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Year End Process and Cleanup

 

These steps should be performed on the last day your office is open in the current year (at the end of the day)  — or —  the first day your office is open in the New Year (at the beginning of the day).

 

Make a Year End Backup

Customers (who are not in our cloud hosted environment)

  1. Always be sure everyone is out (and stays out) of Herfert Software during the backup process.
  2. Click on the [Utilities] menu and select [Backup Data].
  3. Plug in a flash drive.
  4. Click on the [Backup Data Files] button.  You should see a black window listing several files – if not, the backup did not work and you should contact Herfert Software.
  5. Label the flash drive “Herfert Software Backup – December 31, (current year)”.  Save this Year End flash drive in a safe place (off-site) and do not re-use it.

note: You could use one of your flash drives from the weekly rotation as the year end backup then replace it with a new flash drive to be used in your weekly rotation.  This way every year you have a new flash drive in your weekly rotation.

note: If you have your own way of backing up Herfert Software (eg: cloud backup service, automatic backups, etc) we would highly recommend backing up our way as an additional backup.  After all, this is your business and you can never have too many backups.

 Cloud Customers

  1. Always be sure everyone is out (and stays out) of Herfert Software during the backup process.
  2. Click on the [Utilities] menu and select [Backup Data].
  3. Click on the [Quick Backup] button.  You should see a black window listing several files – if not, the backup did not work and you should contact Herfert Software.

 

Print Year to Date Reports

The Year to Date reports can be used to examine the number of new patients, visits, services, charges, payments, write off’s, etc. posted throughout the year.

tip:
print the YTD report to a PDF file and save it to your year end flash drive.  This way you have a digital copy.  Cloud customers can save the PDF file to their shared drive (S:).

  1. from the [Reports] menu, select [Year to Date].
  2. select the desired report options
  3. click on the [Ok] button

In addition to the daily activity report, the following reports are also available and are optional:

    • Individual Doctor Report (if you want associates to have their own report)
    • Doctor summary report (recommended)
    • Payment code cross totals report
    • Procedure code cross totals report
    • Referral code cross totals report
    • Totals by patient report

Year to date graphs can also be printed displaying the following (per month):

    • Payments and Write Offs
    • Visits
    • New Patients
    • Payments and Write Offs per Procedure Code
    • Payments and Write Offs per Payment Code
    • Payments and Write Offs per Referral Code

 

Initialize Claims

(optional)

The initialize claims option allows you to automatically reset visits and deductible information for all of your patient’s default claims.

  1. From the [Utilities] menu, select [Year End Options].

The following options are available:

* Reset the “Current Visit” to 0

* Reset the “Deductible Balance” back to the patient’s yearly deductible amount entered.

* Reset the “Deductible Start Date” for the new year.

 

Delete Old Transactions

(optional)

Caution: Run this at your own risk. Once the transactions are deleted, they are permanently deleted.  You would need to restore a backup just to view them again.  And, they could never be re-activated into your “live” data.

Be sure to run a backup prior to running a deletion.

It is recommended to print the Transaction Deletion report to the screen then print it to a PDF file.  Save the PDF file in case you ever need to reference what has been deleted.  Be sure to name the PDF file appropriately for clarity.

Delete old transactions that have been paid (or written off) in full. If you no longer need to reference old paid transactions, they can be deleted.  This will speed up various searches.  We suggest deleting transactions thru 12/31/(current year – 7) that is, transactions that are older than 7 years.

  1. from the [Reports] menu, select [Transaction Deletion].

You do have an option to include or exclude payment codes.  For example if you want to exclude auto accidents and personal injuries, you could enter the appropriate “Payment Codes” (eg: AA,PI)  then checkmark the “Exclude” field.

 

 

Cleanup Files

(optional)

Caution: Do not use this feature unless you have been using Herfert Software for at least one full year.

Caution: We do not recommend removing unused Diagnostic codes.

Remove unused insurance companies, payment codes, and / or procedure codes from the data files found under the [Customize] menu.

  1. from the [Utilities] menu, select [Cleanup Files]
  2. select the appropriate files you would like to clean up.

 

 

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Backup your Chiropractic Clinic’s Patient Data Daily

Be sure to run a  QUICK  BACKUP 

(at least) every week. 

Cloud hosted customers are also encouraged to run quick backups.
lostyourdata

 

A quick backup is fast and does not require a USB flash drive since it backs up to your hard drive.  It backs up patient data only.  It does not backup scans, billing response files, etc.

Therefore, a quick backup should NEVER replace your daily USB flash drive backups.

 

 

To run a quick backup …

  1. have all other computers exit Herfert Software
  2. click on the [Utilities] menu then [Backup Data]
  3. click on the [Quick Backup] button then click [Ok] then click [Yes]
  4. you should see a black box appear with many files listed.  If you did not, the backup did not work and you should contact Herfert Software.
  5. once the black box closes (on it’s own) everyone can go back into Herfert Software.

 

Daily (external) backups are extremely important ! 

( see step by step instructions below )

External backups can be: Flash Drives or External Hard Drives.

In addition, it would not hurt to have a cloud based backup service (ie: Carbonite, Crash Plan Pro, etc).  If you use a cloud backup service, it is your responsibility to be sure they are including the active “HerfertW” folder which contains all Herfert Software related programs, data, scans, etc.

usb-drives

Remember, this is your business and you cannot afford to lose any data due to hardware failure, flooding, fire, etc. 

whybackup
If your computer crashes and you do not have a good backup, everything is lost including patient names, addresses, insurance, diagnosis, visits, payments, billings, SOAP Notes, scanned documents and images, etc …

 

You should backup daily to a flash drive and keep it off site.

A different flash drive should be used for each day of the week (labeled: Monday Backup, Tuesday Backup, etc). The flash drives can then be re-used the following week.

At least one backup should be kept off site at all times in case of fire, storms, etc…

At the end of the year, a backup should be made to one of the flash drives and put aside as a year-end backup then replace that flash drive with a new one in the rotation.

In my opinion, you can never have too many backups.  Therefore, in addition to USB flash drives, it wouldn’t hurt to also have a cloud based backup service (ie: Carbonite, CrashPlanPro, etc).  If you do setup your own automated backup (in addition to ours), all programs, data files, scans, etc are located in the HerfertW folder.

To backup …

  1. have every computer exit Herfert Software
  2. go to the main computer and open Herfert Software
  3. plug your flash drive into the USB port
  4. click on [Utilities] then [Backup Data]
  5. click [Backup Data Files]
  6. verify that the backup drive letter on the screen matches the drive letter assigned to your flash drive then click [Yes].
  7. A black box should appear and you should see it list many files.  Never force this black box to close, it will close on it’s own when the backup is complete.  If the black box pops up and disappears without listing any files, your backup probably did not work and you should contact us immediately.
  8. Once your backup is complete, safely remove the flash drive.  To do so, click once on the picture of the USB connection displayed on the bottom right of the Windows taskbar.  Next click on “Eject Mass storage”.  Wait for it to display “Safe To Remove Hardware” then unplug the flash drive.

To check your backup …

  1. go to the main computer and open Herfert Software
  2. plug your flash drive into the USB port
  3. click on [Utilities] then [Backup Data]
  4. <right click> on [Backup Data Files]
  5. a window should open displaying a “Data” and “Txt” folder.  If you see these two folders, then the backup worked.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment for us to check your backups, please contact us.

 

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Harmless actions that could put you and your patients at risk:

  • Leaving faxes or printouts, personal health information within reach of non-authorized personnel
  • Allowing your Firewall or Anti-Virus to lapse
  • Logging into your office computer remotely without security measures in place
  • Not logging out when you’re done working or walk away from your computer
  • Sharing passwords
  • Leaving passwords out in general areas accessible to non-authorized personnel
  • Using unencrypted email or text to discuss patient information or condition
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Create a Gmail account that auto forwards to all of your staff

In order to make sure ALL of your employees automatically receive important information from us, consider creating an email address that automatically forwards incoming emails to other email accounts.

You can easily do this with Gmail …

1. create a Gmail account for your office (ie: staff.herfertchiropracticclinic@gmail.com)
2. go to Gmail Settings (cog image upper right)
3. click on the [Forwarding and POP/IMAP] tab page
4. click on the [Add a forwarding address] button
5. repeat step 4 for all email addresses
6. click on the [Save changes] button (bottom of screen)
7. be sure to let us know what your new email address is

 

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BCBS of Michigan will Require Claims to be Submitted Electronically as of June 30, 2017

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has notified providers that it will no longer accept professional claims submitted on paper from providers who have the capability to submit electronically, effective June 30, 2017. The following professional claim types must now be submitted electronically.

  • Original claims
  • Replacement claims
  • Void or cancel claims
  • Any claim that includes services for which you’ll submit medical records

Exclusions (although electronic is still preferred)

  • Coordination of benefits tertiary claims
  • COB secondary claims
  • Claims for specified human organ and bone marrow transplants
  • Medicaid claims
  • Medicare Advantage claims
  • Blue Care Network claims

For more information, please read the BCBSM article directly.

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Missed Billings Report

Never Miss Billing a Service Again!

Finds services that should have been billed but have been neglected.

Our Missed Billing report will find any services for:
  • Unbilled primary insurances if over 15 days old
  • Unbilled secondary insurances if over 30 days since primary insurance was billed
  • Unbilled tertiary insurances if over 30 days since secondary insurance was billed
  • Services that are less than 1 ½  years old
  • Services with a balance
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Calculate Associate Doctors Salaries in Multiple Doctor Offices

The Doctor Summary Report can be used to calculate associate doctors salaries.  This report is available when printing the “Transactions (Daily)” or “Year to Date” reports.  Year to date reports can be printed for any date range (ie: weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc).

Total Paid: 

This column displays the combined total of patient and insurance payments that were posted (within the date range selected) and applied to services that the doctor performed.

Total Paid  plus  either  DrPrePayCr  — or —  PatPrePay  should be used to determine how much an associate should be paid

DrPrePayCr (doctor pre-payment credit):

This column displays the portion of a patient’s credit balance that was applied to a service that the doctor performed.

The credit that was applied may have come from a patient’s pre-payment, money returned to the patient after insurance paid for the service, etc.

If your office pays associates only for services they performed, then this amount (DrPrePayCr) should be added to the Total Paid amount.

PatPrePay (patient pre-payment): 

This column displays money collected in advance that was not applied to any service yet.

The patient would have a credit balance which will eventually get applied to future services.

Normally, money collected in advance belongs to the office.  The doctor would only receive credit for it once it is actually applied to a service the doctor performed.  That is when it would show up in the DrPrePayCr column.

However, if your associates see their own patients and your office pays associates for patient pre-payments (that were never applied to any services yet), then the PatPrePay amount should be added to the Total Paid amount (described above).

 

Daily and YTD “Doctor Summary” report sample

 

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Print to PDF for later reference

Any reports, statements, billings, etc. can be printed to a PDF file.

This way you have an exact copy in case you ever need to refer back to it.

For example,

A patient may call your office questioning a statement you sent out two months ago. You would be able to refer to the PDF file and view an exact copy of the statement the patient is looking at. You would also be able to print another copy if necessary.

To print to a PDF file …

1. be sure to select “Print to Screen” (not the printer)
2. click on the “Print” icon (picture of printer at the top of the screen without the yellow wrench) then click [Ok]. This will print to your printer.
3. click on the “Printer Setup” icon (picture of printer with the yellow wrench)
3. select PDF reDirect as your printer then click [Ok]
4. click on the “Print” icon (picture of printer without the yellow wrench) then click [Ok]
5. enter a “Filename” and the “Folder” you would like to save it in then click [Save].
(filename example: “statements 2017.03.02.pdf”)
6. close the PDF reDirect window.
note: leaving the PDF reDirect window open will add the next printout to the same file.

If PDF reDirect is not listed as a printer option, please call so we can help you install it.