Streamlined process
We can streamline your processes so that you stop doing any unnecessary admin:
- Given our relationships with many local surgeons, we help you to secure work
- We obtaining a copy of the list from the surgeon’s secretary on your behalf which we provide to you
- Together with your Practice Manager (our staff member), you work out how much you want to charge each patient – we help with this by explaining how each patient’s health fund’s rules applies to their circumstances and how it will determine your estimated fees
- If the patient is uninsured, we contact the patient on your behalf and obtain financial consent along with a pre-authorisation on their credit card (using our merchant facility) to guard against bad debts
- You do your normal day’s work – the list, take stickers, make notes, etc
- You do the list, focussing on your role as a clinician, knowing that the admin and billing is sorted, free to concentrate on medicine
- After the list, you send us your notes and stickers
- Based on what happened in the list and the discussion you had with your Practice Manager (our staff member) before the list, we prepare your accounts as drafts
- You review and confirm that they are satisfactory
- We lodge the account electronically and convert uninsured patient pre-authorisation to payments
- You get paid!
Starting out in private practice
Starting out in private practice can be quite daunting. Have you organised all the required paperwork? Do you even have an understanding of what is required? What about Health Funds – have you been set up with them yet? Have you worked out how their rules work and how it affects how much you will get paid?
If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, you may need some help to simplify your transition into the next chapter of your career.
So what do you need to set up a private practice? You must:
- Apply for a provider number for each location
- Set up a bank account and apply for an ABN
- Obtain or update your professional indemnity insurance
- Set your business up for online claiming
- Get a software package or create an Excel spreadsheet template to track your finances (what’s coming in, who has paid, what’s outstanding…)
- Register with all of the health funds
- Collate supporting material for hospital accreditations (including colleagues will to be your referees)
- Submit hospital accreditations with the main hospitals, and various other minor hospitals
And then (and only then)… you get to do your first list!
As you can tell, the setup process can be quite extensive. If you do decide to take the step into private practice, think about getting some support to help you ease the stress that admin can cause.
How much do our services cost?
Our fee structure means that we are partnering with you as your practice grows. There are no fixed overheads that you must incur and no set rate that you have to pay.
Our fees are linked directly to your revenue. We are partnering with you as your practice grows. Therefore, we only get paid if you get paid.
We do rely on lock-in contracts – you are never required to commit to our services for a specified period. You are welcome to use our services however much you wish to.
If you’re ready to invest in a better way to manage your administration needs, contact us today. For more information about Doctors’ Accounts Services, find out who we are.