Suffering from health issues can be taxing enough, but when the situation is further exacerbated by complex financial issues regarding your medical bills anxiety levels can go through the roof.
Recognizing those concerns, Spectrum Health Lakeland adopted the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s Patient Financial Communications Best Practices plan, and now they, themselves, are being recognized for taking up that plan.
The recognition for Spectrum Health Lakeland is based on nearly 100 best practices covering all aspects of financial interactions that take place in a variety of care settings.
Tim Calhoun is Chief Financial Officer at Spectrum Health Lakeland. He says, “We understand that health care costs can often seem complex or confusing and the financial conversations we have with patients have never been more important,” adding, “We have taken steps to ensure our patients are treated with compassion and respect through initiatives such as financial assistance and our financial advocate program, and this recognition confirms that.”
Joseph Fifer, FHFMA, CPA, is President & CEO of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He says, “When people are dealing with health issues, they should be focusing on their health, not trying to decipher confusing financial information,” and notes, “Spectrum Health Lakeland has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that patients have a good experience when it comes to the financial aspects of their care.”
Spectrum Health Lakeland joins a select group of hospitals, health systems, and physician practices that have received this first-of-its-kind, national recognition. Best practices were developed to help improve communication between healthcare providers and consumers about financial matters. The task force included representatives from major industry groups, including the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the National Patient Advocate Foundation, among others.
The best practices are part of HFMA’s HEALTHCARE DOLLARS & SENSE initiative. You can learn more about that online at this link: http://hfma.org/dollars
