On Call 24/7& 365 and Handling common problems within a private practice

Being Available to Patients 24/7 Can Be Stressful but Gratifying -From the NY Times
On call 24/7… Another story of physicians offering services that many don’t. What the article doesn’t tell us is how these after hours calls are billed. I assume they are billing premium rates for these calls, which would make sense. Like I said in my last post, Americans pay for convenience….

- WJ

Toughest practice problems SOLVED
Our roundtable experts have the cure for what ails you, whether it's declining reimbursements, billing bottlenecks, long hours, or unhappy patients. –From Medical Economics
This is a very interesting discussion of four common “problems” physicians in private practice face. I’m a big fan of Medical Economics and this is another well done article and a great read. Just as a tease, here are the summaries each of the experts gave for conquering the “problem” each was assigned to discuss.

Quote:

ZETTER'S SUMMARY: To boost revenue, add an ancillary service
Calculate whether the ancillary service will pay for itself.
Speak with a healthcare attorney about compliance with federal self-referral regulations.
Consider ancillary services that self-referral regulations don't cover.
Address practice management problems before adding a new service.

BORGLUM'S SUMMARY: To meet patient demand
Hire one or more midlevel providers.
Extend your office hours to cover early morning, early evening, or both.
Drop health plans that pay poorly, one at a time.

COHEN'S SUMMARY: To reduce in-office waiting time
Time each stage of a visit to pinpoint logjams.
Mail new patients registration packets, with return envelopes.
Offer online registration for the Internet-savvy.
Streamline registration forms for ease of use.

BRADY'S SUMMARY: For adding a physician
Assess the existing space and its uses.
Make room for additional staff or providers by moving paper versions of computerized records off-site.
Ensure that each doctor has an adequate number of exam rooms.
Extend office hours and stagger physician schedules.


Enjoy!

- WJ