Time Management for Claims Examiners - Part 1

Sunday, August 18, 2002 | 0

Being a claims examiner is a demanding job. Not only is there the stress of dealing with people who are injured and need your help, but time deadlines are constantly looming while the case load seems to always increase. That's why learning proper time management techniques is such an important part of any claims training course work.

Simply put, time management is applying one of your most precious non-renewable resources, tour time, wisely. In this two part series we learn that burning the burning the candle from both ends isn't what gets the work done, it's a matter of working smarter, not harder.

One of the first and most basic technique in managing your time is to develop and use a follow-up system. Doing so will help you get your work done well and on time, help you improve the quality of your work, and give you the opportunity to start other projects with lead time.

A proper follow up system will also help you to remember who you're supposed to call and when you are supposed to call them. You will be able to stay on top of the work you have delegated to others, you won't have to spend as much time making decisions because you'll have facts more readily at hand, and you won't have to spend as much time putting out fires, because fewer fires will start.

A follow system gives you better multi-tasking ability, you will have less stress and tension, you will be able to say "I got a lot done today!" and you will get to stay home on the weekends!

Now that you're convinced that a follow up system is the answer to all of the world's problems, how do you set up such a system? One way is to use a planner. This does not have to be fancy, and you need to ensure that your planner does not in itself become a chore that sucks your time, so use a planner that you are comfortable with, and is intuitive to your style.

There are manual planners that are essentially big date books, and of course there are computer programs designed for planning and follow-up. In either case, a planner should be used to coordinate your calendar, meetings, appointments, diaries, etc. All of this time based information will be in one place, so that you don't make the mistake of trying to be in 3 places at once, or have overlapping, incongruous tasks. A good planner will also have a place to document addresses, names and phone numbers.

On a daily basis you should cross off or delete completed items and move each unfinished piece business to a future day. Be sure to block out all important vacation time for yourself! Also, as any good business person should do, add important dates and anniversaries. Follow up on personal items impresses customers and bosses because it shows you are organized, efficient and caring.

Now that you have your planner, its time to get into a routine, or Daily Task Management. Much of the claims examiner job involves repetitive tasks, so there are a number of items that can be prioritized on a routine basis.

The following tips apply specifically to claims adjusting:

Pull files with due dates ahead of time.
Do complex files or tasks first thing in the morning or late in the day when the phones are less active.
Do claim make-ups in the morning with a goal of completing them daily.
Call medical offices in the morning and later in the day as most medical offices are closed from noon to 2 p.m.
Pay bills and review mail during the heaviest phone time, after lunch, and immediately mark it "rush", "pull", or "file".

In the next article we'll review more Daily Task Management techniques, how to organize your desk top and drawers, prioritizing and working on resolutions.

Author, Cyndi Koppany, is Director of Corporate Training for Cambridge Integrated Services Group, Inc. E-mail her at ckoppany@earthlink.net.