Resource Centers:(News, information, and tools to support your practice)
June 2008
| Article Tools | |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Break Down - 6 common roadblocks to success
Change in modern, private healthcare practice has occurred rapidly, and the systems that contributed to their success as recently as five years ago may now be ineffective and obsolete.
To create a modern, flourishing practice requires recognizing and breaking down roadblocks using contemporary tools and techniques.
Roadblock 1: No cyclical calendar of events and promotions. Every office needs a detailed, comprehensive calendar of events and promotions.
The competitive nature of today’s private practice makes this tool mandatory. The calendar enables you and your staff to know exactly what is expected on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, and provides everyone with the information necessary to execute the plan effectively. The schedule allows everyone to keep an eye on progress toward short- and long-term goals.
Whether you use a computer or pencil and paper, once you develop a template you only need to modify it.
Roadblock 2: Haphazard hiring practices. Many doctors create roadblocks related to staffing. Conducting hiring in a haphazard way is a recipe for trouble.
Prior to beginning the hiring process, put written procedures in place to ensure you will find and hire only the best qualified individuals.
Include in your procedures such requirements as conducting background checks and verifying references.
Doctors who skip these steps to hire quickly are inviting potential chaos into their offices.
Remember: It is your responsibility to your other team members to make sure any new employees you bring onto the team have the inherent capacity to contribute to the success of the team as the practice grows and expands.
Don’t hire a problem. Ensure you are hiring help for your team members by creating good hiring procedures and adhering to them.
Roadblock 3: Ignorance about reimbursements. You cannot survive if you fail to pay close enough attention to your finance department. If you choose to participate in any third-party plans, thoroughly understand what constitutes covered and noncovered services, exactly what the expected reimbursement will be, and how long it will take to be reimbursed.
Be sure your participation in these plans will not automatically obligate you to participate in other plans without your knowledge and consent.
You must also put a system in place to collect payment from self-pay patients and to collect on noncovered services.
Roadblock 4: Poorly presented report-of-findings and care plans. Be thorough
Patients and their families will remember the doctor who makes an accurate diagnosis and presents a care plan that gets the patient better within a reasonable time frame and within the patient’s financial parameters.
Present the report-of-findings and care plan truthfully, and thoroughly explain why you suggest the particular treatment plan.
Train your staff to communicate to the patient that compliance with your recommendations is essential if the patient expects to achieve good results.
Roadblock 5: Failing to give patients the big picture. A component of practice that often seems forgotten today is ensuring you are giving patients the “big picture” of health, including lifestyles and systems of healthcare that promote long-term health, fitness, overall life satisfaction, and personal fulfillment.
Some of these components may include the practice of well-patient care, dietary supplements, massage, fitness programs, and physical therapy.
Roadblock 6: Failing to make time for you. One of the biggest contributors to burnout and dissatisfaction among doctors in practice is not having enough time away from the office.
Maintaining a private practice is physically and psychologically demanding, and it taxes your mental and emotional capacities. There is no way you can perform to your full potential if you are not rested and completely healthy.
Strive to become more efficient in every aspect of your practice management. Your goal should be to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the office, so that with each passing year you see more patients in less time.
This will allow you to take a more balanced approach toward work and personal time. You can then pursue other interests in your time off that help keep you fresh and passionate about what you do — for many years to come.
Keep in mind that failure to think critically about these issues and their long-term impact on your personal goals and lifestyle will have a significant impact on many areas of your life. Doctors of the future must continue to practice by design, not by default.
John Hayes Jr., DC, is president of Perfect Practice Web. He has 26 years of experience in multidisciplinary and chiropractic practice management. He can be reached at 781-659-7989, info@perfectpracticeweb.com, or through www.perfectpracticeweb.com.
|
|
|
|
Bookmark this page
Comments