Importance of Tracking Billing KPIs in Healthcare Organizations

Importance of Tracking Billing KPIs in Healthcare Organizations

by Carrie Bauman

Introduction

Efficient billing processes are critical to maintaining financial health. Accurate billing directly impacts cash flow, revenue cycles, and operational efficiency. One of the most effective ways to keep your billing process on track is by monitoring billing KPIs (key performance indicators). Using a KPI dashboard and framework tailored to the needs of healthcare organizations, you can get real-time insights into the strengths and weaknesses of your billing operations. This blog delves into why it’s crucial to track medical billing KPIs and how doing so can enhance your organization’s financial performance.

Why Do Healthcare Organizations Need to Track Billing KPIs?

Tracking billing KPIs allows healthcare organizations to understand where they stand regarding revenue generation, claim submissions, and collection processes. If you’re running a healthcare practice or managing a hospital’s revenue cycle, having a solid grip on your billing process is crucial to avoiding revenue leakage, delayed payments, and claim denials.

A well-defined KPI framework helps:   

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Identify bottlenecks

Whether it is in the charge capture process or submission lag, tracking KPIs helps pinpoint issues before they become problems.

Improve decision-making

When you have key performance data at your fingertips, it becomes easier to make informed decisions that can enhance operational efficiency.

Monitor staff productivity

Tracking daily encounters and bills submitted gives you insights into staff performance, allowing you to allocate resources effectively.

Without tracking these key performance indicators, it becomes almost impossible to ensure your billing process is running smoothly and efficiently. In fact, a survey from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) shows that practices with a proper KPI tracking system have a 15% higher revenue collection rate than those without one.

Importance of Billing KPIs

Having the right billing KPIs in place is vital to your organization’s success. These metrics allow you to monitor various aspects of the billing process, from charge capture to claim submission and collection. When monitored effectively, billing KPIs provide insight into how your organization is performing financially and operationally.

Some key benefits of monitoring medical billing KPIs include:

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Reduction in claim denials

You can track patterns and pinpoint areas that frequently result in denials, allowing you to address these issues proactively.

Faster reimbursement cycles

By monitoring billing KPIs, you can optimize your submission and collection processes, reducing lag times.

Improved cash flow

Tracking billing-related KPIs ensures that you have a steady flow of cash by quickly identifying unpaid or aging accounts.

The KPI framework you employ should be both comprehensive and customizable, tailored to the specific needs of your organization. This is where a specialized KPI dashboard, such as the one offered by WhiteSpace Health, can make a difference.

Billing KPI Dashboard in WhiteSpace Health Platform

WhiteSpace Health offers a robust KPI dashboard designed to give you real-time visibility into your billing process. With this tool, you can track multiple key metrics that are vital to your revenue cycle operations. The platform’s KPI framework allows you to customize your dashboard to focus on the medical billing KPIs most relevant to your organization’s needs.

By using the WhiteSpace Health KPI dashboard, you can:

  • Get real-time data on charges, submissions, and payments.
  • Customize reports based on your organizational goals.
  • Spot trends and patterns in your billing operations that may need attention.

Having all your billing KPIs available in a centralized dashboard helps you stay on top of critical metrics, ensuring you’re always making informed decisions.

Types of Billing KPIs in WhiteSpace Health Platform

Understanding the different types of billing KPIs available in the WhiteSpace Health platform can help you monitor specific areas of your billing process. Here are some of the key medical billing KPIs that are included in their KPI dashboard.
Billing Volume KPIs

Billing volume KPIs give you insight into the overall volume of charges and bills processed by your organization, which is critical for managing workload and staff productivity.

Daily Encounters with Charges Created

This metric tracks the number of patient encounters that resulted in charges. Monitoring daily encounters can help you evaluate the efficiency of your clinical and administrative teams.

Daily Encounters and Charges Created
Daily Bills Submitted

Tracking the number of bills submitted daily helps ensure that your billing department is working efficiently. It also indicates how quickly encounters are being translated into revenue.

Daily Encounters and Charges Created by Date of Service

This KPI helps you track how many encounters and charges are created on specific dates of service. It allows you to identify any gaps between clinical activity and billing, ensuring no revenue is lost.

Bill and Submission Lag

Bill and submission lag measures the time between the date of service and when a bill is submitted. A shorter lag means quicker cash flow, while a longer lag could signal inefficiencies in the billing process.

Charge and Claim Lag
Unbilled Charge Amounts

Unbilled charge amounts can be a significant issue for many healthcare organizations. By monitoring this KPI, you can ensure that all services rendered are captured and billed appropriately.

Unbilled Charge Amounts (Monthly Trending)

Looking at unbilled charges on a monthly basis gives you a broader perspective on your organization’s billing efficiency. You can track whether the volume of unbilled charges is trending upward or downward and adjust accordingly.

Procedure Codes (CPT) Volume by Specialty

Tracking the volume of procedure codes by specialty can provide insight into which services generate the most revenue. It also helps in optimizing resource allocation and marketing strategies.

Charges Summary by Date of Service

This KPI gives you a quick snapshot of the charges generated on specific dates of service, enabling you to monitor revenue trends closely.

Daily Billed Encounters
Aged Unbilled Encounters

Aged unbilled encounters refer to patient encounters that have yet to be billed, even after an extended period. Monitoring this KPI can help you avoid revenue leakage.

Tracking Billing KPIs Monitor Healthcare Revenue Leaks

One of the biggest benefits of tracking medical billing KPIs is the ability to identify and address revenue leaks in your billing process. Whether it’s due to unbilled charges, submission lag, or high denial rates, revenue leaks can have a significant impact on your bottom line.

Here’s how tracking billing KPIs can help you plug these leaks:

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Spot submission delays

Monitoring KPIs like bill and submission lag allows you to identify where bottlenecks are occurring and address them before they affect your cash flow.

Track unbilled encounters

By keeping an eye on aged unbilled encounters, you can ensure that no services go unbilled, thus reducing lost revenue.

Reduce denial rates

Tracking KPIs related to claim denials can help you identify patterns and rectify common errors, leading to fewer denied claims and improved reimbursement rates.

According to a survey by the American Medical Association, 20-30% of medical claims are initially denied. By using a comprehensive KPI dashboard to track billing KPIs, you can significantly reduce this percentage, ensuring more of your claims get paid on the first submission.

Conclusion

Tracking medical billing KPIs is essential for maintaining a smooth, efficient, and profitable billing operation. Whether you’re managing a small practice or a large hospital, understanding the ins and outs of your billing process through a well-defined KPI framework can make all the difference. With tools like the KPI dashboard from WhiteSpace Health, you can stay on top of key metrics such as daily encounters, submission lag, and unbilled charges, all of which are critical to your financial health.

Incorporating the tracking of billing KPIs into your operational routine will help you:

  • Identify areas of revenue leakage before they become significant issues.
  • Optimize staff productivity by tracking daily billing volumes.
  • Reduce claim denials and improve your revenue collection rate. 

By leveraging the right tools and staying on top of your key performance indicators, you can ensure that your healthcare organization operates at its financial best. So, take the next step and implement a robust KPI framework today—your revenue cycle will thank you for it.

About Carrie Bauman

Carrie-Bauman

A 30-year veteran in healthcare IT, Carrie Bauman is responsible for marketing, communications and business development strategies that drive brand awareness, growth and value for clients, partners, and investors.  

carrie.bauman@whitespacehealth.com