DigiSight Technologies, a digital health company, has launched a telehealth solution that enables healthcare teams to collaborate and make informed decisions at the point-of-care at thirteen Banner Health facilities across Arizona. Using Paxos, Banner Health has introduced a teleophthalmology program that allows emergency room doctors to capture the image of a serious eye … [Read more...] about How telehealth is helping emergency eye care teams
Managing patients
What’s the ‘employee experience’ like at your medical practice?
Professionals have been talking about the customer experience, the patient experience, and the candidate experience for years, so it was bound to happen. Another term is now being batted around in human resource and management circles: the employee experience. Before you dismiss it as another buzz term or, worse, a fad, consider the implications of ignoring this crucial … [Read more...] about What’s the ‘employee experience’ like at your medical practice?
Are 5 common, but undiscussable, workplace behaviors putting your patients at risk?
A new study by VitalSmarts suggests that slackers, timid supervisors, toxic peers, and arrogant doctors are common in healthcare. But, while frustrating, these behavior problems aren't the real problem. The real problem in healthcare is silence. VitalSmarts’ study of workplace drama in healthcare found that while most employees and physicians frequently witness these … [Read more...] about Are 5 common, but undiscussable, workplace behaviors putting your patients at risk?
Communication dos and don’ts
Managers still spend a great deal of time communicating face to face, despite the proliferation of technology. However, because of technology, verbal communication skills sometimes take a backseat to written communication skills. Nevertheless, how you say something can be as important as what you say. With this in mind, here are communication dos and don'ts. Do Make sure … [Read more...] about Communication dos and don’ts
How to write a strong collection letter
Increasing patient payments improves the practice's bottom line. But how exactly do you motivate patients to pay? To write an effective collection letter, follow these guidelines. • Make it short. Limit the letter to one page. Limit the paragraphs to two sentences. Limit the sentences to 22 words. And limit the words to three syllables. Do this and the message will be … [Read more...] about How to write a strong collection letter
Patients with disabilities: your guide to basic etiquette
For a patient with a disability, an accommodation isn't enough. Behind that disability is a normal person, albeit a person with challenges, and the office has to treat the individual as such, says Lydia Ramsey, business etiquette consultant and author of the book, "Manners That Sell." Patients come to the office because of the medical services it provides, she says. But it's … [Read more...] about Patients with disabilities: your guide to basic etiquette
When a physician commits suicide
The death of a physician or staff member can be difficult for a practice. The loss has an emotional impact on the people who worked with the individual, and the person's passing leaves an obvious void. It also results in numerous practical issues the office manager must address. But a death by suicide takes loss to an entirely different level. And when a physician commits … [Read more...] about When a physician commits suicide
How to handle an angry patient
In a medical practice, an angry patient – and sometimes a really angry patient – is apt to appear any time. In a business such as a fast food restaurant, anger is minimal, because the customers don't have high expectations to begin with, says Bob Rose, PhD, of the Rose Porterfield Group, a Dallas business consulting and industrial psychology organization. But when it comes to … [Read more...] about How to handle an angry patient
Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
Is your practice HIPAA compliant? Are you sure? Most health-care providers take very seriously this federal mandate to protect patient privacy—at least in theory. In practice, however, lots of things get missed. "When HIPAA was new and everyone was going to lectures and conferences and getting training, everyone was on top of it," says Erika Adler, an attorney specializing in … [Read more...] about Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
Patient referrals: an untapped source of new revenue
Medical practices sometimes mistakenly believe that patient referrals don't matter. However, like customer referrals, patient referrals are an important—and often untapped—source of new business. There are multiple ways to make sure your practice is encouraging referrals. Here are several areas where you should focus. Family members and their friends Perhaps the most … [Read more...] about Patient referrals: an untapped source of new revenue