Patient friendly billing project: putting the patient first.

Freeing the consumer from the confusion of the current billing and payment process is a key long-term goal of the Patient Friendly Billing Project. This project is a joint effort of HFMA and the American Hospital Association, and with support from HCA; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois; Quorum Health Resources, Nashville, Tennessee; SSM HealthCare, St. Louis, Missouri; Cap Gemini Ernst & Young; Deloitte & Touche/Deloitte Consulting/Ernst & Young; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Stevens & Lee, Reading, Pennsylvania; Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Connecticut; Medical Group Management Association; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and HFMA's PFS Forum Advisory Council. If the goal of this project is achieved, the healthcare industry can gain from both improved consumer relations and cost-efficient outcomes that benefit all involved.