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About Judy Capko

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So far Judy Capko has created 85 blog entries.

What Makes a Practice Great?

The foundation of a great practice begins with leadership that is a paradoxical blend of humility and professional will. The will and unwavering resolve to set a standard and get superior results. Their personal humility is evident in their compelling modesty and calm determination.Most importantly, great leaders channel their ambitions into the practice not themselves. They enthusiastically give the credit to others for what is achieved, but look in the mirror when things don't go right.This is the kind of leader we want to work for. It is the kind of leader we inspire to be.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants and the founder of Capko & Company, www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00October 9th, 2010|

What’s Your Time Worth?

Doctors and managers work hard to keep the practice afloat and provide good care, and service to the patients. But it's not just about working hard, it's about working smart!Ask yourself what your time is worth? Physicians and managers are the drivers of the practice and need to work at the highest level to generate and protect the revenue that keeps the practice running. Too often when working with practices, I see sabotage that results in poor management of your most important commodity - Time! Here's what you can do about it.Stop the interruptions: Sometimes they are valid, but often they are not. Pay close attention and you may discover that you are being interrupted unnecessarily. Set some guidelines that keep interruptions at bay. Delegate more: If you are doing tasks or assuming responsibility for things that can be done by someone else, it's time to evaluate why. It may be a matter of just not wanting to take the time to provide proper instruction or train someone to do a task, but it costs plenty. Delegation provides an opportunity to enrich a staff members job while freeing your time. Physicians just might see one more patient a day and that adds up to as much as $50,000 a year. When managers free up more time it gives them the opportunity to be strategic in planning for the future and ensuring revenue is not compromised.Now it's your turn - give our bloggers your best tips on managing time better.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. e mail judy@capko.com.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00September 28th, 2010|

Your future may seem like a roller coaster ride – So What?

Yeah life in the medical practice isn't what it use to be, but neither is driving in the fast lane. Your best road to success is to focus on the positive and to realize you have choices. No more grumbling about what is wrong with the system - it's time to take action. Here's what you can do....First, learn more about your own practice. Look at the numbers - tangible evidence of practice performance! Then ask how your practice compares to same time last year and what actions can you take to ensure you are better off in the future?Next, take action! Set goals and strategies to achieve them. Make the investment in resources, time and money to take your practice to a new level and protect your future. Make the commitment.Then involve the staff. Ask them for input in how the practice can achieve its goals by tapping into their talents. Get everyone on board and the amazing results will surprise you.Finally, when goals are achieved, celebrate with staff and share the rewards. The future's yours. Grab it and make a difference. You'll be glad you did.Now readers, tell me what you think and give our readers something to think about!Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants and author of the runaway top-selling book: Secrets of the Best-Run Practices. www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:23:34-08:00August 24th, 2010|

How to be a better-performing practice

We hear a lot these days about best-practices, benchmarks and key performance indicators, but what does it really take to be a better-performing practice?It starts with developing your own report card. Determine what key performance indicators you want to follow. Here are some standard industry measures: Total accounts receivable (A/R) and days in A/R (DAR)Percentage of A/R over 120 daysPercentage of insurance contract adjustmentsCollection ratio as a percentage of charges minus contract adjustmentsIncome and expense as a percentage of revenueStaffing costs as a percentage of revenueNumber of full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) based on 40 hour work weekNumber of new patient visits and established patient visitsNext, Review your data and past performance history. Prepare your calculations based on per FTE provider number. Compare this year's practice performance to the same time last year. Also compare your figures to national data from MGMA's Cost Survey, http://www.mgma.com/ and NSCHBC's statistical report, http://www.nschbc.com/ for your specialty. Some of the national data represents the average among all the sampling practices - that is the 50% mark, so this should only be a base. Shoot be in the top 10% to be a best-practice. Now set improvement goals where you are not in top 10%, increasing your goal each year until you reach the mark.If your performance with these key indicators is already at the best-practice level, expand the tracking to include other indicators that compare your performance in these suggested areas:Indicator: GoalLow turnover: Rolling three year average under 15%Staff over-time pay: Less than 3 hours per provider each weekPatient wait time: Less than 15 minutesClaims error rate: Less than 3%Collection at time of service: 90%Missed appointments: Less than 5%Now you'll have some real tools to work with - so start tracking! If you need help, call on a consultant in your area.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants, and author of the runaway top-selling book: Secrets of the Best-Run Practices. https://capko.com/

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00August 7th, 2010|

Talk to me

Communicating better improves morale and performance, and cuts down on turnover. Poor communication wastes time and makes those you interact with feel discounted. It's even more magnified with the younger generation. Generation Y wants lots of feedback and they want it NOW! The annual review just isn't enough, so start communicating better. Talk about youd expectations, their achievements and what can be done differently. Share your goals and build a culture that supports it - beginning with communication. And remember, communication is a two-way street. Be willing to listen to feedback, as well as giving it! You'll be glad you did. Now, tell me what you think - share it with my readers.

By Judy Capko|2012-06-06T13:51:03-08:00July 15th, 2010|

Top-down a killer for practice performance

If you want to get the most out of staff, keep them happy and keep them keeping the patients happy, pay close attention to these facts.A top down attitude is a hierarchy that focuses on management discussing problems and making decisions with minimum input from staff. It's a mentality that threatens the practice team, destroys morale and guarantees high-turn. The costs to the practice and the patients is a killer. Don't let it happen to you!Involve those affected by a potential decision in the decision-making process. Be a good listener and value their input - They can provide you with critical information that helps you make a better decision. Without their input you will not have their buy-in, which will almost guarantee that the change process will not succeed [or yield the desired results.] This could be because staff does not have a clear understanding of how they will benefit from the changes and may feel threatened. Then again, it could be due to deliberate sabotage. Either way, you lose!Your success depends on everyone working for the common good of the group, but this can only be achieved by valuing staff and gathering information, greater participation in the decision-making process.Don't you agree?Followers; share your opinion and pass this blog on to your colleagues for their reply.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. Go to www.capko.com for more information

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00June 28th, 2010|

Dr. Newbie may be sinking

I've seen too many practices go through one, two and even three associates over a short period of time. They get sour and think young doctors just aren't what they use to be. Maybe, but maybe you aren't the same either. Physicians and administrators are so busy these days and have so much going on that they sometimes fail to give Dr. Newbie the tools to succeed. It's your job to provide Dr. Newbie with a good orientation, clear expectations, an understanding of the schedule, documentation requirements, billing processes and what support staff he or she can depend on. In other words you need to plan ahead, communicate well and be there when Dr. Newbie needs help. Then everyone wins and the team gets stronger! That's doing your job right. So look in the mirror when you have an associate physician that jumps ship after year one or two and think about what you might have done to make things turn out differently.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants, and author of the runaway top-selling book Secrets of the Best Run Practice. Check it out by clicking on the book icon at www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:22:56-08:00June 12th, 2010|

A Winning Team

Employees emulate management, so if you want a winning team you gotta set the example. Positive interaction with staff drives better performance and makes everyone as winner. It's all about the tude, the attitude! Here's my top list of BE attitudes: Believe. Recognize individual strengths,set high expectations and praise their achievements. Be visible. Make the rounds by walking through the practice at least once a day. Greet each person and ask how the job is going. Be approachable, be part of the team! Be supportive. Recognize when a staffer is struggling or has a problem that interferes with his or her ability to perform the job. Provide support and seek meaningful solutions. Be Timely. Don't disregard employees or compromise the relationship by putting things off. If you've scheduled things that involve staff and are inclined to postpone them, don't. Here's a few examples: - Annual performance reviews - Staff meetings - Employee training and feedback sessions - Celebrations - Purchasing promised equipment or supplies Keep morale high, value staff and be a winning team. Hey readers, if you have additional tips share your comments. Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice practice management and marketing consultants.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:58-08:00June 5th, 2010|

The Lunch Hour Debacle

If you shut down the phones during the lunch hour you are on the fast track to losing potential new patients and aggravating existing ones. It also results in greater phone traffic when the lines open up again, resulting in chaos.Other service industries would never dream of closing down their phones at lunch. Why? Because being available opens the door to serve their customers better and to gain new business. If you lose 2 new patients a week it could cost you more than $36,000 in lost revenue a year. Employees can stagger their lunches to give you telephone coverage. So stop the lunch hour debacle!Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants and author of the runaway top-selling book Secrets of the Best-Run Practices now in its second edition. Check it out by clicking on the book icon at www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:22:56-08:00May 29th, 2010|

Our Mission

Our mission is to make your practice shine.Our vision to achieve this: 1) Support business principles that drive a medical practice's success.2) Offer management continuing education presentations, articles and books.3) Foster the value of job training and enrichment programs.4) Coach physicians and administrators in mastering their leadership skills.5) Be the go to person for practices that seek to be top performers.Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants and author of the runaway top-selling book Secrets of The Best-Run Practices now in its second edition. Check it out by clicking on the book icon at www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:58-08:00May 26th, 2010|

What’s Bugging You?

Hey Doctors and administrators, I know you have frustrations and issues that plague you in this volatile healthcare environment. Tell my readers what's bugging you. What you share with them can lead to a discussion where everyone benefits. So follow this blog and let's talk. Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultant and author of the runaway top-selling book Secrets of the Best-Run Practices available at www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:58-08:00May 19th, 2010|

Five things you can do to bring money in the door

Staff Can Make a Difference!Set up solid financial policies the physicians will endorse and establish methods to improve collection of patient payments. Here's six actions you can take:1. When a patient schedules an appointment verify address, employer and benefits. Also remind him or her the amount due on the account.2. Review patient accounts the day before their scheduled appointments and verify insurance eligibility and benefits.3. Make it easy for patients to pay: Accept credit and debit cards.4. Determine average percentage of daily revenue now being collected from patients against the average amount actually owed and set specific goals for improvement.5. When patients arrive and depart, don't ask if the patient wants to pay - ask how they want to pay; check, cash, credit or debit.6. Identify who the go to person if their is a dispute about the bill while the patient is in the officeBe consistent in applying these actions and watch patient revenue soar.Do you have other collection tips? If so, please share them with the followers of this blog.Announcing the release of Judy Capko's runaway best selling book Secrets of the Best-Run Practices, 2nd edition. To check it out go to www.capko.com and click on the book icon.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:58-08:00May 14th, 2010|

Get What You Deserve

Are you taking a hit on revenue?If you are not analyzing your reimbursement from different payer source and don't have a clear understanding of what it cost to see a patient you may be taking a hit that you can't afford.Start with understanding the basic cost for you to see a patient. Take your practice operating expenses for the past twelve months and add in the physicians' salary and payroll taxes to know your true costs. Divide this by the number of patient visits last year and you have a good starting point.Next examine payer performance. You can determine the average per visit reimbursement by payer by dividing the number of visits by the total payments for each particular payer. Now you you have a concrete number you can compare to your cost to see a patient. If you aren't getting paid more than it cost to see a patient and make a reasonable profit its time to think about what actions you can take to reverse this.Need help? Contact Judy CapkoJudy is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. e mail judy@capko.comAnnouncing the release of the 2nd edition of the runaway best-selling book Secrets of the Best-Run Practices. To check it out go to www.capko.com and click on the book icon.

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:22:56-08:00May 10th, 2010|

Energize Your Website

Power-up your website If you don't have a website get one. If you do have one, enhance it and make it all it can be! It will save staff and physicians time. Most patients already use the Internet. They use it to make airline reservations, check the weather, follow their investments and get information. Better service, better communication The website is the perfect vehicle to tell patients about the practice, physicians and staff. It can provide directions to the office, seasonal reminders and lead patients to the appropriate sources to obtain reliable clinical information about medical conditions. This will result in more efficiency. Patient portals Websites can be designed to be more interactive through a patient portal that is HIPAA compliant. By establishing designated parameters your patients can register on-line. You can also set up a patient management system so patients can review certain portions of their medical record. And why not provide patients with convenient pay-on-line capabilities to improve cash flow and staff efficiency? Reduce telephone madness Patients can also communicate with your office through e mail, reducing the volume of incoming phone calls to the office. It allows a staff member to read and respond to the e mail at their convenience; provides timely documentation and tracking; and reduces those in-bound phone calls. Websites are only limited by the imagination. Announcing the release of the 2nd edition of the runaway to-selling book by Judy Capko: Secrets of the Best-Run Practice. Check it out by clicking on the book icon at www.capko.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00May 5th, 2010|

More on EHR government funding

How EHR Stimulus Funds Are DistributedLast week's blog was a brief primer on what you should know about electronic health records including some information about how the government is beginning the process of defining meaningful use of EHR application that is essential to qualify for stimulus funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA, of 2009. Here is a schedule of how the stimulus funds will be made available to physicians that meet the government's criteria based on what year you implement EHR meeting the criteria.1st year funds and funds each consecutive year that follow2011: $18,000, $12,000, $8,000, $4,000, $2000 = Total: $44,0002012: $18,000, $12,000, $8,000, $4,000, $2,000 = Total: $44,0002013: $15,000, $12,000, $8,000, $4,000 - Total: $39,0002014: $12,000 $8,000, $4,000 = Total: $24,0002015: Total = $0Source: US Department of Health and Human ResourcesThis provides a snapshot revealing that implementing EHR before 2013 provides the greatest amount of stimulus funds. It's not too early to start researching implementing EHR into your practice, but keep a watchful eye on how the proposed legislation published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2010 is revised before it is finalized to make sure your EHR decision is in sync with government minimum standard requirements.The devil is in the detail! Judy Capko is one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. e mail judy@capko.com. zz

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00April 25th, 2010|

What you should know about electronic health records

The government's push for physicians to get on board with electronic health records, EHRs, is outlined in the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA, of 2009 which has changed the landscape regarding electronic medical records.Federal stimulus funds are available that promise as much as $44,000 per physician to implement EHRs before the end of 2012 – Not all that far away.To get these funds, physicians have to prove meaningful use. Meaningful use is still in the process of being clearly defined by the Feds. Specific requirements are outlined in the proposed rule published in the January 13, 2010 Federal Register.Stage 1, the initial period of EHR described in the proposed rule, defines use focused on capturing health information electronically. 25 criteria for physicians to meet Stage 1 of meaningful use includes such things as:Maintaining an up-to-date problem list;Generating and transmitting at least 75% of all permissible prescriptions electronically;Maintaining an active medication list with at least 80% of all unique patients; and Having a least on entry providing clinical summaries to at least 80% of all patients for each office visit. You can see this will, indeed, change the way most physicians currently work and manage their patients’ health records. The proposed CMS requirements set the minimum standard for acceptable EHR use, which at this time means being CCHIT certified. This certification is accomplished through the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, which rates EHR products on usability ensuring that vendors meet the major objectives of meaningful use.Until the proposed legislation is finalized physicians will not have essential information to guide the decision process. In the meantime gather information to help you make an appropriate EHR decision. Selecting and EHR is a long and arduous road. Make sure you are armed with the tools to make the EHR decision that best fits your practice specific needs. Certainly the ARRA’s financial incentives are designed to convince many physicians to implement EHRs and will be effective in doing so. But don’t leap into it without a clear understanding of the government’s final requirements once legislation is passed. Contact Judy Capko,

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00April 21st, 2010|

Singing the blues?

So many doctors are disenchanted with medicine - the regulations, the restrictions, the expense, and sometimes the patients' attitude. It's easy to understand how after all the years they dedicated to education, training and building a patient base they are singing the blues. Practicing medicine just isn't what it use to be and certainly isn't what many of today's doctors envisioned. But its up to you to make it better - so quit singing the blues and do something. Get back to basics. Think about why you went into medicine in the first place. Focus on those these. Then ask yourself how you can get back the zest you once felt. You have choices and you can make decisions. Don't get stuck in the mud, do something to make your practice life better. Be strategic. What is it you want and what will it take to get there? Start looking at the pros and cons and draw on your strengths. Seek the resources you need, be decisive - set goals and develop a path to achieve them.Its up to you - Go for it! Quit singing the blues and take positive steps to make your future brighter. Then, let me know how your doing. Consultants can be your strongest ally. Contact Judy Capko, one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. e-mail judy@capko.com - I'm on your team!

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:22:56-08:00May 6th, 2009|

Getting Bugged?

Patients first.Patients are a priority in every practice, in fact, they are the purpose. So why don't doctors pay closer attention to patient complaints? The top three complaints all have to do with time and these issues can be solved.What bugs patients??1. Waiting more than 1/2 hour in the office2. Waiting too long for an appointment (access)3. Doctor spent too little time with meThese problems can be resolved by setting up realistic scheduling parameters based on the actual time a physician needs with the patient and then starting on time. This will require staff taking the right initiative to have patients and charts properly prepared for the visit. I'm sure you are up for the challenge. After all, you will gain a lot: higher productivity, happier patients, and a better bottom line!Now its your turn.Tell me doctor, what bugs you? I really want to hear from you and will report the results in a future blog. In fact, answer this blog and share your opinion with your peers.Contact Judy Capko, one of America's leading practice management and marketing consultants. e-mail judy@capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00March 23rd, 2009|

Collections rule the day

It doesn't matter how busy you are if production doesn't turn to revenue - collections rule the day! Here's what you can do to keep the money flowing. First, establish solid financial policies. Put them in writing, communicate your expectations of staff, give them the training and the tools to succeed, and then hold them to the task. It can be done, but your success depends on you giving staff the support they need and paying them what they are worth.Next, review and analyze collection performance. It is wise for the manager and physician to review these reports together each month, compare performance to historical trends and look for hot spots that should be addressed.1. Unpaid claims 2. Aging reports3. Aging by payer class 4. Patient balance report 5. Payer performance reportsAnalysis of these reports should include several months with graphs to identify trends. The trends revealed help you understand how the practice is performing and determine if a change in procedures or policy might improve performance. These actions are essential steps to ensure you are getting paid for what you do. Contact Judy Capko, one of America's best known practice management consultants; www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00March 2nd, 2009|

Marketing on a dime in a turbulent economy

Medical practices are feeling the impact of the looming recession, as patients become more concerned about personal finances. They thiink twice before scheduling an appointment and put off treatment that doesn't seem urgent. Yep, with gaps in the schedule, revenue starts to slide and practice economics become uncertain. So how can you fill those gaps and pump iron into practice revenue without spending big bucks on marketing? Read on...1) Mine your data base. Find those patients that are overdue for an annual visit, follow-up care or screening tests the practice offers. E-mail or give these patients a jingle. Don't just remind patients to schedule appointments, offer each one a specific time slot to increase your odds for filling the schedule. Be sure to confirm appointments 48 hours in advance with verbiage that accentuates the importance of keeping appointments.2) Be visible. Participate in community social and fund-raising activities. The more you (and your staff) are in front of people, the more you remind them of who you are and what you do.3) Be a media darling. Get to know the writers focused on healthcare for local newspapers and regional magazines. Become the "go to" person when they are seeking physicians to quote. It's easier to do than you might think. Go on line to their websites and e-mail the writers that cover features on healthcare business and clinical issues. Invite each one to contact you when they need a source, and direct them to your website so they can check you out. When a medical topic becomes of interest to the community and you can offer solid advice, e-mail your media contacts. 4) Be active with the hospital and local medical association. Communicate your interest in being their media source for information and interviews.5) Be responsive. When someone needs something from you or makes a query, respond without delay, whether its the media, another medical practice or your patients. Be timely and dependable. Now watch your practice thrive!Contact Judy Capko, one of America's best known practice management and marketing consultants: www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00February 24th, 2009|

Hire a team that follows your practice dream

Here's some power tips for creating a staff that keeps your practice at the top of its game.Know who you are. If you haven't already done so, develop your mission statement. A mission statement should not be vague nor grandiose. It should describe what your practice is all about. What defines your practice? Is it serving the under served, service beyond expectations, partnering with patients on health style issues or if your a pediatrician could it be to make each patient's visit fun? Whatever it is you must define and establish methods to make it a reality. This includes getting the entire staff on board on how to live the mission.Second, create mission-driven job descriptions. Make sure each position has specific responsibilities that support the mission statement, including points of accountability.Third, make the mission statement part of your hiring process. Whenever you are recruiting for a position in your office your mission statement should be at the helm. Applicants need to understand that living the mission is a job requirement and that they will be held accountable to act in a manner that endorses and supports the mission.Finally, execute mission training. Have a formal orientation program for new employees that talks about the mission and each staff's role in achieving the mission. Have an annual "Mission Possible" employee training program each year that includes a review and discussion of the mission and a continuing education seminar on a topic that compliments what is needed to live the mission.If you do these things and your decisions and actions support the mission, you'll create a power team that serves the practice well. Contact Judy Capko, one of America's best known practice management consultants: www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00February 14th, 2009|

Dealing with conflict

Addressing and resolving conflicts is something most people avoid, including doctors! But in reality, conflicts will always emerge. But, conflicts left unattended will cause much anxiety and furor. Resolving conflict requires a specific set of actions and determination.Know where you are. Get a grip and examine the situation with the intent to reach a “realistic” solution. Recognize that this can’t be accomplished if either side is unwilling to budge. Help the opposition to understand your position and seek to understand theirs and how they arrived at such an outlook. A reasonable solution is likely to require compromise on both sides, so be willing to bend.Be impartial. This is not an easy task. You may have an inflated opinion of the value of what you bring to the table or possibly a misconception about the opposing party. Data is the best way to achieve objectivity. This can be accomplished by comparing data to national averages for your specialty. Such standards are available through professional associations such as the Medical Group Management Association,MGMA, and the National Society of Certified Healthcare Business consultants, NSCHBC. Be a good sleuth. Listen carefully to everyone’s viewpoint, most importantly those you are trying to sway. Understand where they are coming from and what is important to them. The more you know about the opposition, the better prepared you are to address the issues important to them.Clarify the desired outcome. What is essential to you and what are pracdtice leaders “really” want to achieve. It’s a matter of recognizing the ideal outcome and the “acceptable” outcome that prepares you for effective negotiations.Respect different viewpoints. It’s unlikely that everyone will see things from the same perspective, but without respecting others varying opinions we are unable to dig dipper to understand them and how to achieve an acceptable solution from their viewpoint.Just the facts. Bring facts to the table. It will diffuse subjective opinions and provide an opportunity to sway others and develop a consensus. Objective reasons will outweigh subjectivity, but you must stay on course and keep coming back to the facts. This is when you will begin to

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00February 6th, 2009|

There’s no mystery to making patients happy

Here are some steps you can take to keep your patients happy and make life at the office that much better. Start by treating patients like an important guest. This means everyone in the practice should say hello and smile when they greet a patient. Yep, you got it! Each staffer should sels inntroduce to each new patient and end the visit by asking "Is there anything else I can do for you today?" By the way get rid of that dreaded sign-in sheet - it's offensive! Make your waiting room a reception room. It should be attractive and comfortable, like a room in your home. Good lighting, good reading material and up-to-date decor are essential. Honor the schedule. Keep the patient wait times short by starting on time and staying on time. If you are having difficulty doing so read Judy Capko's new book "Take Back Time - Bringing time management to medicine" Go to www.capko.com. Next, communicate better! Keep good eye contact and watch for signals that tell you how the patient is feeling or responding to you. Use the patients' name frequently throughout the encounter and you will stay connected. E-mail. Your patients are doing it and so should you. E-mail to improve timeliness and efficiency when communicating with patients. The nurse, biller and scheduler are likely to manage most of the e-communication so it won't be eroding your time but is sure improve the communication link. Finally, amp up your website. Have a patient portal so patients can get information about you, the practice and their own healthcare. Give them access to past appointment history, routine lab results, their prescription patterns and other useful information that communicates without tying up telephone lines. Contact Judy Capko, one of America's best known practice management consultants: www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:59-08:00December 30th, 2008|

Doctors: Dig for the gold

Doctors can increase revenue by as much as $100,000 by all but eliminating the missed appointments. Here's how....First, look at the historical scheduling patterns for the past 30 days to get the average number of no shows and double-booked appointments. If it's more than 2 a day your scheduling is out of control and you are losing money. It's time to look at scheduling parameters; the amount of time allocated on the schedule for different patient types.Second, abandon the typical "everybody gets 15 minutes" because it isn't realistic and it isn't happening. All things aren't equal so schedule based on patient types and consider shifting to 10 minute increments to allow more flexibility. I call it the "Go-Ten" scheduling system and it works! Scheduling 10 minutes for follow-ups, 20 minutes for chronic or more complicated patients, 30 minutes for new patients and pre-ops, and 40 minutes for annual physicals is a perfect example - but you decide what works for your practice based on your patients.3rd, honor the schedule - start on time and stay on time! And if you don't want patients to make last minute cancellations you must do the same. Once you get this wired down you can start training everyone to value the appointment.4th, script out language for staff to tell the patients how important the appointment is. "Doctor is dedicating this time just for you" or "We expect you to be here on time." These are strong messages that get the patient's attention.Finally, set up an automated appointment reminder system that confirms appointments 48 hours in advance. It's a great return on investment.Enjoy the results; more compliant patients, getting out of the office on time and a bump in practice revenue!Contact Judy Capko, one of America's best known practice management consultants: www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-03-13T12:21:33-08:00November 26th, 2008|

Six ways to make 2009 a better year

Not enough, not enough money and too many demands. I've been hearing a lot of this from physicians and administrators who are worried about the future of the practice and wondering how in the heck they can make things better. If you want 2009 to get better quit singing the blues. Here's a few things you can do to make a difference.Have a plan! Start by looking at the numbers to see how well your practice performed in 2008 in comparison to the prior year. Are your charges up or down? Is your accounts receivable stable? How about your profit - are you taking more or less home this year? If trends are out of norm ,you had better start digging deeper to get to the cause and the fix. Once you have the numbers in hand, set realistic performance goals for 2009. If reimbursement is expected to be about the same, increasing production means seeing more patients or providing more services. If your goal is to take home a bigger piece of the pie look for ways shrink some of those expenses by managing operations better and giving staff the tools and motivation to be more productive.Develop a Quality Plan that reduces errors and improves outcomes throughout the office. This plan should include setting performance expectations for each position. Hold staff accountable to specific standards that are measurable and can be monitored. Attract more patients. Look for ways to expand your referral base from within the practice. Start by taking a critical look at your website, make it a marketing tool and a customer service tool. Spotlight your services and the benefits of choosing your practice. Develop a patient portal that makes it convenient for patients to check lab results, request prescription referrals and even make appointments.Get every patient's cell phone number and e mail address. This will enable you to reach them with ease and communicate better. The age of technology is here and e mail can move information at the speed of light, saving lots of time and eliminating "telephone madness" in your office.Embrace technology - make

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:53:00-08:00November 24th, 2008|