August 2006 Newsletter

Creating an Event to Remember

By: Quadax EDI Client Support Center Supervisor

Our EDI users find the ability to create a support event from the ASP Portal a convenient alternative to contacting our EDI Client Support Center (CSC). The event itself gets routed to the same people and is given the same commitment of timely resolution as one created during a phone call. In fact, an event logged via the portal is the same as an event taken at the CSC except for the way the event is initiated and/or the person recording the opening comment.

I recently created a document as a training tool for the CSC staff that identifies important information they’ll need to know for our most common support issues. To ensure your event is handled in the most efficient way possible, I’ll share these suggestions by summarizing that training document.

Remittances

Missing remittances are some of the most troublesome issues. They are a problem for our clients because they need to be posted or settled; they are a problem for us because they can be difficult to research. Clients will save time and frustration if they provide important information about the missing remit. Below is a list of important remittance information to provide when initiating an event:

• Payer
• Provider number
• Check date
• Check number
• Check dollar amount

In some cases, having a copy of the EOB available will also be helpful if we need to contact the payer for the remit.

Errors

When dealing with claim errors, many clients are in the habit of referring to the patient by account number. However, we find it more beneficial to know the document number, especially since the patient account numbers vary greatly from one client to another. It is helpful if you can provide the payer and claim type. In addition, please try to provide the error code in full. For example: “17A001: Referring Number is Invalid”, or “*P00001: Invalid Provider Number.” This information will help identify the type of error: Xpeditor, mainframe, payer, XpressBiller, or Custom Edit.

Here is the list of important claim error information:

• Document number
• Payer and claim type
• Error code containing number and description

Transmissions

Similarly, to verify that a claim was transmitted requires the document number and payer/claim type. But we also need to know which day the claim was released. It is also useful to know the provider and patient name.

Here is the list of important claim transmission information:

• Payer/claim type
• Date claim released
• Patient name
• Provider number

Technical
Problems of a technical nature are also common. Unfortunately, they are sometimes the vaguest as to the cause or nature of the problem. To help identify and resolve the issue, please try to be as clear as possible in your description of the problem. Include descriptions of the error or problem itself, what you were doing or the task that was running, the action you expected, and whether or not it's a recurring issue.

Run Time Errors (RTE) that occur on automated tasks from the Director PC, such as Communicator or print file processing, are documented by the program that was running at the time the error occurred. These errors often consist of an error number and error description, which are very useful in identifying the cause of the problem. Consequently, we prefer that you keep both the error and description on the Director PC instead of clearing it, so that our Technical Representatives can view it. If the problem occurs on a user’s workstation, please let us know if it is contained to that PC or if other users are having the same problem.

Here is the list of important information for technical problems:

• What you were doing at the time/what processes were running when the error occurred
• What action was expected to conclude
• Description of the error or problem that occurred instead
• Is it a repeatable error or problem
• Single or multiple users effected

All of this information should be readily available from within Xpeditor or to users that have access to the Director PC. Obviously, the more information you can provide when you report an issue, the quicker we will be able to resolve it. This will help save valuable time that would otherwise be spent with follow-up to acquire this same information.

Rest assured that the EDI CSC is fully functional and available to take your call if that is how you prefer to contact us. The ASP Portal is merely a viable alternative to a telephone call.

Register for the ASP Portal at www.quadax.com/user/register.asp. Logging into the Portal can be done from the Quadax home page. Once you have access to the Portal, you’ll find the link, “Log a new event,” in the Personal Support box on the left.