your EHR?
Selecting a mental health automated billing software that seamlessly integrates with your current practice management system is essential. This integration ensures that all data is synced and eliminates the need for manual data entry, reducing the risk of errors. Before investing in a software solution, check if it integrates with your EHR to streamline your billing workflow.
Of course, the best solution is already integrated with the EHR you use rather than using plugins or APIs, which may fail or require more technical knowledge. TheraNest’s automated billing is completely integrated within our system’s billing component, so no need to fiddle with integration.
Why is integration important? Your automated billing cycle will work from your EHR, such as unbilled sessions and clearinghouse, making it more efficient – and giving you more visibility into your billing cycle’s health.
What Its Features?
Every mental health practice has unique billing requirements. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the billing features offered by the software carefully. Look for features such as claim submission, claim processing, scrubbing, ERA processing, and invoice creation.
Another key feature that’s less discussed but just as important is control. Automating your billing saves a ton of time and effort, but it should not come at the cost of your ability to control your billing process. This is your financial stability we’re talking about, after all.
Every practice is unique, and your billing process might have finicky payers or take a mix of self-pay and insurance. That’s why your automated billing system needs to be able to exclude some payers, claims, or invoices from being automated. TheraNest uses exclusion rules users can set to have more control over their billing process.
Does Automated Billing Software Process Clean Claims?
It doesn’t matter how fast your claims get processed if they all come back denied. Make sure your automated system has built-in claim scrubbing before the claim gets sent to your clearinghouse. That way, you only have to intervene if a claim needs additional attention instead of scanning each claim line by line for mistakes.
Choosing the right mental health billing automation software is a crucial decision that can significantly impact the efficiency and profitability of your practice. By keeping these factors in mind, you can make an informed choice that meets the unique needs of your mental health practice. Invest time researching and demoing various software options to find the perfect fit for your practice. Remember, a well-chosen billing automation software can save you time, reduce errors, and improve the financial health of your practice in the long run.
TheraNest’s automated billing software is fully integrated and designed to help therapists save precious time and effort. We don’t charge extra; all TheraNest users have access to automated billing as part of their TheraNest subscription. Why not see how it works for yourself? Our free trial lasts 21 days, and we won’t ask for your credit card.
