A demographic revolution is underway throughout the world. Today, world-wide, there are around 600 million persons aged 60 years and over; this total will double by 2025 and will reach virtually two billion by 2050 – the vast majority of them in the developing world.
In our fast aging world, older people will increasingly play a critical role – through volunteer work, transmitting experience and knowledge, helping their families with caring responsibilities and increasing their participation in the paid labor force.
Already now, older persons make major contributions to society. For instance, throughout Africa and elsewhere – millions of adult AIDS patients are cared for at home by their parents. On their death, orphaned children left behind (currently, 14 million under the age of 15 in African countries alone) are mainly looked after by their grandparents. Increasingly, grandparents everywhere are becoming the actual parents of their grand-children.
It is not only in developing countries that older persons’ role in development is critical. In Spain for example, caring for dependent and sick individuals (of all ages) is mostly done by older people (particularly older women); the average number of minutes per day spent in providing such care increases exponentially with the carers’ age: 201 minutes if the carer is in the age group 65-74 and 318 minutes if aged 75-84 – compared to only 50 minutes if the carer is in the age group 30-49 (Durn H, Fundacin BBVA, 2002).
Health issues are also assuming a critical path. Contributions to elder-care development can only be ensured if older persons enjoy adequate levels of health, for which appropriate policies need to be in place. In line with the Madrid International Plan of Action, the World Health Organization launched a document “Active Aging – A Policy Framework”, outlining its approaches and perspectives for healthy aging throughout the life course.
It is clear that international governments, social welfare systems, and health care providers are studying and planning for this social and health care revolution. The impact will obviously impact health care, its cost, availability, manpower, providers and facilities, all of which will affect the delivery of health care as it compares to current standards.
Medical careers really require a lot of related individual patient health care responsibility as well as the need for staying abreast of the expanding knowledge on the evolving medical technology. With the passage of time and innovation in the field of science, the medical profession itself in terms of patient care, monitoring, tracking, reimbursement, and privacy issues is becoming very challenging.
A variety of jobs are inherent in the process. Not only in direct patient care (nursing, for instance), occupations such as Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Management, Medical Insurance Billing, Medical Office Billing and several others.
If anyone is thinking about a career change or enhancement, now is the time to analyze the possibilities and make some decisions. Any of the training at med-certification.com is closely related to the expanded need and looming manpower shortages in the health care (and legal field). For example, let’s talk about the job of “medical billing.
SUMMARY OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPECTATIONS:
A Medical Biller performs a variety of fairly simple to very complex clerical and accounting functions for patient billing, including verification of invoice information, maintenance of third party billing records, and resolution of a variety of problems. Follows up on submitted claims and patient billing; resubmits claims or resolves problems. May handle cash items and accounts receivable posting. May prepare accounting reports for a practice.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Processes billings to patients and third party reimbursement claims; maintains supporting documentation files and current patient addresses.
- Processes patient statements, keys data, posts transactions, and verifies accuracy of input to reports generated.
- Researches and responds by telephone and in writing to patient inquiries regarding billing issues and problems.
- Follows up on submitted claims; monitors unpaid claims, initiates tracers; resubmits claims as necessary.
- May receive and receipt cash items and third party reimbursements; posts and reconciles payments to patient ledgers.
- Balances daily batches and reports; prepares income reports and statistics; distributes reports.
- Maintains patient demographic information and data collection systems.
- Participates in development of organization procedures and update of forms and manuals.
- Performs a variety of general clerical duties, including telephone reception, mail distribution, and other routine functions.
- May assist in preparing documentation and responses for legal inquiries, litigation, and court appearances.
- Ensures strict confidentiality of financial records.
- Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Records maintenance skills.
- Knowledge of medical insurance claims procedures and documentation.
- Knowledge of medical billing procedures.
- Basic data entry and/or word processing skills.
- Ability to verify data input and correct errors.
- Ability to interact and communicate with people over the telephone, often in stressful situations.
- Ability to use independent judgment and to manage and impart confidential information.
Work Culture
The work culture is usually within the framework of an office setup. More often than not, the personnel do not work in close proximity to locations where patients are seen and treated but are in separate areas in the hospital or large clinics. They usually work during the day, from Monday to Friday.
A good combination of skills is the Medical Billing and Coding Training Course. Coding adds a knowledge and skill level that enhances opportunity, particularly in smaller provider settings where fewer staff members are required to operate various parts of the office functions.
If you are looking for obtaining new skills, look at the various programs for billing, coding, transcription, ICD10 training, and office assistant on the informative website: med-certification.com or contact us: info@med-certification.com 888-771-1902. Just do it!!