Improve Customer Relationships by Understanding 4 “Types” of Physicians
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The most important ingredient to a medical billing company’s success is its ability to foster and grow productive client relationships. The strength of the relationship is what will ultimately determine the length of the tenure. Understanding different customer “types” can help your medical billing company provide the best service and ensure long-term customers. In this webinar, Paul Bernard, Director of Strategy and Analytics at Kareo, will share his secrets to working successfully with the four main “types” of physicians: -The Clinician -The Financial Anaylst -The CFO -The Autocrat
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Improve Customer Relationships by Understanding 4 “Types” of Physicians
- 1. Improve Customer Relationships by Understanding 4 “Types” of Physicians Presented by Paul Bernard November 4, 2015 webinar
- 2. @GoKareo Agenda 2 Agenda 2 • Welcome & Introductions • Understanding 4 Types of Physicians • Discover Kareo’s Role • Answer Questions
- 3. @GoKareo 33 Participate via Social We’ll be live tweeting during today’s webinar How to participate: 1) Follow @GoKareo on Twitter 2) Follow @LeaChatham on Twitter 3) Search for #KareoTip 4) Join the conversation using #KareoTip twitter.com@GoKareo facebook.com/GoKareo
- 4. 4@GoKareo 4 Speaker Paul Bernard • Director of Strategy & Analytics at Kareo • Owned Broadleaf Health, which grew two and half times over in six years under Paul’s leadership • Served Chief Financial Officer at Intuit Financial Institutions Division, a $350M stand-alone unit of Intuit. • Senior Vice President at Experian • Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt • BBA and MBA in Finance from the University of Kentucky
- 5. @GoKareo Agenda 5 Agenda 5 • Welcome & Introductions • Understanding 4 Types of Physicians • Discover Kareo’s Role • Answer Questions
- 6. @GoKareo 66 Why Personalities Matter We are in a numbers game but ultimately relationships are what determine the tenure of your customers.
- 7. @GoKareo 77 All Physicians Are Not the Same • Each client is unique • From billing rules to reporting • Conversation types are different • Expectations are different • Pair right account manager with right provider for success
- 8. @GoKareo 88 The 4 Types of Physicians • Clinician • Financial Analyst • CFO • Autocrat
- 9. The Clinician Views billing as a necessary evil, prefers to let others monitor performance, and can appear distant and disconnected.
- 10. @GoKareo 1010 The Clinician • Characteristics • Most common “type” • Not interested in billing • Delegates to office manager • Little knowledge of revenue cycle • Added layer between you and the provider
- 11. @GoKareo 1111 The Clinician • Strategies for success • Develop good relationship with office manager • Don’t get into a battle of wills with office manager • If provider overacts to a problem don’t get defensive • Be diplomatic and use data to back up your position • Don’t try to be right, try to work things out
- 12. The Financial Analyst Broadly understands the overall billing process. Demonstrates the willingness to learn and is curious. Welcomes new ideas but can hesitate in making decisions.
- 13. @GoKareo 1313 The Financial Analyst • Characteristics • Generally easy to work with • Appreciates your expertise • Basically understands medical billing • Eager to learn and may ask a lot of questions • Can be high touch and require more time
- 14. @GoKareo 1414 The Financial Analyst • Strategies for success • Be cautious to educate but not lecture (talk down to the provider) • Practice active listening to understand provider’s questions • Provide detailed answers • The financial analyst will appreciate the extra effort
- 15. The CFO Has strong understanding of the billing process, can see both opportunity and challenge. He or she will use data to make decisions, and is open to new ideas.
- 16. @GoKareo 1616 The CFO • Characteristics • CFOs understand the revenue cycle and the key metrics • Deeply engaged in the financial outcomes of the practice • Typically early adopters of technology and efficiencies • Move quickly and can move from a broad topic to minute detail with little warning • Can be hard to keep up with the CFO • Challenging but can push you to improve and grow
- 17. @GoKareo 1717 The CFO • Strategies for success • The wrong relationship manager can be a disaster • Best fit is someone who can handle ambiguity and has broad experience • Can require manager or owner to be contact • Monitor the relationship for issues and correct quickly
- 18. The Autocrat Believes himself or herself to understand the billing process better than anyone else. Typically experienced, he or she is generally very prescriptive.
- 19. @GoKareo 1919 The Autocrat • Characteristics • Runs practice with little input from staff • All decisions go through them • Can be very challenging to work with
- 20. @GoKareo 2020 The Knowledgeable Autocrat • Strategies for success • Keep interactions short and focused • Leave your ego at the door (you need a think skin) • Avoid disruption and change unless absolutely necessary • Meet expectations and they will be very loyal • With the right biller can be very durable relationship
- 21. @GoKareo 2121 A Note about the Unknowledgeable Autocrat • Luckily, a rare “type” • Quick to jump to conclusions and find flaws • Can be damaging to staff morale • Avoid if possible
- 22. @GoKareo 2222 The Key to Success Good relationships in medical billing are both art and science. Pair the right person and skillset with the provider “type”.
- 23. @GoKareo Agenda 23 Agenda 23 • Welcome & Introductions • Understanding 4 Types of Physicians • Discover Kareo’s Role • Answer Questions
- 24. @GoKareo 2424 Discover Kareo’s Role Award winner! Kareo has won more awards than any independent practice software company. In 2015 we were awarded HBMA’s Vendor Service of the Year.
- 25. @GoKareo 2525 Customize with your logo & colors! Kareo BillCo Edition • Let your clients see billing/collections performance 24/7 • Convenient web/mobile experience works with Apple OS • Secure HIPAA compliant messaging • Customize and save reports for multiple clients • Easy-to-understand reports delivered or schedule on-demand
- 26. @GoKareo 2626 Kareo BillCo Edition Get Your Clients Paid Faster with Kareo BillCo Edition • Kareo Billco Edition is a cloud-based, web, and mobile software that gives you everything you need to run your business smarter and get your clients paid faster. • Quickly resolve billing issues, reduce claims denials, and stay on top of receivables with built-in messaging and tools. • Plus, you can customize the software with your own logo and colors. Your customers are going to love you for this.
- 27. @GoKareo Agenda 27 Agenda 27 • Welcome & Introductions • Understanding 4 Types of Physicians • Discover Kareo’s Role • Answer Questions
- 28. Connect with Kareo Stop by and say hi! Kareo @GoKareo GoKareo Kareo 3353 Michelson Drive, Suite 400 Irvine, CA 92612 (888) 775-2736
Editor's Notes
- The most important ingredient to a medical billing company’s success is its ability to foster and grow productive client relationships. While it’s true that we are in a numbers business and numbers matter a great deal, it is perhaps equally if not more important to build client relationships based on trust, transparency, and alignment of priorities. The strength of the relationship is what will ultimately determine the length of the tenure.
- Many years ago I learned, first hand, the importance of relationships. As a shareholder of a billing company with a successful multi-provider dermatology practice client, I witnessed how good numbers can never overcome a poor relationship. After taking over a lackluster revenue cycle, within six months the billing company had managed to deliver financial results that would place it in any top tier benchmark comparison. A truly significant and material improvement. Within another six months, despite continued excellent numbers, the client decided to part ways. The lessons learned from that unlikely outcome are instructive to any medical billing company trying to maintain long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Even billing companies with just a few clients will recognize that each client is unique, but the process to bill and get paid is largely the same (code, claim, follow-up, post, report, etc.). Every doctor has a different comfort level with coding, billing rules, financial information, and a different internal process to make decisions. However, a common mistake billing companies make is to assume that the results speak for themselves and to apply a one size fits all approach to their client interactions. Every client gets the same reports and the conversations are generally the same across all clients as well. That’s a mistake that demonstrates a lack of client understanding and intimacy and is a very good predictor of potentially bad things to come. When it comes to providers, there are several different behavioral types. Understanding which type they are is a first foundational step in building a productive relationship.
- I think of providers in the following broad categories across a continuum: The “Clinician” – This provider views billing as a necessary evil, prefers to let others monitor performance, and can appear distant and disconnected. The “Financial Analyst” – Broadly understands the overall billing process. Demonstrates the willingness to learn and is curious. Welcomes new ideas but can hesitate in making decisions. The “CFO” – This provider has a strong understanding of the medical billing process, can see both opportunity and challenge. He or she will use data to make decisions, and is open to new ideas. The “Autocrat” – This provider believes himself or herself to understand the billing process better than anyone else. Typically very experienced, he or she is generally very prescriptive. Obviously, there’s a possibility a client can move up or down the continuum over the course of a long-term relationship; generally speaking though, a zebra doesn’t change his or her stripes. I would also propose that mismatching billers’ or account managers’ strengths (or your own as an owner or principal) to the client’s type can result in a very dysfunctional relationship. Our issue with the dermatology client was matching a “Clinician” with a biller better suited to a “CFO”. By the end of this article, my hope is that you’ll see why it did not work.
- Probably the most common type of provider is the “Clinician”. This physician generally approaches billing as a largely non-value added activity. Often, the responsibility for managing the revenue cycle is delegated to the office administrator or another practice staff member as the primary point of contact, essentially creating an information toll booth to the provider. This added layer of an intermediary complicates dynamics and, if not handled properly, can place the business relationship at risk. In general, the stronger your relationship is with the intermediary, the easier it will be to build a relationship with the provider. While an extra relationship layer is more work, there can be a distinct advantage to a billing company in this instance. For example, when something doesn’t quite go as planned (unanticipated system issues, coding rule changes, etc.) having a strong relationship with the delegate can be a blessing. Billers can find themselves out on a limb at times, through no fault of their own, and it’s precisely at those times when the practice administrator can be a strong ally and advocate.
- Because “Clinicians” have not built up their own knowledge base of the revenue cycle mechanics, when things go wrong they are prone to overreact. Leveraging your relationship with the delegate to help provide perspective and validation can help cut through the emotional reaction to a problem and refocus everyone on finding a solution. A word of caution however, it’s best to avoid any battle of wills with an intermediary regarding medical billing practices. Approach disagreements diplomatically, use data rather than opinion, and remember that being correct might not matter if it leads to a damaged client relationship.
- This provider type is typically enjoyable to work with. They value expertise and will defer to a more experienced opinion. In broad terms, they understand the billing cycle and its potential challenges. They are frequently “high touch” and may require a larger allocation of an owner’s or her staff’s time. While that can cause some disruption, it’s important to realize that in the long run an engaged provider is always better than a disengaged one. “Financial Analysts” are eager to learn from a billing company’s experience and will appreciate the knowledge base… but they do ask a lot of questions.
- In managing this relationship, it’s important to understand the difference between teaching and lecturing. In many ways what we do as billing companies is not black and white, and the concepts many of us take for granted are not always intuitive. Practice active listening with these providers, in phrasing questions they may not always choose the right “industry” word. By listening closely however and understanding the context of the question, a biller can discern the true intent. “Financial Analysts” will appreciate a biller’s ability to translate their question into billing speak and in doing so, the biller will help advance the client’s knowledge.
- This type of client understands the end-to-end billing cycle. They understand the relevant key metrics that apply and what the levers are within a practice to impact the metrics in both a positive and negative way. They are deeply engaged in the financial outcomes of their practices and view their practices as a businesses. In many cases, they will have entrepreneurial experience or outside investment experience and are very comfortable and adept at financial conversations. Typically, they will be adopters and advocates of technology as a means to reducing cost and gaining efficiencies. For many billers, simply keeping up can be a challenge. Most importantly, a “CFO” client can operate with equal comfort in high level strategic conversation and in line item detail situations. This last point can make interactions with them particularly challenging for billers or account managers who don’t possess similar capabilities and can’t recognize when a conversation has changed from one level to the other.
- In the business of medical billing, the best billers are generally those with a passion for detail and precision. This discipline serves them well as they can diagnose detailed issues and have the passion and drive to solve them. If a billing company owner were to force rank his or her staff, it is likely that the people at the top share these traits. The challenge occurs when a biller like the one described is charged with managing the relationship with a “CFO”. When a conversation with a “CFO” turns from detailed to conceptual, there is no forewarning, no declaration. It just happens. The biller maintains his or her focus on the details while the provider has moved on. The provider took the exit off the highway without signaling. This conversation is now happening on two different planes and at different altitudes. The longer it persists the more each participant becomes frustrated at the lack of connectivity. Mishandling relationships with this provider type can be particularly damaging. It can leave the client feeling like “they just don’t get it” and your staff feeling the exact same way. Perhaps more than any other type of client, getting the right relationship manager assigned to work with a “CFO” matters a great deal. The “CFO”, in my view, is best type of client to have because the relationship will force your billing company to improve, think creatively, and always learn. If you are a billing company owner or a manager, the responsibility to properly align a team member to the “CFO” type lies with you. Ensure the team member who is assigned is comfortable with ambiguity and has the breadth of experience to succeed. Failing to diagnose an improper fit has the effect of both a less than satisfied client and a potentially demoralized employee.
- He or she runs their practice without the aid of input from staff. All decisions run through them, and staff are conditioned to defer judgement and questions. Whether these particular clients are “Autocrats” because that’s simply their nature or whether it’s because they’ve adopted this style out of perceived necessity, it doesn’t really matter. They can be very difficult to deal with. At the risk of being too specific, there a couple of versions of the “Autocrat”. Those with a lot of knowledge (think of a “CFO” “Autocrat” mix) and those without much specific knowledge or fact.
- Dealing with a knowledgeable “Autocrat” is relatively straightforward. Keep interactions short and focused on specific questions or issues. Leave your ego at the door. Knowledgeable “Autocrats”, while frustrating at times, will generally have very efficient and tightly run practices. Provided a biller has a healthy dose of humility and a thick skin, they can be very durable relationships. Knowledgeable “Autocrats” do not like disruption or change. If they believe they are being listened to and the results meet expectations they will be loyal.
- Unknowledgeable “Autocrats” on the other hand are a special breed. Thankfully, in my experience these are the rarest types of providers. Effectively managing them can test a billing company owner or manager more than any other provider type. My advice, having learned the hard way, is to seriously think about separating your company and your staff from these types of clients. A client of this sort is corrosive and will damage a billing company’s team morale and performance. They are quick to jump to conclusions, highlight false indicators, and are usually only interested in a parent-child relationship with their billing company or account manager. It’s important for a billing company to consider the long term health of the business versus short term financial pain of the loss of a client. Simply put, some client relationships are not worth the effort.
- Building successful relationships with client physicians is both art and science. Certainly it requires that a billing company owner or account manager have an understanding of their clients beyond the numbers. It also requires the ability to be self-aware of one’s own capabilities and strengths and the humility to recognize when a there’s a bad fit. While I’ve discussed how to think about clients based on behavior types, and what that might mean in terms of relationship dynamics, this is only half of the equation. If you run a medical billing company, the other half is yours and the responsibility to match the right account manager or biller with the right client rests with you. The moral of the story? The loss of the dermatology practice was my fault not my employee’s.