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June 28, 2022

How to Map your Health System's Procure to Pay Process - TAG Inc.

How to Map your Health System’s Procure to Pay Processes

Health systems lose millions each year due to process inefficiencies and errors throughout the procure to pay (P2P) process. Most of these lost funds are preventable, but teams are content, in a state of denial, or misunderstand the process. To bring awareness and begin to prevent leaking dollars, begin by creating a procure to pay process map. What is Process Mapping? Process mapping, or process flow mapping, is the visual representation of how tasks are actually completed in a workflow. A process map brings visibility to who is involved in a process and sheds light on areas that need improvement. […]

January 11, 2022

How to Ensure Vendor Compliance at your Health System

Ensuring vendor compliance at your health system may seem like a daunting, impossible task that never ends. You’re not wrong. Managing thousands of vendors and holding them accountable is complex and requires attention to detail and a timely dedication your Procurement and Accounts Payable (AP) staff may not have. The results of not doing so can be catastrophic to your health system’s bottom line, costing the healthcare industry $1.7B* annually. To battle this, your health system must create a comprehensive vendor compliance management policy and process. What to Consider in your Vendor Compliance Process Bring AP and Supply Chain Departments […]

November 18, 2021

What to document when making a return - TAG Inc

Returned Goods Process: What to Track and Document

Returning unused or unwanted products at your health system is unavoidable making a well-defined returned goods process an essential asset. Industry-leading returns processes directly reduce millions of dollars in exposure to risk– $7M annually at health systems in the USA*. No health systems are alike making it difficult to design a one process fits all approach to the industry’s returned goods issue. However, there are several elements that are critical in a successful returns process including: Interdepartmental communication and accountability Clearly defined responsibilities and policies Ownership, accountability, and oversight Leveraged Technology such as a returned goods log Reconciliation Tracking of […]

September 29, 2021

Top 5 Healthcare AP Trends Going into 2022

The last two years in healthcare have brought on challenges our industry has never experienced with the onset of COVID-19. As 2022 approaches we begin preparing for post-pandemic operations and take a look at trends in healthcare’s Accounts Payable (AP) departments. 5 AP Trends in Healthcare Disbursed Workforce The pandemic has brought on the need for remote workers throughout operations in health systems. Many healthcare organizations plan to keep the remote working structure in place to save on operating and real estate costs. According to Gartner, 82% of company leaders plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time […]

August 17, 2021

Managing your Health System’s 1099 Vendors

2020 not only brought on a seemingly never-ending pandemic, but it also brought back the 1099 form complicating filings for health system’s accounts payable (AP) departments. Health systems commonly have 5,000+ unique 1099 vendors on an annual basis that will be paid multiple times throughout the year. Small oversights in your vendor management process can quickly lead to headaches, extra manual work, and large fines from the IRS. What is a 1099 Vendor? A 1099 vendor is a business or an individual that has done work for your health system, has been paid in excess of $600, and does not […]

July 27, 2021

Top 8 AP KPIs for your Health System

There is no shortage of data to track and measure, but tracking the right data is what matters – especially when measuring departmental and individual performance. Use these Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track, monitor, and measure a Health System’s AP department on efficiency, productivity, and cost savings. Top AP KPIs Invoice Cycle Time Invoice Cycle Time must be monitored and closely managed to avoid late payment penalties and allow the health system to take full advantage of all prompt pay discounts. Depending on your health system’s cash flow strategy, AP should aim to lower their invoice cycle time to […]

May 11, 2021

Types of Leaked Funds at Health Systems and their Root Causes - TAG Inc

How does your Health System Leak Funds?

You hear time and time again that your health system continues to leak funds, especially within the procure to pay (P2P) process. But, what does it really mean to “leak funds,” and what causes these leaks? Keep reading to find out. “Leaking funds” is the loss of funds within your health system that are caused by errors and/or inefficiencies within your department/health system. Common Types of Leaked Funds Overpayments Overpayments occur when your health system pays more than the agreed-upon contract price for services. It is important to verify the invoiced total with the contracted agreement before processing payment. The […]

October 18, 2020

Tips for Collecting Vendor Statements-TAG Inc - The Audit Group

5 Tips for Collecting Vendor Statements

Collecting your vendor statements is essential to holding healthcare vendors accountable and ensuring the accuracy of pricing, inventory, supplies, and services received. Reconciling vendor statements allows your Accounts Payable (AP) department to monitor accounts and prevent potential credit holds. Statement collection may be the only way to capture missed credits that were not correctly sent to your organization. Periodic statement collection ensures you capture all available credits, preventing vendors from unauthorized use or escheatment to the state, and saving your AP team from time spent chasing unclaimed property. While the benefits of vendor statement collection are vast, health systems do […]

August 10, 2020

Improve Supplier Relationships - TAG Inc - The Audit Group

Keys to Successful Supplier Relationships

A positive supplier relationship builds trust and loyalty – both important foundations when it comes to negotiating new contracts. Building on trust and loyalty with your suppliers can have financial reward such as: Avoid overcharges. Suppliers may be understaffed or have inefficient systems leading to charges on supplies or services higher than the agreed-upon terms. Recover and avoid duplicate payments. Duplicate payments happen in all health systems, but loyalty with suppliers can help keep them honest and return the duplicated payment before inquiring about it. Avoid charges for services not rendered. Purchased services can be complex to manage leading to […]