Medisum
Behind every successful private healthcare practice is someone making sure everything runs smoothly.
Meet Michelle and Kerry, the mother-and-daughter team behind Medisum. Based at Terry Dicken Business Park, they provide reliable, efficient and accurate private patient billing services for hospital consultants.
However, their role goes far beyond sending invoices.
I caught up with Michelle to find out how years of NHS experience, financial expertise and an eye for detail have helped create a business that saves consultants both time and money.
More than just billing
“People often think we simply raise invoices,” Michelle explained. “In reality, we manage the whole administrative side of a consultant’s private practice.”
Private healthcare consultants often run their practices as limited companies alongside demanding NHS roles.
“Surgeons, anaesthetists and physicians are experts in medicine,” said Michelle. “They’re not necessarily experts in bookkeeping, paperwork or chasing unpaid invoices.”
That’s where Medisum steps in.
The team tracks income, monitors outstanding payments, checks hospital remittances, manages expenses and prepares everything for year-end accounts.
“I’m AAT qualified but I don’t prepare year end accounts as any accountant can do that. We organise everything in the middle, making sure the records are accurate and tidy and we provide the raw data to the accountant.”
Spotting an opportunity
Michelle’s career began at The James Cook University Hospital, where she spent 19 years building an impressive range of experience.
She started as a medical secretary before progressing into management. Later, she managed private patient services in cardiothoracic services before moving into the finance department, where she oversaw overseas patient billing.
Those roles gave her a unique understanding of both the NHS and the financial processes that support private healthcare.
“My NHS experience allowed me to offer a self-employed billing service alongside my day job,” she said. “There was no pressure at first. I simply enjoyed helping consultants so they could spend more time looking after patients.”
It soon became clear there was a real demand.
“What started as helping people keep their paperwork organised quickly grew. Word spread through recommendations and eventually I incorporated Medisum as a limited company in 2014.”
Experience that pays
One of Michelle’s earliest clients demonstrated exactly why specialist knowledge matters.
“They thought money was missing,” she recalled. “I went back through their hospital remittances and discovered around £25,000 that hadn’t been recovered.”
That success led to more referrals.
“People naturally assume everything has been processed correctly. However, we’re all human and mistakes can happen.”
Today, checking hospital remittances is even more important.
“There’s now only a three-month window to identify discrepancies, so keeping on top of billing has never been more critical.”
Why experience matters
Although there are many billing companies, Michelle believes Medisum’s biggest strength is its combined NHS and financial experience.
“Some companies only understand private practice,” she explained. “We understand both sides.”
That knowledge allows Medisum to navigate NHS tariffs, hospital remittances and complex insurance systems with confidence.
“We also help clients with indemnity subscriptions, making sure they’re paying the correct level of cover.”
Ultimately, Michelle believes good billing is about far more than numbers.
“It’s knowing what to look for and understanding how everything fits together.”
A seamless service
Many consultants initially manage their own billing.
However, as their practices grow, the paperwork quickly follows.
“It’s not simply raising an invoice and waiting to be paid,” Michelle explained. “There are insurance company schedules to navigate, patient excesses, unpaid invoices and endless paperwork to keep on top of.”
For many clients, it soon becomes overwhelming.
Fortunately, Michelle isn’t tackling it alone.
“My daughter Kerry joined the business after spending 15 years working as an NHS medical secretary. Between us, we’re very organised and good at managing lots of different clients.”
The aim is simple.
“Our clients don’t need to worry about the day-to-day administration. Everything comes to us and they receive a clear monthly summary. We quietly keep everything running in the background.”
Every client is different too.
“Some like to stay involved, while others prefer us to manage almost everything. We’re happy to work whichever way suits them best.”
Growing into Terry Dicken Business Park
As Medisum continued to grow, the team needed to be in an office together to share ideas and solve problems faster.
Having previously been based on Stokesley High Street, they moved to Terry Dicken Business Park earlier this year.
“Our previous office was no longer fit for purpose,” Michelle said. “Now Kerry’s youngest is at school, we’re in a great position to welcome more clients.”
The move has already proved worthwhile.
“The business park is really convenient and has a fantastic mix of businesses. We’d heard great things through Thirsty Thursday, so when the right office became available, we didn’t hesitate.”
Looking ahead
Since leaving the NHS, Michelle and Kerry haven’t looked back.
Today they support consultants across the North East and as far away as London, with almost everything handled securely online.
“We usually only meet clients once,” Michelle explained. “Everything else is completed electronically using end-to-end encrypted systems.”
New clients often begin with a two or three-month trial.
“It gives everyone chance to understand how much support they need. From there, we agree a monthly package that works for them.”
After all, when Medisum is doing its job well, consultants barely notice the work happening behind the scenes!
Instead, they simply have more time to focus on what they do best – caring for their patients.
Medisum can be found at: Office 17, 2 Roseberry Court, Terry Dicken Business Park, Ellerbeck Way, Stokesley, TS9 5QT
Call 01642 714112 or visit their website
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