Gone are the days of pegboards and reams of paper – or are they? Many offices are going paperless and soon electronic health records (EHR) will be required; for those offices that have not embraced the new technology, it is time to get on board.

In my experience, a small percentage of chiropractic offices have gone paperless while the majority I have worked with in the past few years are not ready to make the transition. Yes, some are still using pegboards. Whether you are keeping up with the times or set in your ways, it is important to ensure that your patients' records are accurate. When was the last time you asked your patients to review the information in their file for accuracy? I recommend that you make an effort to verify the accuracy of each patient's records annually and while you are doing it, incorporate some of the data that will be required when you move to EHR.

Here are the areas you should review, ensuring the data in each patient's records is current, accurate and properly documented:

Demographic and Communication Information

This includes the patient's name, mailing and residential address(es), home, work and cell phone numbers, e-mail address(es), employment information and student status. In this age of electronic gadgets, you may find that some patients no longer have home land lines and are using their cell phones for all phone and e-mail communications. You may not have received their e-mail address(es) when they first came to the office for care and if your software is current, you will be able to confirm appointments and send them medical records, newsletters and other information of interest with the click of a mouse or push of the "send" button.

Current Condition Including Diagnosis and Date of Onset

This includes present chief complaints; if their current condition is related to an accident, you will need to determine how, when and where it occurred. I have observed that many offices treat patients for years without updating this information, which in some cases results in claims being denied because care was not medically necessary, carrier requests for copies of the patient's records, and fines from state boards for poor documentation.

Current Insurance Information

This applies even when you have a "cash" practice. Ask the patient for their insurance, partner's insurance and/or parent's insurance information and make a copy of their current insurance ID card(s). Complete a brief verification. Most carriers encourage you to verify benefits using their online tools. You should determine if the patient's benefits are the same as they were the previous year or if it is a new policy with the same carrier. With a new policy with a new carrier, do a complete verification of benefits.

It is not unusual to find that an established patient has the same carrier, but their benefits have changed. If you assume they are the same, it can have a negative impact on your accounts receivable. When you are verifying benefits, it is also a good time to find out if the carrier accepts electronic claims; if they do and your software is capable of submitting electronic claims, be sure to get the payer ID number.

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