Five-year contract to bring new efficiency and increased revenue from ambulance billing
Briarcliff Manor, NY – The Town of Stratford, CT signed a deal today awarding the contract for EMS Billing Services to Digitech Computer, Inc. Under the new contract, with an initial term of one year and up to four years of renewals, Digitech will handle all billing for ambulance transports provided by Stratford EMS. The Town expects to see increased revenue from collections for ambulance services. The Office of the Purchasing Agent for the Town of Stratford oversaw the bid process and the subsequent in-depth evaluation and discussions.
The contract results from an independent review of the Stratford Emergency Medical Services Department commissioned in late 2010 by Mayor John A. Harkins, the Town Council, and the EMS Funding Committee to improve the financial position and overall operations of Stratford EMS. That study identified outsourcing of ambulance billing and records services as one of several proposed improvements intended to strengthen Stratford EMS as a self-sustaining department.
“Digitech’s experience and reputation were important factors in our decision to partner with them,” stated Phil Onofrio, Stratford EMS Director. “Their reliability, efficiency, and proven technological approach to ambulance billing will guide our efforts to improve collection rates and to negotiate the complex and ever-changing set of state and federal guidelines for EMS billing.”
“We’re expecting a lot from Digitech,” said Stratford Mayor John Harkins. “Stratford EMS is a dedicated, hard-working group of individuals, and they deserve to have a dedicated, hard-working team of professionals covering collections for the services they provide to our community. We expect that improvements to our bottom line will enable Stratford EMS to increase our response rate, respond to more calls, and provide better emergency medical service to our constituents without any additional burden to the taxpayer.”
Digitech’s team of highly trained EMS billing representatives, editors, coders, verifiers, Medicare and Medicaid specialists, dedicated account reps, programmers, and project managers relieves their partners of day-to-day ambulance billing, providing them with more freedom to run their operations. The Company has been offering technology and billing services to the medical transportation industry since 1984.
“Stratford EMS is moving in the right direction to confront the challenges that many municipalities face in the current economic environment,” said Mark Schiowitz, President of Digitech. “We can help ensure that Stratford’s medics and first responders can continue to widen their net of coverage without requiring any new funding sources.”
About Digitech
Digitech Computer, Inc. has continuously provided advanced dispatching and billing software and services to the medical transportation industry since 1984. The Digitech team includes veterans of the ambulance industry, technical experts, software developers, and medical billing and accounting professionals. Digitech offers a rich blend of proprietary software technology and billing services with a flexible approach that adapts products to suit the unique needs of its clients. For more information on Digitech Computer please visit: www.digitechcomputer.com.
About Phil Onofrio
Former volunteer firefighter, former respiratory therapist, former director of operations at Bristol Hospital EMS, and paramedic, Stratford EMS Director Phil Onofrio brings a wealth of experience to his role. Onofrio stepped into the newly created position of EMS Director in early 2011, and quickly established a collaborative leadership style marked by observing, consulting, and listening to his staff, with research and data analysis providing the backbone for decision-making.
About Mayor John A. Harkins
A lifelong Stratford resident, Mayor Harkins has served his community in a public capacity since 1995, first as a Councilman, then in seven consecutive terms as State Representative to the General Assembly. Harkins has been active in numerous civic organizations, including the Stratford Rotary Club, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, the Stratford Train Station Advisory Committee, SaveStratford.org, the Raymark Advisory Committee, and St. Mark’s Catholic Church.