E/M Coding Alert - 2005 Issue 27
STRATEGY: Before Offering Second Opinions, Your Practice May Need A Checkup
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Article Overview
This piece explains how medical practices can evaluate whether they are ready to offer a second-opinion service and how to structure the program for private-pay patients and referring physicians. It focuses on operational planning, timely communication, setting patient expectations, selecting appropriate cases, and deciding how to handle billing and revenue expectations. The article is intended for practice administrators, physicians, and coding or billing staff who support service-line development.
Why This Topic Matters
Second-opinion services can create new revenue opportunities, but they also require reliable turnaround, clear follow-up, and careful patient screening to avoid operational problems and dissatisfaction. Practices considering this service need to understand the administrative and billing implications before launching or marketing it.
What You Will Learn
- How a second-opinion service is typically structured from a practice-management perspective
- Why turnaround time and communication matter in a second-opinion workflow
- What kinds of patients are better suited for a definitive second opinion
- How practices think about billing models and payment approach for the service
- Why revenue from second-opinion visits may be episodic rather than ongoing
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Practice administrators
- Medical billing staff
- Coding professionals
- Revenue cycle teams
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