ATLANTA – Providers can achieve better cost-savings and organizational efficiencies simply by taking a better look at their processes and assets. Such is the mentality of two vendors offering Web-based practice management tools for physicians.
Procuri Inc., an Atlanta-based supply management vendor, looks to help healthcare organizations to negotiate their supplier contracts. Providers use the Procuri supply management suites for cost-avoidance, direct cost savings and practice efficiencies, said Tim Minahan, senior vice president of marketing.
“The greatest savings really come through improved sourcing,” said Minahan. He said Procuri helps providers negotiate for supplies and services to ensure the most competitive price and most quality.
“We put that process online. That encourages competitive bidding for the suppliers trying to sell the services or products,” he said. “For everything outside of pharmaceuticals, you can create a competitive leverage that you can go out and source.”
Nearly 40 healthcare organizations are contracting with Procuri, including Atlanta’s Piedmont Healthcare, which recently selected Procuri TotalContracts for contract management.
Procuri's customers range from physician practices and hospitals to insurers, Minahan said.
“Part of it is covering the gamut from physicians to folks working in the cafeteria to those managing medical supplies,” he said.
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based McKesson Specialty launched its Web-based TotalView system for physician practice management in May. The company touts the tool as a secure, Web-based reimbursement management solution that electronically captures all billing and remittance data.
Kevin Rodondi, vice president and general manager of the McKesson Specialty Solutions Group, said, “Because billing is so complex, it’s very important that (providers) have a tool like this that allows them to see very quickly what’s happening with their accounts receivable and their billing, and why they’re being denied.”
“This is very simple to get up in a practice because it is a Web-based tool,” said Peter Mazonson, MD, vice president of reimbursement strategy and health economics for the McKesson Specialty Solutions Group. He said TotalView takes about an hour to get up and running.
While many organizations could improve billing efficiency and realize savings by shifting away from paper remittances, TotalView isn’t meant to replace such systems, Mazonson said.
“There are just a lot of reports that are tedious if you’re billing in a traditional way,” he said. “There are a lot of quick time-savers that are no-brainers that can be rolled out quickly.”