Audits need not be painful—in many cases, they are brief and routine: an insurance company simply asks for a sampling of note to ensure the services are being rendered and documented. Additionally, audits don’t guarantee you’ll owe insurance companies a single penny—in fact, you could benefit instead, as many healthcare companies find that the occasional audit helps them keep their documentation fine-tuned and compliant. Remember: decent documentation is an ethical requirement for clinical practice, not just an insurance company’s request. All that being said, an audit isn’t a reason to forego working with an insurance company—it is simply a factor to consider.