Author: Emma Lang

A growing number of professional, experienced health consultants and medical claim processors are needed in the country today. Healthcare is such a large and technologically driven industry that knowledge and procedures used today are likely to be seen as far outdated only a few years from now. To keep pace with all the various procedures, techniques, and technologies available and distinguishing one from the other in a clear manner, definitions are made and coded for every kind of surgical procedure, diagnosis, and complaint. These definitions and codes help doctors ensure that they are compensated accurately for their services by the health insurance companies.

Medical billing is the process by which the needed data for completion of all the necessary forms (insurance cards, patient info, encounter forms, diagnosis, treatment, etc) is collected and processed for payment. This data is then entered into one of a variety of competitive medical billing / patient accounting software programs. Medical billers are also responsible for following up using effective paperwork and time-management skills. Having been trained to understand an insurer's EOB (explanation of benefits), the medical biller must review all claims for errors. If not all of a patient's balance is covered by insurance, the medical biller has to decide if the balance will be written off or billed to the patient. The main job of the medical biller is to ensure that the physician or facility receives optimal reimbursements for services rendered. Weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly reports are often generated by the accounting software to show the client (physician, facility) whether they are losing or making money on various insurance contracts.

Besides the above main responsibilities, a medical biller must have or develop the following skills:

o Understand and be able to explain insurance terms and benefits to clients and patients

o Accuracy read and complete claim forms

o Perform bookkeeping activities

o Bill insurance companies and patients promptly and accurately

o Handle everyday medical billing procedures

o Document all activities using the correct terminology

o Schedule appointments

o Follow-up with insurance companies and patients on unpaid bills

Medical billing is a growing opportunity to the ever-expanding health industry and many people are finding satisfying and well-paying careers working both at hospitals or small clinics and from home running their own medical billing small business.

Source by Damian Sofsian

This is a process whereby dictation from physicians and other healthcare providers is transcribed and formatted into a medical document. The dictation occurs after a patient has seen a physician and then he dictates the results of that visit. A medical transcriptionist (MT) listens to the dictation and transcribes into a word processor (such as WordPerfect or Word), or in some cases using a typewriter (very few, if any, still use typewriters now). Types of reports include history and physicals, consultations, clinic notes, psychiatric evaluations, discharge summaries, x-ray reports, laboratory/pathology reports, and emergency department records. This document then becomes part of a patient’s medical record.

A medical transcriptionist can receive dictation several difference ways. Sometimes tapes are used (micro, mini or regular sized) and can be played back on a transcriber machine with a foot pedal (which rewinds or forwards the dictation). Some physicians use a call-in digital system to do their dictation and then a transcriptionist uses a special phone (C-phone or similar) to call in and retrieve the dictation. Another method of receiving dictation is with use of voice files using a digital recorder and then the transcriptionist receives the voice files to transcribe.

A medical transcriptionist has to have excellent medical terminology skills, computer and word processing skills, excellent listening skills, and must have a good grasp of the English language as well as excellent grammar skills. Training includes medical terminology, diseases processes, systems review, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, legal issues/confidentiality guidelines, etc.

Medical transcriptionists can work in hospitals, medical clinics, physician offices, transcription services or at home. Most transcriptionists require anywhere from 2 to 5 years of MT experience working in a hospital setting/clinical setting before they can work at home. Starting off working from home can be done but it is very difficult and most hospitals/services prefer 2 to 5 years of MT experience.

What equipment is needed?:

Medical transcriptionists need a computer to transcribe, to include a word processing program (usually WordPerfect or Word, although some companies have designed their own word processing program), headphones, wav player program, transcriber or special phone for call-in dictation, and resource books including medical dictionary, drug index, lab word book and other specialty books (i.e. pathology, cardiology, medical/surgical equipment, etc.). Also with use of a word processing program, a medical spell checker is a necessity. Some transcriptionist use short cut programs (to create abbreviations for longer words), which may include Instant Text, Speedtype, Shortcut or others.

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist:

A transcriptionist can be trained on the job but it requires a lot of training, including medical terminology, computer skills, word processing skills, etc. Most transcriptionists are trained through smaller local colleges or on-line MT courses. Learning to become a medical transcriptionist takes a lot of time and is not something that can be learned over time. In fact, it is an ongoing learning experience as new drugs are always coming out, equipment changes, etc.

Recommended On-Line Training Courses:

Over the past 10 years, I have communicated and socialized with many MTs. Below I have listed some reputable on-line courses available for transcription training:

MTEC – mtecinc.com

Career Step – careerstep.com

Andrews School – andrewsschool.com

There are many more training courses available and a lot of small colleges even offer MT training. Again, these are courses that have a good reputation by many MTs whom I have interacted with over the years.

Transcription Pay:

Transcriptionists can be paid different ways, by the line, by the page, by the hour, or salary. Most independent transcriptionists working at home are paid by the line or page. Most MTs working in the hospital are paid by the hour. Salaries can fluctuate depending on many variables. Independent transcriptionists sometimes make more because they are paid by the line and thus with increased speed, they produce more lines, thus earning more. However, independent transcriptionists have to pay all of their taxes. Transcriptionists can also be a statutory employee, which is basically an independent contractor except that the company pays a portion of the taxes.

Visit this link to get a general idea of the pay scale for MTs:

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Medical_Transcriptionist/Salary/by_Employer_Type

Transcriptions do not start out making a lot of money as some advertisements suggest, especially if you are paid by the line. It takes time to learn terminology, get used to different dictators, and lots of time is spent researching. Transcriptionists have to be very disciplined due to the amount of time spent at the computer and because of deadlines for the work to be returned.

Basic Recommended Books for Medical Transcriptionists:

Medical Dictionary

Drug index (i.e. Quick Look Drug Book)

Abbreviation book

Pathology and Lab Word Book

Med/Surg Equipment Word Book

Where to Find Medical Transcription Jobs:

Hospitals

Medical Clinics

Physician Offices

mtjobs.com

medicaltranscriptionjobs.org

Where to get books and equipment:

amazon.com – Books, transcribers, etc.

stedmans.com – Books, spellcheckers, etc.

bytescribe.com – Wav players, foot pedals, etc.

For more information, please visit http://medicaltranscriptioninfo.blogspot.com/

Source by Michelle Ooley

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people all over the world and is a condition that can lead to other more serious health problems, including kidney failure and even death, if it is not treated and managed properly. When a person has diabetes, their body is either unable to produce enough insulin, or can not use the insulin it does create properly. Often, medications are required to manage diabetes and there are a number of medical supplies that diabetics use to make sure that their blood sugar levels remain where they should be.

There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 or juvenile diabetes, Type 2 or adult onset diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Of the three, Type 1 is the most dangerous and the one that needs to have the most treatment, including regular insulin injections. Gestational diabetes is a condition that usually occurs around the middle or last third of a pregnancy and goes away once the baby is born. Mothers with gestational diabetes usually do not pass the condition on to their babies.

Medical Supplies

When a person is diagnosed as being diabetic, they are going to need to have certain medical supplies on hand at all times, in order to monitor their blood sugar levels and make sure that they are getting enough insulin. A blood tester, usually referred to as a home testing kit, is needed and these are often used several times a day, as the blood sugar levels change with the foods that are eaten and even after certain activities. These home testing kits used to be large and cumbersome and the tests were painful (pricking the finger to draw blood for a sample). Today, the machines are very small and diabetics can test on other, less painful areas of the body, such as the arms or the legs. Some diabetics will also be required to give themselves regular insulin injections and their medical supplies will include syringes for this purpose.

The Insulin Pump

For decades, the only way many diabetics could get the insulin they needed was to give themselves injections, sometimes several times a day. Now, there are medical supplies that eliminate the need for injections and provide diabetics with a much more normal lifestyle, because they will not have to worry about taking time out of their activities to give themselves a needle. The insulin pump is one of the latest types of medical supplies for diabetics and it is normalizing a lot of lives. This has been a great thing for kids who have diabetes, because with the pump, they are able to lead much more active and normal, lives.

An insulin pump is a wonderful tool for helping to manage and treat diabetes. It provides the body with insulin as it needs it, eliminating the need for insulin injections. And, by using an insulin pump, diabetics are able to keep their blood sugar levels regulated and in many cases, patients may end up requiring less insulin over time. Insulin pumps are popular with diabetics of all ages and are used by many people who have Type 1 diabetes and even some people with Type 2 diabetes.

The insulin pump is a device that delivers insulin at different times throughout the day, whenever the body needs it. Since it is something that works continuously, the pump must also be worn during sleep and it keeps the blood sugar levels regulated at all times. Because it is small, it is not a hindrance to wear in bed and, after a while, wearers will not even know it is there. You can do just about anything when you wear an insulin pump, even go swimming, as long as you are not diving in deep waters. It is not a good idea to use the pump in hot water, so if you are bathing or using a hot tub, you should remove it for that time period.

You can even wear the pump when you are taking part in sports, even contact sports. The pump can be disconnected but it can be easily worn under clothes and padding, so you can take part in just about any sport you can think of, something that you may not have been able to do previously, when you had to take injections throughout the day. Insulin pumps are great medical supplies for kids who were never able to be really active before.

Insulin pumps are medical supplies that are not inexpensive but there are many health plans that will cover some, if not all of the costs. If you or someone you love has diabetes and needs to take insulin, you really need to learn more about this terrific little device. If will make your life a whole lot easier and you will be able to easily manage your diabetes without having to stop to test your blood and give yourself a shot.

A Healthy Diet Is Essential for Diabetics

Although it is not something that would be included in your list of medical supplies for diabetics, it is important to remember that a healthy diet is a useful tool in the treatment and management of diabetes. When a person is diagnosed with diabetes, it is going to mean a number of lifestyle changes will have to be made, including dietary changes. It will be more important than ever to make sure that they are getting the proper nutrition and knowing which foods they can and cannot eat. Often, at least in the beginning, diabetics must follow severely restricted diets. This can sometimes lead to a lack of certain nutrients, such as protein, which is necessary for our health, not to mention the fact that it is a natural source of energy.

Source by Jim Duffy

Natural medicine is a system that uses a variety of therapeutic or preventive health care practices such as homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal medicine. Alternative medicine is also known as traditional, naturopathic, natural or holistic medicine. Proponents of alternative medicine are not refuting the validity of discoveries in and the practical uses of conventional medicine, but are merely trying to put some things into perspective. Due to the widespread interest in natural medicine along with the disappointment and disenchantment with Western medicine, many people, especially in the United States and Europe, where conventional medicine has taken a dominant foothold, are seeking the advice and treatment from naturopathic physicians. These practitioners include herbalists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, chiropractors, and others, who advocate preventative health measures as well as recommend wholesome foods and nutritional supplements for their patients and clients. Considering the growing popularity and effectiveness of alternative health treatments and products, certified and licensed professional practitioners of such medical practices should be given their rightful and respectful place in medical society. Natural medicine has been proven not only to be safe, but more effective than Western medicine in treating many chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and many other diseases as well

The history of Natural Medicine and its roots can be traced back thousands of years to ancient cultures such as India and China. Ayurvedic (E. Indian) and Chinese medicine, along with their diagnostic and herbal systems, are still used in these countries extensively, as well as in the United States, especially in Europe, where alternative medicine is well respected. Chinese herbal medicine has a documented history of over 2500 years in China, and is now widely used by practitioners all over the world. It has been legally practiced in the United States. since the mid seventies by licensed acupuncturists. Homeopathy is also a well-known form of alternative medicine discovered in the 18th century by German physician Samuel Hahnemann, but was practically stamped out in the U.S. in the late nineteenth century by the American Medical Association. In 1938, though, the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act finally recognized homeopathic pharmacopoeia as the legal equivalent of allopathic medicine.

Another more contemporary and popular form of herbal medicine, called Western herbalism, can be traced back about two hundred years in America. Samuel Thomson, born in 1769, is considered the father of Western herbalism. He discovered over sixty different medically effective native plants by clinical testing, and on the basis of these findings, devised a theory of disease and botanical drug action. Randy Kidu, D.V.M., Ph.D., writes in his articled entitled A Brief History of Alternative Medicine: “The history of herbal medicine is interesting because herbs have been a part of our diet and pharmacy since man began roaming the earth. Coprophytic evidence (seeds and other plant part(found in preserved fecal pellets) points to herbal use by cavemen. Early herbalists practiced their trade since before recorded history in all parts of the world including China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa, England, the Americas, and Europe. Many herbs are also mentioned in the Bible. Today, based on sheer numbers of folks who use one form of herbal medicine or another, it remains the most-used medicine worldwide.”

Twenty-five hundred years after the advent of allopathic medicine, modern medicine is still grappling with the idea that herbal medicine could be an effective treatment, and not just quackery, although thousands of years of recorded history has proved its efficacy. A new model of understanding in medicine needs to be incorporated into the existing allopathic model. Because of the growing popularity and effectiveness of natural medicine, practitioners may eventually be given their deserved place in medical society. The incorporation of natural medical practices into the existing model of conventional Western medicine, including the training of new medical doctors, is now called Complimentary Medicine. In order to solve our health problems, this modern paradigm for treatment in medicine must be promoted. This can only truly emerge when bias, self-interest, greed and discrimination is discarded and diverse medical knowledge is promoted and shared, not only between university trained scientists and medical doctors, but among Alternative Medicine practitioners, philosophers, metaphysicians, and other intelligentsia of society as well.

Source by Deva Roberts