What Factors Influence Physicians' Billing Accuracy?

Abstract

Every year, medical billing errors cost the United States government billions in public funds wrongfully or erroneously paid out. While recent reports indicate modest decline in hospital billing errors, the rate of physician evaluation and management billing errors show no signs of improvement. Opinions vary on the causes of these billing errors and consequently on the appropriate countermeasures. Despite this national crisis, to date, no strategies have proven to improve physician billing accuracy. This research examines the existing literature to explore theories and constructs that explain causal factors of physician billing errors and to illuminate gaps in the research which if explored, may result in potential strategies for improving billing accuracy.