Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly become one of the most useful and versatile advancements in many industries in recent years. In the world of medical billing and coding, AI is set to advance the space in more ways than one.
Automated Coding
One of the first benefits of using AI in medical billing and coding is its ability to automate large parts of the process. Whether it be ABA billing or a less complicated general checkup bill, AI can quickly analyze medical records and attach the relevant billing codes.
This will save a lot of time and reduce the risk of human error — which is common when dealing with large data sets.
Automated Data Entry
Data entry is a tedious but necessary part of medical billing, and it can take up a lot of time and effort. However, with AI, this process can be drastically streamlined to the point of automation.
AI can automatically input patient details and billing information, once again reducing the risk of errors and freeing up staff to do more critical tasks that, at many times, can be far more important.
Data Processing
In a busy healthcare office or facility, a lot of information always needs to be processed and analyzed simultaneously. Patients often have hundreds of pages of medical information or data just on themselves, and going through it all and retrieving the important data can take time.
As mentioned already, AI can process vast amounts of data in seconds and not only effectively analyze it but also retrieve specific information just as quickly, allowing healthcare professionals not to waste time sifting through unnecessary data.
AI-Powered Chatbots
Chatbots are one of the most common AI tools — for good reason. In the field of medical billing, they can be used to interact with patients and staff and help answer questions or raise concerns.
While these chatbots can’t replace face-to-face communication, they can process simple inquiries, answer patient questions, and streamline the communication process, freeing up medical professionals and allowing them to focus on the more important inquiries instead of general questions.
Diagnosis Support
While still a very new and untested area for AI, diagnosis support is another area where it can thrive. This process involves the AI processing patient information and then providing one or multiple diagnoses.
This can help healthcare providers ensure their billing is more accurate. While it can’t replace human interaction, it can cut down the time between the diagnosis and billing phase.
Continuous Improvements
Another benefit of using AI in medical billing is a reason it is used in almost every sector: its ability to constantly learn and improve. AI becomes better, more efficient, and substantially more effective over time.
It can teach itself and use all the data it analyzes to improve its processes. This means it can only become more accurate, even in unique cases, as it stores that data and uses it in future procedures.
AI in Medical Coding
While AI can and will have its place in medical coding, many experts are of the opinion that it can’t replace humans in this field. While it can do more simple and repetitive tasks, medical coding is an extremely detail-orientated and specialized field that needs the human touch.
Medical coders need in-depth knowledge of medical practices, conditions, symptoms, etc. Experts don’t think AI can successfully mimic the finer and more unique details of a patient that medical coders constantly come across.
There is also the issue of compliance; where would the responsibility of a mistake fall if the AI processes something incorrectly or makes “the wrong call” because it doesn’t possess the knowledge a medical coder would have?
AI’s Impact on Medical Billing & Coding
Overall, many believe AI will inevitably take over the more tedious and time-consuming aspects of medical billing and coding. Considering the repetitive work in these fields, having a tool to speed the process up can only be beneficial.
There is also the benefit of lessening the chances of errors, and in billing, this can be a lifesaver. Preventing mistakes can speed up the billing process, stop claims from being denied, and ensure patients are only paying for what they need to pay for.
In simple terms, AI will make the process of billing and medical coding faster and more accurate, but as mentioned before, it won’t be able to replace humans any time soon.
The Future Is AI
AI can only benefit the world of medical billing and medical coding. It will improve healthcare providers and their processes and patients’ experiences. It may be early days, and AI still needs to be improved, but it is hard to ignore its potential in the healthcare sector.
