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April 23, 2021
News > 9 updates to boost your medical billing and dispatch efficiency!

9 updates to boost your medical billing and dispatch efficiency!

April 23, 2021

EMSOW feature release

This week, we’ve put out 9 updates, and all of them were inspired by our customers! If you’re one of our clients, please see the updates below… and thank you for helping us become better!

If you’ve not seen the system yet, just visit our website! If you’re doing diagnostic imaging, you’ll definitely find the right tools to enhance your practice, check it out: emsow.com

[#21700] Superbills submission from Processing

From now on, you can submit superbill packages right from the Processing module:

9 medical billing features

When you submit superbills this way, EMSOW will filter out all superbills that are not from the opened order.

[#21666] Updated 3rd party organization patients filter in Payer Assignment

The 3rd party organization patients filter in the Payer Assignment module now offers three options:

9 medical billing features

You can now choose whether to list 3rd party organization patients exclusively, include them along with other patients in the search results, or exclude them from the search results.

Just a reminder what this feature is designed for: if you deal with patients that have hospice benefits in their insurance plans, this feature allows you to bill the hospice organization for those patients directly.

[#21663] Updated handling of “Other or Additional Payor” in eligibility responses

If an eligibility response includes a reference to “Other or Additional Payor”, the service will be marked with an orange ball as needed clarification:

9 medical billing features

[#21371] Patient’s home phone number in dispatch notifications

Moving forward, the patient’s home phone number is included in the notification email that is sent to technologists when they’re dispatched to perform a study.

[#20949] Predefined service notes in Dispatch

With this update, you can set a predefined service note in the referring facility settings:

9 medical billing features

This service note will be added whenever you create a new service under that facility:

9 medical billing features

[#20948] Reading status indication in Dispatch

We have changed the behavior of the reading status icon in Dispatch. From now on, it can turn gray (if no reading is assigned), yellow (if reading is assigned but the study is not sent), or green (the study is sent to a reading provider):

9 medical billing features

[#20947] Changes in dispatch stages

We have added a new dispatch stage: overdue. This stage is assigned to all undispatched studies with a date of service in the past. The “scheduled” stage has been renamed as “dispatched.”

[#20942] Select studies by study group in Dispatch

With this update, it is now possible to select a study group in the service editing window:

9 medical billing features

This will narrow the further study selection, thus making it easier for you to find the necessary study. To enable this feature, please contact our support team.

[#20941] Service address in Dispatch is autopopulated from the facility address

From now on, the service address in Dispatch is autopopulated from the facility address except when the service is rendered at the patient’s home (Place of Service 12).

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    April 14, 2021
    News > 8 new features for your medical billing practice!

    8 new features for your medical billing practice!

    April 14, 2021

    This time we have put out eight features – some tools and settings to improve your workflow and Revenue Cycle Management, as well as a small update to our new mobile-friendly experience. If you are a portable imaging provider and have not seen EMSOW, you’ve got to check it out!

    Now, without further ado, let’s get into the latest version of the platform:

    [#21687] Referring doctor as ordering provider in electronic claims (5010 837P Loop 2420E)

    With this update, you can transmit referring doctor information (name and NPI) as the ordering provider field of your X12 electronic claims. To enable this option, go to Setup → Insurances → Insurances, double-click into the necessary insurance, open the Billing tab, and select the Include referring doctor as ordering provider (loop 2420E) checkbox:

    8 medical billing features

    This should help you meet the requirements of certain payers.

    [#21624] Automatic write-offs for discounts

    From now on, EMSOW can automatically write off excessive charges if a referring contract includes fixed or early payment discounts:

    8 medical billing features

    The fixed discounts are applied right after charging an amount, and the early-pay discounts are written off if your client paid in time, according to the contract settings.

    This latest update also makes it possible to manually add a write-off from a referring facility that you are billing directly:

    8 medical billing features

    [#21628] Discount write-offs in Invoice report

    Moving forward, three more columns that reflect discount write-offs are available in the Invoice report:

    • Fixed discount: shows the sum of all fixed discount write-offs
    • Early pay discount: shows the sum of all early pay discount write-offs
    • Written off: shows the sum of all write-offs, including manual ones

    8 medical billing features

    [#21625] Copy address from patient or referring facility in mobile Dispatch

    Are you already using EMSOW’s new mobile-friendly experience? If not, try adding /m after your domain name, e.g. yourcompany.emsow.com/m. This new user interface works on any device, including smartphones and tablets. If you need help navigating it, please contact our support.

    With this update, we have added two buttons: Copy address from patient and Copy address from referring facility to the Edit exam menu:

    8 medical billing features

    Tap the necessary button to autopopulate the service address fields.

    [#21592] Laboratory travel allowance settings

    A new Lab billing tab has been added to referring facility settings:

    8 medical billing features

    Here you can set a travel allowance type for a laboratory technician who draws a specimen either on a per-mileage basis or on a flat rate (per-trip) basis.

    [#21568] Ability to add bounced check fee to invoice

    With this update, you can add a Bounced check fee in the Edit invoice window:

    8 medical billing features

    The amount entered into this field will be added to the total invoice amount:

    8 medical billing features

    [#20945] Requisition form upload indication in Dispatch

    We have added a new icon that indicates if a requisition form has been uploaded for a service:

    8 medical billing features

    By the way, did you know that EMSOW can generate requisition forms based on a document template? Ask us how to set it up.

    [#20940] Pick patient’s last referring facility when adding new service

    From now on, when you add a new service in Dispatch or Rendering Provider Portal, EMSOW will automatically select the referring facility from the patient’s last service. One more feature to save time on data entry!

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      April 7, 2021
      News > Feature Release: Improved patient insurance eligibility checking

      Feature Release: Improved patient insurance eligibility checking

      April 7, 2021

      Do you check insurance eligibility before dispatching a technologist to scan patients? With EMSOW, you can verify patients’ insurance benefits as quickly as never before… not to mention that it helps you dispatch, transfer, and store your exams in the cloud – everything in one place, convenient, simple, and affordable!

      This week we have updated our eligibility feature. If you are not our customer yet and want to learn more, visit our page!

      [#21651] Proper handling of bill option code C when checking eligibility

      From now on, if the eligibility response indicates bill option code C, such insurance will be marked with orange color as needed clarification:

      patient insurance eligibility

      Previously, this behavior applied only when the response showed “MCO Bill Option Code – C.”

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        April 2, 2021
        News > Feature update: Send multiple studies for reading at once and use guarantor information in medical billing

        Feature update: Send multiple studies for reading at once and use guarantor information in medical billing

        April 2, 2021

        Our team is thrilled to present a couple of spring-time platform updates. If you’re not our customer and interested to learn more, visit our website: emsow.com

        Please see the updates below:

        [#21596] Services are now marked as eligible if the DoS is outside the hospice benefit range

        EMSOW’s eligibility feature displays an orange ball for patients whose Medicare insurance includes hospice benefits:

        medical billing - 21596

        In this release, we improved the way hospice benefits are checked, so that if the date of service is outside the hospice benefit range, the system will display a green ball and treat the insurance as regular and active.

        [#21372] Guarantor name and address on patient statements

        With this update, you can opt to use a patient’s insurance guarantor as the addressee for patient statements. The guarantor name and address will be printed on the statement instead of those of the patient. To enable this feature, please contact our support team.

        [#20950] Sending multiple studies for reading from Dispatch

        The latest update makes it possible to send multiple studies for reading right from the Dispatch module. To that end, we added the Autofill reading button to the Dispatch toolbar:

        20950_1

        Select all studies you want to send, click the button, and you will see a pop-up window with the selected studies and their reading destinations:

        20950_2

        Click Save&Send to send the studies to reading doctors or just Save to save the reading destination without sending.

        [#20279] Using payer ID from insurances as a fallback for billing connectors

        From now on, if EMSOW cannot find a payer ID in billing connector settings while sending claims or checking eligibility, the payer ID will be retrieved from the insurance settings.

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          March 10, 2021
          News > Manage your patient information right from your cloud PACS!

          Manage your patient information right from your cloud PACS!

          March 10, 2021

          EMSOW is not just a cloud PACS and medical billing platform. It offers your practice a powerful toolset for patient management, scheduling, dispatching, and image interpretation.

          EMSOW is a next-generation, fully customizable platform that can be tuned to your specific workflow and improve TAT, increase revenue collection and reduce costs for manual processing. Additional value is provided by weekly updates inspired by our customers. Please read the details of the latest improvements below.

          Want to learn more? We would be happy to show you EMSOW and discuss how it can help your practice.

           

          [#21526] “Quick edit patient” in Processing

          Starting with this update, the “Quick edit patient” mode from the Billing module has become available in Processing as well. Once you hover your mouse over the patient information in a service box, the Quick edit button will appear:

          Manage your patient information right from your cloud PACS!
          Then click it to open the Quick edit patient window:

          Manage your patient information right from your cloud PACS!

          Here you can edit the patient information quicker than if you edited it the old way by opening the Edit service window.

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            March 3, 2021
            News > Advanced billing system right in your cloud PACS!

            Advanced billing system right in your cloud PACS!

            March 3, 2021

            Dear imaging provider!

            Originally intended as a cloud PACS system, EMSOW has become an all-in-one platform for diagnostic imaging practices, PoCUS providers, as well as mobile clinicians. We’ve added comprehensive scheduling, dispatching, and medical billing modules to meet the needs of our partners and customers. Today, you can use only one intuitive and affordable solution to manage all your tasks!

            This week’s release improves our billing functionality. The new version brings a small update to our Excel-based invoice report and lets you check eligibility of QMB patients more efficiently.

            Want to learn more? We would be happy to show you EMSOW and discuss how it can help your practice.

            [#21373] Diagnosis codes in Invoice report with grouping by service

            In the latest version of EMSOW, the Invoice report in the Billing module shows diagnosis codes when grouping by service is selected.

            [#21345] QMB patients are not auto-tagged with their deductible status anymore

            Previously, we added the option that allows EMSOW to automatically mark Medicare Part B patients enrolled in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program and also mark Medicare Part B patients with special tags showing if their deductible is met or not.

            Starting with this update, the deductible tags will not be automatically added to QMB patients anymore since such patients have no legal obligation to pay Medicare Part A or Part B deductibles.

            You can set auto-tagging parameters in the billing connector settings (follow Setup → Billing → Billing Connectors in the main EMSOW menu).

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              February 10, 2021
              News > Manage your patient info in your cloud PACS!

              Manage your patient info in your cloud PACS!

              February 10, 2021

              Subject line: Manage your patient info without hassle!

              Dear imaging provider!

              Originally intended as a cloud PACS system, EMSOW has become an all-in-one platform for diagnostic imaging practices, PoCUS providers, as well as mobile clinicians. We’ve added comprehensive scheduling, dispatching, and billing modules to meet the needs of our valuable partners and customers. Today, you can use only one intuitive and affordable solution to manage all your tasks!

              This week’s release improves our patient and study management tools. The new version helps you eliminate manual data entry, facilitates user activity tracking, and visualizes study information in the Dispatch module in a more user-friendly way.

              Want to learn more? We would be happy to show you EMSOW and discuss how it can help your practice.

               

               [#21324] Copy home patient address from eligibility information

              The latest update brings you the ability to copy the patient’s home address from the eligibility information to the patient record in EMSOW automatically. To do this, hit the button next to the patient’s address:

              cloud PACS - home address

              If the patient’s home address is not empty, EMSOW will ask for your confirmation before overwriting the address.

              To try out the new feature, select a service in Processing and click Eligibility → Show.

              We have received many questions regarding our new approach to managing home and service addresses. Please keep sending your feedback and we will work on optimizing your experience.

              [#20952] A separate column for study names in Dispatch

              We refined the Dispatch module interface by separating the study name from the study status. Previously, the study name and status were displayed together in the Procedure column. From now on, the Procedure column shows only the study name, whereas the new Status column represents the study status information and the accession number:

              cloud PACS - Dispatch

              [#21343] See user ID in order modification history

              From now on, the order modification history in Processing also shows the user ID next to the user name:

              cloud PACS - mods history

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                February 4, 2021
                News > Optimize your ePHI management with EMSOW’s new feature!

                Optimize your ePHI management with EMSOW’s new feature!

                February 4, 2021

                Dear imaging providers!

                Have you ever experienced problems with unreasonably long collection times, high study interpretation and software expenses, inefficient workflow management, coding and billing difficulties?

                For more than ten years, EMSOW has been servicing imaging facilities to deliver a professional medical platform that covers all their daily tasks, from simple PACS and DICOM to automatic claim generation.

                Below please see our weekly update to facilitate your ePHI management.

                If you are not yet with us, we would be happy to show you EMSOW and discuss how it can help your imaging practice.

                 

                [#21322] Service address and patient’s home address

                In this update, we have made several changes to make the distinction between a service address and a patient’s personal address (home address) more clear and obvious to the user.

                Let us remind you that a service address is typically entered in the Edit service window, whereas a patient’s home address is entered in the patient record in the Patients module (follow Setup → Patients in the main menu).

                The address that you used to edit in the Edit service dialog is now labeled “Service address” throughout EMSOW. Furthermore, the patient’s home address is now displayed below the service address in a service box in Billing and Processing:

                ePHI Management

                This update is not limited only to user interface changes though. From now on, the home address is printed instead of the service address in patient statements. For the time being, if the home address is not provided, the service address will be printed instead, but we will optimize the experience soon.

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                  January 28, 2021
                  News > Identify QMB patients, track patient bills, and get more out of financial analysis!

                  Identify QMB patients, track patient bills, and get more out of financial analysis!

                  January 28, 2021

                  EMSOW’s Billing module is getting constantly improved. Recently, our developers have been doing their best to make EMSOW meet all the requirements of standalone medical billing systems.

                  The difference is that EMSOW’s billing is integrated with cloud PACS, DICOM, HL7, scheduling and dispatching tools. It is a web-based platform that does not require local installation. It covers all the tasks of your imaging business, makes things simple, and saves your money.

                  If you’re interested to learn more, book a consultation! If you’re our customer, please see this week’s updates below.

                   

                  [#21257] Auto-tag studies if the patient is a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)

                  Remember the “deductible (not) met” auto-tagging update we made last week? Here’s more!

                  From now on, when checking eligibility of a Medicare Part B patient that is enrolled in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, EMSOW can automatically add a special tag to all studies in the service. If a follow-up eligibility check reveals the patient is no longer in the QMB program, the tag will be removed.

                  To enable this feature, open your billing connector settings (follow Setup → Billing → Billing Connectors in the main EMSOW menu). Make sure the Supports eligibility checkbox is selected, then select the Mark exams with “QMB” flag checkbox and type the preferred text of the tag in the text field:

                  QMB Patient identification

                  [#21256] Mark batches as printed in Paper Statements module

                  With this update, you can mark (and unmark) batches that have been printed out in the Paper Statements module by clicking printer icons in the Printed column. A tooltip showing who and when printed the batch is displayed when you are hovering your mouse pointer over the printer icon.

                  We have also added the Show unprinted only checkbox that will help you to filter out printed batches.

                  Medicare Part B deductible

                  [#20023] Group by study in Financial Analysis

                  The latest update also brings one more way of grouping records in the Financial Analysis module – by study name:

                  Financial analysis

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                    January 22, 2021
                    News > Extended monthly reporting, Medicare Part B deductible management and more!

                    Extended monthly reporting, Medicare Part B deductible management and more!

                    January 22, 2021

                    With the latest version of EMSOW, you can check your patients’ Medicare Part B deductibles, get an extended end-of-month report, and schedule follow-up appointments from the Rendering Provider Portal. Also, you’ll find a new search option to facilitate your studies management.

                    If you’re interested to learn how EMSOW can help your practice, book a consultation! If you’re already using our PACS, scheduling, dispatching, or billing, please see the updates below.

                     [#21222] Automatically tag studies of patients whose Medicare Part B deductible is met

                    Tired of manually tagging studies after checking if a patient has met their deductible? Then this update is for you! Now, when you check eligibility for Medicare Part B, EMSOW can also check if the deductible has been met, and tag the study with an appropriate tag (e.g., “2021 ded met”).

                    To set up this feature, open your billing connector settings (follow Setup → Billing → Billing Connectors in the main EMSOW menu). First, you need to enable the Tag exams as deductible met for “Medicare Part B” insurance checkbox. After that, type the desired tags to be applied to studies in the Deductible met tag and Deductible not met tag fields. If you type “{year}” in these fields, it will be replaced in the tag with the date of service year.

                    Medicare Part B deductible

                    [#21217] Patient phone numbers in “End of month” report

                    The “End of month” report now has one more option to offer: patient phone numbers. The screenshot below will help you find it so you don’t get lost among the multitude of other options we have added so far:

                    Medical BIlling

                    [#21197] ”Last year“ search option in date fields throughout EMSOW

                    From now on, when you need to find studies, images, reports or something else from the past year, you don’t have to manually set the date range from 01/01/20 to 12/31/20. We have added the Last year search option for your convenience:

                    Medical BIlling

                    [#21178] Schedule follow-up services from Rendering portal

                    With the latest update, rendering providers can schedule a follow-up service using a new Follow-up button in Rendering Provider Portal.
                    Medical BIlling

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                      January 20, 2021
                      News > Medical billing history, automated card payments and much more!

                      Medical billing history, automated card payments and much more!

                      January 20, 2021

                      We’re back from New Year holidays with a few exciting updates aimed at facilitating your billing workflow. We are grateful to our customers for ideas and inspiration!

                      Today, EMSOW is the only solution that allows you to schedule, dispatch, store, transfer, read, and bill your imaging exams on one web platform!

                      If you’re interested to learn more, book a consultation and learn how our service can help your medical imaging practice! If you’re our customer, please see the updates below.

                      [#20872] New module to manage paper statements

                      If you create patient bills or insurance statements on paper, you will love this new feature. Now, after you click the “Submit” button, the statements do not just disappear when they are marked as submitted—they are now stored in the new module:

                      Medical BIlling

                      [#21125] Capture billing history after overwriting or clearing the assigned billing company via “Auto fill”

                      Have your billers ever felt confused after deleting billing information by mistake? Or, maybe, sometimes they need to delete it on purpose, but later would like to see what happened in the past? From now on, EMSOW can automatically upload service billing history as a PDF file to the service documents when the assigned billing company is overwritten or cleared (via “Auto fill”):

                      Medical BIlling

                      By the way, this is the same file that is generated if you click Print billing history in the “Billing information for service” window.

                      The file will also be annotated with a document note showing when the billing history was saved:

                      Medical BIlling

                      If you are interested in this feature and would like to enable it, please contact our support team.

                      [#20965] Customer statement

                      Here’s an improvement to our Part A billing functionality. You can now print a customer statement that shows you invoice summary for a selected facility that you bill directly:

                      Medical BIlling

                      To print the customer statement, open the Invoices module (Billing Invoices in the main menu), then double-click into the required referring facility and click Customer statement:

                      Medical BIlling

                       [#19810] Autofill: see the rule ID and position even if the rule fails to be applied

                      Previously, EMSOW showed you what rule had been applied only if the autofill succeeded. Moving forward, if a reading or billing rule fails to be applied when you’re trying to autofill studies, you will also see details in an error message: for example, “Attempted to apply rule ID #101 with position #12”.

                      [#21221] Service priority column in correctional facility invoices

                      With this update, invoices for correctional facilities include a new column denoting service priority (STAT, ASAP, or routine):

                      Medical BIlling

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                        December 23, 2020
                        News > Medical billing updates: Christmas news from EMSOW

                        Medical billing updates: Christmas news from EMSOW

                        December 23, 2020

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                         

                        Dear All!

                        Reflecting on this year, we can see how many customers have supported us and made our work so enjoyable. Everyone at EMSOW wishes you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Thank you for staying with us this year.

                        However, our struggle for perfection never stops. Below please find the updates of the latest version of EMSOW. If you’re interested in how we can help your imaging practice, book a consultation!

                        We’re looking forward to seeing you in 2021!

                        [#21126] Referring facility phones in Dispatch

                        With the latest update, you can see the referring facility phone numbers while adding or editing a service in the Dispatch module:

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                        [#21124] Search by invoice number in Billing

                        A new search option has been added to the Billing module. Now you can specify an invoice number and EMSOW will show you all studies from that invoice:

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                        But there’s more to it! You can now click an invoice number in the Invoices module to see all studies from the invoice in the Billing module as if you typed the invoice number manually into the new Invoice number search option:

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                        [#21120] Unlimited number of procedure units

                        Previously, you were allowed to report in a claim only up to 255 units for a single procedure. We have lifted this limit and now you can report as many procedure units as necessary.

                        [#21091] Editing paid invoices

                        This update brings you more flexibility in invoicing by allowing you to edit invoices that have already been paid. Similar to outstanding invoices, you can add or remove studies, change PPD fees and sonographer rates. To edit a paid invoice, simply double-click the invoice or click the editing button:

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                        [#21077] Search by deductible payments in Billing

                        And yet another search option has been added to the Billing module: Deductible Amount. Enter the desired amount and select if the deductible payments should be equal, less, or greater than it, and EMSOW will show all studies that have met the criterion.

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

                        [#20883] More information in the archival tag tooltip

                        From now on, the tooltip for archival tags also shows when the tag was archived and by whom:

                        Medical BIlling Update 12-23-2-20

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                          December 17, 2020
                          News > EMSOW Newsletter: Integrate your PACS with a medical billing system!

                          EMSOW Newsletter: Integrate your PACS with a medical billing system!

                          December 17, 2020

                          EMSOW’s medical billing has become a go-to tool for many imaging providers. This week we have rolled out a couple of new billing tools requested by our customers. Thank you for staying with us and helping us grow better every day!

                          Today, EMSOW is the only medical imaging platform that puts together a professional medical billing system with PACS, DICOM and scheduling/dispatching tools. It has everything your imaging business needs to be straightforward, competitive, secure, and profitable.

                          If you’re interested to learn more, book a consultation! If you’re our customer, please see updates below.

                          [#20932] Pay per diem (PPD) payments in invoice report

                          This update makes the invoice report a bit more detailed in terms of how it represents studies billed to a facility.

                          First, we have added two new columns to the invoice report: Invoice number (self-explanatory) and PPD (shows “Yes” for items that are billed completely as PPD, or “Mixed” if the item includes both PPD and insurance charges, e.g., if a study was billed as PPD for the technical component only and also has an insurance claim for component 26).

                          Second, for PPD items, the total invoice charge amount will be divided in equal parts between all report rows related to the same invoice. These equal parts will be represented in the Charge column of the invoice report.

                          [#21015] Claim internal control number in the invoice report

                          Apart from the aforementioned changes, the invoice report received another new column – ICN. It will show you internal control numbers (ICN) of claims, if the ICNs have been received from an insurance company via ERA. The new column has been placed between the Procedure(s) and Diagnosis columns of the report.

                          [#21000] Place of Service code in the End of Month report

                          Another billing report in EMSOW has been upgraded: the End of Month report can now show the place of service (PoS) codes of referring facilities. Since the report is fully customizable, you can include or exclude this new option along with a multitude of others before generating the report:

                          Medical BIlling: 21000

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                            December 11, 2020
                            News > More useful tools for medical billing!

                            More useful tools for medical billing!

                            December 11, 2020

                            Medical billing matters. That’s why lately, we’ve been focusing on our Billing module to make your imaging workflow even more straightforward. Today, EMSOW matches the requirements of a standalone medical billing system.

                            The difference is that EMSOW’s billing is integrated with PACS, DICOM, scheduling/dispatching tools and requires no installation. It covers all your needs, makes things simple, and saves your money.

                            If you’re interested to learn more, book a consultation! If you’re our customer, please see updates below.

                            [#21063] Claim resubmission improvements

                            This update brings a number of improvements aimed at making claim resubmission easier and quicker.

                              • If the internal control number (ICN) of the claim is known, it will be autopopulated into the Original claim number field of the Resubmit claim window.

                            Medical BIlling

                              • Procedures added after the initial claim submission will be reflected in the claim resubmission window. However, a user needs to add a charge amount to the new procedures first, because otherwise the procedures will not be shown in the claim resubmission window. We have added the new Add charge column to the Charge amount for service window where you can enter the necessary amount:

                            Medical BIlling

                            • The amount that was paid after the initial claim submission will be filled in box 29 (“Amount paid”) of the claim form.

                             [#21060] “To” column in Clearing module

                            The “From” column in the Clearing module has now an antipode – “To”. In this new column, you will find insurance company names extracted from electronic claims submitted in the EDI 837 file format:

                             

                            Medical Billing

                            [#20861] Search by the service note creation date in Billing

                            The Billing module already has plenty of search options, but it seems to never stop receiving new ones. With the latest update, you can look up studies by the date (or date range) when service notes were created. You will find the new search option in the Note section of the search filter.

                            Medical Billing

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                              December 2, 2020
                              News > Improve cooperation with your rendering provider!

                              Improve cooperation with your rendering provider!

                              December 2, 2020

                              EMSOW’s Rendering provider portal has become a go-to tool for many physician assistants and nurse practitioners who travel to patients to provide consults. This week, we have added a new feature to facilitate your collaboration with rendering providers. They will love this new tool! Please see the details below.

                              If you’re not our customer yet, book a consultation and learn how to save on medical exam management and reading!

                               

                              [#21035] Narrow study selection in Rendering Portal

                              With the latest update, you can now link a rendering provider to study groups related to them. This will make it easier for a rendering provider to pick the necessary study in Rendering Portal by excluding all non-relevant studies from the Study field.

                              To assign a study group to a rendering provider, go to Setup → Personnel → Rendering Providers and double-click into the necessary provider. Open the Study groups tab and select the desired study groups:

                              Rendering provider

                              After that, while adding studies in Rendering Portal, the rendering provider will be able to choose only studies from the study groups assigned to them:

                              Rendering provider

                              You can always configure study groups in Setup → Tests → Study Groups.

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                                December 1, 2020
                                News > How to maximize revenue by using X-ray transportation codes?

                                How to maximize revenue by using X-ray transportation codes?

                                December 1, 2020

                                Today, we’re going to discuss x-ray transportation codes. Portable diagnostic equipment is gaining popularity. These machines are reliable and affordable and they help businesses cut office service expenditures besides. Moreover, mobile diagnostic services are often more convenient for patients than scheduled visits and in some cases are the only way to reach patients. However, there is one issue – transportation costs.

                                X-ray transportation codes

                                Mobile imaging operators use vans or other vehicles to transport their imaging equipment. Sometimes they need to travel many miles and spend hours getting to a site. There are no problems if they can collect transportation fees directly from their patients, but when it comes to insurance reimbursement, issues may occur. Nevertheless, in some cases, the transportation costs of mobile imaging operators can be covered.

                                Medicare has contributed to solving this problem by the introduction of portable x-ray transportation HCPCS codes, intended for use by mobile providers when they travel to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). Generally, there are two codes, depending on the number of patients: R0070, for single-patient services, and R0075, when there are two or more patients. In addition, the R0075 code has five Level II modifiers: UN (two patients served); UP (three patients); UQ (four patients); UR (five patients); US (six or more patients). Imaging facilities are to report these codes to get their transportation costs covered, thereby making mobile x-ray services more accessible.

                                Still, there are some rules and considerations*:

                                •   X-ray transportation codes are to be used for Skilled Nursing Facilities only. Transportation costs for trips to other types of facilities, e.g., doctors’ offices, may not be covered. For detailed information, please refer to the official Medicare booklet.
                                •   Only portable x-ray procedures will be covered. Other diagnostic modalities (e.g., ultrasound or MRI) are not mentioned in coverage guidelines and Medicare only covers transportation to a different location, i.e., tests carried out in a facility with mobile x-ray equipment already on site will not be covered.
                                •   Medicare covers transportation under these codes, but private payers may have their own rules. However, Medicare is one of the largest insurance programs in the United States. In 2016 it covered 16.7% of the total population and spent $696.6 billion on medical needs, and these figures are continuing to grow.
                                •   The codes must be used correctly. Otherwise, insurance providers may deny claims. The R0070 code must be used for single-patient services, while R0075 requires one of the modifiers. Moreover, the transportation codes are to be combined with the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) radiology codes (7000 series).
                                •   Billing software should support x-ray transportation codes. Typically, mobile imaging operators use specialized software for sharing diagnostic images, preparing reports, billing, and sending insurance claims. Today, there are a lot of affordable, reliable, and user-friendly applications, but not all of them allow the use of transportation codes. Before signing up, it’s worth asking the software providers if this option is available. Usually, they willingly contact their customers, consult them on billing issues, and even create features customized to their needs.

                                Many medical businesses that deal with portable x-rays have increased their profits by using x-ray transportation codes. On top of that, they have expanded their service area considerably since Medicare covers their transportation costs.

                                ——————–

                                *This article is intended for information purposes only, so before using x-ray transportation codes, imaging operators are recommended to study the Medicare Claims Processing Manual and other related documents. 

                                 

                                Links:

                                Medicare Coverage of Skilled Nursing Facility Care (official booklet): https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10153.pdf

                                Medicare Claims Processing Manual: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/clm104c13.pdf

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                                  November 27, 2020
                                  News > EMSOW release 11-27-2020: 3 smart features for your medical billing workflow!

                                  EMSOW release 11-27-2020: 3 smart features for your medical billing workflow!

                                  November 27, 2020

                                  This week we have updated our medical billing system. In the latest version of EMSOW, you’ll find new options for statement submission and electronic claim management, as well as advanced eligibility checking tools!

                                  EMSOW offers patient scheduling, technologist dispatch, an affordable PACS and DICOM viewer with customizable report templates, and even exam interpretation service. Together with our medical billing system, these tools cover all the needs of your diagnostic imaging business. If you’re not our customer yet, book a consultation and learn how to save on medical exam management and reading!

                                   [#21004] New column and filters in “Submit Statements” window

                                  We keep improving the “Submit Statements” window. This time we’re bringing you the new Amount Due column and a number of search filters: Statement created, Referring billing state, Amount due (per patient), and Statement form.

                                  medical billing

                                  [#20975] NDC quantity and measurement units in electronic claims

                                  With this update, more National Drug Code (NDC) information can be reported in your electronic claims. NDC codes are now included in the electronic claims along with the quantity and measurement units of the drugs administered.

                                  Let us remind you that you can enable or disable the adding of NDC information to your claims or statements by toggling the Add NDC to claims/statements checkbox in the billing company settings.

                                  [#20599] Orange eligibility ball for Medicare Advantage and HMO patients

                                  From now on, if an eligibility response contains “MCO Bill Option Code – C”, the service record will be marked with the orange eligibility ball.

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                                    November 23, 2020
                                    News > New DICOM tools (and more…): EMSOW newsletter

                                    New DICOM tools (and more…): EMSOW newsletter

                                    November 23, 2020

                                    New DICOM tools for your business!

                                    EMSOW offers medical imaging providers a state-of-the-art PACS, a zero-install DICOM Viewer with a comprehensive set of report templates, as well as a robust system for patient scheduling, technologist dispatching, and billing. Image interpretation by a trusted radiologist licensed in your state is also a great opportunity we offer.

                                    We stay in tune with recent industry developments and our customers’ needs. Here are four updates to help your reading doctors and facilitate your billing processes. If you are our customer, please see details below.

                                    If you’re not with EMSOW yet, please visit our website, learn about our services, and schedule a demo. You will see how it works (and even try it!), have your questions answered, and compare prices.

                                    [#19707] Cobb angle measurement tool

                                    With this update, you have one more measurement tool at your disposal in our DICOM Viewer. The new one is for measuring the Cobb angle which determines the degree of spinal curvature. Using this tool is quite simple: draw two lines parallel to the upper and lower vertebrae of the curve and you will see the curvature angle:

                                    DICOM

                                    [#20786] DICOM hanging protocols

                                    If you’re tired of laying out DICOM images every time you open them in our DICOM Viewer, we have some good news for you! This update brings to EMSOW the support for DICOM hanging protocols. In simple words, you can now configure how DICOM Viewer should display images for certain studies.

                                    How to use this feature:

                                    First, you need to create a hanging protocol. This can be done either manually or automatically (from the viewer). To create a protocol manually, follow the path Setup → PACS → Hanging Protocols in the main EMSOW menu, then click Add new and set your preferences in the window that opens:

                                    DICOM

                                    However, you may find it more convenient to adjust images to your liking right in the DICOM viewer and then export your settings to a hanging protocol. To do this, unfold the Hanging Protocols pane on the right and click Add:

                                    DICOM

                                    The same fields as are in the Create new hanging protocol window will be automatically filled out according to your current viewer settings.

                                    Once the hanging protocol is created, you can select it by clicking the HP button on the viewer toolbar:

                                    20786_3

                                    However, there’s more to it! You can also set a rule that will apply the necessary hanging protocol if a certain condition (e.g. the study name) is met, so you won’t even need to select a hanging protocol. To create such a rule, open Setup → Rules → Hanging Protocol Rules in the main EMSOW menu, then click Add new and set the conditions and the protocols to be applied:

                                    20786_4

                                    [#20938] Diagnosis codes in the “Submit statements” window

                                    We have added a new column showing procedure diagnoses to the Submit statements window:

                                    20938

                                    [#20839] Fill HCFA-1500 box 32 for assisted living facilities (PoS 13)

                                    From now on, box 32 of the HCFA-1500 claim form is filled for referring facilities with Place of Service code 13 (assisted living facilities) the same way as for referring facilities with Place of Service code 32 (nursing facilities). You can set the preferred content of box 32 in the billing company settings (follow Setup → Billing → Billing Companies in the main EMSOW menu). Note that the “Nursing home” option group now applies to both PoS 13 and PoS 32.

                                    20839

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                                      November 13, 2020
                                      News > Affordable PACS with updated ICD-10 codes: EMSOW Newsletter

                                      Affordable PACS with updated ICD-10 codes: EMSOW Newsletter

                                      November 13, 2020

                                      DID YOUR PACS UPDATE ICD-10 CODES?

                                      It’s essential that your PACS system is regularly updated in compliance with the latest industry developments. This week we have integrated the current ICD-10 database and added a new payment option to facilitate your revenue collection and increase profit.

                                      Yes, EMSOW is more than just an affordable PACS system. We also offer medical billing, scheduling, and even exam interpretation at special partner rates. We’ve got you covered!

                                      If you are not yet with EMSOW, please visit our website: emsow.com

                                       

                                      [#20919] Updated ICD-10 codes

                                      To keep your medical coding up to date, we have added to EMSOW all new codes from 2021 ICD-10-CM, removed those no longer in use, and updated code descriptions. Keep your PACS updated!

                                      [#20933] Collect card payments from insurance companies

                                      Insurance companies often send a virtual debit card instead of checks. EMSOW now makes it possible to charge those cards right from the payment posting window!

                                      To do this, you will need an active Stripe integration. Add your Stripe account to EMSOW using our new Stripe Accounts module: Setup → Billing → Stripe Accounts.

                                      To charge a card, double-click a service record in Processing or Billing and go Operations → Post payment. Then select Primary insurance or Secondary insurance in the From field and click OK:

                                      updated PACS newsletter

                                      The card will be charged automatically unless the Do not charge card over Stripe checkbox is selected.

                                      Note that this integration is offered as an additional service. Please contact us for details.

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                                        November 6, 2020
                                        News > Improved patient document management and bill tracking

                                        Improved patient document management and bill tracking

                                        November 6, 2020

                                        Time to streamline your patient document management!

                                        EMSOW updates patient document management. Mobile imaging businesses, correctional facilities, and radiology providers take benefit from state-of-the-art cloud PACS, a zero-install DICOM Viewer with a built-in set of customizable report templates, as well as a robust system for patient scheduling, technologist dispatching, and billing. Another opportunity we offer is image interpretation by a trusted radiologist licensed in your state.

                                        If you would like to simplify and optimize your imaging workflow and cut your costs, check out our website!

                                        [#20859] Document management: send service documents to any email or fax

                                        Previously, you could send service documents by email or fax only to the referring doctor or facility (provided that their email address or fax number had been entered in the referring doctor or facility settings). With this update, we give you more flexibility by allowing you to send service documents to an arbitrary email or fax. Just type them into the corresponding fields and hit OK to send your files:

                                        Improved patient document management and bill tracking 1

                                         [#20844] More flexibility to search for studies based on their corresponding bills

                                        This update brings a small but useful improvement to the Billing module search filter. With the intention to help you separate studies with submitted paper insurance statements from studies with submitted paper patient statements, we have split the old statements checkbox into HCFA stmts and patient stmts respectively. You will find the new checkboxes in the Payments section of the search filter.

                                        Improved patient document management and bill tracking 2

                                        Also, we have added an ability to search for studies that are billed to facilities via Part A invoices and added tooltips to all of these options—hover your mouse over the checkboxes to see what each filter looks for.

                                        Want to streamline your patient document management or optimize your medical imaging workflow, improve your bottom line, and cut expenditures? Book a free demo!

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                                          October 30, 2020
                                          News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 30, 2020

                                          EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 30, 2020

                                          October 30, 2020

                                          Many imaging professionals consider that all PACS providers offer the same.

                                          However, there’s something that makes EMSOW entirely different. On our platform, you can get your images read by board-certified radiologists licensed in your state. As for standard features, such as cloud storage, dispatching, and DICOM viewer, we improve them on a weekly basis based on our customers’ feedback – so if you would like to build an optimal software suite for your business, ask us how!

                                          This week, we have updated our draft reporting functionality (please see the description below). If you would like to simplify and optimize your imaging workflow and cut your costs, check out our website!

                                          [#20866] Load the last saved report draft from any study or the same study

                                          Did you know that EMSOW can automatically fill in your report template with what was entered in the patient’s previous study? This can save you a lot of time when it comes to filling out patient consultation reports.

                                          Now we’ve decided to go further and given our users an ability to choose whether to pull data from any previous study the patient had or from the previous study with the same study description.

                                          To set your preferences, go to Setup → Reading → Report Templates in the main EMSOW menu, then double-click the necessary report template and select the desired Load last saved draft option:

                                          20866

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                                            October 22, 2020
                                            News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 22, 2020

                                            EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 22, 2020

                                            October 22, 2020

                                            This week we have made a few improvements to enhance the efficiency of your workflow and billing.

                                            If you’re not with EMSOW yet, visit our website, explore our services, and schedule a live demo or free consultation. You will see how it works (and even try it!), have your questions answered, and compare prices.

                                            [#20852] Faster “End of month” report generation
                                            We have optimized the “End of month” report generation. Now it takes less time than ever to get the report.

                                            [#20830] Sending claims without a payer address
                                            With this update, you can send electronic claims without providing a payer address in the insurance department settings. To make use of this new feature, double-click into the necessary billing connector (Setup → Billing → Billing Connectors) and enable the allow sending claims without a payer address checkbox.

                                            Note that paper claims (HCFA-1500) must always include the payer address and this new feature only applies to electronic claims that you send via a clearing house service.

                                            [#20808] Credit/debit card payment with Stripe
                                            Now this one is huge! If you collect payments from your patients’ bank cards, you can now charge the cards right from your EMSOW and post the payment to the patient’s account immediately!
                                            Add your Stripe account to EMSOW using our new Stripe Accounts module (Setup → Billing → Stripe Accounts):

                                            After that, double-click the patient’s service record in Processing or Billing and select Operations → Post payment. When posting a payment that is paid by credit or debit card, this transaction will be processed via Stripe unless the Do not charge card over Stripe checkbox is selected:

                                            Note that this integration is offered as an additional service. Please contact us for details.

                                            [#20592] Access to prior reports of all studies in Document Management
                                            Previously, the “Document management” window showed you prior reports only of the same studies as are part of the current service. Now you can find all prior reports for the patient regardless of the study description:

                                            To activate this feature, please email our support.

                                            [#20590] CPT modifier display in the “Edit service” window
                                            Now you can see a study’s billing modifiers right in the “Edit service” window:

                                            Note that these modifiers do not directly correspond to what you may see in insurance claims – learn how they work by looking at feature #19855 in our April’s newsletter.

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                                              October 21, 2020
                                              News > Sending X-ray images for reading through Teleradiology Solutions

                                              Sending X-ray images for reading through Teleradiology Solutions

                                              October 21, 2020

                                              Teleradiology is the transfer of medical images via information technologies. It has a long history (much older than the Internet). But before the 1990s it was not widely used because of the expense, inefficiency, and poor image quality. Today, the development of IT has reversed this trend. Now teleradiology guarantees an increase in imaging procedures by up to 6–12% annually.

                                              If you deal with X-rays, ultrasounds, or CTs, you surely know about DICOM, PACS, and RIS, and utilize these tools in your practice. These means of image transfer are quite common. However, their convenience and security vary considerably depending on the choice of service.

                                              Currently, more platforms are becoming web-based. This is essential when you are working with remote X-ray technicians and doctors; accessibility from any device with an internet connection and no installation guarantee greater flexibility.

                                              But the main point is that a good teleradiology platform can offer imaging providers a decreased turnaround time and reduce costs.

                                              Decreased turnaround time (TAT). Teleradiology platforms decrease the time spent on image transfer and viewing. Needless to say, processing speed is affected by internet speed, but also by the quality of the software used. To that end, advanced solutions can offer a powerful toolset for image interpretation.

                                              Instant round-the-clock access. If you are outsourcing or looking for a second opinion in other states, time difference can be an issue. A cloud-based application solves this problem. You have access to images at any time after they have been uploaded.

                                              Cost reduction. Teleradiology solutions are helpful in outsourcing, which decreases expenses for in-house specialists.

                                              User-friendliness and functionality. Teleradiology platforms offer a lot of useful tools and boast stability and security, but a good platform is a user-friendly one and can be easily integrated into any IT infrastructure. Every practitioner wants to begin right away. Nobody likes dealing with bulky manuals or spending hours on initial program setup.

                                              Security and HIPAA compliance. Whether you are sending X-ray images to a colleague for a second opinion or receiving a series of CT scans from a technologist, you need to be confident that the process meets HIPAA regulations. Any risk of violation must be avoided.

                                              Today, the majority of X-ray providers are switching to teleradiology software, but the benefits will differ greatly depending on the chosen service.

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                                                October 16, 2020
                                                News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 16, 2020

                                                EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 16, 2020

                                                October 16, 2020

                                                EMSOW® optimizes your diagnostic imaging and medical billing workflows. We help hundreds of mobile providers all over the USA decrease their turnaround time, cut reading costs, and speed up the revenue collection cycle.

                                                This week we have rolled out five updates to extend EMSOW’s DICOM and billing functionality and make our platform even more intuitive and user-friendly!

                                                If you’re not with EMSOW yet, visit our website and explore our products and services. Contact us now to learn what bonuses and discounts you can get if you join the EMSOW nation as a startup!

                                                [#20754] Arrange diagnosis codes on claims in the same order as they are entered

                                                Previously, EMSOW did not keep the order of ICD-10 codes that were entered when scheduling a procedure, which caused problems with billing for certain procedures that require a certain diagnosis order. From now on, the codes will be arranged just as entered initially!

                                                For example, here’s a case that was coded via Processing:

                                                20754_1

                                                When you open the billing information by double-clicking the case, you will see the exact same order of ICD-10 codes, meaning that it will be kept intact on your claims as well:

                                                20754_2

                                                [#20778] Measurements recognition for Mindray M8 Elite

                                                With the latest update, EMSOW can analyze DICOM images coming from Mindray M8 Elite machines and import the measurements using optical character recognition (OCR). The recognized measurements are automatically inserted into structured report template fields. More automation for your sonographers—even without native SR support!

                                                20778
                                                [#20804] Filtering by the place of service in the Billing module

                                                Now you can search services in the Billing module by the place of service (PoS) code. For this purpose, we have added a new field to the search filter – PoS code:

                                                20804

                                                [#20805] Added ability to use billing routes for eligibility

                                                With this update, you can use a billing route to choose the necessary billing connector for checking eligibility. For example, if you deal with insurance carriers in different states, you may need to send your eligibility requests via different clearing houses (needless to say, EMSOW supports a wide range of those).

                                                To use a billing route this way, double-click it and select the use for eligibility only checkbox:

                                                20805

                                                [#20806] Filter by billing state in Payer Assignment

                                                The search filter in the Payer Assignment module now has one more option to search by – the referring facility billing state:

                                                20806

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                                                  October 1, 2020
                                                  News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 1, 2020

                                                  EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – October 1, 2020

                                                  October 1, 2020

                                                  Dear providers!

                                                  This week we have put out seven updates improving EMSOW’s billing, dispatching, and task management functionality. That’s what you’ll find in the latest version of EMSOW.

                                                  [#20668] Export data from the Dispatch module
                                                  The latest version of EMSOW’s Dispatch module allows you to export the necessary data to an Excel spreadsheet. Click the Export button on the module’s toolbar and you will see a pop-up window where you can choose what data needs to be exported. And finally, click OK to get your report!

                                                  [#20758] Improvements in the Referring Contracts module
                                                  We have upgraded the data grid in the Referring Contracts module – now it shows contract terms and discounts, thus sparing you from having to double-click into each contract to see the contract details.

                                                  In addition to that, the module now provides a search filter to make it easier for you to find the contract you are looking for, e.g. the one used to bill a specific referring facility:

                                                  [#20756] Changes to the fee schedule reimbursements in the Invoice report
                                                  In the Invoice report that is available in the Billing module, the column “As per fee schedule” has been renamed “Fee schedule”. And we have also added a new column “FS difference” that shows the difference between “Paid” and “Fee schedule”. As we mentioned two weeks ago, this new feature allows you to store standard procedure fees for future payment analysis – and now you can easily see the difference between the fee schedule and the actual paid amount for a procedure.

                                                  [#20682] Study discounts rules moved to the Referring Contracts module
                                                  Since the upgraded Referring Contracts module allows you to manage study discounts, the separate Study Discounts Rules module is no longer necessary and therefore has been removed from EMSOW completely.

                                                  [#20646] Notes in the Task Manager module
                                                  Now you can add text notes to tasks in the Task Manager module. Just click the note silhouette icon to open the note editor. Annotated tasks will have a light gray note icon.

                                                  [#20642] Option to not transfer secondary insurance information when sending a primary claim
                                                  With the latest update, you can choose whether to transfer secondary insurance information when sending a primary claim or not. This is set in the billing connector settings (to access billing connectors, go to Setup → Billing → Billing Connectors in the main EMSOW menu).

                                                  [#20300] Direct facility billing: ability to add credit
                                                  Now this is a huge one! Sometimes a directly billed facility will overpay and expect you to apply credit toward future invoices. To that end, we have extended the functionality of EMSOW’s Invoices module.
                                                  The new Post credit button in the facility billing details screen allows you to add ”credit” checks that can be used later to “pay” an invoice:

                                                  Now, when you create a new invoice or edit an existing one, there is the Apply credit field where you can specify how much of the available credit you want to apply to the invoice. The Apply button to the right of the field allows you to use the maximum possible credit:

                                                  When you post payment from the facility, the invoice credit will be displayed in the Post payment window:

                                                  Our team invested a lot of time in developing this new feature, and we believe our invoicing capabilities are now much more flexible. There is still room for improvement, so please get in touch to give us your feedback!

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                                                    September 25, 2020
                                                    News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 25, 2020

                                                    EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 25, 2020

                                                    September 25, 2020

                                                    Dear providers!

                                                    This week we have improved EMSOW’s PACS, billing, DICOM, and task management functionality. Six updates, all requested by our customers! Thank you for helping us become better. We’re here to power up your business.

                                                    [#20749] Import of exam reasons from DICOM

                                                    We ❤️ interfacing and have helped many teleradiology companies connect with their clients via DICOM. This small update extends your options for DICOM tag mapping: now you can automatically populate the Reason for exam field in EMSOW from DICOM tag 0040,1400 (RequestedProcedureComments).

                                                    Note that the exam reason text can be mapped to our report templates as well, so that your reading doctors can avoid searching for the exam reason throughout the system.

                                                    #220749

                                                    [#20721] View billing tags history in Processing

                                                    Billing tags are a useful tool, but knowing who and when created a tag makes it even better. Now you can view this information in billing tags history tooltips.

                                                    Hover your mouse over a tag in the Processing module, and a tooltip with the name of the user and creation timestamp will appear.

                                                    #20721

                                                    [#20720] Referring doctor/facility information in EMSOW’s task manager

                                                    We have added the Referring column to the Task manager module. Here, you can view referring facilities/doctors and prioritize your tasks.

                                                    The corresponding search filters are located in the Referring section of the Options panel on the right.

                                                    #20720

                                                    [#20719] Load image series as separate viewports in the DICOM viewer

                                                    A new layout option in the DICOM viewer allows you to load image series as separate viewports. For example, if you work with MRI studies that contain axial, sagittal, and coronal planes (with two series for each, PD and STIR), you can load all six series simultaneously and display them on your screen side by side.

                                                    To start using this feature, click on the Options icon on the right of the DICOM viewer’s toolbar. Check the Load by series checkbox, open the Viewports Behavior dropdown menu and select Separated. Click on the Layout icon menu and select a layout in the dropdown menu (6 frames is recommended). For the changes to take effect, reopen the viewer.

                                                    #20719

                                                    [#20639] Status points for document views in History

                                                    Patient information security matters. Now you can see if other users have opened or downloaded patient documents. Click on the history link in the Processing module. In the window that opens, select the View files history tab.

                                                    Here, you’ll find the name of the user who opened the file, date, time, and action performed with the document.

                                                    #20639

                                                    EMSOW has all the necessary features to protect patient information and keep your imaging workflow 100% secure. However, make sure that only your trusted co-workers and clients are granted access to patient information.

                                                    [#20257] Direct billing: discounted rates for patients with more than one study

                                                    The latest version of EMSOW’s direct billing functionality allows you to bill facilities different rates for the first and subsequent studies of the same patient, if all of the studies were done on the same day. For example, you can charge $70 for the first exam of the patient, and $50 for the second and third studies. A good way to win your clients’ loyalty, isn’t’ it?

                                                    Go to Setup > Billing > Referring Contracts. Create a new contract or start editing an existing one. Click the Add new term button.

                                                    #20257_1

                                                    In the Fees section, fill in the Flat rate first study and Flat rate other study fields. Click Save.

                                                    #20257__2

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                                                      September 18, 2020
                                                      News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 18, 2020

                                                      EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 18, 2020

                                                      September 18, 2020

                                                      Dear providers!

                                                      EMSOW would like to wish you and your families a happy and safe Labor Day. In observance of the federal holiday, our support and sales departments will be closed on Monday (September 7, 2020). However, all our systems will be up and operating as usual – and below are a couple of new things we have added this week.

                                                      Many of our customers limit their use of EMSOW to the cloud PACS (which includes a zero-install DICOM viewer, as well as built-in dispatch and scheduling capabilities). We would like you to explore our state-of-the-art billing module that covers all the revenue cycle management tasks – from checking eligibility and claim generation to automated posting of ERAs and direct Part A billing.

                                                      In the latest version of EMSOW, we put out several improvements to power up your billing – please see details below. And if you are not a billing user yet, feel free to get in touch to learn more and schedule a live demo!

                                                       [#20709] “Fee Schedule Reimbursements” module

                                                      We have added a new module that allows you to store standard procedure fees for future payment analysis. To create a new record, go to Setup  > Billing > Fee Schedule Reimbursements.

                                                      #20709_1

                                                      Click Add new. Populate the CPT code, Component, Insurance, and Amount fields, then click Save.

                                                      #20709_2

                                                      Fee schedule reimbursements will be displayed in EMSOW’s Invoice reports in the As per fee schedule column (click Report > Invoice report in the Billing module) so that you can compare your paid amounts to a payer’s fee schedule. Note that the column shows the fee schedule amounts for primary payers only.

                                                      [#20707] Invoice aging reports

                                                      The latest version of EMSOW allows you to track the aging of your facility bills more efficiently. In the updated Invoices module, you can find the Invoice aging report button. Click on it to download the Invoice aging report as an Excel file.

                                                      #20707_1

                                                      When the report is generated, the download link will appear at the top of the browser window. Click on it to download the report.

                                                      Here, you can view unpaid bills data by facility and invoice age.

                                                      #20707_2

                                                      [#20683] Insurance Claim Number display

                                                      In the latest version of EMSOW, Insurance Claim Number (ICN) is displayed in the Transactions section of the Billing information window.

                                                      #20683

                                                      [#20619] Mark patient eligibility as “On hold”

                                                      Now your dispatchers can mark patient eligibility as On hold to show that it is under review at the moment.

                                                      #20619

                                                      In the Dispatch module, open the Eligibility dropdown menu and select Mark as “On hold”. The ball icon in the Primary eligibility column will turn orange.

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                                                        September 14, 2020
                                                        News > The painless way of sharing ePHI with your patients

                                                        The painless way of sharing ePHI with your patients

                                                        September 14, 2020

                                                        Today, a growing number of patients wish to have access to their health information. There are several reasons for that. They may need to change a doctor, learn a second opinion or just want to get control of their health records and feel independent of their providers. Whatever the reason, the Right to be Informed and the Right to Information are provided by law and the norms of professional ethics. Therefore, medical businesses should give patients access to their info. However, there are some transferability and privacy issues.

                                                        PHI

                                                         

                                                        So, what are the ways of sharing medical info with patients?

                                                        Addressing a doctor or a facility directly is traditional, and, probably, the most troublesome way. Imagine that you need to get your records from a doctor you haven’t seen for months or even years. You’ll have to visit the facility and ask the front desk officer to retrieve your history. Then you’ll need to find the needed items. Your doctor could help you, but if you want to see him or her, you will likely need to schedule a visit. Of course, nowadays patient info is frequently kept in digitized form as Word/Excel files or DICOM images. So why not ask the doctor to send the records via email or upload the DICOMs to some file sharing service? The problem is, most doctors would flatly refuse to do that because of HIPAA compliance issues, since all your charts, progress notes, and images are Electronic protected health information (ePHI), and violation penalties can reach up to $1.5 million. Therefore, direct addressing is challenging for both doctors and patients.

                                                        Electronic health records (EHRs) are a much more advanced digital solution, intended for entering, processing and sharing medical info. There are hundreds of vendors that offer reliable and HIPAA-compliant systems, which allow retrieving demographics, progress notes, images, insurance/billing information and much more. EHRs are a common and reliable way for sharing patient information, and, if properly used, they improve doctor-patient relations. Wherever patients go, their charts go with them. Still, there is one problem. The system is intended for use by healthcare professionals and typically does not provide direct patient access.

                                                        Instead, there are solutions designed specifically for patients and tailored to their needs. The architecture of such software applications varies, e.g. module-based solutions may have patient portals (or patient modules). A patient visits the portal, logs in and finds all the needed information – from progress notes and eligibility responses to bulky DICOMs. If the system is designed as a web application, it requires no installation and can be accessed at any time and from anywhere. This means that the patient can control his or her records and becomes physician-independent, which may be useful if the patient needs to change doctors. To ensure HIPAA compliance, vendors use various types of encrypted connections. Besides, the patient can by no means access unintended information, since he or she has access to only one module.

                                                        The system of patient portals or modules is secure for medical businesses and isn’t a challenge for the patients. And if the service is painless to the patients, it is profitable to the provider.

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                                                          September 4, 2020
                                                          News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 4, 2020

                                                          EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – September 4, 2020

                                                          September 4, 2020

                                                          Dear providers!

                                                          EMSOW would like to wish you and your families a happy and safe Labor Day. In observance of the federal holiday, our support and sales departments will be closed on Monday (September 7, 2020). However, all our systems will be up and operating as usual – and below are a couple of new things we have added this week.

                                                          [#20638] View service information changes in order history

                                                          We have improved our data management functionality so that you could track service information changes more efficiently. Open an order in the Processing module, then click History.  The “Modify” status points now will display details on what exactly was modified when you hover your mouse over “Details.” For example, you can see if someone changed a study description, as well as the identifiers of the previous and the current study type.

                                                          #220638

                                                          [#20594] Finalize reports from Rendering Provider Portal

                                                          From now on, practitioners with appropriate permissions can finalize reports from the Rendering Provider Portal, without transferring their notes to the Physician Portal first. Open a report in the Rendering Provider Portal by double-clicking a patient record. Make sure that the report is ready to be sent, then check the confirmation box as shown below to enable the Finalize/send button. Click on it to finalize the report. Depending on the report template, a supervising physician’s signature can be added to the report automatically.

                                                          #20594

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                                                            August 26, 2020
                                                            News > EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – August 26, 2020

                                                            EMSOW Weekly Newsletter – August 26, 2020

                                                            August 26, 2020

                                                            Mobile diagnostic businesses, correctional facilities, and radiology providers take advantage of state-of-the-art PACS, a zero-install DICOM Viewer with a comprehensive set of report templates, as well as a robust system for patient scheduling, technologist dispatching, and billing. Image interpretation by a trusted radiologist licensed in your state is also a great opportunity we offer.

                                                            The latest updates will help you include discounts in your contracts, encourage your personnel to enter complete patient information and track TAT more precisely. Besides, we have made a minor improvement for correctional facilities.

                                                            If you’re not with EMSOW yet, visit our website, check out the services, and schedule a demo. You will see how it works (and even try it!), have your questions answered, and compare prices.

                                                            [#20605] Improved user interface to set up contracts for Part A billing

                                                            Now you can include discounts in your contracts in one window, without opening several modules. Go to Setup > Billing > Referring Contracts. Start editing a referring contract. Discounts are added in the Discounts section of the Edit referring contract window.

                                                            #20605_1

                                                            Set the required discount parameters, then click Save.

                                                            #20605_2

                                                            [#20589] New mandatory rule: Patient Email

                                                            Now you can make the Patient Email field mandatory. To set this rule, go to Setup > Rules > Mandatory Rules. Start editing a rule. In the Fields drop-down menu, select Patient Email. Click Save.

                                                            #20589

                                                            When this rule is enabled, the system will not allow users to save services with the Patient Email field left blank.

                                                            [#20554] Excel invoice for correctional facilities

                                                            In the latest version of EMSOW, you can send invoices to correctional facilities in the Excel format (previously, only PDF was available). To set up this option, go to Setup > Billing > Billing companies. Start editing a company record. Make sure that the company type is Direct. In the Invoice properties section of the General tab, select Excel (for correctional facilities only). Click OK.

                                                            #20554

                                                            [#20541] HCFA form modifications

                                                            Now you can copy the information from Box 33 to Box 31 and 32 of HCFA forms. To enable this option, go to Setup > Billing > Billing companies. Start editing a company record. Check the box: Use this billing company info for Box 31 &32.

                                                            #20541

                                                            [#19520] Improved “Reading turnaround time analysis” module

                                                            Turnaround time is essential, especially if you deal with STAT cases. Now EMSOW displays reading turnaround time in hours and minutes. To view this information, follow the path: Analysis > Reading turnaround time analysis.

                                                            #19520

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