By Michele Krohn The new year is an ideal time for medical practices to evaluate and update their marketing strategies, ensuring they effectively reach patients, expand referral networks, and enhance their reputation in the healthcare community. This guide outlines essential steps to develop a comprehensive marketing plan. Conduct a SWOT Analysis A SWOT Analysis … [Read more...] about New Year, New Patients: Building a Strategic Marketing Plan for Your Practice
Working with physicians
How to Schedule Physician-Patient Phone Appointments Efficiently
Scheduling physician-patient phone appointments may seem straightforward, but without a thoughtful approach, it can become chaotic for both your team and patients. By putting the right systems in place, you can ensure these appointments are scheduled efficiently, with minimal confusion and maximum patient satisfaction. 1. Understand the Need for Phone Appointments Determine … [Read more...] about How to Schedule Physician-Patient Phone Appointments Efficiently
Medical innovations, technologies and procedures spur changes in CPT 2025 Code Set
The emergence of medical innovations, new technologies and cutting-edge procedures spurred most of the annual changes presented in the release of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) 2025, the nation’s uniform data-sharing code set for medical procedures and services published by the American Medical Association (AMA). “The CPT code set is the … [Read more...] about Medical innovations, technologies and procedures spur changes in CPT 2025 Code Set
Health and Wellness Initiatives for Patients in the Holiday Season
The holiday season is a good time to promote heath and wellness for your patients. This time of year often brings increased stress, changes in diet, and a variety of health challenges that can affect overall well-being. By encouraging preventive care and healthy habits, you can help your patients navigate the holiday season while maintaining their health. Here are several … [Read more...] about Health and Wellness Initiatives for Patients in the Holiday Season
How to deal with difficult patients and resolve conflicts
Dealing with difficult patients and resolving conflicts is an important part of working in a medical office. Sometimes, patients might be upset, anxious, or frustrated, and it's crucial to handle these situations calmly and professionally. Here are some tips and examples on how to manage these challenges effectively. First, it's important to listen carefully. When a patient … [Read more...] about How to deal with difficult patients and resolve conflicts
CODING ALERT: Watch for ICD-10-CM and CPT Changes for 2025
For 2025, medical coding changes in ICD-10-CM and CPT codes are set to reflect more precise diagnostic details and updated guidelines across various medical conditions. Some of the key updates include: Mental Health: New ICD-10-CM codes will expand the classification of eating disorders, differentiating severity levels (mild, moderate, severe) and adding specific … [Read more...] about CODING ALERT: Watch for ICD-10-CM and CPT Changes for 2025
Promote Your Practice with a Doc Blog
Helping a physician create a blog can enhance patient engagement, boost the practice’s visibility, and establish the doctor as a thought leader in their field. As a medical office manager, your support can streamline the process and help the blog run smoothly. Here’s how you can effectively assist: 1. Define the Purpose of the Blog Start by working with the physician to … [Read more...] about Promote Your Practice with a Doc Blog
Winning at Office Politics
By Lynne Curry Question: I lost another opportunity this week, one on which I had my heart set. It involved working on a strategic team with individuals pulled from all areas of the company to develop key initiatives for our future. I had so many ideas of exciting directions we could take that I’m heartsick I lost out. The woman that corporate management selected from … [Read more...] about Winning at Office Politics
Here’s a simple sample cancellation policy
Last-minute cancellations can turn an orderly day at the office into chaos as you scramble to reach patients to fill unexpected openings in the schedule. Unfilled appointment slots are costly in terms of clinician time, staff time and office overhead. That's why you need to have an appointment cancellation policy and convey it to your patients. Here's a short and simple … [Read more...] about Here’s a simple sample cancellation policy
8 proven ways to totally destroy your credibility as a manager
A manager can have great knowledge and great skills, but without credibility with both doctors and staff, don't expect success. What is credibility? It can be defined as "what we do and how we do it that causes others to respect and believe us." The "what-we-do" is the tangible things – the work and its results. The "how-we-do-it" is the behavior that demonstrates a person's … [Read more...] about 8 proven ways to totally destroy your credibility as a manager