Communication. Use e-mail and instant messaging to communicate internally about staff meetings, policy changes, or general announcements. Instant messaging can also be handy to alert staff to immediate issues, such as when a patient with bad debt presents to the front desk. The receptionist can instant message the billing office to come to the front office to handle it. Instead of causing a scene, or violating the patient's confidentiality, the communication to the billing office can be handled with ease.

An electronic billing office can reap many rewards to a physician's office. Although it won't guarantee better performance, it can be a positive step in the right direction to lower overhead and improve cash flow —  all while continuing to offer the service to patients you pride yourself upon.

Elizabeth Woodcock, director of knowledge management for Physicians Practice, can be reached at ewoodcock@physicianspractice.com.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2003 issue of Physicians Practice.