With a relentless commitment to excellence, EMERGICON prides itself on having carved a contagious reputation throughout Texas. From the unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction that ensures exceeding expectations to the commitment to compliance in EMS billing that stands as a cornerstone of our business, EMERGICON evolved as a force for good within the ambulance billing industry. This blog series will explore the Six Core Strengths® that set us apart and contribute to our continued success. We previously discussed customer service, and now we highlight continuum of care (patient relationship).
What It Is
In the EMS industry, the patients are considered the end consumers of emergency medical services and/or transportation. From an ambulance billing company perspective, the first customers are EMS providers. Therefore, the end consumers are the client’s customers, i.e., the EMS agency’s patients.
Ambulance billing companies are expected to assist partner EMS agencies in maintaining a positive relationship with their patients. A positive patient relationship is accomplished by a focus on patient satisfaction, prioritizing data security, facilitating clear communication, and embracing continuous improvement. When an EMS billing company keeps this most important relationship – the one between the patient and the first responders who showed up in an emergency – the patient experience will be as positive as possible. This is what we call continuum of care.
Why It Matters
At EMERGICON, supporting partner EMS providers is a cornerstone, especially in matters of the continuum of care, or patient relationship. That’s why the company continuously invests in a well-trained and empathetic Patient Accounts team. “In the patient’s mind, we are part of the EMS agency that saved their lives. So, we need to maintain those standards and positive experience,” says Patient Accounts Team Lead Danelle Stanton.
In addition to having a dedicated team that fosters favorable patient relationships, being a company made by Texans is a plus. As Patient Accounts Specialist, Tammy Devine, stated: “We are Texans offering a service to Texans. When patients call and hear our accent, they know they’re speaking to someone with the same background. Living the same experiences allows us to deliver more sympathy, compassion, and understanding in our customer service.”
Take-Aways about Continuum of Care
1. As emphasized by The Texan Touch, a team of sensitivity-trained agents handles all patient services. They are responsible for answering questions, managing complaints, and conducting negotiations. EMERGICON believes that the service provided by the company is an extension of the patient care process – or the continuum of care – started by the EMS agency. Therefore, the company aims to ensure a positive patient experience altogether.
2. Behind every emergency-related medical bill was a person who needed help and deserves compassion and understanding. This belief inspires EMERGICON’s Core Value, “Built For Service.” The Core Value encourages team members to deliver legendary customer service, listen generously, and communicate to be understood.
3. The EMERGICON way of addressing patient relationships results in higher satisfaction and decreased patient complaints. The company’s hands-on approach reduces billing errors, avoiding the stress of a patient’s claim being incorrectly denied. Furthermore, the friendly and knowledgeable Texas-based team works with patients, listens to them, and assists them with their demands. Lastly, EMERGICON is there when the patient needs it. It takes less than 1 minute for a patient to reach a team member to answer any questions.
If you have any considerations about Continuum of Care, contact EMERGICON’s teams through our EMS & Client Hotline: 866-839-3671 | support@emergicon.com.