How can the manager improve morale? Here are five morale-boosters to try in your office: 1 Clinical education One of the most effective morale builders is education in the clinical work the doctors do. At one practice, the doctors give staff regular instruction on the diagnoses they see and the procedures they perform. In another office, the manager sets up sessions at … [Read more...] about 5 easy ways to boost employee morale
Technology
Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot
It's easy, to say nothing of convenient, to get comfortable with business relationships and not to question what the vendors are doing. But in the meantime those vendors have every ability to slip in added costs the manager does not notice. Don't just renew vendor contracts automatically. The practice can often save money and get better service by putting those contracts out … [Read more...] about Don’t put your vendor contracts on autopilot
Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?
As the office manager of a medical practice, you have an opportunity to learn, grow, and make a valuable contribution. "You really get the chance to be a part of a small business and to wear a lot of different hats," says Mary Pat Whaley, co-founder and president of Manage My Practice, a medical practice consulting firm. What's more, because most physicians are not business … [Read more...] about Do you have the ‘right stuff’ to be a successful medical office manager?
What? Not another upgrade!
How to ensure a smooth transition when you upgrade your EMR software or install a new system Just when everyone is trained and comfortable with your EMR system, along comes an upgrade. Keeping up with the demands of meaningful use and changing regulations has software vendors sending out upgrades with alarming frequency. This means that you may be spending far more time and … [Read more...] about What? Not another upgrade!
Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly
Meeting every week with the doctors makes a tremendous difference in how smoothly – and also how successfully – an office operates, says the manager of a pediatrics practice in Colorado. For her office, it's an 8 a.m. meeting every Monday, a good time, because it sets the tone for the week. It also keeps everybody on the same page. And it ensures that the doctors know all the … [Read more...] about Use weekly meetings with doctors to keep office running smoothly
7 best practices for optimizing your collections
By Ranadene (Randi) K. Tapio, MBA, CMRS, CMC, Guest Contributor bio Collections isn't the most glamorous part of running a practice. Perhaps the only thing worse than making collections calls is receiving them! Unfortunately, collections is necessary and if done correctly, it will allow you to collect on accounts that have sat stagnant for months, sometimes years. In … [Read more...] about 7 best practices for optimizing your collections
Are online coding discussions putting your practice at risk?
By Cheryl Toth, MBA bio Here's an email we recently saw while monitoring a specialty coding listserv: From: Smith, Debra (debra.smith@famousacademicinstitution.edu) Sent: Monday, June 04, 2018 2:08 PM Subject: Acromioplasty and hardware removal with total shoulder arthroplasty Hello All, We have a surgeon that says I am not an aggressive coder because I communicate to him … [Read more...] about Are online coding discussions putting your practice at risk?
HIPAA security can fail if the office doesn’t take common-sense precautions
No matter how tight its HIPAA privacy procedures, if the office isn't also focusing on common sense, the patient data is wide open to compromise. "That's because we do things we don't think about," says Rosemarie Nelson, a principle with MGMA practice management consulting in Syracuse, NY. "It's not hackers trying to get at the office's data" that the manager needs to worry … [Read more...] about HIPAA security can fail if the office doesn’t take common-sense precautions
Five tips to boost efficiency for the front office
By Cheyenne Brinson, MBA, CPA bio The front office is the face of the practice, the first impression for the patient, and the beginning of the revenue cycle. They are tasked with multiple assignments, competing priorities, and a sense of urgency from everyone, yet asked to do it all with a smile. Here are five tips to boost efficiency for the front office. … [Read more...] about Five tips to boost efficiency for the front office
Survey: Patients prefer secure texting over patient portal communication from their physicians
Only 10 percent of patients prefer to receive physician communications via patient portals, whereas twice that many (19.6 percent) favor receiving information via secure text messages when in-person and phone calls are not an option. The new survey, conducted by DrFirst, a provider of e-prescribing and patient medication management solutions, also found that more than 90 … [Read more...] about Survey: Patients prefer secure texting over patient portal communication from their physicians