Part B Coding Coach: Pediatric Coding: How Do Your Results Compare To Other Pediatricians?

Why This Topic Matters

Benchmarking can help pediatric practices identify trends, spot operational issues, and gauge whether billing and collections performance are moving in a healthy direction. The article is useful for teams deciding which financial indicators to monitor and how to frame internal comparisons over time.

Article Sections

1. Benchmarking Basics for Pediatric Practices

   Introduces the idea of benchmarking as a way to compare pediatric practice performance against external reference points and against the practice’s own historical data. It frames benchmarking as both a financial and operational tool.

2. Know Where to Find Data

   Describes the general sources and characteristics of useful benchmarking data for pediatric offices. It also discusses why local practice mix and patient population can affect comparisons.

3. Most Pediatricians See These A/R Days

   Covers accounts receivable timing as a common performance measure and explains how practices may compare collections-related data over time. It also notes the importance of looking at aged receivables.

4. Drill Down Further to Late A/Rs

   Focuses on older receivables and why the distribution of balances across aging buckets can be useful for monitoring practice performance. It emphasizes routine review of lagging balances.

5. Know Your Revenue Per Visit

   Discusses revenue-per-visit as a high-level financial benchmark for pediatric practices and how it is used in peer comparisons. It also notes that the measure can be reviewed with or without certain service categories.

6. Check Your Medicaid Volume

   Addresses Medicaid patient mix as another practice benchmark and explains why tracking payer mix can be useful over time. It places the measure in the context of changing practice composition.

7. Determine Your E/M Distribution

   Reviews evaluation and management billing patterns as a benchmarking category for pediatric offices. It explains that coding distribution can be summarized and compared at a broad level.

8. Stay in the Loop

   Offers a closing note on maintaining an ongoing benchmarking routine and reviewing multiple measures on a schedule. It also points readers to additional benchmarking resources.