MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center has achieved recognition as an Adopter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Patient Financial Communications Best Practices®.
As a Best Practices Adopter, Berkeley Medical Center demonstrated that it follows nearly 100 best practices covering all aspects of financial interactions that take place in a variety of care settings.
“In a time when patients are paying more out-of-pocket for their healthcare, the financial conversations we have with patients have never been more important,” Kathleen Quinones, C.P.A., vice president of finance, said. “We have taken steps to ensure that patients are treated with compassion and respect in financial matters, and this recognition confirms that.”
“When people are dealing with health issues, they should be focusing on their health, not trying to decipher confusing financial information,” HFMA president and CEO Joseph J. Fifer, F.H.F.M.A., C.P.A., said in learning of the award. “Berkeley Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that patients have a good experience when it comes to the financial aspects of their care.”
Berkeley Medical Center joins a select group of hospitals, health systems, and physician practices that have received this first-of-its-kind, national recognition. A blue-ribbon task force developed these best practices to help improve communication between healthcare providers and consumers about financial matters.
The task force included representatives from major industry groups, including the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the National Patient Advocate Foundation, among others. The best practices are part of HFMA’s Healthcare Dollars & Sense® initiative. More information is available at www.hfma.org/dollars.
About HFMA
With more than 40,000 members, the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is the nation's premier membership organization for healthcare finance leaders. HFMA builds and supports coalitions with other healthcare associations and industry groups to achieve consensus on solutions for the challenges the U.S. healthcare system faces today. Working with a broad cross-section of stakeholders, HFMA identifies gaps throughout the healthcare delivery system and bridges them through the establishment and sharing of knowledge and best practices. HFMA helps healthcare stakeholders achieve optimal results by creating and providing education, analysis, and practical tools and solutions. Its mission is to lead the financial management of healthcare. hfma.org