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Pros
- DrChrono Medical Billing is cost-effective.
- It includes access to user-friendly medical software.
Cons
- Billing clients must use DrChrono’s electronic medical record (EMR) system.
- The medical software is not as scalable for midsize and large practices.
Usability
When you choose DrChrono’s revenue cycle management (RCM) services, you must also use the company’s EMR system and practice management software (PMS), both of which are highly user-friendly. You should be able to get to most of your applications from the top of your EMR or PMS dashboard. The tabs are arranged in an order that follows the logical flow of a patient encounter.
On the reporting side, we were especially impressed with DrChrono’s customizability. You can create and sort reports by collections per payer and time frame, individual or bulk claim volume or value, denied and adjudicated claims and more. Implementing these customizations is easy as well.
Features
Here are some of DrChrono’s most compelling RCM features that can improve your medical billing:
| Charge entry and coding | DrChrono will enter and code all your charges, meaning it handles your billing process from start to finish. |
| Claim scrubbing and monitoring | DrChrono will scrub all your claims for errors and monitor their progress, leading to a first-pass approval rate of 97%. |
| Denied-claim management | Rejected and denied claims are managed in a separate queue that billers and clients can track through the PMS. |
| EMR and PMS access | DrChrono’s RCM services include its EMR system and PMS, though the requirement to use its EMR software is uncommon. |
| Flexible solutions | DrChrono’s clients submit 25 to 1,000 claims per month, and the company remains open to larger clients. |
| No clearinghouse fees | Although DrChrono’s clearinghouse isn’t integrated with its platform, it bakes all clearinghouse fees into your monthly rates via its TriZetto partnership. |
Charge Entry and Coding
DrChrono manages your practice’s revenue cycle from start to finish, including medical coding. That means it enters and codes all your charges, so there is no need to handle these tasks in-house. This aspect of DrChrono’s managed billing services distinguishes it from some other providers that begin managing your revenue only after you enter and code your charges.
Claim Scrubbing and Monitoring
Every time DrChrono generates a medical claim for your practice, it scrubs the claim to free it of errors that would result in payer rejection. When DrChrono detects these errors, its medical billing and coding team adjusts your claims appropriately to maximize the chances of acceptance.
Additionally, DrChrono extensively monitors all claims it submits. Your DrChrono billing team will track all your claims until they are paid and will follow up on approved claims that go unpaid. DrChrono’s first-pass acceptance rate (FPAR) is 97%, meaning only 3% of claims DrChrono submits on behalf of your practice are denied or need extra work before resubmission. This acceptance rate is well within the range of DrChrono’s competitors.
Denied-Claim Management
Although denied claims are infrequent with DrChrono, a few denials are inevitable. When these denials occur, DrChrono will handle them on your behalf. DrChrono’s billers will obtain all information available about the claim in question and use this data to revise it.
To manage your denied claims, DrChrono will access your EMR to obtain relevant clinical documentation. DrChrono will revise and refile your claim or submit an appeal based on what your documentation reveals. In all cases, DrChrono strives to resubmit denied claims no later than 25 days after the payer denies or rejects them.
Source: DrChrono
EMR and PMS Access
DrChrono’s RCM platform comes with its EMR system and PMS, and the company requires its medical billing clients to use both of those platforms. This rule is unusual; most medical billing services only require that clients use their PMS.
However, this EMR requirement doesn’t have to be negative, especially considering that we also chose DrChrono’s medical software as our best pick for new practices. Read our DrChrono medical software review to find out why.
Flexible Solutions
DrChrono’s RCM services suit practices of many sizes and claim volumes, but the company specializes in small practices. According to a company representative, most DrChrono clients submit between 25 and 1,000 claims per month and have one to 25 providers.
However, DrChrono doesn’t rule out larger clients; company representatives told us that practices of any size can sign up for DrChrono’s medical billing services and immediately begin filing claims.
No Clearinghouse Fees
DrChrono’s clearinghouse is not integrated with its platform as it is with some other RCM services. However, in DrChrono’s case, this lack of integration yields no serious consequences for your operations or budget. Because DrChrono has a partnership with the TriZetto clearinghouse, it absorbs the fees other nonintegrated providers might charge you.
Put another way, the clearinghouse fees that are common with some other billing services are included in DrChrono’s pricing. The result is that DrChrono’s clearinghouse is effectively integrated (and thus cost-free) even if this isn’t truly the case.
Pricing
As with all the RCM companies we reviewed, DrChrono charges a monthly percentage of your collections. This structure stands in contrast to that of medical software, for which you typically pay per provider per month. In some cases, you may be able to pay per encounter, but DrChrono is open to negotiating a flat fee per month.
The percentage of collections your practice pays ranges from 4% to 8%; the exact rate is based on how many patients your practice sees per month, your number of providers and your specialty. The latter element may have the most profound impact on your rate, as some specialties’ billing processes are far more complex than others.
Whatever your rate, DrChrono likely will ask you to commit to a one-year contract. This contract length is common among the medical billing services we reviewed.
Setup
Some RCM services charge setup, implementation and clearinghouse fees, but DrChrono does not. You’ll incur no extra costs to get your software and services in place, with one exception: If you’re switching to DrChrono’s EMR from another platform (i.e., if you don’t already have DrChrono’s EMR platform), you may incur data migration costs. Otherwise, training and implementation are included. Additionally, DrChrono will pair you with a dedicated contact for your implementation and training. You’ll also receive videos customized for your practice.
Customer Service
We like that DrChrono pairs you with a dedicated account manager you can contact for all customer service inquiries well after implementation. This contact can also provide any status reports you request. You can also file help tickets for technical issues.
Should you have questions or concerns that you think you can resolve on your own, you can explore the self-guided learning tools and videos available on DrChrono’s website. These resources focus mostly on concerns regarding navigation, customizability and troubleshooting. You’ll also find guides to DrChrono’s mobile app.
Drawbacks
DrChrono’s RCM services are ideal for small practices, but there are some potential drawbacks. First, DrChrono requires you to use its EMR platform, which wasn’t the case for most of the RCM services we reviewed. So, if you’re already settled with another EMR, this requirement may be a dealbreaker. Migrating to DrChrono’s EMR may also result in data migration fees, although they are relatively low.
Another limitation is that this medical software is geared toward small practices. If your new practice meets its goals and grows, it may eventually need more powerful medical software than DrChrono offers. That means a data migration could be a few years down the line. If your practice is large or growing and you need a more comprehensive medical software platform, read our review of AdvancedMD’s medical software.
Methodology
We spent hours researching medical billing services. That research included software demonstrations, phone interviews and customer service calls, as well as analysis of customer service reviews available online, including those listed on the Better Business Bureau website. We spent several months browsing company websites, reading customer reviews and speaking with company representatives. When choosing our pick for new practices, we analyzed billing services’ medical software and their experience working with very small practices. In our testing, we determined that DrChrono offered a lightweight software platform and a reliable billing service for new practices.
What Is a Medical Billing Service?
A medical billing service is a company that maintains a staff of medical billers (and sometimes coders) to prepare and track claims on behalf of client healthcare organizations. Medical billing services often hire certified medical billers with credentials such as AAPC or AHIMA certification. These organizations tend to offer specialty experience and consultation to a healthcare organization, removing the burden of managing billing while maintaining transparency into financial performance. The best medical billing services excel at not only managing a healthcare organization’s billing but also improving collections and boosting revenue.
DrChrono Medical Billing FAQs
How much does DrChrono’s medical billing service cost?
The pricing for DrChrono’s medical billing service ranges from 4% to 8% of your practice’s collections. The pricing can vary based on factors such as practice size, specialty, claim volume and billing complexity. DrChrono’s pricing is competitive with the pricing we found in our other medical billing service reviews.
Do I have to use DrChrono’s medical software to use the billing service?
Yes, DrChrono requires clients to use both its EMR system and its PMS. This requirement was unique among the medical billing services we reviewed; most required the use of only the PMS.
Does DrChrono’s medical billing service include medical coding?
Yes, DrChrono manages charge entry and medical coding. Its staff includes medical coders who can turn your patient encounters into coded claims, so you won’t have to hire an in-house medical coder. This is a valuable service that not every medical billing service offers; not even all of our best picks offer medical coding.
Bottom Line
We recommend DrChrono Medical Billing for …
- New practices on a budget.
- Small practices that need core medical software functions.
- Practices that want flexible outsourced billing solutions.
We don’t recommend DrChrono Medical Billing for …
- Practices that are already committed to another company’s EMR.
- Practices that are looking for month-to-month RCM contracts.
- Large medical practices or health systems.
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