During its inaugural year in 1966, the Gouverneur Rescue Squad in St. Lawrence County provided the norm: Basic Life Support which operated with one ambulance. Over a half of a century later, the small and secluded squad in Upstate New York provides Advanced Life Support, as well as basic life support, and the ambulance fleet has increased from one to four equipped Advanced Life Support ambulances 24/7.

Strained communications between EMS dispatchers, crews, and facilities can cause paralyzing ambulance delays. EMS agencies continue to struggle to make ends meet. The cost of EMS patient care continues to rise, while ambulance reimbursement rates continue to disappoint. In addition, Federal and state regulations continue to multiply. When payers and regulators fail to see the immense value EMS brings to healthcare, economical solutions can be hard to find.

Maryjane has been an EMS Biller of 31 years. In this video, she reflects back over the years. Most importantly, find out what song Maryjane would pick if she could have a “walk-up song” for when she steps to her computer every day.

Accurate ambulance dispatch is critical—it sets the stage for the ePCRs and insurance claims that follow. EMS agencies continue to struggle to make ends meet. The cost of EMS patient care continues to rise, while ambulance reimbursement rates continue to disappoint. In addition, Federal and state regulations continue to multiply. When payers and regulators fail to see the immense value EMS brings to healthcare, economical solutions can be hard to find. This post is the first in a series that we'll be writing this year. Each post will highlight one of ten EMS best practices intended to help your agency revitalize your organization, increase efficiency, and improve revenue.

Hear from Christina who is the Division Chief of NorthWest EMS. She loves her job because she gets to help people and make a difference—the most rewarding work on earth.

What are your EMS new year's resolutions for 2019? Maybe collecting all signature forms? Perhaps making sure you attach all EKG recordings to your ePCR? Or switching to EMS software like AIM to make life and work a little easier?

The new year is quickly approaching—that means new deductibles. How does your EMS Agency plan to handle exposure to deductibles this January? There is no way to completely alleviate the reduction of revenue your EMS agency will experience from deductibles, but there are ways to reduce your exposure. For instance, it's a common EMS billing practice to hold January Medicare Part B claims for 3-4 weeks before submitting. Sometimes it's longer, depending on the length of time that crossover takes. Doing this helps to reduce exposure to deductibles that minimize the number of patient pay claims. In other words, to reduce your exposure to deductibles, don't file too early in the year.

The AIM EMS Dispatch Software MIGHT not make dispatching THIS easy... but it will make dispatching easier! Learn about AIM's integrated EMS Dispatch, EMS ePCR & EMS Billing Software and EMS Billing Services.

EMS billing can be challenging. To make the process easier, Mary recommends improving EMS workflow with AIM's File Attachment feature which keeps the supporting documentation of EMS claims organized and easily accessible.

We love learning about our customers! Today we feature, Jean, a billing specialist (and so much more!) from Community Ambulance Service. What’s her work music? What snacks are hidden in her desk? Watch to find out.