Business operators are always looking for ways to reduce cost and maximize profit. One proven way to reduce cost is to outsource certain operations. Outsourcing gives the business owner more time to focus on growing the core business while putting the more mundane tasks in trusted hands. We met Melissa Turner, CEO of Mainstream Services. Mainstream Services Inc. is a premier medical insurance claim processing company. They meet the needs of any medical practice by offering their clients reliable electronic medical billing services. Here is what she had to say:

FH: How did you get involved in medical billing? Did you start this company from scratch?

MT: My involvement in medical billing began as a teenager in the 1990’s as I was hired by a local insurance company to process medical claims that were outsourced to the company. Yes, I started Mainstream Services Medical Billing from scratch. I pooled all of my experiences, training and networks to mold a company I knew would be beneficial to many physicians and other healthcare providers.

FH: Tell us about your business. When did you start? Talk about the evolution.

MT: Mainstream Services Inc. is a true labor of love. My company was started in June 2007. From my first full time job at the insurance company processing medical claims my interest was piqued and has never waned. I spent many years working for this company before moving on and becoming a corporate executive for a major financial institution. Even in this role, medical billing and claims processing seemed to always be a part of my life as this was one of the divisions of the corporation. I did not know during my 12+ years in the corporate arena that I was really in training for my current role as CEO of the company I now own.

FH: How do you view the future of medical billing?

MT: The future of medical billing is ever evolving. The importance of medical billing services will continue to be a mainstay in the healthcare world and will continually be looked upon for subject matter expertise with the current and future reforms that are being implemented. This time for the healthcare industry will be challenging and it will be invaluable to many providers to have a company that is dedicated to the process to support their practices overall. Medical billing is not a data entry job. This will become more and more apparent in this current time of change.

FH: What techniques have you been using to grow your company?

MT: The techniques I have used to grow my company first and foremost is to take very good care of my existing clients. I think organic growth and growth through referrals are paramount for any company to grow and have long term clients. I meet with my clients regularly in office and social settings. It’s important that they get to know me and my company. I am my brand.

FH: How do you market your services?

MT: The best marketing for my company is word of mouth, exposure through networking events and social media to help build and foster relationships. This is not to say that traditional marketing has not worked but this is where I place most of my marketing importance. When you are tasked with overseeing financial receivables for a healthcare provider and/or medical practice there has to be a level of comfort and trust. Other means of marketing I have done are cold calls to introduce my company to providers, I have visited local offices in person to say hello and drop off a treat for the office staff and coupled this with direct mail, website and an online presence.

FH: How effective has social media been to your business?

MT: Social media has been a great tool for my business. I use my social media more to temperature check healthcare providers and other industry related entities to see what is important to them, what non-medical billing challenges they express facing and consistently think of ways to support them and relieve the pressures I can so they can focus on the others. I have gained a wealth of knowledge just by observing and joining conversations when warranted.

FH: Given the more technical nature of your business, how hard is training employees? Have you been able to reduce employee turnover? If so, how?

MT: Training for new associates can be a challenge. All of my associates are trained extensively. Training on software, procedures, how to spot potential billing misinformation from details provided to us and how to learn a clients account to recognize changes in patterns for their billing etc. It is very important that all new associates are shadowed for a period of time before working on a live production account.

I believe our dedication to our associates and making sure they are well trained to perform their duties has been a greater benefit for my company in terms of turnover. We have associate appreciation programs, spot awards for going above and beyond our already high expectations but most importantly we have a supportive environment where our associates know we are as committed to their success as we are to those we service.

FH: What have been your biggest challenges?

MT: One of my biggest challenges has been to change the negative perception some have of medical billing services.

FH: What differentiates you from the competition?

MT: There are a variety of factors that differentiates me from my competition – whether it be the dedicated associates for each account, our handling of all patient billing inquiries and communication to relieve the providers in office, staff to the flat rate billing charge we offer to our clients allowing them to better forecast their monthly overhead. However, I believe one of the major things that differentiates me from my competition is my accessibility to my clients. They know they have a true advocate supporting them.

FH: Any other advice to small business owners?

MT: The one piece of advice I would like to share with other small business owners is to know your business, know your brand and communicate it well. If you don’t know it, no one else will either.

Thanks Melissa! Through Melissa’s experience, we can conclude that knowing your business inside and out, understanding your customers needs and executing your strategy are three focus points for success. These points are transferrable to any business and any industry. So our advice? Use your resources wisely and if it makes sense to outsource certain business activities, don’t hesitate to do so. Your time is better spent focusing on growing your business.