patient service Archives - Page 2 of 2

The Three A Strategy to Growing Your Practice

Here are three simple strategies your practice can take to attract more referrals, gain visibility and be the doctor of choice in your specialty. Forge Alliances: You can't build your network of referrals by sitting in your office, so get out and meet the other health care providers and potential referral sources. You can maximize the time spent and the gains in this endeavor by hiring a marketing director or consultant to go out and meet people of interest on your behalf. And remember, your competition is not the enemy - So forge relationships with other physicians in your specialty, as well. Build Allegiance: By providing the best service, you can to both the referring sources and the patients that are referred you will strengthen their allegiance to you. Feedback is an important part of the process so it is wise to develop an on-line survey to send to your referring sources to be sure you are on the mark and meeting their needs. It also keeps your name in front of them - and this is a very good thing! Express Appreciation: Honor your referrals by sending a thank you note and offering value add services. For example, you can offer a lunch and learn program at their practice to educate the entire staff about your specialty and your commitment to their patients. It is another opportunity to thank them for their allegiance. You'll want to thank both staff and physicians and this is a good way to do it. The three A's will have a powerful impact on building the kind of practice you want and gaining an enviable reputation as the "go to" doctor in your specialty. Capko & Company - your source for building a practice that shines. www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-07-23T07:29:12-08:00July 7th, 2011|

Get a clear picture of practice performance: Part 2

Our last post talked about some of the key performance indicators a practice can examine to understand how well it is performing. Now we will dig a little deeper and look at other indicators that identify if a practice is above the norm and meeting the expectations the team has set. Managing referrals and the revenue cycle It is important to monitor and compare these additional performance indicators between each physician in the practice from year to year: Top ten CPT codes by utilization: Determines the high demand services and variables between physicians. This report can also be used to track payer reimbursement trends for these top revenue sources. Number of new patient and established patient visits: Monitors practice growth or decline. Referral trends: Tells you who are referring, who is not and how this is changing over time. This is also a good way to evaluate referral management and marketing efforts. Accounts receivable and days in A/R, DAR reveals how well you are doing at bringing in the money. Aged accounts receivable 90 days or more: An important indicator for monitoring internal billing and collection performance. Ideally ,this will be less that 15% of the total A/R. Outstanding claims: If there are variants between physicians there could be contracting issues or differences in physician coding (CPT and ICD) and reporting patterns. The old saying “you cannot manage what you fail to measure” is true. When armed with this data the practice will be able to better understand its position and know what corrective actions and changes need to be made. If this post brings a question to your mind that remains unanswered, contact us by following this link: www.capko.com. We are on your side!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00June 13th, 2011|

Master referrals and build a medical practice that rocks!

Mastering referrals is an art and a powerful tool in helping you create the practice of your dreams! Define your perfect patient, the demographics, the type of cases and the kind of patient you like to treat. Identify how you can reach those people and build a solid referral network. Create a marketing plan that nurtures the ideal referral sources and keeps your name front and center. Train staff on the solid principles of mastering referrals: Probing the patient to ensure you accurately documenting how the patient heard about your practice and tracking it in your practice management system Provide an outstanding patient experience: an aesthetically attractive and comfortable office; well dressed professional staff; staff and physicians that make each patient feel special from the time she or he calls the office until the bill is paid in full and everything in between; and thank the patient for choosing your practice. Conduct patient surveys to be sure you are on the mark with delivering an awesome patient experience. Honor and nurture referral sources. Thank them, ask if they are pleased with your service and find out if there is something else you can do to make sure they are satisfied. Network and be visible throughout your community. Be grateful and give back: giving of time and resosurces to support the community and causes you believe in. Stay constant in your efforts and measure your progress every quarter. This will help you build strategies that work and make your practice shine. You can be the master of your practice and build the practice of your dreams! Capko & Company; experts in medical practice management, strategic planning and medical marketing.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00May 7th, 2011|

The Way We Look

Get serious about your practice image. First impressions are powerful and your image leaves a lasting impression - so make it positive! The office space See your office from your patients' eyes. Walk in the front door and take a critical look at everything from the paint to the floor, to the lighting to the furnishings, the equipment and even the reading materials. If it's shabby or worn it needs to go! Beyond the space If you think scrubs are the in thing for staff to wear, get a grip. Patients, who are often sick, take time to get dressed for the office visit only to be greeted by employees dressed in scrubs that look like slept-in pajamas. Scrubs are inappropriate for front office and even look shabby in the clinic. A tailored uniform or lab coat with the practice name and logo works nicely for the clinical staff and will make the patient feel they are in good hands. Front office staff might dress in this attire, but nice causal business attire makes a positive impression that separates front office staff from the clinic in the patient's mind. Little things mean a lot The power of image extends to the little things. Set a policy on no gum-chewing, conservative jewelry, and no food at work stations that are visible to patients. These are things we don't often address, but should be part of the dress code that is discussed with each employee during their orientation. Engaging patients Get name tags for everyone - include their name, title and the practice logo - all in a font size big enough for patient to easily read. Then patients will know who they are talking to and who to address when they have a question or need help. Call patients by name and introduce yourself and you will begin to engage patients and build a patient-centered practice.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:56-08:00January 25th, 2011|

Get patients on your side

By Joe Capko, Senior Consultant Not every patient walks in the door with a smile - and for good reason. Some of them are worried about their health, but others simply aren't convinced you are glad to see them. Once in awhile an employee will get so caught up with what he or she must accomplish during the patient visit that they leave their table manners behind. This doesn't make a patient feel important. When patients think you care they get on your side. This will save time and contribute to making your day run smoother. Here's three easy tips that will get the patient on your side. Get rid of that terrible sign in sheet. It's an excuse to ignore a patient. Greeting a patient is your responsibility and the right thing to do! Introduce yourself and put a smile in your voice. It helps Mr. Nervous feel he has a friend he can depend on. Before you say goodbye always ask the patient if there is anything else you can do for her. She will feel important and know you are on her side. These tips are easy to implement, will improve patient satisfaction, result in a more compliant patient, and make your day at the office more pleasant. Judy Capko is one of America's leading healthcare consultants and author of the now famous book: Secrets of the Best Run Practices. Check out: Capko & Company; https://capko.com/

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00November 18th, 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|

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|

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|