healthcare news

Whether it be the winter climate or more people being ineligible due to cold and flu infections, January typically sees a decline in blood donations. That's why on December 31, 1969, President Richard Nixon made a proclamation that officially designated January as National Blood Donor Month. From then on, each January has launched an awareness campaign that acknowledges voluntary blood donors, encourages more people to participate in order to curtail shortages and proactively reinforces the criticality of blood donations in time of need.

One visit to a healthcare professional can remedy many patient problems, but some conditions may require ongoing treatments. This means timely follow-up care is vital for maintaining positive outcomes, fostering reliable relationships and gaining operational efficiencies. Keep reading to learn 5 tips for effective patient follow-up as well as the importance of ongoing and consistent patient communication efforts. 

“Surprise billing" may be an unfamiliar term, but chances are you or someone you know has experienced it. If you've been "surprise billed", you have received an unexpected bill from a facility or healthcare provider. This usually happens because you've received medical care from a provider or facility outside your health insurance plan's network. When that occurs, the insurance company isn't paying, so you get the bill -- definitely an unpleasant surprise. Keep reading part three of our "New Year, New Rules'' #rtblogseries to learn more!

Reflecting On 2021 

For all of us here at Raintree, the theme for 2021 was perseverance. As we started the year continuing to battle COVID, making decisions on vaccinations, travel and social gatherings, we were challenged to be good citizens. For many of us that meant masking, social distancing, waiting anxiously for COVID test results and for some, attending funerals.  

While this continued to wear down our hearts and minds throughout the year, nobody was prepared for the ultimate challenge that we faced together - losing our founder and my husband, Richard Welty. The devastating manner in which we lost him had a profound impact on us all.  

However, throughout this loss, my guiding light was Richard’s constant and persistent focus on the wellbeing of our clients, employees and product. Even up to the night prior to his passing, we discussed how to deliver better training, how we could provide better revenue cycle management services and our planned expansion with the conference center. He truly and deeply wanted a brighter future for us all.

Welcome to part 2 of our “New Year, New Rules” #rtblogseries! With the finalized Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) rules for 2022, there’s a lot of changes to cover and explain. That's why we’ve gathered all the essential information regarding billable units and modifiers to make sure you aren’t caught off guard when it comes to receiving payments. Let’s go over the basics together.

In June of 2021, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a new physician payment rule that focuses on improving healthcare equity and increasing patient accessibility. With this rule being finalized in November of last year, its changes are now in effect and will influence not only how your practice operates but also how your patients receive care.

Like many other industries, healthcare took an unexpected turn during the height of the COVID pandemic, pushing providers to adapt quickly to the rapid adoption of telehealth. However, now that the new normal is starting to emerge, many healthcare organizations wonder if the emphasis on telehealth will continue as well as if patient behaviors will keep evolving with upcoming engagement and practice management innovation. Keep reading to review the trends of recent years and gain a better understanding of what we can expect in 2022.

In recent years, the healthcare industry has seen explosive growth in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and it doesn't seem this trend shows signs of slowing down any time soon. In fact, recent market analysis predicts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.2% in the coming years, with potential spending on healthcare AI reaching $67.4 billion by 2027.

With the pandemic still looming as we approach the fall season, it is important to remember safety precautions when it comes to both COVID and the Flu as well as how each differs from one another. Keep reading to stay up to date on which symptoms to expect, how to be prepared and what to do if you are diagnosed with COVID. 

With COVID variants on the rise, it is understandable that many parents are concerned about sending their kids back into the classroom - especially as we're seeing more and more cases develop in younger patients. To help you navigate this school season, we wanted to provide some ways that you can keep your family safe during these next few months!