Overall, invoice volumes were up by just under 15% last month, compared with May 2023 with both hospital and non-hospital settings showing similar levels of growth. May is traditionally a busy month for the private healthcare sector but 2024 has seen a significant increase in insurer-funded activity with monthly volumes of more than 900,000 since the start of the year.

Healthcode’s invoice data is an important measure of market activity because private hospitals and more than 70% of practitioners, practices and clinics submit invoices to all the major insurers through its secure Clearing Service. Automated validation ensures each invoice complies with the relevant insurer’s requirements optimising accuracy and efficiency for the businesses involved.

Healthcode’s Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “The number of invoices is another measure of the strength of the private healthcare sector in 2024 with activity across all regions, settings and hospital specialties exceeding previous years. Insured provision allows more patients to access the treatment they need quickly, eases the pressure on the NHS and contributes to the wider economy so I’m proud that our Clearing Service has a part to play in this success story.”

Here are the headlines from Healthcode’s analysis of invoice activity in May 2024:

Treatment setting

• Most invoices are from non-hospital settings but both achieved year-on-year growth of 15% in May. Volumes for the year to date are 1.73million for hospitals and 3million for non-hospitals
• In hospitals, there was a 16% year-on year increase for outpatient invoices and 9% for admitted patients

Specialty

• Orthopaedics & trauma was the hospital specialty with the largest volume of invoices (63,000) which represented a year-on-year increase of 10%. Radiology was next with 49,000
• The largest year-on-year increase was in oncology (31%) although the specialty was the 7^th largest in terms of actual numbers (19,000). Radiology was second, up 27% year-on-year
• The top ten hospital specialties posted year-on-growth of 6% (cardiology) or above

Countries and regions

• Hospital invoice volumes were up across all UK countries with year-on-year growth of 14% in England, 61% in Northern Ireland, 18% in Scotland and 15% in Wales
• London saw the highest year-on-year growth (22%) but all the English regions saw average growth of more with 12% compared with May 2023

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Healthcode have triumphed at this year’s HealthInvestor Awards which celebrate achievement in the health and social care sector. The experts in online solutions won the prestigious Healthcare Technology Provider of the year award at the London ceremony last night.

The Technology Provider of the Year award honours companies that deliver cutting edge digital solutions specifically tailored to their clients’ business needs, combined with first class service, reliability, and attention to detail. Healthcode have been shortlisted finalists at the HealthInvestor Awards for the last four years and won in the IT Innovation category in 2020.

This year, the judges were particularly impressed by ICE, Heathcode’s groundbreaking online appointment booking solution for private healthcare. ICE enables providers to share real-time information about their services and practitioner availability on booking sites so people can find what they need and make an online appointment. They were also swayed by Healthcode’s customer service, measures to improve the reliability and security of its systems and its record of achievements, including processing 10.2million invoices worth more than £4billion for the sector.

Judges commented that “Healthcode solves some of the biggest problems across private healthcare. Solutions like invoice management and online booking and scheduling mean Healthcode improves efficiency, saves time and helps patients access care.”

Healthcode Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “It’s a huge honour to be recognised again at the HealthInvestor Awards and this reward is for the team who have worked so hard to make online booking a reality. The response to ICE has been hugely positive with the industry quick to recognise its potential to improve patients’ experience and make private healthcare more accessible.

“I’m proud that Healthcode have been a force for technological progress for so long, using our expertise to solve some of the biggest challenges facing our sector and find a better way for us all to move forward.”

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The record volume represents a landmark for the Clearing Service as it is the first time more than 10million invoices have been submitted annually since Healthcode made the process more accurate, efficient and secure more than 20 years ago. Private hospitals and more than 70% of practitioners, practices and clinics now submit invoices to all the major insurers though the service which automatically checks that each invoice complies with the relevant insurer’s requirements, ensuring they enter the payment cycle quicker.

Healthcode’s invoice data is an important measure of market activity and reflects the company’s position at the centre of the private healthcare industry. According to its latest analysis, the increase in volumes was driven by higher insured activity levels across the sector, particularly for non-hospital treatments and specialties like physiotherapy where overall invoice volumes rose by 27%. Notably, it shows an increase in the number of unique insured patients receiving treatment, rather than multiple invoices relating to the same patients.

Healthcode’s Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “The growth in invoice volumes to insurers is a healthy sign as it shows that more insured patients received the investigations, treatment and rehabilitation they needed to get their lives back on track. The increase in physiotherapy activity, for example, reflects the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions in the population¹ and also the important role of physiotherapists in preparing patients for procedures and supporting them as they recover.

“From a Healthcode perspective, I’m delighted that our Clearing Service has become a trusted and indispensable part of the invoicing process. It’s testament to the power of our online technology to streamline time-consuming manual processes and give private health businesses back that precious time to focus on delivering high quality safe and timely care.

“Whether it’s through our interoperable technology, our business intelligence or initiatives like our user groups, our motivation has always been to bring all the players in the industry together to facilitate collaboration and better ways of working. That continues to inspire innovations like The PPR (The Private Practice Register) which has now passed the milestone of 40,500 registered practitioners and ICE, our new real-time appointment booking platform for the sector.”

Here are the headlines from Healthcode’s analysis of invoice activity in 2023:

Treatment setting

• In 2023, 3.8m invoices were submitted by hospitals and 6.4million by non-hospitals. This represented year-on-year growth of 24% for non-hospitals and 12% for hospitals
• For hospitals, the vast majority of invoices related to outpatient treatments (more than 3.1million). The number of invoices for outpatient and admitted treatments increased by 11% and 12% respectively year-on-year

Specialty

• Orthopaedics & trauma remained the biggest hospital specialty in 2023 with an insured invoice volume of more than 657,000, up 13% on 2022. Radiology was second with 459,000 (up 7%) and physiotherapy third with 317,000 (up 15%)
• While gynaecology was the sixth largest hospital specialty in terms of invoice volumes (223,000), it saw the largest year-on-year growth (22%). Cardiology was the tenth largest hospital speciality by volumes (141,000) but posted growth of 20%  
• For non-hospital care, the biggest specialty was physiotherapy with over 1million invoices, more than 30% higher than 2022. Orthopaedics was second with 828,000 invoices (up 12%)
• Physiotherapy had the largest volume of invoices in 2023 across hospital and non-hospital settings, representing year-on-year growth of 27%

Countries and regions

• Hospital invoice volumes were up across all UK countries with year-on-year growth of 11% in England, 38% in Northern Ireland, 13% in Scotland and 20% in Wales
• All the English regions saw year-on-year growth of more than 10% in 2023 with the North East coming top with 18%. London achieved year-on-year growth of 11%

The post Healthcode helps private healthcare sector achieve a record year appeared first on Healthcode.

The total value of invoices cleared up to July 2023 is approximately £2.5billion, funds that have helped private sector providers grow their businesses, giving their patients, both private and NHS, the care they need.  

Healthcode released the data to coincide with its AGM in London on Thursday 7 September. Following the meeting, Healthcode hosted a special Showcase event to celebrate its achievements over the past 20 years and give stakeholders a glimpse of what’s in store over the next few years. 

Peter Connor, Healthcode’s Managing Director, commented: “After achieving great things in 2022, private healthcare providers are treating more insured patients than ever this year and we’re seeing year on year growth across every region, care setting and specialty.

“I’m proud that Healthcode’s technology is helping to power the sector forward on several fronts at a time when health provision is a national priority. That includes the clearing technology that rapidly clears insurer invoices so providers can realise income of £1bn each Quarter; our Secure Messaging service which industry professionals use to send more than 350,000 electronic messages each year, sharing confidential information in support of patient care; and The PPR which now has more than 38,000 registered practitioners and has become the information hub for the sector, driving collaboration and streamlining the practising privileges process.  

“Ultimately, Healthcode succeeds when we’re aligned to the needs of our stakeholders and our new ICE integrated channel exchange is yet another example, finally making real-time appointment booking a reality for the private healthcare sector.”

Headlines from Healthcode’s latest analysis of insurer invoice activity which covers January to July 2023:

Episode setting

• Between January and July 2023, the averaged year-on-year growth in non-hospital billing volumes was 27%, while for hospital billing volumes it was 13%.
• Between January and July 2023, the averaged year-on-year growth was 13% for outpatients and 16% for admitted patients. This reflects the different rate of recovery for admitted care which lagged behind outpatient episodes after the pandemic. 

Medical specialty

• Orthopaedics & trauma was the largest hospital specialty with an insured bill volume of 53K in July 2023, up 17% on the same month in 2022. Over the seven months to July 2023, the averaged year-on-year increase was 11%.
• Radiology was second (40K in July, up by 13% on 2022). The averaged year-on-year increase was 15% over the seven months to July.
• Obstetrics & gynaecology saw the largest year-on-year growth in billing volumes in July 2023 (32%) with cardiology only slightly behind on 31%. Over the seven months to July 2023, both specialties saw averaged year-on-year growth of 23%.  

Countries and regions

• Hospital billing volumes were up across all UK countries in July 2023 compared with July 2022. Wales achieved year-on-year growth of 26% while the equivalent year-on-year growth in England was 19%. Scotland and Northern Ireland were 9% and 5% respectively.
• All the English regions saw year-on-year growth of more than 15% in July 2023. The North East grew by 30% while Yorkshire & Humber grew by 25%. In London, year-on-year growth in July 2023 was 19% with the capital accounting for most private healthcare practice.

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The specialists in online IT solutions for the sector have made it possible for providers to share real-time information about their services and availability allowing consumers to find what they need and make an online appointment.

The first sector-wide booking system is in test with a number of hospitals and insurers who have signed up for the sandbox integration facility. Testers and other stakeholders attended a launch event in London on Wednesday 28 June which included a presentation and a chance to talk to Healthcode’s project team.  

Healthcode developed ICE to replace the multiple and disparate booking processes used across the sector, from paper-based admin to one-off IT solutions built for individual providers or software systems. This fragmented approach does not meet the needs or expectations of today’s patient and has often proved labour intensive and prone to inaccuracy such as double-booking.

Inspired by the evolution of online booking technology in the travel sector, Healthcode has developed a bespoke Global Distribution System (GDS) for private healthcare. 

The ICE solution allows providers, insurers and booking sites to link to a central hub where they can securely exchange and sync live information about services and availability. Third-party users can then use their choice of booking site to search the entire network, see what slots are currently free and then book their appointment. Once booked, the provider’s diary system is automatically updated so the slot is no longer available.

Healthcode’s Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “We’ve always believed that a national online booking system will be a game-changer for our sector and for patients so I’m delighted that so many industry stakeholders are now onboard. At a time when demand for private healthcare is growing, it makes sense to have a booking process that’s efficient, convenient, secure and accurate, rather than something that demands perseverance and patience from users.

“I’m also proud that ICE is true to our guiding principles: using interoperable technology so different organisations can connect seamlessly; meeting recognised data standards; encouraging industry collaboration in the interests of patients; and finding innovative ways to work more efficiently within the private healthcare sector.”

The post Healthcode breaks the ICE with online booking for the private healthcare sector appeared first on Healthcode.

In response to customer demand, the online technology specialists have made it easy for thousands of providers who use its Clearing Service to access the patientzone platform so they can send electronic invoices to patients. As well as being more time-efficient than printing and posting paper invoices and more secure than sending unencrypted emails, the solution is also cost-effective when compared with arranging a merchant account or paying credit card processing fees. It’s quick, easy and secure for patients to settle their invoice online and they receive an electronic receipt to show their payment has been processed.

Healthcode first launched online patient invoicing via patientzone to users of its ePractice software in 2019 and in 2021 it began a Shortfall Collection Service for hospitals which automatically identified shortfalls and used patientzone to send invoices and collect online payments. Both have proved popular: more than 76,000 electronic patientzone invoices have been processed since launch and volumes have increased year on year.

By creating a seamless integration between its Clearing Service and patientzone, Healthcode has now opened the door to self-pay patient invoices for providers that currently use third-party software. The solution is possible thanks to Healthcode’s interoperable technology which allows organisations to connect seamlessly and securely with its online services. To use the service, providers pay patientzone a fee of 2.5% per paid bill (+ VAT) and a charge of 10p (+VAT) for each reminder letter sent.

Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “Our Clearing Service paved the way for the private healthcare sector to adopt electronic billing for insurers and I’m proud to say we’re continuing to break new ground with a service that’s both necessary and timely. As the self-funded market grows, it’s essential that providers can manage the patient journey as efficiently as possible rather than get bogged down with labour intensive and costly admin. Online invoicing via patientzone is painless and more cost-effective than alternatives, as well as being a secure and convenient option for patients.”   

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Healthcode processed 8.6million insurer invoices in 2022 on behalf of hospitals, practices and clinics and practitioners. For the year to date (January and February 2023) insured billing volumes were 19% higher than 2022 across private healthcare settings. For hospitals alone, billing for the year to date was up by 9% on 2022 while in non-hospital settings it has jumped by 26%. Typically, most insured patients receive the specialist care they need in non-hospital settings including consultations, therapy sessions and diagnostic procedures such as medical scans, ECGs and blood tests.

Fiona Booth, Healthcode’s Head of External Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement, commented: “At this point, the vital signs are good and we anticipate another record year for insured claims following the recovery we reported across the sector in 2022. It picks up the long-term trend that was apparent before 2020 and so with hindsight we can say the ‘Pandemic effect’ didn’t diminish the fundamental strength of the private sector.

“Beyond Healthcode’s billing data, we’ve seen evidence of this resilience in other areas of our business. For example, the number of practitioners registered on The PPR (Private Practice Register) surged over the pandemic years, from 16,000 back in 2019 to 35,000 by December 2022 and the annual total of electronic invoices to self-pay patients through our Hospital Shortfall Collection Service and Online Payments has doubled since 2020. 

“A thriving private healthcare sector is important to meet growing patient demand for diagnostic services and specialist treatment, to support the public sector and to ensure providers can invest in safe, high-quality care.” 

Here are the headlines from Healthcode’s latest analysis:

Episode setting

• Compared with February 2022, hospital billing volumes rose by 6% while non-hospital volumes rose by 31%. For the year to date (January and February), volumes are up 9% and 26% respectively.
• Outpatient volumes in February were up 5% compared with 2022 while admitted patient bill volumes were up 12%. However, the long-term trend shows more patients are being treated as outpatient or day cases, rather than needing inpatient care.

Medical specialty

• Orthopaedics and trauma continues to be the top hospital specialty with an insured bill volume of 50K in February, slightly higher than last month but very marginally down on February 2022.
• Radiology is now the second largest hospital specialty in terms of billing volumes (34K in February, up by 13% on 2022). Growth in this specialty is likely to reflect the growing importance of diagnostic imaging services in private healthcare.
• After volumes fell away over the pandemic, hospital physiotherapy has seen a significant rise in 2022. Volumes for February were 28K, up 27% on 2022. Physiotherapists also accounted for more than 20% of non-hospital billing in the six months up to the end of January 2023.

Countries and regions

• Hospital billing volumes were up across UK countries compared with February 2022.
• London, the hub of private healthcare, saw a year-on-year rise in billing volumes of 8% in February. This was largely repeated outside the capital, particularly in the North East (up 8%), West Midlands (up 8%) and North West (up 7%). The exceptions were Yorkshire and the Humber and the South West where volumes were slightly lower than February 2022 (down 2% and 6% respectively).

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Private hospitals have bounced back following the severe downturn caused by the pandemic and lockdown in 2020. This recovery could already be seen in 2021 when 3.17million invoices were processed by Healthcode’s Clearing Service, up 40% on 2020 but momentum has continued into 2022 when more insured patients than ever received the specialist care they needed.

Healthcode’s Managing Director, Peter Connor, said: “Our data has tracked the story of the pandemic within private hospitals from the low of lockdown to resilient recovery to the resurgence of this year. And the heroes of this story are the consultants, healthcare professionals and managers in hospitals across the UK who have worked tirelessly to turn things around for patients. In the specialty of radiology, for example, year on year billing volumes increased by more than half in September 2022 meaning more patients could learn their diagnosis or receive essential therapeutic treatment.

“I have no doubt that demand for safe, high quality private healthcare will continue to increase in the years ahead and Healthcode will do our utmost to support that through the development of online services such as The PPR (Private Practice Register), pre-authorisation and real-time appointment booking.”

Here are the headlines from Healthcode’s latest analysis:

Episode setting

• Outpatient care represents 84% of hospital activity, up from 81% in 2019. Billing for these episodes made a strong recovery after the pandemic although this has levelled out this year and remains consistently above 2019 levels (117% in September 2022).
• After a slower recovery, inpatient activity surpassed 2019 in four of the last five months. The long term trend is for inpatient episodes to become a smaller proportion of hospital activity.

Medical speciality

• Orthopaedics and trauma remains the top hospital specialty by volume but the level of insured activity has not increased since 2019. In September 2022, the insured bill volume (47K) was slightly down on 2021 (49K) and the average volume for Q3 2022 was also slightly down on pre-pandemic level (98%).
• Radiology saw the biggest year on year rise in billing volumes (38K in September 2022 compared with 24k in September 2021). Average billing volumes for Q3 were more than double those in 2019 (213%).
• Pathology/haematology which had surged in the pandemic fell back to 20K in September 2022, compared with 22K in September 2021 although billing volumes still far exceeded 2019 (163% in Q3).
• In the other major medical specialties, insured billing volumes were slightly higher in September than 2019. The exception was ENT (99%) reflecting a slower rate of recovery in this specialty.

Countries and regions

• England has seen continued steady growth. Volumes in September 2022 was 114% vs 2019 (113% on average in Q3).
• By contrast, Wales’s recovery has lagged behind the other UK countries. Volumes for September 2022 were 94% of 2019 (97% for Q3). In Scotland, volumes were 109% of 2019 in September 2022 (105% in Q3).
• North West England had the strongest showing of the English regions. Billing volumes in September 2022 were 120% vs 2019 (119% for Q3). In London, billing volumes vs 2019 were 117% in September 2022 (113% for Q3).
• Yorkshire and Humber was static compared with the rest of the English regions. Billing volumes were unchanged from 2019 in September (102% for Q3).

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The new website is a decisive break with the past and signals a new chapter in the way Healthcode engages with its stakeholders. Using their new branding, the bold redesign has a clear layout which is much easier to navigate so practitioners, practices, hospitals and insurers can quickly find the section that is most relevant to them.

Healthcode are making it easier for customers to access help and support via the website with instructional videos and more ways to get in touch. The site also features clearer, jargon-free information on their wide range of online products and services that connect different parts of the private healthcare sector, from Claims Management and The PPR (Private Practice Register) to Secure Messaging and eBooking.

At a launch and networking event in London on 3 October, stakeholders from across the industry had the opportunity to see the new website for the first time and learn more about what Healthcode’s transformation programme means for them.

Managing Director, Peter Connor said: “Healthcode was founded on the belief that technology can bring about positive transformation. We’re constantly looking for better ways for our customers to do business, whether that’s automating time-consuming processes like pre-authorisation or ensuring they have the latest accurate data.

“At the same time, it’s right for us to look at how we can improve our performance and be the best we can be for our customers and the industry as a whole. That includes investing in our business systems to operate efficiently on a bigger scale and ensuring that we make our customers’ lives easier through our engagement with them. There’s much more to come but our new website is an important part of that mission, helping us support our customers every step of the way.”

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