Q&A: Chargemaster coordinator strategies for supporting clinical departments

Q: How can chargemaster coordinators best support clinical departments?

A: Chargemaster coordinators may wonder how best to serve a department. The truth, according to NAHRI Advisory Board member Kay Larsen, CHRI, revenue integrity specialist at Adventist Health in Glendale, California, is that there is no single way. “The chargemaster coordinator is a position of service,” she said. “People will ask you for everything.”

Although meetings with other departments can be time-consuming, they provide a wealth of information, according to Larsen. She suggested that chargemaster coordinators see if they can attend meetings at their organization on topics such as clinical changes, new procedures/services, price increases, contracting, and denials.

“Ancillary department meetings are my favorite,” said Larsen. “If I notice a charge problem, we can solve it right then and there.” She said she enjoys patient financial services meetings because they give her the opportunity to hear what billers are experiencing and understand what is stopping claims from going out the door.

Editor’s note: This article was excerpted from “Design for success: Reviewing chargemaster maintenance and charge capture strategies,” in the July 2023 issue of the NAHRI Journal. The NAHRI Journal is a quarterly journal featuring in-depth analysis and expert advice and is an exclusive benefit of NAHRI membership. Not a member? Join today.