The staff also audit bills that flow from departments, reviewing patients' records and verifying coding. They also must confirm that a physician's personal involvement matches the charge being made for service. Harlan R. Muntz, M.D., associate professor of otolaryngology, gets involved in major billing issues in his role as compliance officer at the School of Medicine. There can be follow-up audits, and billing privileges could be temporarily affected until all federal guidelines are met. We use audits as a tool for supporting and instructing physicians.
Audits also help departments by detecting underbilling as well as overbilling.
Once a year, Ditch and her staff conduct town hall meetings to update physicians on regulatory changes.