Chatbots, emails and other automated methods of customer interaction are a great way for businesses to control costs and keep their operations efficient 鈥� until you鈥檙e on the other end of the communication. Then you might come to appreciate the value of being able to pick up the phone and talk to a live human being.
That鈥檚 certainly true when EMS and ambulance organizations encounter problems with their cash flow. Keeping that revenue coming in is essential to their operations (and thus community safety), so delays can be trouble, but 鈥� whether you鈥檙e trying to contact your biller or just have questions about your software 鈥� getting an actual person on the line seems a bigger hurdle every day.
鈥淲hen our sales folks talk to prospects, what they hear about a lot of these other software and billing companies is, 鈥榃e can鈥檛 get them on the phone鈥� and 鈥楾he only way to reach them is through chat,鈥欌�� said Michelle Corey, vice president of operations at , a prominent provider of both and for EMS and ambulance service clients. 鈥淭hey hear complaints really centered around customer support and access.鈥�
For AIM, remaining accessible and supportive for customers has become a point of distinction. While its combination of software and services makes it a unique player in the EMS billing world, its roughly 50 employees are also intently focused on the value of customer service.
鈥淲e still return calls quickly,鈥� said Corey. 鈥淎 lot of competitors don鈥檛 even pick up the phone anymore 鈥� they just rely on email and chat. Our CEO is committed to that personal touch. We support a vital industry that doesn鈥檛 really get the broader support it needs anyway, so for us it鈥檚 more of a purpose than a job. We鈥檙e going to give them the best customer service we can.鈥�
Whether you鈥檙e just looking for software or need someone to take on all your billing operations, you鈥檒l see that in numerous ways.
WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT YOURSELF
Many organizations prefer to conduct their own billing. can provide effective software for that, and the relationship is more than simply a transaction that ends with a sale.
Installation can happen in days; then AIM helps train users鈥� personnel in the nuances of operations. Purpose-built and highly configurable, its automates and simplifies workflows, resulting in faster and more accurate operations, with features such as prepopulated fields, automatic data validation and error-checking, task routing and more. This can reduce claim-submission times by up to half and help deliver claims free of errors that can result in rejections. Insurance validation is expedited with a simple one-click check of eligibility.
The software includes comprehensive lists of codes, descriptions and procedures and customizable hospital lists with automatic import of allowable charges. Step-by-step workflows ensure nothing is missed. Alerts can be tailored by user, payer or patient. It鈥檚 compliant with HIPAA and other federal and state regulations and integrates with other existing software. Keeping data in the cloud frees users from its maintenance and updating, and its easy availability means staff can access it and work anytime, anywhere.
AIM also offers compatible and software for EMS organizations. The first helps organizations handle their own dispatching without high-budget hardware requirements and maintenance issues. The second streamlines data entry and facilitates reports by guiding crews through fields configurable by incident type. It permits custom narrative templates that are especially useful in nonemergency transports, and automated error-checking and QI routing help support quality care.
The three AIM platforms can be joined in whole or part for full-suite function that spares agencies the headaches of integrating among multiple vendors and communicating across them if there鈥檚 a problem. The company provides all software patches, backups and upgrades.
STAFFING STRUGGLES DRIVE OUTSOURCING
Finding sufficient workforce can be a challenge these days, and if there aren鈥檛 enough EMTs and paramedics, you may also have trouble finding back-office personnel such as billers. That鈥檚 likely a big reason has seen significant growth on its side.
鈥淚 think it has a lot to do with where the economy is these days,鈥� said Corey. 鈥淧eople are really struggling to find in-house billing employees. They鈥檙e struggling with general staffing 鈥� EMTs, paramedics, the whole nine yards. So with that challenge they鈥檙e outsourcing their billing.鈥�
AIM offers such organizations a turnkey solution optimized for rapid revenue recovery. The company鈥檚 billers are certified by the National Academy of Ambulance Compliance (NAAC) and experienced in the intricacies of billing for EMS. AIM can also deliver training for clients to help their dispatchers and crews understand how documentation shapes reimbursement and complete full, accurate patient care reports that pass payers鈥� muster.
Letting the pros do it comes with some benefits: They can verify coverages rapidly and scrutinize claims closely for accuracy. They understand coding and can get set up and bill quickly, getting cash back faster as well. And with familiarity and relationships with major payers, they can provide a painless process leaders of EMS organizations scarcely need to think about while they focus on their core mission of running calls. They鈥檙e also well versed in HIPAA and other regulations that can trip up inexperienced billers.
AIM provides full visibility into accounts and invoices, plus a customizable range of reports to keep billing customers up to speed on every aspect of their financial operations. And if help is needed for any reason, it鈥檚 attainable without an impersonal electronic gatekeeper.
鈥淧eople try to reach their biller and may be directed to 10 different places: 鈥極h, that鈥檚 a Medicare question, you have to talk to so-and-so,鈥� or 鈥極h, I don鈥檛 know about your reports; you need to contact this person,鈥欌�� noted Corey. 鈥淲e provide a team of people here to support you, but with only one or two people to contact. It doesn鈥檛 depend on what type of issue it is; they鈥檒l be available to address your issues the best way you want to do it 鈥� fax, phone, chat or whatever it might be.鈥�
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
A measure of customer satisfaction, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) evaluates buyers鈥� loyalty by asking whether they would recommend businesses to their friends and colleagues. A roundup of two years ago found Starbucks at 77, Airbnb at 74 and Netflix at 68. 鈥檚 NPS score is a sparkly 83. Among users of its , 86% say they鈥檇 rate its support and EMS knowledge at 9 or better on a scale of 10, and of its customers, 87% say they鈥檙e extremely satisfied.
Whichever route a service prefers, their experience with AIM will begin with an in-depth review of their individual operations and pain points. They will be counseled on options and ultimately receive a solution tailored to their workflows. AIM assists throughout any implementation or transition process 鈥� and throughout any changeover if a service ever needs to switch course.
鈥淎 lot of times when a service comes to us, they鈥檒l say, 鈥業 need this much cash to keep my doors open,鈥欌�� Corey said. 鈥淎 lot of them are looking at that: 鈥楬ow can I stay afloat? How can I work in the black instead of the red?鈥� We spend a lot of time in the beginning understanding their goals and making sure everyone鈥檚 expectations are aligned.鈥�
Moving fast can be essential: By the time many services seek professional billing help, they can be in dire financial straits. AIM shepherds them through a complete process of applications and registrations or can potentially get new software installations done in just a few days. Any needed training is delivered at the client鈥檚 convenience.
鈥淲e have folks who have gone through eight to 10 hours of training on the software and after a few days are able to use the system,鈥� Corey said. 鈥淲e try to make it as user-friendly and as efficient as possible so that they can hit the ground running.鈥�
And if you just don鈥檛 know which method might be better? Maybe talk it over with someone fluent in both languages.
鈥淭hat we are both a billing service and a software provider is our biggest differentiator,鈥� Corey added. 鈥淵ou want to try to do it yourself? Let鈥檚 set you up and get you trained. We have our own set of in-house billers, and our software trainer knows how to bill. So not only are you getting somebody to train you on the software, but they can help you get an understanding of some of the billing processes that you couldn鈥檛 get from another software vendor.鈥�
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