Finances
Why the use of Defensive Medicine is a Controversy
You can’t blame medical professionals for taking part in defensive medicine. If a patient should be misdiagnosed, there are often lawsuits. Doctors are so afraid of making mistakes due to malpractice suits that they often cover all the bases to an extreme. This often means that patients are being asked to complete more tests than they really need to.
Many people maintain that medical professionals should have enough training to properly diagnose health concerns without all of those tests. However, it is common that symptoms can be the result of many different underlying problems. That is where defensive medicine comes in. Doctors and hospitals have to be able to back up the fact that they did all they could to provide a very accurate diagnosis.
In fact, this practice is so common that 90% of doctors take part in defensive medicine. If you have to see the doctor but you don’t have insurance, you can ask them about which of the tests they are asking for are absolutely necessary. By doing so, you can help to reduce the overall cost of what you will have to pay out of pocket for your health care.
With the number of lawsuits against doctors increasing and payouts to those patients at high dollar amounts, insurance is expensive. Medical professionals are virtually backed into a corner where they have to take part in defensive medicine. If they aren’t doing so, they leave themselves wide open for damages if such cases are filed against them. They have worked too hard and too long to allow their practices to be compromised in this way.
The controversy comes from the fact that patients feel taken advantage of. They are poked and prodded and have to schedule many forms of testing to get a diagnosis from their doctor. Many people agree that laws need to be tighter surrounding lawsuits in the medical field. Only then will the use of defensive medicine begin to decrease and the cost to the patients reduced as well.
With health care costs continually on the rise, taking notice of the problem on all levels has created quite a stir. Studies indicate more than $60 billion is spent annually on defensive medicine. A great deal of that money is coming from government funded programs. Higher insurance premiums are also a result of so much being billed annually for excessive testing. For those that have to pay out of pocket, the struggle to come up with the money to pay off the bills for medical care is extremely difficult.
The bottom line is that medical professionals are not trying to bill you at every turn for all the tests they can make you take. Instead, they are doing a thorough job to make sure they don’t end up with problems later on. Most medical professionals take their position to help patients very seriously. The last thing they want is to see it compromised. As a result of this defensive medicine helps them to reduce errors and it protects them from lawsuits.
The Benefits of the HFMA Certification Program
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is one of a number of independent, non-profit organizations that play a vital role in improving the standards of healthcare on a daily basis at the moment. With a formidable reputation and an illustrious history, the HFMA is respected amongst professionals and recognized for the products and services that it offers. However, one of the most important functions offered is certification for those looking to forge a career in the finance aspect of healthcare.
The HMFA certification program is very comprehensive and takes a while to complete, but it is worth it for the achievement and recognition that comes along with it. There are numerous requirements that are necessary to fulfill, but the recognition that full certification will bring you is immense.
In order to achieve full certification under the HFMA certification program, you have to be a current member of the HFMA, which obviously means that you have to be employed in a financial role within the healthcare industry. Regular or advanced membership counts towards this requirement but you do have to be a member for two years or more. This should be two years in total and does not have to be consecutive, but you must be a member before being certified.
There are also exams that you have to take and pass in order to pass the HFMA certification program. You only have to take two exams though. Every applicant must take the core exam but the second one should be a specialty of your choice. According to the HFMA website, they are offered in accounting and finance, patient financial services, managed care, and financial management of physician practices. Both should be completed within 24 months in addition to the completion of 60 hours at a recognized educational institution that is fully accredited. All of the above should be done in the three years prior to an application being submitted along with references.
As you can see, it takes some time to earn full HFMA certification but the effort is worth it. The experience you will gain and the benefits it can provide you in terms of your career will be invaluable in the coming years.
http://www.allbusiness.com/health-care-social-assistance/674050-1.html
http://www.hfma.org/certification/chfp/
The Role of the Healthcare Financial Management Association
The Healthcare Financial Management Association, otherwise known as the HFMA, is the premier membership organization for individuals in the roles of healthcare financial management leaders and executives. With over 35,000 members as of 2009, the HFMA is considered to be the leading authority on any issues and problems facing the healthcare industry at any given time. With a branch in the UK and national, regional, and chapter branches in America, it is a respected authority on healthcare and has been since its foundation in 1946.
As you can see, the HFMA is effectively a representation service that provides chief financial officers, accountants, and controllers with a range of services via a defined purpose statement: “To define, realize, and advance the financial management of healthcare by helping members and others improve the business performance of organizations operating in or serving the healthcare field.” As such, it is specifically designed to help those involved in the financial side of the health industry to do their jobs to the highest standard possible and improve their abilities.
The HFMA looks after members in every single area of healthcare, from hospitals to physician practices to insurance companies, so their members are experienced in a diverse range of areas. This is, in fact, why the Healthcare Financial Management Association is so important. The range of services is suitable for everyone in the profession and can help to improve standards across the board. Whether an individual is looking for a little further education, seeking accurate representation, improvements in best practices, or maintaining the financial health of their organization, the HFMA can help. They value quality and help their members to deliver the same. As such, the health industry is a better place as a result of their practices and the products and services they provide.