Frequently
Asked Questions
|
General (All Users)
|
Administrators
|
Physicians
|
Billers
|
Q:
How
can I contact Ingenious Med Technical Support?
A: You may reach Tech Support by phone toll-free
at 866-362-8578, by email at [email protected],
or by clicking
here to send a message online.
It is important to contact the support department through these common
channels each time you communicate with them. Sending an
email
directly to an individual's address or leaving a phone message on a
specific individual's voice mail may cause a delay in response if that
individual is not available for any reason (vacation, illness, other
time demands, etc.). These common communication gateways will
be monitored by several members of the IM Support team, and someone can
respond to your situation without
delay under most circumstances. Telephone is the preferred
mode
of contact for urgent problems (especially outside of normal business
hours). Our technical support phone line is staffed 24/7, and
we
strive for a minimum call back time for emergency situations.
[back to top]
Q: I
can't log in. What should I do?
A: There are many possible causes for
login troubles. We have
created a separate page with details related to the most common
issues. Please click
here to visit our "Problems Logging In" page for more
information related to your specific problem.
[back to top]
Q: I can't find a patient
in the current patient list. Where could they be?
A:
Patients
may have been moved to another Team, to the Holding Bin, or to the
Archive. To see the entire list of active patients available
to
you, make sure your Site selector says "List all
Sites" and the Team selector says "All Current Patients". If
the
patient has been moved to the Holding Bin, change the Team selector to
"Holding Bin" to see them. If they have been moved to the
Archive, choose the "Chart Rack" tab at the top of the application and
use the date and/or name fields to search for your patient.
It is
also possible the patient is still in the active patient list, but has
been reassigned to a team for which you do not have permissions to view
patient information (in which case your administrator should be able to
assist you).
[back to top]
Q: How do I control which
site defaults for me?
A:
Go to the "Settings" tab and
adjust the value to the appropriate site.
[back to top]
Q: I can't find the
diagnosis I need in the list. How can I search for it?
A:
Click on the magnifying glass
icon to the right of the Dx field to open
the search window. You may search on whole or partial words,
as
well as whole or partial codes. Once found in the search
tool,
you will have the option of adding the code to the favorites list for
easier access in the future if your administrator has allowed that
option for your group.
[back to top]
Q: How do I delete a bill?
A:
In the Web Edition, you can
click on the "trash can" icon to the left
of the bill on the "BILLS" tab. On the PDA, you would
highlight
the bill on the "Bills" tab and click the "Delete" button.
[back to top]
Q: How can I edit a bill
after it has been entered?
A:
In the Web Edition, clicking on
any field of the bill on the "BILLS"
tab will open the bill and allow edits with a few
restrictions.
If the bill has already been sent to your billing company (has a "Y" in
the "Sent" column), editing is not allowed. If your
administrator
has not chosen to allow MDs to edit each other's bills, you will only
be able to edit your own unsent bills. On the PDA, select the
"Bills" tab and click the "View" button to review and edit the bill.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I bill an observation follow-up?
A:
In most cases, a patient who stays at the facility long enough to need
a follow-up bill has been admitted. If they were initially
billed
with an observation H&P, the user can simply go back to that
bill
and edit the type to an inpatient H&P (then continue billing
with
inpatient codes from that point). If the facility regularly
allows observation patients to remain for extended periods of time, the
administrator may go to the "Settings" tab, select the "Administrator
Information" tab, and check the "Allow Obs F/U"
setting. When that setting is on, follow-up codes will be
available on the New Bill and Edit Bill windows when the "Observe" bill
type is selected.
[back to top]
Q: Can I use IM Practice
Manager on my Mac?
A:
IM Practice
Manager is only
supported on Microsoft Windows operating systems. However,
there
are utilities available that will allow Mac users to emulate Windows
functionality and run some Windows-based applications. There
are
three options currently available to accomplish this:
- Use Apple's
free Boot Camp software (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.html)
to change between Mac and Windows operating systems. Keep in mind you
must reboot your computer to change between Mac and Windows operating
systems with this utility.
- Buy the
Parallels aftermarket application (around $80 at the time of this
posting - http://www.parallels.com/)
that will allow you to change between Mac and Windows OS without
rebooting.
- Run another
Windows Emulator on your Mac (http://www.macwindows.com/emulator.html).
Keep in mind that free emulators may not have the same
feature
set or reliability as utilities distributed by Apple or developed for a
fee by reputable companies.
NOTE: Though
it
may be possible to run IM Practice Manager on Apple computers using a
separate Windows partition or an emulator, it is important to
understand that performance under those circumstances has
neither
been verified nor can it be supported by Ingenious Med. We
cannot
assist you in installing, configuring, or updating any such utilities,
and performance or display quirks endemic to any adapter's
interpretation of the IM Practice Manager application will not be
addressed by our regular software updates. You may need to
purchase a licensed version of Windows OS (XP or Vista) in order to
enable the Windows functionality within these utilities.
[back to top]
Q: Can I use IM
Practice Manager with non-Microsoft browsers such as Firefox or Safari?
A:
IM Practice Manager is only
compatible with IE 6.0 and 7.0. Other browsers (Opera,
Firefox, etc.) or beta versions of newer Microsoft browsers are not
supported. Users installing alternative browsers for other
purposes should still use IE 6.0 or 7.0 for IM Practice Manager.
[back to top]
Q: The system is
responding slowly. Why is that?
A:
There
are several possible reasons for slow system response. Only a
limited number of those circumstances are within the control of
Ingenious Med. We
have
created a separate page describing how various factors may affect
system response. Please click
here to visit our "System
Response Speeds" page
for more information related to this issue. Regardless of the
suspected reason, it is helpful to report slow system response to IM
Technical Support whenever you experience it, since recognizing
patterns in the experience often contributes significantly to
determining the underlying cause.
[back to top]
Q: How do I
reinstall the application on my PDA (PPC or Palm)?
A:
[back to top]
Q: How can I change my
password?
A:
Select the "System Tools"
tab at the top of the application and click on the "Change Password"
link. Keep in mind your administrator may have imposed
certain
restrictions on what constitutes a valid password (regarding length,
special characters or case mixes required, etc.). Please
consult
with your administrator if you are not familiar with your
organization's password requirements.
[back to top]
Q: Can I create my own
favorites list for diagnoses?
A:
The Dx favorites
list is a single list shared by everyone logging in under the same
Group Name. Changes made to the list by any user will be seen
by
all users from that Group.
[back to top]
Q: If I put Notes in the
CrossCover area for a patient, will they be visible to all users, or
just to me?
A:
Any information placed in the Cross Cover area for a patient will be
visible to all users with permissions to view that patient's medical
records.
[back to top]
Q: What can I do if
there are more than 6 Dxs for the patient?
A:
The
application allows linking of up to 4 diagnoses to any particular
charge. The Dx list allows for entry of up to 6 total
diagnoses
to allow flexibility in choosing which ones to link for various
bills. If more than 6 diagnoses apply to the patient, the 6
most
important should usually be listed. That list can be edited
as
the importance of the patient's diagnoses change over time.
If
you need to delete a minor Dx to make room for a more important one in
that list, it will not affect previous bills linked to the removed Dx.
[back to top]
Q: Can I just duplicate a
charge if the CPT and Dx linking are the same?
A:
No, users will always need to
click the "New Bill" button, create a new charge, and link the
appropriate diagnoses daily.
[back to top]
Q: Can I create a
"bundle" to simplify the entry of several charges routinely billed
together?
A:
Yes.
Given the appropriate details (charges, modifiers, etc.),
administrators can use the Master CPT Editor (on the "System Tools"
tab)
to create and name a bundle.
Charges added by a single bundle will still appear as separate and
distinct charges on the billing reports, and all charges billed via a
single bundle will automatically be linked identically to the selected
Dx(s).
[back to top]
Q: Can I use IM Practice
Manager to automatically report quality of care data to Medicare?
A:
Ingenious Med has a fully integrated IM Quality Measures module that
can be activated for groups upon request. The module contains
a
list of quality measures, any subset of which may be activated
depending upon the group's area(s) of interest. In addition
to
storing quality of care data, the module facilitates participation in
current Medicare reporting initiatives such as PQRI. Please click
here for more details on the IM Quality Measures module and
how it can help your practice.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I request new/additional licenses for our group?
A:
Click here and fill out the online license
request form.
Someone
from the Ingenious Med will be in touch
shortly after you submit the form to complete the process.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I update our groups account information?
A:
We
appreciate all of our clients keeping their account information
current. Please
click here to
update your group’s account information, including changes to
contact
information, new staff members who will be communicating with IM,
changes of
address for invoicing purposes, etc.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I submit a payment to Ingenious Med?
A:
Online
payment by credit card is not yet available.
Credit card payments may still be made over the phone.
Payments
by check should be made payable to "Ingenious Med" and mailed to:
Ingenious Med
5660 New Northside Drive
Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30328
[back to top]
Q: Where
can I learn about product add-ons or integrations for IM Practice
Manager?
A:
Click
here to complete a short request form to receive
information on product add-ons and/or integration options for
your group
[back to top]
.
Q: How
can I inactivate a user in IM Practice Manager?
A:
While
logged into IM Practice Manager with Administrative permissions, select
the "System Tools" tab. Under the "Users" header, click the
"Edit
Users" link. Find the user of interest in the list, then
click
the checkbox in the "Active" column (to the far left of the user entry)
to remove the check mark. Users with check marks are active,
and
users without check marks are inactive. Inactivating licensed
users during an extended absence can allow the creation of a
replacement user during their absence without the need to request an
additional license during that time.
[back to top]
Q: Can
I include patient identifying information in an email to Tech Support?
A:
No.
Email is not a secure messaging system. Sending
identifiable patient information via an unencrypted email
leaves
it vulnerable to interception by sufficiently skilled individuals for
whom it is not intended, and is a violation of HIPAA regulations.
If you must specify a particular patient in order to
communicate
details related to a problem via email, simply giving the
site,
team, and the first 2-3 letters of the patient's first and last name
should be sufficient for IM Support personnel to identify the patient
to whom you're refering.
[back to top]
Q: How can I
suggest new features or functions I'd like to see added?
A:
Click
here to send a message to Technical Support online.
You can use that form to describe your idea and explain how
it
could improve the way IM Practice Manager serves your needs.
[back to top]
Q: How can I
find out what's happening with my suggestion for a new feature?
A:
Click here to see the current list of
enhancement requests.
This list is also available via direct link on the main IM
Support page ("Enhancement Requests"). While we certainly
value
the input and feedback from our clients, not every request received can
be integrated into the application. Our development team will
review the requests and prioritize them according to both the degree of
benefit afforded and the number of clients to whom the feature might
apply. That said, just because a request remains on the list
for
an extended period of time, that does not mean it will never be
incorporated into the product.
[back to top]
Q: How can I
find out if there is a work-around for a new problem I encounter?
A:
Click here to see the current list of known issues.
This list is also
available via direct link on the main IM Support page ("Known Issues").
Whenever possible, workaround
information
will be
also available in this list for problems that can be bypassed via an
alternate method of execution prior to the release of a fix. You can certainly still alert
IM Tech Support to the fact
you're
experiencing an issue, even if it is already listed in the "Known
Issues" display, since an accurate assessment of how many clients are
being affected by any given issue can often help us prioritize the fix
appropriately.
[back to top]
Q: Why won't
some of my patients archive?
A:
In most cases, this is caused by the patient having at least
one
bill that is still not marked as "Sent". If you cannot find
such
a bill, or cannot archive your patient after marking such a bill
"Sent", please contact IM Technical Support for assistance.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I print a billing summary if I didn't print it before moving the
patient to the Chart Rack?
A:
Select the Chart Rack tab in IM Practice Manager, find the
patient, and use the "Print Bill" button to print the billing summary.
[back to top]
Q: I marked charges as sent, but was
not able to print them. What should I do?
A: Contact
IM Technical Support so
we can work with you to see what might be resetored.
[back to top]
Q: What PDA devices are
compatible with IM Practice Manager?
A:
Below is a summary of the system requirements for PDAs to run
IM Practice Manager.
Palm:
PDA
running PalmOS version 4.0 or higher
650kb
of free memory
Palm
Desktop version 3.1 or higher
Pocket PC:
PDA
running Windows Mobile 2003 or higher
vertical
rectangular touchscreen (e.g. does not include
Treo 700w which has a square screen)
40MB of
free memory
200 MHz
processor minimum (400 MHz or higher recommended)
Note:
Pocket PC does not
require a cradle, and can sync from anywhere a wireless
connection is available.
Blackberry/Smart Phone:
These
devices are not
supported.
[back to top]
Q: How
can I create a shortcut to the IM Practice Manager application?
A:
If you simply want to creat a bookmark in Internet
Explorer
for the application website (using the IE "Add To Favorites" function),
the most important aspect is including nothing in the URL
except https://secure.imbills.com
(no
version information or specific page names should be included after the
"imbills.com"). Once
you have logged into the application and logged out (or timed out), you
may return to the login page, but the URL in that scenario may also
contain version
specific information, and bookmarking the login page with
that version specific information included will eventually cause login
failures
once your group has moves to a different version (or sooner if you
share computers with another group that uses a different version).
If
you want to create a stand-alone shortcut to Practice Manager (e.g. so
it can be accessed directly from the desktop with no bookmark needed),
that is possible as well. The easiest way to create the
shortcut
is detailed here:
- Right click on the existing
shortcut you use to open Internet Explorer and choose "Copy".
- Put your cursor on the desktop,
right click, and choose "Paste".
- Right click the new shortcut
you just created and select "Properties".
- On
the "Shortcut" tab, the "Target" field will have something
resembling this: "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE".
Put your cursor in that box, move it to the last position
(just
after the last quotation mark), type one blank space, then
"https://secure.imbills.com" (including
the quotation marks), then click "OK".
- Right click on the new
shortcut, choose "Rename", and type in a new name for the shortcut if
you like.
[back to top]
Q: What
should I do when I get a notification my license is due for renewal?
A:
An alert will appear upon login a short time before
your license is due for renewal. If you are a
general user,
notifying your administrator when you see this alert is usually
sufficient to ensure the issue is addressed. If you are an
administrator, contact your Account Manager at 404-815-0862 to arrange
for your license renewals.
[back to top]
Q:
What types of billing errors will the system identify?
A:
The standard billing error detection system in IM Practice
Manager will immediately alert users via the chat system when they
enter a potentially erroneous bill. The list of current
suspected
errors is also available to physicians by clicking the "My Billing
Errors" button at the top of the application window (the button
only appears if suspected errors exist). The
situations detected as potential errors include:
- Missing
Inpatient H&P Bill
- H&P
Bill Date Different From Date of Admission
- 2
Inpatient H&P Bills
- 2
Charges on the Same Day
- 2 Inpatient Discharge Bills
[back
to top]
Q:
Why are my recent billing report
totals different from past figures?
A: The
billing data is extremely well protected against loss, and any
perceptions of loss are usually the result of changes to
system
parameters that affect the way filters are applied to the data during
the generation of reports. The following actions
typically
result in (unexpected) alterations to billing report totals:
- Deleting users via the Edit Users
tool -
Charges identified as being created by that user may disappear from
reports. Simply inactivate a user instead of deleting them in
order to retain their billing information in your reports.
- Deleting Sites or Teams in the
Site/Team Editor -
Charges created within those sites/teams may disappear from reports.
Remove user permissions to Sites and Teams you no longer wish
to
use (and leave the Site/Team in the editor list) if you want to retain
bills created at those locations in your billing reports.
- Removing permissions to sites or
teams -
This may result in changes to totals for the individual physician when
running their own reports (bills they created at that site/team will no
longer appear on their reports, but will remain on administrative
versions). While this can be confusing to the physician, the
administrative reports will remain accurate as long as the Sites and
Teams are not deleted from the system as noted above.
If
you have made such adjustments to your system and need to retrieve the
bills that were removed from your reports as a result, please contact Technical
Support for assistance.
[back
to top]
Q:
How can I find out more about PQRI and how IM Practice
Manager can enable my group to participate?
A: Please
click
here to
visit our Quality Measures Overview page
for an explanation of how IM Practice Manager's integrated IM Quality
Measures™ module can simplify PQRI participation for your group.
[back
to top]
Q: How can I get my participation
reports from CMS for previous PQRI reporting periods?
A: Please
click here to review instructions
from CMS on retrieving your participation reports.
[back
to top]
Q:
How do I add new users in the system?
A: Administrators have the ability to add new
users. Please click here to see detailed instructions for
adding users.
[back
to top]
Q:
How do user
permission levels affect access to functions within the system?
A: The
functions and displays available within the applicaiton vary according
to the permission category of the user. Please click
here to see how permission categories relate to system access.
[back
to top]