The document discusses improving the patient experience in dental practices. It outlines key challenges patients face including fear, costs, and scheduling conflicts. It also describes the patient journey through various touchpoints from initial appointment scheduling to follow-up care. The document emphasizes that implementing strategies to improve patient satisfaction, convenience, and addressing financial barriers can help increase patient retention and referrals. These strategies include enhancing communication, adopting new technologies, and offering flexible payment options.
This document discusses challenges consumers face in understanding and selecting health insurance plans and how decision support tools can help. It finds that while consumers understand basic concepts, many struggle to apply knowledge to out-of-pocket cost calculations. Younger, less educated consumers have even less understanding. The document also examines factors influencing plan selection and trade-offs consumers are willing to make for lower premiums. It presents examples of new digital tools like avatars, calculators, and mobile apps that provide targeted information to help consumers make optimal choices.
Keeping Community Hospitals Thriving and Independentathenahealth
Research showing hospitals how to best maintain their independence while conducting a thriving business model in changing times of governmental regulation.
Patient-Centered Medical Home: Navigating through Recognition and Rewardsathenahealth
Join athenahealth as we delve into Patient-Centered Medical Homes and the complications that come with navigating through the regulations to achieve level three recognition status.
A combination of case study and infographic, this piece uses the experience of a specific practice to flesh out both the challenges of the healthcare landscape, and Greenway’s ability to help meet those challenges.
The Latest Self-Pay Trends: New Burdens and Opportunitiesathenahealth
Let athenahealth guide you through the burdens of navigating through revenue collections from your patients to make sure your practice has access to all monetary opportunities to ensure financial success.
The document discusses challenges with electronic health records (EHRs) and potential solutions. It notes that before meaningful use standards, EHR adoption by office-based physicians was low, increasing to 78% by 2013. However, 45% of physicians said patient care was worse and 65% reported financial losses after implementing EHRs. Common problems included excessive data entry, clunky interfaces not designed for workflow. The document proposes solutions like smart delegation of workflows, focusing on the patient encounter, using documentation to communicate, and accelerators to speed documentation. The goal is to build an EHR system that makes healthcare work efficiently through integrated practice management, patient portals, and medical applications.
This document discusses challenges consumers face in understanding and selecting health insurance plans and how decision support tools can help. It finds that while consumers understand basic concepts, many struggle to apply knowledge to out-of-pocket cost calculations. Younger, less educated consumers have even less understanding. The document also examines factors influencing plan selection and trade-offs consumers are willing to make for lower premiums. It presents examples of new digital tools like avatars, calculators, and mobile apps that provide targeted information to help consumers make optimal choices.
Keeping Community Hospitals Thriving and Independentathenahealth
Research showing hospitals how to best maintain their independence while conducting a thriving business model in changing times of governmental regulation.
Patient-Centered Medical Home: Navigating through Recognition and Rewardsathenahealth
Join athenahealth as we delve into Patient-Centered Medical Homes and the complications that come with navigating through the regulations to achieve level three recognition status.
A combination of case study and infographic, this piece uses the experience of a specific practice to flesh out both the challenges of the healthcare landscape, and Greenway’s ability to help meet those challenges.
The Latest Self-Pay Trends: New Burdens and Opportunitiesathenahealth
Let athenahealth guide you through the burdens of navigating through revenue collections from your patients to make sure your practice has access to all monetary opportunities to ensure financial success.
The document discusses challenges with electronic health records (EHRs) and potential solutions. It notes that before meaningful use standards, EHR adoption by office-based physicians was low, increasing to 78% by 2013. However, 45% of physicians said patient care was worse and 65% reported financial losses after implementing EHRs. Common problems included excessive data entry, clunky interfaces not designed for workflow. The document proposes solutions like smart delegation of workflows, focusing on the patient encounter, using documentation to communicate, and accelerators to speed documentation. The goal is to build an EHR system that makes healthcare work efficiently through integrated practice management, patient portals, and medical applications.
Getting Fit for the Future: Community Hospitals in a Time of Transitionathenahealth
Community hospitals face many challenges including declining patient volumes, rising expenses, and Medicaid expansion in some states but not others. To thrive, community hospitals should focus on four key strategies: 1) Get control over their financials by improving billing and collections; 2) Build patient loyalty through patient engagement portals and retention efforts; 3) Improve clinician loyalty and alignment by utilizing physician extenders appropriately; and 4) Prioritize high-return projects like wellness visits and reducing readmissions. Partnerships with companies providing integrated technology and services solutions can help smaller hospitals address these challenges and build a sustainable future.
- GuideWell is a large non-profit health services organization with over $12 billion in revenue serving 15 million people across 14 states, including over 5 million in Florida. It has 11,000 employees and 45 terabytes of data.
- GuideWell is shifting from fee-for-service to value-based care through integrated partnerships, population health management, and value-based contracts across products. This allows for better data sharing, coordination, and preventative care.
- The benefits of this approach include improved access to data, less siloed care management, and better financial alignment between payors and providers.
The survey found several significant trends among US physicians in 2014:
- Physician income decreases were associated with being younger, more satisfied, and encouraging to the field, while increases were associated with being older, less satisfied, and discouraging.
- Satisfied physicians tended to be younger, work fewer hours, and have more privately insured patients, while dissatisfied physicians were older, worked longer hours, owned solo practices, and said patients delayed treatment more.
- Use of physician assistants increased from 25% to 30% from 2012 to 2014, and physician preference between PAs and nurse practitioners was split equally.
- High overhead, reimbursement cuts, and administrative hassles were the top reasons cited for
Government data shows rising OOP spending for consumers, but excludes some types of health-related items and services that can add significantly to the total amount and consumer share of spending. This infographic exposes these “hidden costs” that account for almost one-fifth of total health care spending.
For more information, visit
2016 Survey of US Physicians: Physician awareness, perspectives, and readines...Deloitte United States
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is a Medicare payment law intended to drive health care payment and delivery system reform for clinicians, health systems, Medicare, and other government and commercial payers. Deloitte’s 2016 Survey of US Physicians sought to shed light on physicians’ awareness of MACRA, their perspectives on its implications, and their attitudes and readiness for change. The survey found that many physicians are unaware of MACRA. Regardless of their awareness level, most physicians surveyed would have to change aspects of their practice to meet the law’s requirements and to do well under its incentives. Many physicians surveyed recognize they will need to bear increased financial risk (under MACRA and in general) and need support and resources to develop the capabilities do so. http://www.deloitte.com/us/macra?id=us:2sm:3ss:macra:eng:lshc:071216
Population Health in 2016: Know How to Move Forwardathenahealth
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) present a significant opportunity to reduce health care expenditures and ensure quality care. Successfully managing the transition to an ACO is one of the most difficult challenges facing health organizations today. The key is to focus on the risk contract and approach population health management in a staged, incremental way.
The document discusses how consumers are taking more control over their health insurance choices. It notes that 200,000 consumers were referred to health funds in 2016 through comparison sites, 40% of one fund's sales came from comparisons sites, and another 30% of consumers do their own research. It argues that competition from new entrants, the ability to easily compare options, more informed consumers who want control, and transparency requirements will continue to empower consumers and drive health funds to provide better support for consumer decision making.
After more than a year of challenges, healthcare organizations are now faced with CMS' requirement to publish standard charges for a minimum of 300 services in order to provide a shoppable experience for those seeking health care. With price transparency going into effect this year, providers must get used to the idea that information previously held close to the chest will now be on public display. Additionally, for providers that don't comply, CMS is imposing daily fines and in some cases, corrective action plans.
During this webinar, we'll review CMS regulations and what’s required from providers. While reviewing strategies for selecting shoppable services, we’ll also talk about risk areas that may impact the accuracy of reporting and how CMS is currently responding to providers that haven't implemented yet. We’ll also touch on what we consider the “silver lining” of the requirement with benefits to price transparency.
Webinar: Bad Data's Effect on Population Health PerformanceArcadia webinar da...Modern Healthcare
Managing complex patient populations requires comprehensive and reliable EHR data. Join Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization and Arcadia Healthcare Solutions to learn how to properly assess your EHR data to ensure you have the right information to make key strategic decisions. This webinar will explore three ways to identify data quality issues.
Cashing in on Value Based Reimbursementathenahealth
Stay on top of changing governmental regulations and don't leave money on the table. Value based reimbursements can be tricky to navigate while managing a medical practice but not with athenahealth.
Understand what consumers value most when managing their health and how much additional responsibility they’re willing to take on to reduce the cost of their healthcare.
Webinar: Why Hospitalists are Important to Managing Population HealthLp cogen...Modern Healthcare
This webinar will outline the changing healthcare environment, and illustrate how a strong hospital medicine program is critical to meet population health goals. Led by former Utah Gov. Michael O. Leavitt, also former secretary of HHS, this distinguished panel will lend insight and detail from the perspective of the government, healthcare leadership and hospital medicine pioneers.
The public health insurance exchanges have been in operation for nearly three years now and may be opening the door for a new generation of engaged health care consumers. Deloitte’s 2016 Survey of US Health Care Consumers sought to understand their satisfaction with coverage, confidence in handling future health care costs, use of online services, knowledge of costs, and how they shop for coverage. http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-care-consumers-health-insurance-exchanges.html
Findings reveal:
o Exchange consumers say they are satisfied with their coverage at the same rate as people with employer coverage
o More exchange consumers feel prepared to handle future costs and able to access affordable care than last year
o More than twice as many exchange consumers report using online information sources to shop for a policy than the average consumer, including those with employer coverage
o More exchange consumers say they understand their costs than consumers with employer coverage, and when they used their coverage, few had surprise out-of-pocket costs
o Exchange consumers shop around for coverage and evaluate the total costs before making decisions, and they continue to be willing to accept network tradeoffs for lower payments
As healthcare is a language “all its own,” PYA Principal David McMillan presented “Learning the New Language of Healthcare" at the Georgia Society of CPAs' 2014 Healthcare Conference.
As public and private insurers move away from traditional fee-for-service payments, healthcare organizations are struggling to make the leap. Market share, regional characteristics, financial health and an organization’s mission and culture are shaping the path as the flow of money shifts and the skills to manage and measure risk are being redirected in largely untested ways.
During the 2018 mid-term elections, candidates faced off making big claims that they would be the ones to fix healthcare. Now that they are back to work, what can we anticipate with a new Congress? Will we finally see improvements or gridlock? Join Bobbi Brown, MBA and Stephen Grossbart, PhD as they tackle these questions along with a 2018 lookback of what went right and 2019 predictions of the most important trends that will impact our daily work.
Beyond political maneuvering, in 2018 we saw material changes in the business of healthcare. The pace of mergers, acquisitions and partnerships was strong and deals like the pending acquisition of Aetna by CVS, could dramatically impact patient behavior and revenue streams. In addition, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to support existing programs while adding new measures to support transparency, interoperability and a continued shift to value-based payments. What does this mean for your organization in 2019? View this webinar to learn more across these areas:
- The business of healthcare including new market entrants, business models and shifting strategies to stay competitive.
- Continuous quality and cost control monitoring across populations.
- CMS proposals to push ACOs into two-sided risk models.
- Historic changes to Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
- Fewer process measures but more quality outcomes scrutiny for providers.
- Increased consumer demand for more transparency.
There are many challenges and opportunities for all of us in healthcare. Join Bobbi and Stephen as they draw upon their decades of experience to make sense of the past year and look ahead to give you guidance for the new year. This is the fourth year running that Bobbi has presented her predictions at the turn of the new year and past attendees will remember that her knack for predicting is uncanny and her stories are unforgettable. This time was no different.
10 Things You Need to Know About MIPS and APMathenahealth
This document provides an overview of 10 key things to know about the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and how it establishes the new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs). It notes that MIPS consolidates existing quality programs and adds a new performance category, while APMs provide incentive payments for those in qualifying models. It also summarizes some of the new requirements around eligibility, reporting periods, payment adjustments, costs of participation, and how athenahealth can help providers with various aspects of preparing for and participating in MIPS and APMs.
8 in 10 Hospitals Stand Pat on Population Health Strategy, Despite Uncertaint...Health Catalyst
A 2017 survey by Health Catalyst shows that despite uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act, 80 percent of healthcare executives have not paused or otherwise changed their population health management strategy. 68 percent said that PHM is “very important” to their healthcare delivery strategy, while fewer than 3 percent said it was not important at all. The results show that executives view the move to value-based care as inevitable, and they view a PHM strategy as an integral part of their future efforts.
Technology: Increase Revenue, Decrease Workload An AOA WebinarHealth iPASS
The growing chorus of patients with high deductible plans places a greater burden on medical providers to implement patient revenue cycle solutions that optimize net collection rates. Patients are now the largest payers in healthcare. Patient payment technology solutions have the unique ability to promote healthcare price transparency by educating and empowering healthcare consumerism with insurance eligibility information, cost-of-care estimates, co-pay and deductible amounts, and estimates of what balance may be owed post insurance claim adjudication. Learn more about how and why implementing a patient payment collection technology solution empowers, engages, educates, and delights patients through a convenient and intuitive patient check-in kiosk. Plus, learn more about the new “vitals” to track patient revenue cycle management to improve patient net collection rates in this webinar slide deck.
HRG Executive Vice- President, OutPartnering™, Jason Coffin , will discuss the delicate process of managing self-pay in times of economic crisis. He will share best practices and tools to effectively balance productivity with patient satisfaction through this unprecedented time.
Compliance and Legal Risks in Laborist, Surgicalist, and Hospitalist Arrangem...MD Ranger, Inc.
Have you structured your hospital-based physician contracts to address all aspects of compliance?
Hospitalist agreements involve unique compliance and financial issues, particularly when global payments and advanced practice providers are involved. Risks include indirect compensation, billing and other compliance issues. This presentation will discuss compliance risks and provide guidance on how to structure compliant contracts and business arrangements.
Getting Fit for the Future: Community Hospitals in a Time of Transitionathenahealth
Community hospitals face many challenges including declining patient volumes, rising expenses, and Medicaid expansion in some states but not others. To thrive, community hospitals should focus on four key strategies: 1) Get control over their financials by improving billing and collections; 2) Build patient loyalty through patient engagement portals and retention efforts; 3) Improve clinician loyalty and alignment by utilizing physician extenders appropriately; and 4) Prioritize high-return projects like wellness visits and reducing readmissions. Partnerships with companies providing integrated technology and services solutions can help smaller hospitals address these challenges and build a sustainable future.
- GuideWell is a large non-profit health services organization with over $12 billion in revenue serving 15 million people across 14 states, including over 5 million in Florida. It has 11,000 employees and 45 terabytes of data.
- GuideWell is shifting from fee-for-service to value-based care through integrated partnerships, population health management, and value-based contracts across products. This allows for better data sharing, coordination, and preventative care.
- The benefits of this approach include improved access to data, less siloed care management, and better financial alignment between payors and providers.
The survey found several significant trends among US physicians in 2014:
- Physician income decreases were associated with being younger, more satisfied, and encouraging to the field, while increases were associated with being older, less satisfied, and discouraging.
- Satisfied physicians tended to be younger, work fewer hours, and have more privately insured patients, while dissatisfied physicians were older, worked longer hours, owned solo practices, and said patients delayed treatment more.
- Use of physician assistants increased from 25% to 30% from 2012 to 2014, and physician preference between PAs and nurse practitioners was split equally.
- High overhead, reimbursement cuts, and administrative hassles were the top reasons cited for
Government data shows rising OOP spending for consumers, but excludes some types of health-related items and services that can add significantly to the total amount and consumer share of spending. This infographic exposes these “hidden costs” that account for almost one-fifth of total health care spending.
For more information, visit
2016 Survey of US Physicians: Physician awareness, perspectives, and readines...Deloitte United States
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is a Medicare payment law intended to drive health care payment and delivery system reform for clinicians, health systems, Medicare, and other government and commercial payers. Deloitte’s 2016 Survey of US Physicians sought to shed light on physicians’ awareness of MACRA, their perspectives on its implications, and their attitudes and readiness for change. The survey found that many physicians are unaware of MACRA. Regardless of their awareness level, most physicians surveyed would have to change aspects of their practice to meet the law’s requirements and to do well under its incentives. Many physicians surveyed recognize they will need to bear increased financial risk (under MACRA and in general) and need support and resources to develop the capabilities do so. http://www.deloitte.com/us/macra?id=us:2sm:3ss:macra:eng:lshc:071216
Population Health in 2016: Know How to Move Forwardathenahealth
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) present a significant opportunity to reduce health care expenditures and ensure quality care. Successfully managing the transition to an ACO is one of the most difficult challenges facing health organizations today. The key is to focus on the risk contract and approach population health management in a staged, incremental way.
The document discusses how consumers are taking more control over their health insurance choices. It notes that 200,000 consumers were referred to health funds in 2016 through comparison sites, 40% of one fund's sales came from comparisons sites, and another 30% of consumers do their own research. It argues that competition from new entrants, the ability to easily compare options, more informed consumers who want control, and transparency requirements will continue to empower consumers and drive health funds to provide better support for consumer decision making.
After more than a year of challenges, healthcare organizations are now faced with CMS' requirement to publish standard charges for a minimum of 300 services in order to provide a shoppable experience for those seeking health care. With price transparency going into effect this year, providers must get used to the idea that information previously held close to the chest will now be on public display. Additionally, for providers that don't comply, CMS is imposing daily fines and in some cases, corrective action plans.
During this webinar, we'll review CMS regulations and what’s required from providers. While reviewing strategies for selecting shoppable services, we’ll also talk about risk areas that may impact the accuracy of reporting and how CMS is currently responding to providers that haven't implemented yet. We’ll also touch on what we consider the “silver lining” of the requirement with benefits to price transparency.
Webinar: Bad Data's Effect on Population Health PerformanceArcadia webinar da...Modern Healthcare
Managing complex patient populations requires comprehensive and reliable EHR data. Join Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization and Arcadia Healthcare Solutions to learn how to properly assess your EHR data to ensure you have the right information to make key strategic decisions. This webinar will explore three ways to identify data quality issues.
Cashing in on Value Based Reimbursementathenahealth
Stay on top of changing governmental regulations and don't leave money on the table. Value based reimbursements can be tricky to navigate while managing a medical practice but not with athenahealth.
Understand what consumers value most when managing their health and how much additional responsibility they’re willing to take on to reduce the cost of their healthcare.
Webinar: Why Hospitalists are Important to Managing Population HealthLp cogen...Modern Healthcare
This webinar will outline the changing healthcare environment, and illustrate how a strong hospital medicine program is critical to meet population health goals. Led by former Utah Gov. Michael O. Leavitt, also former secretary of HHS, this distinguished panel will lend insight and detail from the perspective of the government, healthcare leadership and hospital medicine pioneers.
The public health insurance exchanges have been in operation for nearly three years now and may be opening the door for a new generation of engaged health care consumers. Deloitte’s 2016 Survey of US Health Care Consumers sought to understand their satisfaction with coverage, confidence in handling future health care costs, use of online services, knowledge of costs, and how they shop for coverage. http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-care-consumers-health-insurance-exchanges.html
Findings reveal:
o Exchange consumers say they are satisfied with their coverage at the same rate as people with employer coverage
o More exchange consumers feel prepared to handle future costs and able to access affordable care than last year
o More than twice as many exchange consumers report using online information sources to shop for a policy than the average consumer, including those with employer coverage
o More exchange consumers say they understand their costs than consumers with employer coverage, and when they used their coverage, few had surprise out-of-pocket costs
o Exchange consumers shop around for coverage and evaluate the total costs before making decisions, and they continue to be willing to accept network tradeoffs for lower payments
As healthcare is a language “all its own,” PYA Principal David McMillan presented “Learning the New Language of Healthcare" at the Georgia Society of CPAs' 2014 Healthcare Conference.
As public and private insurers move away from traditional fee-for-service payments, healthcare organizations are struggling to make the leap. Market share, regional characteristics, financial health and an organization’s mission and culture are shaping the path as the flow of money shifts and the skills to manage and measure risk are being redirected in largely untested ways.
During the 2018 mid-term elections, candidates faced off making big claims that they would be the ones to fix healthcare. Now that they are back to work, what can we anticipate with a new Congress? Will we finally see improvements or gridlock? Join Bobbi Brown, MBA and Stephen Grossbart, PhD as they tackle these questions along with a 2018 lookback of what went right and 2019 predictions of the most important trends that will impact our daily work.
Beyond political maneuvering, in 2018 we saw material changes in the business of healthcare. The pace of mergers, acquisitions and partnerships was strong and deals like the pending acquisition of Aetna by CVS, could dramatically impact patient behavior and revenue streams. In addition, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to support existing programs while adding new measures to support transparency, interoperability and a continued shift to value-based payments. What does this mean for your organization in 2019? View this webinar to learn more across these areas:
- The business of healthcare including new market entrants, business models and shifting strategies to stay competitive.
- Continuous quality and cost control monitoring across populations.
- CMS proposals to push ACOs into two-sided risk models.
- Historic changes to Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
- Fewer process measures but more quality outcomes scrutiny for providers.
- Increased consumer demand for more transparency.
There are many challenges and opportunities for all of us in healthcare. Join Bobbi and Stephen as they draw upon their decades of experience to make sense of the past year and look ahead to give you guidance for the new year. This is the fourth year running that Bobbi has presented her predictions at the turn of the new year and past attendees will remember that her knack for predicting is uncanny and her stories are unforgettable. This time was no different.
10 Things You Need to Know About MIPS and APMathenahealth
This document provides an overview of 10 key things to know about the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and how it establishes the new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs). It notes that MIPS consolidates existing quality programs and adds a new performance category, while APMs provide incentive payments for those in qualifying models. It also summarizes some of the new requirements around eligibility, reporting periods, payment adjustments, costs of participation, and how athenahealth can help providers with various aspects of preparing for and participating in MIPS and APMs.
8 in 10 Hospitals Stand Pat on Population Health Strategy, Despite Uncertaint...Health Catalyst
A 2017 survey by Health Catalyst shows that despite uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act, 80 percent of healthcare executives have not paused or otherwise changed their population health management strategy. 68 percent said that PHM is “very important” to their healthcare delivery strategy, while fewer than 3 percent said it was not important at all. The results show that executives view the move to value-based care as inevitable, and they view a PHM strategy as an integral part of their future efforts.
Technology: Increase Revenue, Decrease Workload An AOA WebinarHealth iPASS
The growing chorus of patients with high deductible plans places a greater burden on medical providers to implement patient revenue cycle solutions that optimize net collection rates. Patients are now the largest payers in healthcare. Patient payment technology solutions have the unique ability to promote healthcare price transparency by educating and empowering healthcare consumerism with insurance eligibility information, cost-of-care estimates, co-pay and deductible amounts, and estimates of what balance may be owed post insurance claim adjudication. Learn more about how and why implementing a patient payment collection technology solution empowers, engages, educates, and delights patients through a convenient and intuitive patient check-in kiosk. Plus, learn more about the new “vitals” to track patient revenue cycle management to improve patient net collection rates in this webinar slide deck.
HRG Executive Vice- President, OutPartnering™, Jason Coffin , will discuss the delicate process of managing self-pay in times of economic crisis. He will share best practices and tools to effectively balance productivity with patient satisfaction through this unprecedented time.
Compliance and Legal Risks in Laborist, Surgicalist, and Hospitalist Arrangem...MD Ranger, Inc.
Have you structured your hospital-based physician contracts to address all aspects of compliance?
Hospitalist agreements involve unique compliance and financial issues, particularly when global payments and advanced practice providers are involved. Risks include indirect compensation, billing and other compliance issues. This presentation will discuss compliance risks and provide guidance on how to structure compliant contracts and business arrangements.
This document discusses 6 key trends in healthcare: 1) Shift to value-based payment models, 2) Deinstitutionalization of care moving to lower-cost settings, 3) Increased focus on care management and wellness, 4) Growth of the Medicare Advantage market, 5) Adoption of data-driven decision making, and 6) Digital health transformation. It provides examples of how healthcare payors and providers are responding to these trends through strategies like bundled payments, telemedicine, predictive analytics, acquisitions, modern data platforms, and digital solutions to improve the patient and provider experience.
How Can An Effective Medical Referral Management Increase Revenue up to 65% GaryRichards30
Referral management solution has come as an asset to the healthcare industry to improve care coordination, increase referral volumes and revenue, reduce readmissions and improve outcomes. Secure messaging is a critical aspect of the healthcare industry. Referral Management Solution allows the providers to seamlessly communicate for exchanging patient related data and for improving patient care through a secure network. Watch how an effective medical referral management increase revenue upto 65%
The number of patients with high-deductible plans continues to grow. Effective collection of patient financial responsibilities must be a priority for a practice to stay on the path of financial health. Download this eBook to learn key straegies for optimizing patient collections.
The document discusses strategies for optimizing self-pay patient collections. It notes that collecting from self-pay patients is challenging but critical for practices' financial health as more revenue comes from patients. It recommends verifying patient insurance at check-in to collect copays and establish credit card on file programs. Establishing clear policies on collecting balances, offering payment plans, and using agencies only as a last resort are also discussed. The implications of the Affordable Care Act, like grace periods for unpaid premiums, are reviewed along with average exchange plan deductibles. Overall it provides best practices for effective self-pay collection processes and policies.
Including Patients in the Value Equationflasco_org
This document summarizes a presentation by Dr. Barbara McAneny on physician leadership in value-based care. It discusses several key points:
1) Global healthcare spending is unsustainable and MACRA/QPP were implemented to transition to value-based payment models. MACRA established the MIPS and APM pathways.
2) The AMA is working to simplify QPP requirements and expand options to support physician participation and satisfaction. Penalties are less severe than prior programs but administrative burden remains a challenge.
3) Examples of innovative oncology payment models are described, including the Come Home model which reduced costs by focusing on coordinated care, and the Oncology Care Model which aims to improve care and reduce
Collecting Patient Payments During COVID-19 and Beyond - a Blueprint for SuccessKareo
The impact of COVID-19 is substantial and the way healthcare providers practice medicine has changed, and it’s not going back. Make sure your business has the right blueprint for success so you can continue collecting patient payments while providing quality care to keep your patients healthy and your practice profitable.
All You Need To Know About Insurance Prior Authorizations In HealthcareGaryRichards30
Prior authorization is the talk of the healthcare industry since the increase in specializations in healthcare. Any healthcare process has its own pros and cons. Prior authorization is no exception to that. A Health Insurance Company must verify if the patient is eligible for an insurance for a certain drug or procedure. Before the physician prescribes it to the patient, it is a common practice to parallely check for authorization from an insurance company. Watch to know more about insurance prior authorizations!
Health Experience: The difference between loyalty & leavingaccenture
This document discusses factors that influence consumer loyalty and engagement in healthcare. It finds:
- Ease of navigation is the top reason people switch providers, while experience factors are the main reason for switching payers.
- Younger generations switch providers more and value experience over cost. They will be important future decision-makers.
- People expect access to convenient services through personalized journeys and digital tools that match their needs.
- Those who find providers/payers easy to work with, are highly digital engaged, and trust their organizations are most loyal.
- To drive loyalty, organizations must focus on access, ease of doing business, digital engagement, and building trust.
In today’s healthcare market, financial challenges rank as the number one issue hospitals face. To maintain a margin to support their mission, hospital CEOs must always be on the lookout for opportunities to boost revenue through improved reimbursement. In this webinar, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center’s Greg Stock, president and chief executive officer, and Mikki Fazzio, director, HIM and clinical documentation improvement, as they share how Thibodaux Regional leveraged analytics to provide actionable feedback to continuously improve the process, and how you can too.
Managing ‘discharged not final billed’ (DNFB) cases is one important way hospitals can improve financial performance by increasing collection on bills with incomplete payment due to coding or documentation gaps. Historically, Thibodaux Regional’s DNFB caseload had reached 500 cases per month, with about a third of patients discharged without a completed bill due either to missing documentation or incomplete coding. Thibodaux Regional tackled this process problem by expanding the use of analytics to measure and track every aspect of their billing services. The results were impressive and sustainable. Three years after launching its initial DNFB redesign effort, Thibodaux Regional has realized $2.4M in additional annual reimbursement and a 61% relative reduction in DNFB dollars, as well as a 6.2 reduction in AR days, resulting in significantly improved cash flow.
View this webinar to learn how to:
- Increase reimbursement levels by optimizing workflow analytics
- Ease the documentation burden on overloaded physicians with time-efficient communication
- Provide critical analytics visibility to key stakeholders
Outsourcing chronic care management in 2019 associated benefits and risksGaryRichards30
Outsourced CCM services have a mix of advantages and risks. HealthViewX Chronic Care Management solution supports outsourced CCM as well as CCM services provided directly by the practice. The risk factor associated with outsourcing CCM is minimal in HealthViewX Chronic Care Management software
This document discusses 5 elements of a successful patient engagement strategy:
1. Define your organization's vision for patient engagement.
2. Create a culture of engagement within the practice.
3. Employ the right technology and services like patient portals.
4. Empower patients to become collaborators in their care.
5. Continuously evaluate progress and be ready to adapt the strategy.
True patient engagement involves patients managing their own health, a practice culture that prioritizes engagement, and collaboration between patients and providers.
As consumers face more choice, complexity, and financial exposure for their health care in an increasingly uncertain world, they are highly influenced by Age , Income and Education factors.
The document discusses trends in the urgent care industry, including rising demand driven by difficulties accessing primary care, urgent care's role in treating non-emergency conditions to reduce costs compared to emergency rooms, and the growing use of nurse practitioners in urgent care and telemedicine solutions. It provides data on the number of urgent care visits, revenues, staffing models and costs. The adoption of telemedicine in urgent care is also summarized.
Miles Snowden, MD - Prevention, Wellness & Outcomes from a Payer ProspectiveCleveland HeartLab, Inc.
The document discusses prevention, wellness, and outcomes from a payer perspective. It describes Optum, a large health information, technology, and consulting company, and its focus on population health management. Optum serves over 60 million individuals through various services including pharmacy management, health plans, and physician practices. The document outlines Optum's approach to navigating from providing care to managing health through activities like generating new capital, preparing for change, investing in new strategies, and optimizing networks, managing care transitions, investing in home intervention, and expanding chronic disease management.
Getting Paid in 2022: Adapting your Practice to Thrive Within the Healthcare ...Kareo
Kareo and Healthcare Business Consultant, Aimee Heckman, have teamed up to inform you of the latest tools and resources to help get your practice and billers/billing company get ready for any obstacles that may come your way in the new year.
Aimee Heckman will:
-Review the state of the industry in 2021, including surprise billing, data breaches, and penalties.
-Explain the normalization of telehealth and getting paid for telehealth.
-Expand on patient collections and run the business as a business. This includes setting up your practice with a variety of payment options to treat patients more as consumers to improve patient satisfaction.
-Prepare your practice for 2022 with best practices for MIPS, security audits, financial policies, insurance waivers, and patient eligibility
Similar to The Patient Experience and Its Impact on Your Health Practice and Profitability (20)
Ensure the highest quality care for your patients with Cardiac Registry Support's cancer registry services. We support accreditation efforts and quality improvement initiatives, allowing you to benchmark performance and demonstrate adherence to best practices. Confidence starts with data. Partner with Cardiac Registry Support. For more details visit https://cardiacregistrysupport.com/cancer-registry-services/
nursing management of patient with Empyema pptblessyjannu21
prepared by Prof. BLESSY THOMAS, SPN
Empyema is a disease of respiratory system It is defines as the accumulation of thick, purulent fluid within the pleural space, often with fibrin development.
Empyema is also called pyothorax or purulent pleuritis.
It’s a condition in which pus gathers in the area between the lungs and the inner surface of the chest wall. This area is known as the pleural space.
Pus is a fluid that’s filled with immune cells, dead cells, and bacteria.
Pus in the pleural space can’t be coughed out. Instead, it needs to be drained by a needle or surgery.
Empyema usually develops after pneumonia, which is an infection of the lung tissue. it is mainly caused due in infectious micro-organisms. It can be treated with medications and other measures.
Health Tech Market Intelligence Prelim Questions -Gokul Rangarajan
The Ultimate Guide to Setting up Market Research in Health Tech part -1
How to effectively start market research in the health tech industry by defining objectives, crafting problem statements, selecting methods, identifying data collection sources, and setting clear timelines. This guide covers all the preliminary steps needed to lay a strong foundation for your research.
This lays foundation of scoping research project what are the
Before embarking on a research project, especially one aimed at scoping and defining parameters like the one described for health tech IT, several crucial considerations should be addressed. Here’s a comprehensive guide covering key aspects to ensure a well-structured and successful research initiative:
1. Define Research Objectives and Scope
Clear Objectives: Define specific goals such as understanding market needs, identifying new opportunities, assessing risks, or refining pricing strategies.
Scope Definition: Clearly outline the boundaries of the research in terms of geographical focus, target demographics (e.g., age, socio-economic status), and industry sectors (e.g., healthcare IT).
3. Review Existing Literature and Resources
Literature Review: Conduct a thorough review of existing research, market reports, and relevant literature to build foundational knowledge.
Gap Analysis: Identify gaps in existing knowledge or areas where further exploration is needed.
4. Select Research Methodology and Tools
Methodological Approach: Choose appropriate research methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or data analytics.
Tools and Resources: Select tools like Google Forms for surveys, analytics platforms (e.g., SimilarWeb, Statista), and expert consultations.
5. Ethical Considerations and Compliance
Ethical Approval: Ensure compliance with ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects.
Data Privacy: Implement measures to protect participant confidentiality and adhere to data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
6. Budget and Resource Allocation
Resource Planning: Allocate resources including time, budget, and personnel required for each phase of the research.
Contingency Planning: Anticipate and plan for unforeseen challenges or adjustments to the research plan.
7. Develop Research Instruments
Survey Design: Create well-structured surveys using tools like Google Forms to gather quantitative data.
Interview and Focus Group Guides: Prepare detailed scripts and discussion points for qualitative data collection.
8. Sampling Strategy
Sampling Design: Define the sampling frame, size, and method (e.g., random sampling, stratified sampling) to ensure representation of target demographics.
Participant Recruitment: Plan recruitment strategies to reach and engage the intended participant groups effectively.
9. Data Collection and Analysis Plan
Data Collection: Implement methods for data gathering, ensuring consistency and validity.
Analysis Techniques: Decide on analytical approaches (e.g., statistical
This particular slides consist of- what is Pneumothorax,what are it's causes and it's effect on body, risk factors, symptoms,complications, diagnosis and role of physiotherapy in it.
This slide is very helpful for physiotherapy students and also for other medical and healthcare students.
Here is a summary of Pneumothorax:
Pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung, is a condition that occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall. This air buildup puts pressure on the lung, preventing it from expanding fully when you breathe. A pneumothorax can cause a complete or partial collapse of the lung.
The story of Dr. Ranjit Jagtap's daughters is more than a tale of inherited responsibility; it's a narrative of passion, innovation, and unwavering commitment to a cause greater than oneself. In Poulami and Aditi Jagtap, we see the beautiful continuum of a father's dream and the limitless potential of compassion-driven healthcare.
VEDANTA AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES IN REWA AT A COST-EFFECTIVE PRICE.pdfVedanta A
Air Ambulance Services In Rewa works in close coordination with ground-based emergency services, including local Emergency Medical Services, fire departments, and law enforcement agencies.
More@: https://tinyurl.com/2shrryhx
More@: https://tinyurl.com/5n8h3wp8
R3 Stem Cell Therapy: A New Hope for Women with Ovarian FailureR3 Stem Cell
Discover the groundbreaking advancements in stem cell therapy by R3 Stem Cell, offering new hope for women with ovarian failure. This innovative treatment aims to restore ovarian function, improve fertility, and enhance overall well-being, revolutionizing reproductive health for women worldwide.
NURSING MANAGEMENT OF PATIENT WITH EMPHYSEMA .PPTblessyjannu21
Prepared by Prof. BLESSY THOMAS, VICE PRINCIPAL, FNCON, SPN.
Emphysema is a disease condition of respiratory system.
Emphysema is an abnormal permanent enlargement of the air spaces distal to terminal bronchioles, accompanied by destruction of their walls and without obvious fibrosis.
Emphysema of lung is defined as hyper inflation of the lung ais spaces due to obstruction of non respiratory bronchioles as due to loss of elasticity of alveoli.
It is a type of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease.
It is a progressive disease of lungs.
The Importance of Black Women Understanding the Chemicals in Their Personal C...bkling
Certain chemicals, such as phthalates and parabens, can disrupt the body's hormones and have significant effects on health. According to data, hormone-related health issues such as uterine fibroids, infertility, early puberty and more aggressive forms of breast and endometrial cancers disproportionately affect Black women. Our guest speaker, Jasmine A. McDonald, PhD, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City, discusses the scientific reasons why Black women should pay attention to specific chemicals in their personal care products, like hair care, and ways to minimize their exposure.
Fit to Fly PCR Covid Testing at our Clinic Near YouNX Healthcare
A Fit-to-Fly PCR Test is a crucial service for travelers needing to meet the entry requirements of various countries or airlines. This test involves a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19, which is considered the gold standard for detecting active infections. At our travel clinic in Leeds, we offer fast and reliable Fit to Fly PCR testing, providing you with an official certificate verifying your negative COVID-19 status. Our process is designed for convenience and accuracy, with quick turnaround times to ensure you receive your results and certificate in time for your departure. Trust our professional and experienced medical team to help you travel safely and compliantly, giving you peace of mind for your journey.www.nxhealthcare.co.uk
Mental Health and well-being Presentation. Exploring innovative approaches and strategies for enhancing mental well-being. Discover cutting-edge research, effective strategies, and practical methods for fostering mental well-being.
Joker Wigs has been a one-stop-shop for hair products for over 26 years. We provide high-quality hair wigs, hair extensions, hair toppers, hair patch, and more for both men and women.
Solution manual for managerial accounting 18th edition by ray garrison eric n...rightmanforbloodline
Solution manual for managerial accounting 18th edition by ray garrison eric noreen and peter brewer_compressed
Solution manual for managerial accounting 18th edition by ray garrison eric noreen and peter brewer_compressed
India Medical Devices Market: Size, Share, and In-Depth Competitive Analysis ...Kumar Satyam
According to TechSci Research report, “India Medical Devices Market Industry Size, Share, Trends, Competition, Opportunity and Forecast, 2019-2029,” the India Medical Devices Market was valued at USD 15.35 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to witness impressive growth in the forecast period, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.35% through 2029. This growth is driven by various factors, including strategic collaborations and partnerships among leading companies, a growing population, and the increasing demand for advanced healthcare solutions.
Recent Trends
Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships
One of the most significant trends driving the India Medical Devices Market is the increasing number of collaborations and partnerships among leading companies. These alliances aim to merge the expertise of individual companies to strengthen their market position and enhance their product offerings. For instance, partnerships between local manufacturers and international companies bring advanced technologies and manufacturing techniques to the Indian market, fostering innovation and improving product quality.
Browse over XX market data Figures and spread through XX Pages and an in-depth TOC on " India Medical Devices Market.” - https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-medical-devices-market/8161.html
India Home Healthcare Market: Driving Forces and Disruptive Trends [2029]Kumar Satyam
According to the TechSci Research report titled "India Home Healthcare Market - By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2029," the India home healthcare market is anticipated to grow at an impressive rate during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including the rising demand for managing health issues such as chronic diseases, post-operative care, elderly care, palliative care, and mental health. The growing preference for personalized healthcare among people is also a significant driver. Additionally, rapid advancements in science and technology, increasing healthcare costs, changes in food laws affecting label and product claims, a burgeoning aging population, and a rising interest in attaining wellness through diet are expected to escalate the growth of the India home healthcare market in the coming years.
Browse over XX market data Figures spread through 70 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "India Home Healthcare Market”
https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-home-healthcare-market/15508.html
Test bank clinical nursing skills a concept based approach 4e pearson educati...rightmanforbloodline
Test bank clinical nursing skills a concept based approach 4e pearson education
Test bank clinical nursing skills a concept based approach 4e pearson education
Test bank clinical nursing skills a concept based approach 4e pearson education
Before we get started, let’s review a few key drivers in the dental industry today:
1. According to the National Association of Dental plans, an estimated 64% of the US population have dental benefits; 92% of which are from employers or group programs. As more individuals have dental health insurance, more patients can afford to visit the dentist.
2. Although health insurance and government health programs pay for a portion of services, patients are still financially responsible for a considerable amount of their dental expenditures. As income levels increase, individuals will want more dental procedures representing a potential opportunity for the industry. Overall, dental practices generate over 40% of revenue from out of pocket expenditures resulting in industry revenue being largely tied to patients discretionary income.
3. Publically funded benefits, such as Medicare and Medicaid, reduce the out of pocket cost of dental services for consumers, thus increasing industry demand. Funding is expected to increase and benefits are to expand.
4. Growth in the elderly population increases demand for implants and other cosmetic procedures. As we age and our dental health declines, we require more dental maintenance. This has a profound shift to service diversification, expansion of restorative care and surgical services.
Overall, in the past five years, the dental industry has benefited from these favorable trends including increasing coverage, advances in technology and mounting awareness of the importance of oral care and hygiene. Additionally, the industry as a whole is receiving more healthcare insurer reimbursements than that of the past driven by patients having greater access to coverage due to healthcare reform. This is a great segue to stress the importance of analyzing the overall patient experience at the practice.
It’s important to note that too often, before even making an appointment, that there are barriers and challenges the patient must overcome in order to take action. Some of these concerns include: fear, cost and time. Understanding that these concerns exist, what does the practice need to know about helping patients overcome these challenges?
Often, people hesitate to make an appointment because of fear. Fear encompasses several things: it’s the fear of needing work to be done. Sometimes it’s not only being afraid of the cleaning but of hearing bad news that will require additional treatment or identifying dental problems they’ve acquired. It could be a fear of instruments; even the most advanced techniques cannot erase bad memories involving pain or scary instruments. People are also afraid of being lectured or called out on bad behaviors. Setting an environment of empathy and reassurance can help the most anxiety ridden of patients to feel comfortable and cared for.
Another juggernaut reason that patients avoid the dentist is cost. Overall, only 65% of us go to the dentists and in some states, it is even lower, around 52%. This is more than just unfortunate; it’s dangerous considering regular dental check ups are key to dental health. According to the ADA, lack of coverage is one of the top reasons individuals forgo the dentist. If a patient is concerned about having no insurance or their visit may not be covered, what could the appropriate response be to their objection, “I can’t afford it”? Stressing importance of the procedure is important but doesn’t resolve the root cause. Coming up with a plan to make the treatment affordable is one way to combat this reason and we’ll discuss this in detail in a few slides. Explaining that delaying care can lead to bigger issues, with potentially more pain or impact, thus costing more may be scary to hear but help patients understand the larger picture.
The third challenge to setting to an appointment is the patient’s personal schedule, carving out time to do so. Patients often say to themselves, “I'm too busy “ … or maybe they are not prioritizing their need for care or must put other needs or issues first. New patient scheduling requires recognition of their need for certain times or dates, and in doing so, avoids second thoughts that may turn into cancellations.
The patient experience reminds us that there is an emotional component when they are seeking care. People are coming from a place of fear and of hope. Knowing there are realities that may prevent them from coming into the office and concerns they may have when they arrive, help us to get them the care they need while they are at the practice. When we can overcome objections with affordable, convenient, and comfortable options, we see a positive effect at the office and on patient bookings. However, what a patient doesn’t have insight into is that the doctor’s priority is for them to be well but policies and other legislative forces are driving healthcare like never before. Patients who participate in their healthcare rather than being an unengaged patient helps everyone. Next we will discuss how understanding the journey including their expectations and perspectives will help provide a positive experience at the practice so they are likely to remain active and engaged patients.
The patient journey at the office has 6 main key touchpoints:
It begins before they even step foot into the office, marked as prior to visit on the top right of the circle
The next step is their arrival and waiting area experience
Then, the examination room or in the chair
Their meeting with the dentist
Then proceed to check out
Lastly, another part of the journey which occurs out of the practice, is what happens in their follow up care or leading up to their next appointment
Let’s take a look at the journey in a little more depth over these key areas.
One thing that ties into the journey is the effect of “consumerism” on healthcare. According to research from The PwC Health Research Institute, patients are expecting the same type of service from their practitioner as they would from a bank, hotel or airline. Let’s pause to let that sink in for a minute. The PwC Health Research Institute surveyed thousands of patients to gauge their opinions of healthcare and found that active listening and transparency are the top priorities for patients when it comes to choosing a practitioner. Getting a warm welcome when checking into a hotel shows friendliness, but in the office, it can be a game changer. The studies suggests that patients are twice as likely to choose or leave practice on the basis of friendliness.
In the journey, expectations from the patient which include:
I can quickly schedule an appointment
My dentist listens to me and gives me answers I understand
I feel heard and respected by my dentist and staff.
My dentist knows my history
I get timely reminders and follow ups
To review, when making an appointment, patients are primarily looking for the restoration of health when they are ill or in pain. Following that, they are looking for timeliness of prompt appointments, openings that are convenient, a friendly staff and a provider who conveys hope and certainty. Additionally, they want to pay as little as possible, receive clearly explained costs and get sufficient appointment reminders for their next visit. When a patient is engaged, a good experience can certainly follow and ultimately, leads to their better health. A good experience turns into patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction has enormous impact on the practice and we’ll talk more about that next.
Patient satisfaction is a measure of care quality and gives providers valuable insights into the effectiveness of care and their patient’s level of understanding. Improving patient satisfaction has become one of the primary goals for many providers. Patient satisfaction level is directly linked to key success metrics and it impacts outcomes, patient retention and sometimes even reimbursement claims. Changes, big and small, during this process can improve a patient’s overall experience.
Here are some of the reasons why patient satisfaction is important to the practice:
From a practice perspective, the higher patient satisfaction, the greater the profitability. According to industry estimates, in the U.S., loss of a patient due to dissatisfaction can result in the loss of over $200,000 over the lifetime of the practice.
Improved patient retention: No matter what the business, happy customers come back and refer others. As the cost of patient acquisition is high, so retaining existing patients saves the practice money and we’ll discuss that in greater detail.
Increased patient referrals and improved patient loyalty is another advantage. Research says satisfied patients share their experience with five others while unsatisfied patients will complain to nine or more people. Online reviews put gas on the fire as increasing numbers of patients posting about their good and bad experiences online. If your patients are satisfied, people find about it and to contrast, negative remarks can snowball, catching the eyes of potential patients.
Improved compliance: According to a study in Academic Medicine, patients who trust their doctors have better clinical outcomes.
As important to note is how higher patient satisfaction positively affects the practice. We see a reduction in staff turnover, improvement in collections and greater efficiencies. Along with an increase in personal and professional satisfaction in the office, patients who are happier and improve under your care bring more happiness and job satisfaction to the practice overall.
There are controllable and uncontrollable reasons why patient’s leave an office. Some of those out of the practice’s control are relocation, a move or changes in insurance. Those “controllable” reasons include: feeling neglected, left out, lack of concern; Poor communication or misinformation; Feeling rushed; Lack of description for tests/procedure; Pricing or billing issues.
Considering that there are uncontrollable factors of patient attrition, such as moving or change to insurance, an established patient base cannot be considered permanent. The process of improving retention is grounded in the internal communications skills of dentist and staff. The goal for the practice is high patient retention and low attrition. If you haven’t done this lately, calculate how many patients you are losing each year and compare that number to your active patient base to come up with your attrition rate. Once you have uncovered your attrition percentage, calculate or estimate what that represents in lost revenue. You’ll be surprised to see that often it represents a significant number.
Research and analytics say that “by the time you see an increase in attrition it is six or eight months after the point in time when they actually left.” Understanding your rate of attrition is an opportunity to get ahead of losing patients rather than just accept it. Patient attrition is also an indicator of behavior which can sometimes be attributed to processes and outside driving factors that take our attention away.
It has been reported that 70% and more of people who take their business elsewhere do so because they perceive an attitude of indifference. Let’s qualify that to say their perception may not have been due to a deliberate slight or discourtesy, but the result is compelling. When it comes to the business of dental care, it costs 7x less to retain a patient than attract a new one. Studies show that acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. The cost savings makes sense: you don’t have to spend time and resources going out and finding a new client, the focus is on keeping the ones you have happy.
There are multiple strategies which can be executed to improve your patient retention efforts. A diligent focus around all the small details of the customer experience creates a foundation of success. When implemented, these efforts economically enhance your operations. Setting yourself apart from the competition means setting your practice up for success in the long-term, because they’ll keep coming back until you give them a reason not to. For existing patients, a retention strategy is about building a community of content and connectivity; while listening and engaging with them. Communication is key: create engaging marketing content to stay relevant in their lives. Be receptive to their requests. Offer convenient and flexible payment arrangements. To understand why a patient has left, reach out to them and ask. There are things that can be controlled versus things that cannot such as a move or relocation or changes in insurance. If it’s something within your control, try to resolve their concerns. Both of these center around communication and staying in touch. The primary message here is to find out why they left or were unhappy. It may not be easy to hear but it may just be critical information you can use to learn from it and avoid happening in another case. Reach out to remind them to make another appointment. Incentivize their return, for example extending a promotion for specialty services, such as new cosmetic procedures or free informational developments, preventative advice, or discussions of common problems.
How can the practice improve on patient satisfaction? Here are the top 5 components:
The first is focus on care: high-quality service with a positive patient experience. Encourage your team to suggest ideas for improving patient satisfaction within your practice.
Next is efficiency: By improving the efficiency of your practice, you can reduce wait times both for scheduling appointments and while a patient is waiting to be seen. One of the top complaints of patients is the wait in the waiting room just to be seen. Check in and check out are important parts of the process. Ensure you are using the most efficient systems to help and support these key functions.
The ability to adopt new technology to assist in the range of services provided and increase productivity making the appointments, scheduling, check in and out processes run smoothly.
Cost is another component: Clear explanations of financial responsibility and insurance coverage help patients understand their part and plan accordingly.
Lastly, communication: providing your patients with necessary information is imperative to achieving a positive patient experience. A patient will feel empowered when he or she leaves your office with knowledge about their diagnosis and treatment options. Additionally, studies show that greater patient empowerment leads to better patient adherence, which leads to improvements in patient satisfaction and outcomes.
One of the challenges we discussed earlier in the presentation is now part of our best practices. First, let’s talk about the challenge. 1 in 5 Americans report having problems paying medical bills in the past year causing significant financial challenges and changes to their employment and lifestyle. This places a burden on dental providers as bad debt and collecting on costs increase. Declining case acceptance rates as 62% of people with medical bills report postponing needed dental care. 69% cite lack of financing as the reason they delay or decline care. How can dental offices increase access to care without putting themselves at risk?
We can turn cost and finances into a strength by instituting key components. What patients most want is a clear understanding of cost for the procedure or treatment, how much insurance will pay, if anything, and what their payment options are. Let’s break this down one piece at a time. Offer real time benefits eligibility verification and patient responsibility calculation. It’s great to have this conversation before they sit in the chair. If possible, offer a payment plans to fit their budget, prepay or prompt pay discount, no interest short team payment plan or long term plan with various degrees of interest. Offer all payment options: cash, check, credit card, debit card, FSA/HSA, online, mobile. A specific note about alternate methods of payments. First, patients want to make payments through the practice’s website. Payments to providers through a website has increased 89% or 24% on average each year. Think about emailing or texting when a balance is due with a link to an online portal or website for your patients to pay. They are likely to pay faster when the convenience is there. Mobile is also becoming the norm for a convenient experience. Mobile payments have become so ingrained in the digital world that more than half of the top 2017 apps in the Apple App Store featured the ability to make or send payments as core to its functionality. Consumers want the mobile experience in healthcare too as shown by the 80 percent of consumers who want to check in for a provider visit on their own secure mobile device and 65 percent who would download a mobile app to pay all of their healthcare bills.
For long term practice success, it is important for dentists to establish and nurture a culture that focuses on continuous growth. Reducing anxiety, providing financial options and offering convenient, efficient processes while the patient is in the practice will allow for an optimal patient experience. Through patient-centered service and an understanding of what it takes to make a practice profitable, a practice can be unstoppable.