Steps in the Medical Documentation and Billing Cycle
Step 1: Preregister Patients

The first step in the cycle is to gather information so patients can be preregistered before their office visit. This information includes the patient's name, contact information, the chief complaint, and whether the patient is new to the practice. The information is obtained over the telephone or via the Internet, if the practice has a website.
Step 2: Establish Financial Responsibility for Visit

Most patients are covered by some type of health plan. While scheduling the appointment, it is important to determine whether the patient has insurance and, if so, to obtain the identification number, plan name, and name of the person who is the policyholder. Once the insurance information is obtained, the patient's current eligibility and benefits are verified with the payer. Verification may be done by telephone, but most often it is done via the Internet and takes a matter of seconds.

It is also important to make sure that the health plan's conditions for payment, such as advance approval requirements for particular treatments or procedures, are met before treatment is provided. In addition, physicians usually participate in some health plans and not in others. If the physician does not participate in the plan, the patient may be liable for all charges. All of this must be determined and communicated to the patient before the appointment.
Step 3: Check In Patients

When patients arrive in the office, they are asked to complete or update patient information forms that have the personal, employment, and medical insurance data needed to collect payment for services. Most offices ask all patients to update this information periodically to ensure that it is current and accurate. As practices move from paper to electronic documents, a patient information form may be electronic.