Trending worldwide

Worldwide, law and enforcement authorities are waking up to the anti-social surprises social media have been unveiling in recent times.  Last year, during London Olympics, Scotland and Wales police trailed software to predict where and when crime and social disorder may take place, reported The Herald. In August, 2011, the NY Daily News reported that the NYPD have started to “mine” social media for information about “troublesome house parties, gang showdowns and other potential mayhem.”

Recently, a blog post in official FBI.gov blog has urged local police to monitor social media for leads on criminal activity. The writer who is a a retired major with the Montgomery, Alabama, Police Department and now acting as the assistant chief agent at the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center has asked the local law enforcement officers to use Internet as a predictive tool for everything from “apprehend fugitives, single out associate suspects, link individuals to street gangs, and provide evidence of criminal activity.”

For a better tomorrow

By monitoring of social media and analytics, a city, state or government can make more informed decisions from better insights. Some decisions can be predicative; some could be based upon analyzing public sentiment during, post or pre-event. With the right tools and resource, sudden events like earthquake, terrorist attacks, tornadoes, flooding, wildfire, shootings or bombings can be dealt with proper responsive actions.

Cost savings & better resource deployment

A comprehensive monitoring campaign can provide deep insights about where the crowd is located, their movement, communication content, influencers’ whereabouts without deploying manpower or logistics. A location centric trend can help mobilize resource as per requirement.

Good Reads

Engage: Digital and Social Media Engagement for the Police Service from National Policing Improvement Agency, UK: This document aims to help police officers and staff to engage with their communities through the use of technology. It has been written with a purpose to make them aware of the new engagement technologies that exist in digital era with case studies from United Kingdom forces. For all curious minds who live and breathe social media, it’s a must read guide (and a best practice example) to know how law and enforcement is looking at social media to form a barrier between criminals and society. Click to read.

Using Social Media to Prevent Gang Violence and Engage Youth from Northeastern University: Technological boom during this past generation has completely changed the way youths consume information. This report cites a Nielsen study finding which says, “57% of young people rely on social networks as a key source of information and advice.” An insightful report from the Northeastern University on how social media monitoring services can serve as a catalyst of gang and youth violence prevention strategies. Click to read.

Image courtesy: ivanpw

Medical files are kept in a urgent care center in Ohio for processing

In healthcare outsourcing, Urgent Care Management is a new playing field with complex regulatory issues, complicated reimbursement system and multiple health plans from gamut of service providers. Amidst ever changing regulations and overwhelming coding rules, finding the lost income that your urgent care business legitimately owes has become a daunting task.

Efficient cash flow not just helps an urgent care center more short term financial freedom to smoothly manage day-to-day operations; it also helps overcome long term industry challenges. Improving financial processes require a strategic mind and willingness to look beyond a neighborhood resource who may or may not have the required technical expertise.

Talent crunch

Centers in USA are in dire need of experienced and trained medical billers and coders. There is a national shortage of medical coders, says Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11, published by the United States Department of Labor. Another report published in June 2011 by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) states that, 40 percent of respondents have said shortages are the result of a lack of qualified coders. The February 2013 issue of For The Record magazine in its Vol. 25 No. 3 P.6 writes

HIM departments are not exempt from this reality. For years they have labored under an ever-worsening shortage of qualified coders—a situation that will be compounded by numerous changes looming on the horizon. And while no one can accurately predict how extensive the deficit will be, some estimates point to nationwide coder shortages as high as 30% to 50% as soon as late this year. Source

In its March 5, 2013 update, Binghamton University mentions in its website, “The estimated shortage of coders will be close to 500,000 over the next few years according to a variety of organizations and agencies.”

No wonder, due to dearth of skilled medical coders and billers, employers have to hire resources with increased salaries and often with sign-on bonuses and other perks. Also add to the fact, it takes six months to a year for a biller or coder to learn the basics of medical billing. On average, a four week delay costs an astronomical amount to keep the center up and going. And we have not yet touched upon complicated or unresolved past cases, which a fresh recruit would find difficult to chase.

Parent company of VeeBill, Sona Valliappa Group has been running an institute of repute, Sona University for over 50 years. For VeeBill, it adds a unique dimension to the art of human resources and training. VeeBill draws its strength in recruiting the best talent from the pool of over 10,000 students from the university. The learning department through its Learning Management Systems (LMS) and gaming techniques imparts various skill specific extensive BPO training programs. No wonder, graduating students from the university are ready and raring to go from day one. They join a burgeoning workforce which is ably supervised by number of team leads, managers, senior managers and vertical heads.

An efficient, experienced and skilled workforce coupled with the latest technology and software (CISCO networking to IBM, Dell workstations, custom software for medical coding and data capturing), requisite quality (it’s an ISO 9001:2008 certified company) and stringent security (HIPAA compliant since 1999); VeeBill offers superior efficiency and improved productivity. This dedication towards 360◦ process compliance led us to achieve Six Sigma levels of quality.

Take a quick look Urgent Care Outsourcing services that VeeBill offers:

Patient Access

•             Patient Scheduling

•             Pre-registration

•             Financial-Clearance

•             Insurance Verification   & Eligibility

Health Information Management

•             Charge Description Master (CDM)

•             Medical Records

•             Clinical Documentation Improvement

•             Transcription

•             Medical Coding

•             Release of Information (ROI)

Business Office

•             Revenue Cycle Management

•             Medical Billing

•             Hospital Billing

•             Payment/Cash Posting

•             Customer Service

•             Accounts Receivables Follow-Up

•             Denial Management

Billing & Coding Services

•             Radiology Billing Services

•             Cardiology Billing Services

•             Home Health Billing Services

•             DME Billing Services

•             Hospice Billing Codes Services

•             Emergency Room Billing Services

•             Urgent Care Billing Services

•             Dental Billing & Coding Services

We would like to hear about your billing and coding services requirements and discuss how we can work together to help your organization achieve extraordinary outcome. For more information and no obligatory demo get in touch with our representative at 646 837 0837 or fill up this form for a quick quote.

Image courtesy phalinn

The Document Review process is done by determining if the document that is discovered is relevant to the case in hand or not. Documents are bifurcated as responsive documents and non-responsive documents. When there is a Request For Production (RFP) of the documents, responsive documents are classified as privileged or non-privileged documents. Privileged documents are those documents which have attorney-client privilege in them i.e., documents which contain any communication between the attorney and client relating to the case in hand will be considered as privileged documents. Privileged documents also include the attorney work product doctrine and/or any confidentiality rules and privacy laws. These privileged documents will not be produced on filing RFP.

Confidential documents are also not furnished in response to an RFP. Confidential documents include documents which contain confidential information about the party, for example trade secrets of the party. Confidential information will not be revealed to the opposing parties. Such confidential information will be redacted if it is only a part of the document and produced or if the whole document contains confidential information then the document will be withheld in the interest of protecting the confidentiality of the parties. Responsive documents that contain any critical information about the case in hand will be marked as key or hot documents.

Document Review, has given more and more of the work to the legal profession as attorneys are being outsourced to do this work. This model is less expensive than hiring temp support on-site since outsourcing vendors inherently offer the added benefit of working as an extended arm to any firm at a reasonable cost. They also can work with a faster turnaround time because multiple individuals can be activated immediately for rush jobs. Lastly, by selecting a trusted player in the market – like Vee LPO – the level of quality is guaranteed in writing when the contract is signed. Overall, outsourcing reduces work pressure from lawyers and allows them and their staff to focus on their particular specialized field of law.

Also gone are the days when we used to search for data ourselves. Now it searches for us through recommendations or contextually and behaviorally targeted advertising.

Recently there have been massive developments that merge augmented realty with symantec Internet which not only provides surfers with the variety we all crave but also enables business houses to offer services and products at a very granular level to highly interested customers. This trend has bought about a change in how the industry looks at data and its possible implications. Corporate marketing and communications teams are being formed left and right to target Social Media channels and engage potential clients, existing clients who seek a higher level of customer satisfaction and also employees to source ideas for development and knowledge sharing.

When Microsoft launched Kinect there was a lot of focus placed on engagement with a multitude of road shows spread out across the world showcasing and videos promoted on their website and Facebook page. What happened next was almost predictable and deemed the fastest-selling consumer device after just 3 months post launch. It didn’t take more than a simple scan through the media to show that the go-to-market plan was very well designed to engage with the customer and use the influencer to make it viral using social media channels.

Kinect changed the way video games are played and also how social media can be used to share pictures and videos by introducing Kinectshare.com. The same success pattern applies to all other disruptive technology that has been introduced in recent years, including tablets, smart phones and, of course, the iPod and iPads (both of which are more common nouns nowadays than an actual brand…sorry, Apple!).

So what’s next in line?  With Google Glasses coming there will surely be another disruption in the Social Media. I’m not sure how Google will cater to individual privacy though, which has seen a lot of negative coverage lately. However, one thing is for sure and that is it will definitely provide a new dimension on how we see and use social media.

Throughout this innovation phase, social media data monitoring has paced and has played a key role in both the pre- and post-introductory phase to enable an overall holistic solution. It not only enables communication and public relations teams to stay up-t0-date on conversations across the product life cycle, new product development requirements to R&D team, consumer background to sales and marketing teams and brand reputation to the corporate team; but it also keeps key employees updated of what and how their company is doing and provides even non-strategic team members the opportunity and platform to become a true company ambassador.

Increasingly social media is also used as a channel to scout for new clients and an opportunity which often enables a higher positive reach. It hasn’t stopped just at engagement either as it also involves go-to-market plans for both b2b and b2c brands. Name any brand and you will see it being omnipresent across social media channels, either providing assistance or trying to market (through engaging) with consumers.

I guess our waking up mid-sleep will continue and probably only get worse.  However, thanks to client engagement initiatives we’ll all become more decisive consumers with consumer empowerment offered up by Social Media on a silver platter.

Timely turnaround, which is often a major operational challenge in the industry, is no longer an issue for providers who partner with medical billing services companies. In fact, Indian medical billing services companies are renowned as well oiled machines that can accommodate unexpected spikes in workload volume quickly, even in excess of 40%, without affecting turnaround time. This kind of business continuity is sure to delight any client.

In the past, medical billing services companies were often looked upon as entities that kept the providers in the dark and often served up daily unexpected surprises. Obviously times have changed. Today, strategic services companies have matured. They share operational details with providers and send timely analysis reports to help providers take calculative decision for their future expansion. Strategic services companies have taken over the hassles of the billing process thus allowing providers to concentrate on their practice, which helps them to expand their service portfolio and patient base. Strategic services companies provide benefits like proactive input on transparent methods for how to enhance the revenue stream without the providers having to become directly involved in the process.

The entire approach towards this symbiotic business relationship ensures it is more of a mutual partnership and a win-win relationship than it ever was in the past. Indian companies especially have realized the importance of giving back to the client and are keen to offer up tips and advice for improving processes and increasing efficiency.

The more strategic medical billing services firms who’ve worked hand-in-hand with US healthcare companies for over a decade, like Vee Technologies have expanded their portfolio beyond the obvious day-to-day services. Many are now mobilizing their think tank away from traditional billing services support towards process reengineering and improving efficiencies. These companies aid organizations with required implementations like ICD10, EMR/EHR, and others that are essential for billing needs. On the whole, farming out medical billing and coding functions to specialized companies is highly profitable and beneficial to medical practices and healthcare organizations across the country.

An independent study on the US outsourcing environment has revealed that Indian strategic services companies have saved more than $ 6 billion for organizations who chose to outsource. Despite the benefits, we are all aware about the concerns that have arisen surrounding off-shoring and outsourcing, which have fast become a heated topic. Indian companies are sensitive to the unemployment realities in the US and have started working hard to be a part of the solution and not looked upon as only part of the problem. Near shore delivery centers have created a tremendous number of jobs in the US, which are being filled by Americans and that number will only grow.

As the world grows smaller, we can clearly see that there is much to gain through collaboration. Indian medical billing services companies are working collaboratively with American organizations to help benefit the US healthcare industry as it pushes forward to the next level of sustained growth.

But how much of a business can be or should be safely outsourced? That is the first question that needs to be decided. Every company is unique, so which portions of your business makes sense to outsource and which capabilities are you better off handling in-house?

Today almost 90% of companies use a Logistics Service Provider for warehouse management, transportation management and supply chain management activities (as per the survey conducted by *Aberdeen of over 123 supply chain professionals).

According to this survey, the top pressures driving outsourcing are:
• Increasing supply chain complexity
• Overall cost of managing the supply chain
• Rising logistics costs
• International commerce / guidance or geographical pressure
• Warehouses are running out of space

According to the study’s author, Bob Heaney, “Outsourcing is not an all or nothing strategy. It can be applied to isolated segments of your business to address specific logistics challenges. Today’s logistics executives are looking for the proper balance of outsourcing strategic processes with growing core competencies within the organization.”

To achieve best-in-class performance, *Aberdeen recommends that companies must:
• Develop a future outsourcing strategy roadmap for growth, considering geographic and customer / logistics trade-offs inclusive of cost and service benefits under in-house or outsourced alignment.
• Leverage core competencies in the supply chain and create a balance of in-house and outsourced activities.
• Integrate collaboratively with internal and external partners and LSPs on enabling collaborative technologies, and link planning and execution across today’s multi-party, complex supply chain.

So what are the core benefits of logistics outsourcing?
• It lets the organization focus on its basic activity/ core competence
• Use of the best methods and experience
• Increase of competitiveness
• Cost-cutting and application of high technologies

In addition to the above mentioned general advantages, the use of logistics outsourcing is being extended because of:
• High quality servicing by the specialized outsourcing companies
• Growing flexibility it offers
• Synergic effect
• Insufficient expertise among in-house staff
• Experience by companies providing logistics services is superior
• Strategic reasons

The use of third-party logistics services providers in India, like Vee Move, has grown dramatically over the last several years as an increasingly effective way for companies to reduce costs and spread the risks in traditional, vertically integrated firms.

The economic advantages of using 3PL suppliers are:
• Elimination of infrastructure investments
• Access to world-class processes, products, services or technologies
• Improved ability to react quickly to changes in business environments
• Risk sharing
• Better cash-flow
• Reduction of operating costs
• Exchange of fixed costs with variable costs
• Access to resources not available in one’s own organization

Does outsourcing make sense for your company? Why not try speaking with a potential provider or two to discover exactly how to maximize the outsourcing model for your particular needs. If your company is looking for deep cost benefits and improved processes then your best bet is to seek out a logistics services partner in India, where providers offer customers real-time or up to 48 hour turnaround service, 365 days a year. You can’t beat that!

View Source: *http://blog.highjump.com/blog/aiding-the-fight-for-competitive-advantage/outsource-logistics-versus-in-house , http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/logistics-management.asp

Source: Aberdeen Group

We all see it. The world around us is changing, this includes the complex and ever-changing legal landscape. Modern technology facilitates mass processes influencing human life in every aspect at large. Legal processes that were once handled exclusively in-house can now be safely outsourced to trusted global services partners. Hard copies are replaced by soft copies like e-mail, electronically stored information and more. As an organic result of this, the concept of document and documentary evidences is changed, affecting Law & Judiciary as well.

So what exactly can be outsourced today? The laws governing e-discovery have been updated. Quite a few amendments have been made to the FRCP which directly affect a company’s duty to preserve and produce ESI for ongoing or in anticipation of a litigation. The rules have already been adopted in Texas, California and many other U.S. states as well.

Rules of note:

• FRCP Rule 45 provides for subpoenas commanding that designated documents including electronically stored information be provided upon request.
• FRCP Rule 16 allows the court to establish rules around disclosure, privilege, methods and work product prior to commencing electronic discovery. Rule 26(f) requires all parties to agree on some form of protocol before discovery commences.
• As per Rule 26(a)(1), except as exempted by Rule 26(a)(1)(E) a party must without awaiting a discovery request, provide all documents including ESI to support its claims or defenses.

Companies involved in or in anticipation of litigation have an obligation to take all reasonable steps to preserve potentially relevant ESI. However, e-discovery process often can result in a delicate risk of unintentional disclosure of privileged or confidential information. Rules pertaining to this risk include:

• FRCP Rule 26(b)(5) refers the scope of discovery. A Party may obtain discovery regarding any non-privileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense.
• FRCP Rule 26(b)(5) sets forth procedures for repossession of information when privileged ESI is accidentally sent over to the requesting party.

As mentioned earlier, companies in litigation have an obligation to take all reasonable steps to preserve potentially relevant ESI. FRCP Rule 33(d) includes ESI as part of the business records related to answer to interrogatories, for example:

• FRCP Rule 34(b) establishes protocols for how documents or ESI are to be produced to requesting parties. Requesting party gets to choose form of production.
• FRCP Rule 37 provides safe anchorage if electronic evidence is lost and unrecoverable. FRCP Rule 37(f) allows for sanction against parties unwilling or fails to participate in the discovery process. But a court may not impose sanctions on a party for failing to provide electronically stored information lost as a result of the routine operation of an electronic information system. [FRCP Rule 37(e)]

With so many rules and regulations in place, does it make sense to outsource e-discovery work? Absolutely! Today, innumerable practices and firms all around the world outsource and successfully utilize the cost effective services offered by legal process outsourcing companies. This frees up their own valuable resources and systems to allow them to concentrate on high-end legal work.

Even with the recent deadline extension from December 31^st to March 31^st, ensuring a smooth transition will take time and providers, payers and vendors are urged not to wait! Vee Technologies President, Patrick O’Malley, states “It is all about positive cash flow. Vee is an excellent choice to stay on track because we offer peace of mind that the conversion will go well and that deadlines will be met.  Time and again our clients tell me it is our keen focus on accuracy that makes the difference. We deliver results with minimal disruptions so they can focus on maintaining successful business operations. It’s a real win-win strategy.”

The 4010 to 5010 conversion covers all EDI transactions, including eligibility, claim inquiry, authorizations and referrals, premium payments, enrollment, remittance and claim submission.

HIPAA version 5010 replaces version 4010 covering what entities are required to use when processing electronic transactions. This new standard is important to the long-term conversion that will go into effect in 2013 because Version 5010 allows for the growing size and complexity of ICD-10-CM/PCS codes in ways that 4010 would be unable to handle. The goal is to improve the claims submission and payment processes associated with the ICD-10-CM/PCS conversion.

By improving version 5010 with respect to the type of data it collects and transmits (over the course of the transaction), it improves the process in place currently for claim corrections and reversals, recovery of payments and also the processing of refunds.

Is your conversion complete or your conversion strategy in place? If not, don’t delay a moment longer or risk non-payment in 2012. Only HIPAA compliant claims avoid potential non-payment come April 1st, 2012.