Somerset, NJ, Sept. 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MTBC, a leading healthcare IT company serving providers throughout the country, hosted a complimentary webinar entitled "Flu Shot Reminder Calls," last Wednesday, August 28, 2012. This webinar was delivered by Loraine Goetsch, MTBC's VP of Revenue Cycle Management, and Amritpal Deol, Director of Client Relations Management. This webinar focused on flu shot reimbursements and the changes in preventative care coverage pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
On February 24, 2010, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted that everyone in the U.S. receive a flu vaccine. Furthermore, the ACA provides that insurance policies, for those enrolled in job-related health plans or individual health insurance policies, created after March 23, 2010 are required to cover preventative care services, such as flu shots, at no cost to the patient. However, plans created prior to that date maybe grandfathered.
"Providers should seize the opportunity to remind their patients to come in for a flu shot," said Loraine Goetsch, VP of Revenue Cycle Management. "These calls serve two purposes; they remind patients that their doctor offers flu shots and provides a personal touch that cannot be duplicated by a LED billboard."
The CDC reported that in 2011, nearly 24 million people received a flu vaccine from a store. "This number represents a significant amount of patients that providers missed bringing back to their offices," said Amritpal Deol, Director of CRM. "It is likely that these patients did not know their doctor provided the vaccine or they preferred the convenience of a retail pharmacy store."
It is imperative that providers reach out to their patients and encourage them to come in for their immunizations. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) conducted a study regarding the effectiveness of patient reminder systems in improving immunization rates. The study concluded that reminders are effective in improving 80% of the immunization rates (33 of the 41 studies). Furthermore, the JAMA study found that phone calls are the most effective tool for patient reminder systems, although they can be the costliest.
At no additional cost, MTBC offers, to its 5% billing clients, reminder calls for appointments, well visits and flu shots. "Our proprietary, technology-driven solutions and resources help providers reduce administrative expenses, increase practice revenues and enhance workflows," said David Rosenblum, MTBC Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
A video of this Webinar will be available on MTBC's website. For more information on preventative care and the ACA please visit healthcare.gov.
ABOUT MTBC
Founded in 1999 and based in Somerset, New Jersey, MTBC provides Practice and Revenue Cycle Management Services and proprietary software solutions to private physician offices and hospital-employed provider groups throughout the United States. It's integrated and competitively priced premium products, PracticePro™ and ChartsPro™, present a service suite unmatched in the industry for their scope and value. MTBC has been consistently recognized by Deloitte LLP - 2009, 2010, 2011 - as one of the fastest growing companies in North America and has also been recognized in each of the last two years as an Inc. 500│5000 company.
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