OREANDA-NEWS. October 15, 2014. Georgia West Imaging and Outpatient Imaging LLC (OPI) --  two sister radiology companies serving western Georgia and eastern Alabama -- have selected McKesson Business Performance Services (McKesson) for a full complement of revenue cycle management services, including coding, billing, AR management, business intelligence reporting, compliance, and physician documentation education.

The organizations turned to McKesson because of the company’s reputation and commitment to providing personal, hands-on service through certified coders and client managers. The two practices will also benefit from McKesson’s proactive approach to denial management. Denials can be especially damaging to radiology cash flow, given the high cost of many imaging procedures.

McKesson’s in-depth business intelligence reporting -- which provides detailed financial and operational insight into both hospital-based operations and free-standing imaging centers – was another key differentiator in the decision to choose McKesson. Both organizations’ claims will be processed at McKesson’s radiology billing center in Norcross, Ga.  

A key objective for OPI is the ability to streamline its point-of-service payment processes. The rise of high-deductible health plans has made it important that payments made at the time of service are recorded and tracked properly, and that excess patient credit balances are not carried for an inordinate length of time. 

Georgia West is a 10-physician practice providing radiology services for five hospitals in western Georgia and eastern Alabama, while OPI operates free-standing imaging centers in Newnan and Peachtree City, Ga.

"As a proven leader in the billing industry, McKesson provides exceptional service with a personal touch," said Holly Sailers, CPA, Practice Manager of Georgia West. "We turned to them because of their range of technical capabilities and the expertise of their people. McKesson understands the difference between billing for hospital-based facilities versus outpatient centers, and that was important for us."

"We’re also gratified that their customer service center will be in close proximity to our operating locations,” Sailers added. “We truly believe this partnership will help us achieve the full potential of Georgia West Imaging and Outpatient Imaging while improving the experience for our patients.”

Pat Leonard, president of McKesson Business Performance Services, said McKesson has developed one of the industry’s most sophisticated processes for managing patient self-payments at the point-of-service.

"Given the direction healthcare is going, it is essential that physician practices revisit their patient payment procedures to make sure appropriate collections are made at the time of service," he said. "Equally important, payments must be properly accounted for. Too often, a lack of precision in this area can lead to significant cash problems, not to mention regulatory concerns surrounding excess patient credit balances. That’s why we’ve made it a priority with all our clients to bolster this vital but often overlooked aspect of revenue cycle management."