Speaking as a former ER Tech and medical student, doctors are the most likely to just “forget” to bill for the random bullshit that admin wants tracked to an obscene degree. There are some ERs (mostly HCA run ones) that have to scan your patient barcode and the cabinet to track giving you an ice pack. I’ve really only worked in community hospitals and intend to keep it that way, and doctors are the most likely member of a care team to just do whatever is necessary and fail to document it. I’ve also seen doctors down-code visits and procedures to make it easier to get insurance to pay for things.
PS: I’m intending to go into emergency medicine and/or critical care at community safety net hospitals or critical access hospitals and I will raise hell to increase the number of social workers in the department to help patients get the resources they need.
When I was a unit clerk for an ICU unit, I was taught an “optional” part of the job which was basically me billing patients for “missed” (doctor forgot to bill for, intentionally) services and procedures.
Suffice to say I intentionally didn’t do that part of my job. Glad I’m off to x-ray where we’ve got 2 steps of detachment from that crap.
Speaking as a former ER Tech and medical student, doctors are the most likely to just “forget” to bill for the random bullshit that admin wants tracked to an obscene degree. There are some ERs (mostly HCA run ones) that have to scan your patient barcode and the cabinet to track giving you an ice pack. I’ve really only worked in community hospitals and intend to keep it that way, and doctors are the most likely member of a care team to just do whatever is necessary and fail to document it. I’ve also seen doctors down-code visits and procedures to make it easier to get insurance to pay for things.
PS: I’m intending to go into emergency medicine and/or critical care at community safety net hospitals or critical access hospitals and I will raise hell to increase the number of social workers in the department to help patients get the resources they need.
When I was a unit clerk for an ICU unit, I was taught an “optional” part of the job which was basically me billing patients for “missed” (doctor forgot to bill for, intentionally) services and procedures.
Suffice to say I intentionally didn’t do that part of my job. Glad I’m off to x-ray where we’ve got 2 steps of detachment from that crap.
Thank you! I thought this was likely the case but now I’m certain. Your career choice sounds deeply noble. And meaningful, fun.