Overview

Ambulance services are among the few businesses that extend unqualified credit to millions of customers each year. In fact, most of their services are provided without prior inquiry as to the patient’s ability to pay. Haynes policy is that if an ambulance is needed, one is provided without question, without demand for payment at the time of service, and without pre-qualification.

This level of service places an enormous burden on the organization to collect the monies owed to them for patients who may or may not be covered by third-party payers. To fail to pursue reimbursement from those patients is unfair to the patients and insurers who already pay their fair share. To over-pursue and take the last few dollars an elderly patient or out-of-work family may have is also unfair. To succeed in maintaining this balance, Haynes has created a highly sophisticated system of people, processes and technology to ensure that every reasonable effort is expended to collect the amounts owed, while using a compassionate and respectful approach.

Objectives

The billing, collection and accounts receivable (A/R) management systems used by Haynes have several fundamental goals. These include automation, flexibility, accountability and analytical capability. The ambulance billing system in Haynes has the following ongoing objectives:

  • Unsurpassed customer service
  • Effective automated tracking of all account activity
  • Timely and consistent account follow-up
  • Highest possible level of automation
  • Accurate and complete statistical reporting
  • Efficiency of account flow

Haynes uses software and hardware designed with these objectives in mind. This technology has been revised constantly over a number of years to accommodate a changing industry while remaining true to the company’s ideals. The management reporting system exacts the software’s full potential to maintain an efficient and effective receivables flow and to provide timely statistical and analytical reporting for use by the company’s accounting and management staff.

The organization’s billing and collections operation strives to provide excellent customer service by assisting patients with all their potential billing needs. The system provides accurate and timely account follow-up to facilitate a high collection rate, and a high level of automation allows a maximum productivity level with minimal human error. Efficient A/R flow is essential for the ongoing success of the operation. By using this system, Haynes can accomplish a high recovery rate while remaining as humane and cooperative with patients and customers as possible. Haynes is confident that, with these goals in mind, its billing and collections operation will continue to have the best A/R management systems available, serving its patients and objectives with utmost efficiency and sensitivity.

On-Scene Collections

Haynes will at no time engage in on-scene collections for services originating at the 9-1-1 center. The actions of field personnel are limited strictly to the reasonable processes for obtaining patient billing information.