Tag: patient satisfaction

Medical Marketing and Digital Obstacles Faced By Physicians

The mission of medicine is, of course, to help and to heal. But the practice of medicine is also an entrepreneurial endeavor. Clinics are also businesses, and to continue fulfilling the medical mission of caring for patients and families, they must be profitable.

That means healthcare systems and medical facilities are just like any other business insofar as they need effective marketing to help them grow and thrive. However, when it comes to marketing, healthcare practices face unique challenges.

Building Trust

Given the very real life-or-death consequences that apply in the healthcare industry, healthcare marketing must always be undertaken with a degree of gravity. Healthcare consumers may distrust clinicians who appear frivolous or cavalier in promoting their practices.

Thus, the onus is on healthcare marketers to overcome any initial reluctance the target audience may feel about healthcare marketing. Consumers may, at first, resist the idea of a healthcare provider advertising on social media, through email, or on television and radio.

However, if your content is strong and your tone earnest and professional, you will likely be able to leave a positive impression on your audience. This is especially true if you use your content strategically to provide valuable information that health consumers want and need.

For instance, you may use your website, blog, and social media accounts not only to provide information on your medical services but also to educate your audience on health topics or offer free advice. In this way, you build your reputation as a trusted authority and go-to resource for information relating to disease prevention and management, mental health, wellness, and related concerns.

Best of all, as you develop content that boosts your practice’s reputation, you’re going to be improving your search engine optimization (SEO) at the same time. The more credible your content and brand, the greater the likelihood that you will satisfy Google’s rigorous E-E-A-T algorithm and, thus, land a prime spot on a search engine results page.

Tailoring Content to Audience Needs

Another significant challenge in healthcare marketing is the burden of tailoring content to the needs of the target audience. In many cases, healthcare systems and clinics serve a vast patient demographic, treating patients of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and socioeconomic groups.

That means that market segmentation can be tough, especially if you’re a small practice with a limited marketing budget and a small marketing team. The good news, though, is that with a little creativity in your content development, you can reach people without either spending a king’s ransom or resorting to a scattershot approach that doesn’t really target any audience.

The wide variety and immense reach of today’s digital platforms means that you can affordably access a broad audience, using the media that will best suit the desired market segment. The key is to leverage every tool you can from the digital marketer’s toolbox, including email marketing, long-form blogs, videos, and podcasts.

As you do so, you must understand exactly who you are targeting through each channel. For example, millennials and Generation Z are more likely to engage with and respond to social media and video content than their older counterparts may be.

On the other hand, Generation X and baby boomers may prefer long-form content, direct emails, and podcasts, as well as traditional media channels, such as television and radio ads.

This can certainly get confusing, especially as you’re organizing publication dates and other important milestones in the meantime. To make the process more efficient, use different methods like process visualization. This provides visuals to the content publication calendar and breaks down each step. With it, you can focus on making your content more substantial rather than worrying about the minor anxieties that come with the process.

As you identify the media that will best reach each target segment, you will then want to align the content, from subject matter to presentation style, to the expectations of that segment.

Leveraging Online Reviews (Even Bad Ones)

One of the most important things you can do as a medical marketer is to cultivate a sense of community between clinicians, patients, families, and prospective patients. Building thriving online discussion forums, including soliciting patient reviews, is an ideal way to do this.

Inviting these reviews, though, means that there will inevitably be the occasional negative review. And while negative reviews can certainly be upsetting, they do not have to damage your clinic’s reputation.

Indeed, you can transform negative reviews into positive factors for your practice. This is because negative reviews often provide an invaluable opportunity to learn and improve in your practice. The information you glean from your patient’s complaints can be used to resolve service issues in the front office and deficiencies in care within your clinical team.

These practical improvements may then be integrated into your digital marketing. How you respond to negative reviews can be a powerful tool for not only mitigating the potential damage of a patient complaint but also for turning the complaint into a benefit. When audiences see that you react to negative reviews with respect, concern, and a sincere effort to resolve the issue, they’re likely to end up trusting and engaging with you even more.

Evaluate Your Marketing Efforts Afterward

The key downfall of many medical practices when initiating a new marketing strategy is setting it and forgetting it. If you’re not actively keeping tabs open on your marketing efforts and how they’re being received by potential patients, all your work up to this point would be wasted. The true question is: how will you continually evaluate your progress?

You can do this in a variety of ways. For one, qualitative methods should be relatively easy as a practitioner — you can give patients a survey when they first visit to ask how they found you initially. Even sparking conversations wouldn’t hurt with the right patient.

However, quantitative methods may give you a better overall picture of your progress. You’ll need to look for the right key performance indicators (KPIs), though. KPIs like revenue growth and customer acquisition are not only great indicators for your practice’s overall health, but they can also help you decide if your marketing efforts are doing any good or not.

Once you do your research, you can analyze the results and decide how you would like to regroup from there.

The Takeaway

Although there are always things you can do to improve your medical marketing, know that few practitioners get it right the first time. There is a reason you went to medical school rather than obtaining a degree in communications or marketing, after all.

However, understanding the various obstacles that arise and knowing how to overcome them can help physicians and marketers alike achieve exceptional growth. Effective medical marketing, indeed, is essential to cultivating a strong brand and building thriving relationships with patients, families, and healthcare consumers.

 

 Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter. 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Exploring the Importance of Communication Skills in the Healthcare Industry

The world relies so much on the healthcare industry. It employs thousands of new workers every year. It’s where people go to get care and improve their holistic health. And we rely on healthcare professionals of various disciplines to develop new medicines, treatments, healthcare standards, policies, and so forth to drive health and wellness forward.

With so much riding on the healthcare industry, a lot can go wrong if any challenges aren’t adequately addressed. One of the most significant challenges is communication.

Let’s dive into why communication skills are so critical in the industry and how you can develop yours to work better with fellow healthcare professionals and deliver higher-quality care to patients.

Why Effective Communication is Critical in the Healthcare Industry

Effective communication is up there on the list of most important elements contributing to the healthcare industry’s success. However, without it, many of the healthcare industry’s problems persist, such as organizational silos and difficult patient relationships.

To avoid this, healthcare workers need to work together in several key ways to improve the patient experience.

Collaborate with colleagues in different departments

Organizational silos, as mentioned earlier, are an issue in the healthcare industry. It can typically occur when individual groups in an organization tend to stick to themselves. You typically see it with employees who work in the same department, role, or location.

Silos are dangerous because employees aren’t as forthcoming with information and documents with other departments, leading to a lack of communication across departments.

Excellent communication is the only way to facilitate interprofessional collaboration. You can’t collaborate effectively with other people in the absence of communication. You need to be able to reach out to anyone, disclose what you need, and devise a plan to get it done with that person or people efficiently. Patient and organizational outcomes depend on it.

Improve relationships and communication with patients

It’s no secret that many patients struggle with their relationships with their healthcare providers. For example, many haven’t developed a genuine enough relationship with their provider to be open and honest about sensitive information, impacting their ability to get the care they need.

Many patients struggle with the complex medical terminology doctors use and have difficulty understanding what to do. Or, there’s a lack of empathy shown by providers in emotionally-charged situations, which ultimately convinces a patient not to come back.

Fortunately, most of the challenges with patient relationships and conversations can be solved with effective communication.

Something as simple as sitting down with a patient for conversations rather than standing over them can make the patient feel more comfortable with you. Speaking in plain language and ensuring everything is confidential can help build trust and open up the lines of communication for better relationships as well.

Better working conditions at healthcare organizations

One of the reasons poor communication exists in the healthcare industry is because of unmanageable workloads. A 2021 Mercer study suggested that we’ll be just over 3 million healthcare workers short in critical healthcare occupations like nursing assistants come 2026.

This means more demanding work schedules for those who are employed in the industry., and, in turn, a rise in burnt-out healthcare employees who have no choice but to rush through appointments with patients to meet the demand.

This leads to poor communication because they can’t spend the time they need to with patients to ensure they fully understand what’s going on with their health and how to address it.

With effective communication skills, you can speak up about the work schedule you need to ensure quality patient interactions. You can advocate for better work schedules and encourage others to do the same.

In addition, when you effectively communicate with your managers and colleagues, you can determine how to best support each other’s needs.

Practical Tips for Developing Your Communication Skills

Effective communication is obviously a must-have in any healthcare organization. As important as it is for the entire industry to adopt good communication practices, you only have control over what you do.

It’s essential to lead by example and develop your communication skills first. That will hopefully inspire your colleagues, managers, and other staff around you to do the same. You can do that in the following steps:

  • Determine how your communication style can improve. Start with understanding where you fall short with communication and examining each interaction you have with patients and coworkers.
  • Make every patient and coworker interaction an opportunity to improve your communication skills. Set a communication-oriented goal for the day and do it in every conversation. For example, if your goal is to grow your listening skills, you could ask two follow-up questions in every patient or colleague interaction to work on active listening.
  • Learn all of the communication tools implemented by your organization. Unified communications on a single platform in the workplace make real-time communication across departments doable, thus enabling more accurate and efficient patient care. Set aside time each day to get to know the features and functions of your unified communications platform. Make a list of any other communication tools your organization uses and get familiar with those as well.

When going through each step, take your time. The more care you take in evaluating your communication style, the more you’ll understand how you can improve and how you can make the patient experience all the better.

Conclusion

The longer poor communication exists in the healthcare industry, the more time it will take to achieve high-quality patient care for everyone and seamless communication across departments and facilities.

Do your part in achieving effective communication within your organization by growing your personal communication skills with the tips above.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter. 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How Does Holistic Care Fit in with Existing Models?

Health is a complex state involving a huge number of different systems within the body. These systems are all deeply interconnected, making it difficult to treat one aspect of health without treating the person as a whole. That’s the goal for devotees of holistic care.

Medicine is typically focused on treating specific symptoms and interventions. Instead of looking at the whole and using the least invasive method possible, traditional methods typically use prescription drugs and invasive procedures to treat symptoms and diseases.

While traditional medicine is a critical tool for keeping people healthy, it’s worth seeing how holistic care can fit in with existing models. Here’s why integrating holistic care can help to improve the healthcare system overall.

Understanding Holistic Care

There are many key differences between traditional medicine and holistic health care. Holistic care puts a much larger emphasis on personalized treatment and the interconnectedness of different aspects of health.

Some examples of holistic medicine treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, personalized diet planning, meditation and yoga, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, naturopathy, energy healing, and more. Many of these techniques are used to help maintain overall health, in addition to their use in addressing specific problems.

Holistic care and traditional medicine are often treated as entirely separate. However, both can provide optimal benefits when they are used together to promote better health. By using holistic health in tandem with traditional care, patients can often enjoy better outcomes with less invasive methods.

 Limitations of Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine has many advantages over holistic care in some situations. When someone needs antibiotics or another medication that is designed to treat a certain problem, holistic medicine is usually not sufficient. Surgery is also sometimes needed to treat health problems that cannot be resolved using minimally invasive treatments.

With that said, there are limitations to traditional medicine, especially for chronic conditions. Doctors often don’t get to spend much time with patients, making traditional medicine less personalized. There is also less emphasis placed on preventative care and acknowledging the interconnectedness of health.

Integrating Holistic Care with Traditional Medicine

So, what does integrating holistic care with traditional medicine look like? Well, it starts with ensuring that healthcare providers have a solid understanding of the benefits, applications, and limitations of holistic medicine. Without a patient’s entire care team being on board with the methods used to promote their health, it is very difficult to fully realize the benefits of using holistic care alongside traditional medicine.

A focus on patient-centered care, especially when integrating holistic medicine approaches, is key to success. The patient must be an active participant and invested in the plan to integrate care approaches. This means that they must be part of the decision-making process and their goals and values considered when creating a health plan.

In holistic care, emotional and spiritual well-being is part of the whole picture. In addition to using holistic and traditional health approaches, care integration often has patients working with traditional mental health professionals and alternative spiritual healers.

How Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Can Benefit Patients

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to the techniques used in holistic medicine to help patients achieve better health. One benefit of using these methods is enhanced preventative care. People who use holistic care on a regular basis can often maintain their health better and prevent some issues from coming up.

CAM is also frequently used for people who have chronic conditions. Holistic care can often help individual patients manage pain when prescription drugs are not helping or are not considered safe. With concerns about addiction, side effects, and other issues, many patients with chronic pain want to explore other options for managing their condition safely.

Another common use for CAM is in palliative care. End-of-life care in traditional settings can be extremely traumatic for patients and their families, stripping them of their autonomy and dignity. Holistic care can be used to help empower patients and provide them with comfort in hospice settings. Using CAM, patients and their families can have a better end-of-life experience.

Overcoming Challenges to Integrate Holistic Care

Although there are many benefits to integrating holistic care, there are some challenges to overcome when patients or providers are interested in using it. For instance, insurance coverage is limited for some types of therapies, putting care out of reach for many patients. Even when providers prioritize the whole person in the healthcare theories they use and recommend holistic care as a supplement to traditional medicine, these methods can be financially out of reach.

Another challenge is skepticism among both providers and patients. A lack of understanding of the benefits and limitations of holistic care, and the way they can work in tandem, prevents many providers from recommending or even recognizing these methods.

The good news is that technology is making it easier to not only deliver holistic care but also to track outcomes. As more research is done on CAM, we can expect to see more patients and providers embracing these therapies as a way to promote better, more personalized health among patients of all backgrounds.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Using Medical Technology To Make a Difference in Patient Health Outcomes

Medical professionals are often highly significant individuals whose careers greatly influence their patients’ quality of life.Their combination of education, experience, and skills also makes these  workers invaluable contributors to public health. This is the case whether they are doctors, nursing staff, or administrative professionals.

Yet, professionals’ efficacy is often dependent on being provided with the resources they need. At the moment, we’re seeing some significant advances in medical technology that support the knowledge and skills of healthcare staff. This can be as simple as efficient medical record-sharing platforms to more complex automated systems. How these tools are used can influence patients’ physical, mental, and emotional experiences.

Virtual Reality Training

Professional knowledge and skills are key to boosting the potential for positive patient outcomes. When professionals receive a practical and thorough education in their fields of expertise, patients tend to receive the care and effective treatment they need. One of the most important emerging tools for training medical staff is virtual reality (VR).

VR is playing an important role by simulating medical scenarios in a safe, repeatable, and relatively affordable manner. Students and professionals don’t need to practice new skills directly on patients in the first instance. Rather, they can be introduced to difficult situations and the tools needed to apply techniques and knowledge without putting anyone’s health at risk. This allows trainees to build confidence before transferring to real-life experiences. Not to mention that the software can be programmed to offer varied challenging scenarios to broaden the learner’s knowledge.

It’s also worth considering how these learning experiences can be more effective with an agile technological approach. Extended reality (XR) courses combine VR with augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) techniques. This enables medical professionals to not just practice in virtual realms, but also bolster their learning by interacting with physical objects and in clinical environments. This means that the medical technology they use is enhanced by tangible real-world experiences.

Remote Guidance and Telehealth

The use of remote medical technology has increased in recent years. It’s important for healthcare providers to continue exploring ways remote tech and teaching methods can have a positive influence on care.

For instance,  medical professionals can use telehealth and remote devices to improve patient education. This can include providing patients with access to smartphone applications they can use to monitor their wellness. There is a growing range of wearable tech that enables patients to gather, analyze, and share data on their specific conditions, too. These tools, combined with telehealth appointments with physicians, can help patients feel empowered to manage their well-being and be active participants in their care. This more engaged approach may positively impact a patient’s overall experience.

In addition, remote training courses can be important for medical staff themselves . While live seminars are important,  there are also medical e-Learning platforms that enable professionals to update their knowledge from wherever they are. This often involves a combination of video lectures or demonstrations and text readings, followed by online examinations. This can mean there is less need for professionals to travel for their training, resulting in potentially less disruption for patients. Not to mention that care standards will benefit from the most up-to-date information.

Artificial Intelligence Platforms

Artificial intelligence (AI) is swiftly becoming a familiar feature in many people’s lives. This includes the growing number of AI medical platforms. When professionals understand what role AI can play in various aspects of patient diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, it can be a powerful tool for better care outcomes.

At its core, AI in medicine involves software using machine learning to analyze patient data to provide insights to medical professionals. While this is certainly present in treatment research fields, AI is perhaps most prevalent at the moment as a tool for accurate and efficient diagnoses. When these platforms have access to high-quality data from a diverse range of patients, they can analyze the vital signs of individuals to alert doctors about risk factors that suggest specific conditions.

This may be particularly powerful when applied to difficult-to-diagnose conditions. For instance, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often go undiagnosed because symptoms aren’t immediately obvious. Indeed, the signs — such as headaches and fatigue — can be nuanced, subtle, and even challenging to spot on current imaging technology. AI diagnosis tools may be able to analyze data on vital signs, imaging results, and wider industry data to detect the potential subtle indicators of a TBI diagnosis. The sooner diagnosis can occur, the more positive the patient’s outcome is likely to be.

Conclusion

There is an increasing number of medical technologies that can make a difference in patients’ health outcomes. This includes VR tools that support safe and effective medical training and remote telehealth tech for distanced health education for both professionals and patients. AI is also continuing its emergence in diagnostic tasks.

That said, it’s important to note that this just touches the surface of the tech that can boost patient outcomes. Professionals should take the time to explore just how rich the tech health landscape is, including 3D printing for prosthetics and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) for gene editing.

Clinicians should talk to patients about the possibilities and wherever possible get involved with clinical trials. There are so many exciting opportunities to improve care. By learning about these tools now or even influencing their applications in clinical settings, professionals continue playing a vital role in boosting patients’ quality of life.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter. 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Patient Accommodations Within Therapy Practices

Building a successful therapy practice is easier when you put your patients first. Quality customer service, treatment, and resources are the key to attracting new patients and keeping them long-term.

More importantly, satisfying as many of your patients’ needs as possible is critical for a flourishing practice. Make these six accommodations for your patients, and you’ll likely see a rise in retention and satisfaction.

Accept Various Forms of Payment

One of the most significant challenges for patients pursuing therapy is paying for it. Many therapists’ rates are high, taking therapy completely off the table for some people. A lot of patients don’t have insurance, either.

To accommodate budgets and those that don’t have insurance, offer a variety of therapy payment methods.

For example, you could set a reasonable rate for your services and offer private pay options like cash, check, credit card, Venmo, or Paypal. You could allow patients to set up payment plans using a sliding fee system or a “pay what you can” method. Promotional discounts for new patients, HealthShare, and membership plans are also good options.

Accommodate patients of all financial backgrounds by accepting various payment forms.

Adhere to Digital Accessibility Standards

Many of your patients will interact with your practice online through your website. You can count on them having varying levels of technological and digital literacy. This makes adhering to digital accessibility standards that much more important.

All types of users must be able to use your website with ease. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 offers the latest standards for web content accessibility. Begin with a refresher on the four principles of accessibility. Then, move on to the guidelines for making your website content more accessible.

Ultimately, your site should be simple to navigate, understand, and use, no matter someone’s ability, background, or experience. Enlist the help of a web developer or accessibility specialist if you need to.

Offer Flexible Scheduling

Unfortunately, not everyone has the option to attend therapy between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many patients work during these hours just as you do. Others work overnight and sleep during the day. Some have family obligations that don’t allow a therapy session in between.

There are a whole lot of reasons people need flexible time slots for their appointments. You don’t have to have therapy sessions at midnight. However, it’s a good idea to be as flexible as you can be with scheduling.

Choose a couple of days during the week when you offer late-night sessions. Do the same for early-morning sessions, or offer different hours of operation each day.

Consider customizing therapy schedules for patients as well. For example, if a patient needs one session a month during their overnight work shift, accommodate this if you’re comfortable with it. Or, if a patient needs to come on a Sunday, open up the office for them.

Flexible scheduling is especially helpful in accommodating more patient needs.

Prioritize Accessibility for Disabled Patients

Accessibility isn’t just for the digital realm. Many of your patients are living with a physical, developmental, behavioral, emotional, or sensory disability. You must ensure your practice and services are accessible to these individuals.

Understanding common disabilities and how to accommodate the needs of people living with them is a great first step. Even better is understanding the specific disabilities your patients are living with and accommodating them.

For example, if one of your patients uses a wheelchair, ensure your practice has a ramp and is wheelchair accessible inside. If a patient is visually impaired, offer braille and large-print materials. If a patient is deaf, have a sign language specialist on call for their appointments.

Learn how to accommodate individuals living with various disabilities so that your practice is accessible to more people.

Enable Telehealth Appointments

Therapy used to be primarily an in-person service. You’d go to a therapist’s office, have your session, and head home. Now, therapists can work with patients regardless of their location thanks to telehealth services.

You can offer telehealth appointments to patients who can’t get to your office because of a mobility issue, mental health challenge, childcare obligation, or another reason.

Use video conferencing software like Zoom to simplify virtual therapy sessions. All you have to do is set up the meeting and send your patient the link. You both use the link to enter the remote session and then you can begin therapy.

Make sure that any information you talk about or send through this virtual therapy session is protected.

Allow Patients To Bring a Support Person

Sometimes, people aren’t comfortable going to therapy by themselves, especially if they’re just starting their journey. Allowing a support person in the room during sessions can accommodate individuals with this concern.

You’ll need to get written consent from the patient that it’s okay for the support person to be there. You’ll also need the support person to sign something stating they won’t share anything from any session with anyone.

Of course, there will be sessions the support person can’t or shouldn’t come to. Just do your best to prepare your patients who use support persons for those sessions ahead of time.

Moving Forward

Accommodating as many of your patients’ needs as you can is one of the best ways to enhance your therapy practice. It’s one of the best ways to elevate the patient experience too. Consider the six accommodations above to attract more patients, satisfy, and keep them.

 Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter. 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

4 Benefits of Engaging a Medical Director for Your Practice

A medical director provides an invaluable service for any practice. Their experience and knowledge can help guide you through tough decisions, provide direction for your team, and even improve the quality of care your patients receive. Here are just a few benefits of engaging a medical director as part of your practice.

Improved Patient Care

A medical director will help ensure that all physicians provide the highest quality care to their patients. They can provide valuable insights into what is working well and what could be improved upon to ensure patient satisfaction. They can also advocate for patient safety, ensuring all protocols and procedures are being followed properly to minimize the risk of errors or complications.

Enhanced Team Communication

Having a medical director on staff can help foster better communication between different departments within the practice. They can act as a liaison between physicians, nurses, and other staff members to create a more cohesive environment where everyone works together towards the same goal—providing the best possible patient care. The presence of a medical director will also help reduce potential conflicts by creating more clarity when it comes to decision-making processes within the practice.

Increased Efficiency

A medical director should be knowledgeable in all aspects of running a successful healthcare facility, from financial management to compliance with industry regulations. Their expertise in these areas allows them to identify any inefficient processes within the practice so they can be streamlined or improved upon for maximum efficiency levels across the board. This increased efficiency translates into better patient care and cost savings for patients and providers.

Increased Profitability

The presence of a competent medical director in your practice has been proven to lead to increased profitability over time due to their ability to manage costs effectively while still maintaining high standards of quality care for patients. Their experience in managing finances combined with their knowledge of industry regulations means they can make informed decisions about how best to allocate resources for your practice to run more profitably over time.

When it comes down to it, having an experienced and knowledgeable medical director on staff at your practice is an invaluable asset that cannot be overlooked or underestimated. From improving patient care, enhancing team communication, increasing efficiency, and ultimately boosting profitability—engaging a medical director should be considered essential, if you want your healthcare facility to run efficiently and effectively over time. If you’re considering engaging one, don’t hesitate; it will be worth it in the long run!

Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @RachelleWilber; https://www.facebook.com/people/Rachelle-Wilber/100009221637700/

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

The Reasons to Outsource Laboratory Billing – A Practical Guide

Medical billing is a crucial component of laboratory revenue cycle and it needs to be intact for increased profitability. To keep the financial side of labs efficient, laboratory medical billing should be handled professionally. Similarly, labs can hire billing teams and train their staff to get equipped with the latest industry knowledge. However, the process of hiring and training brings additional costs and lab owners need to spend time with new teams. Another solution to optimize the billing and coding process is outsourcing business processes to experts. Hiring third-party billing companies allow lab owners, pathologists, and staff to spend time on core business tasks. Here are some reasons why labs should outsource billing instead of hiring in-house teams.

Lab Industry Knowledge and Billing Expertise

Handing over the billing and coding process to experts helps labs to improve their financial growth. The billing companies which offer lab RCM services possess the latest industry knowledge. As the healthcare industry evolves, there are many changes in the billing and coding process which labs witness. So, outsourcing opens the doors of revenue maximization for laboratories of all types and sizes. Both clinical and reference labs can increase productivity and profitability with outsourced lab billing services. As a result, it minimizes the stress of losing money and having adverse effects on the RCM cycle.

Working with a lab billing company allows pathologists and lab owners to interact with professionals having extensive billing expertise. Also, professional billers have experience of dealing with the regulatory environment and what impacts it is likely to cause. So, labs can stay away from the fear of revenue leakages as the third-party billers have extensive experience. Staying complied with the latest healthcare industry regulations lead to accurate claim submissions and timely payments.

Faster Payments and Reduced Costs

Keeping the process of laboratory medical billing seamless leads to faster payments from insurance companies. Also, it helps labs to increase revenue opportunities, make workflows efficient, and uplift the revenue cycle process. In addition, maintaining a team of in-house billers and coders require additional costs spent on training, software installation, and employee benefits. However, outsourcing the management of the lab revenue cycle to professionals reduces costs and elevates revenue potential. Further, there is no capital investment required when labs hire third-party medical billing companies.

Outsourcing billing and collections to professional billers help to get rid of the stress of hiring teams. Also, it keeps the lab owners away from spending time on finding replacements when someone leaves. Likewise, labs do not need to spend on the office infrastructure. As a result, it saves costs and the staff can focus on weak areas and improve the overall performance of the labs by spending time on core tasks. Both reduction in costs and increased revenue collectively optimizes the revenue cycle process.

Less Billing and Coding Errors

Obviously, the professionals at a lab billing company do not make errors while submitting claims to payers. In addition, billers and coders know exactly about the lab RCM and ensure clean claim submissions for optimum reimbursements. In-house billing teams can make billing and coding errors which are harmful for the revenue cycle. Further, outsourcing billing to third-party companies ensures better results in terms of revenue growth. As a result, labs can gain financial control and make better business decisions.

It is easier to meet the financial goals with outsourced billing services and ensure maximum payments for claims. In addition, laboratories can improve the bottom line with lesser errors in the claim submission process. Also, it reduces the accounts receivable and makes sure the bills are paid seamlessly. Moreover, labs can increase operational efficiency and do not miss out on potential revenue. Therefore, outsourcing enables labs to achieve better financial outcomes as compared to in-house billing.

Compliance With Industry Rules

There are certain regulations which stakeholders of the healthcare industry need to follow. Similarly, the protection of patient data is essential according to HIPAA rules. In addition, there are other compliance requirements because the healthcare industry keeps on evolving. So, it is essential to stay on top of every change whether it is an industry regulation or payer guidelines. Failing to comply with the rules may lead to penalties and revenue losses. Moreover, the coding specialists are well versed with the ICD-10 codes and have complete idea where to use modifiers. As a result, labs can develop a mechanism of efficient billing process.

The laboratory medical billing experts stay updated with the latest updates of the healthcare industry. Similarly, the billing professionals stay updated with the payer guidelines to ensure maximum reimbursements. Likewise, adhering to compliance requirements ensure clean coding, on-time payments, and enhanced revenue cycle. As a result, outsourcing billing and coding to experts make sure that laboratories keep the revenue cycle intact without hiring in-house teams. So, making the best decision according to the requirements helps labs streamline billing and operations.

JOHN LEE
 

I have a B.S in Human Services from Virginia Tech. I have worked in the medical billing and coding field for over 6 years. Currently, I am converting my passion into my words & writing content for publications regarding RCM. 

 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

How Can We Improve Healthcare in Underserved Communities?

Today’s healthcare landscape is vast and complex. Within it exists nearly infinite sub-environments and social contexts, all of which present unique strengths, weaknesses, and difficulties. However, one sweeping reality that affects countless people within the system is a common tendency towards inequitable care provision for certain communities and demographics over others.

The disproportionalities in healthcare provision experienced by specific subpopulations and underserved communities is a story that repeats itself over and over across the country (and around the world). This is a matter of deep concern for equity advocates in healthcare, and there are a number of voices within the healthcare landscape working towards changing this reality.

Current Disparities in Healthcare Access

One helpful lens for understanding healthcare disparities at scale is a set of statistics that reveal the average difference in care delivery and outcomes by demographic. These include social differentiators like income level, race, legal status, gender identity, disability, and religion.

Across a range of metrics, certain communities, like those that earn middle-class incomes or are white/Caucasian, receive (on average) better levels of care and enjoy easier access to healthcare providers than individuals within the same communities and geographic locations that fall into other demographic categories.

There are a number of ways these disparities play out in various settings or instances. A few trends in particular represent a large percentage of healthcare inequity cases across the country. These include the following:

Difficulties in Securing Health Insurance for Noncitizens

Because the American healthcare system is so tightly tied to the insurance industry, it is vastly difficult to obtain any kind of healthcare without some form of health insurance. Unfortunately, insurance is very difficult to secure for a number of demographics, including those with complicated legal statuses or those that don’t work or have permanent addresses.

Racist Policies, Sentiments, and Biases Within the Healthcare System

This is a hugely complex topic and involves deeply systemic and cultural influences. The result, however, is a serially prejudiced system that, on average, is more likely to provide subpar care and treatment to people of color than it is to white people.

Healthcare Professionals, Especially in Places of Leadership, Remain Disproportionately white, Cisgendered, and Male

Though this has long been an area of focus and attempted awareness within the professional healthcare community, it still remains disproportionately monotone. Numbers of ethnic minorities (and other minority groups) working in healthcare fields remain stubbornly low.

This perpetuates difficulties that many patients experience when receiving care from someone who does not look like them and does not fully understand their culture, experience, community, or context.

Current Initiatives that are Working to Equalize Access to Good Healthcare

Above are just some of the ways that the healthcare system is still operating to disproportionately help certain members of society more than others. But though the system is still fraught with these widespread inequalities and problems, strides are being taken towards balancing the healthcare system at large and changing some of these realities so that more people have adequate access to the healthcare they need.

Changing Legislation to Correct Implicitly Biased or Prejudiced Policies

Systemic manifestations of discrimination and racism are often baked into legislative policy. The process of assessing current legislation and reshaping it to be more equal and equitable is a long, painstaking process. However, it can be a source of deep and significant institutional change.

Design Initiatives to Encourage More Members of Minority Groups to Study Medicine

These might look like demographic-specific scholarships, programs, or job fairs; or curriculums implemented in high-minority primary and secondary education spaces. Encouraging minority groups to consider healthcare a viable career option can have ripple effects on not only current but future generations and create precedent for more individuals to choose to enter the healthcare workforce as well.

Prioritizing Public Health Campaigns that Equip and Empower Minority Demographics to Partake in Healthy Living

Statistics reveal strong disparities in health IQ and healthy living habits between, for example, white/caucasian populations and ethnic minority populations. The work of providing diverse cultural contexts and backgrounds with health information made pertinent and relevant to them is slowly gaining traction and needs to be increased.

Ways to Contribute Personally Towards Stronger Equity in Healthcare

If you are a healthcare professional and want to make a difference in bringing about better, more equitable healthcare provision for all communities, here are a few ways you can get involved in this process.

Educate Yourself on the Nuances of Providing Healthcare to Those of Different Cultures, Identities, and Ethnicities

Whether you yourself belong to a minority identity or not, everyone has room to learn and grow when it comes to becoming more culturally knowledgeable and equipped. Terms like “transcultural nursing” and “cultural sensitivity” help shape this concept into actionable knowledge areas.

Seeking out conferences, talks, reading materials, and training on these topics can help you better understand, identify with, empathize with, and respect people with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds than your own.

Advocate for Equitable Policies, Awareness, and Conduct Within Your Own Healthcare Facility

Whether you work for an independent local hospital, a large nationwide healthcare provider, or a small outpatient clinic, your healthcare environment may or may not have an adequate understanding of equitable practices and policies.

Speaking up for underserved communities and supporting implementation of better equity practices can help change the nature of your healthcare facility as well as educate your colleagues and fellow professionals about the importance of healthcare equity.

Find Opportunities to Volunteer Your Healthcare Expertise to Support Underserved Communities in Your Area

Especially in locations where disparities are large and certain demographics or populations have poor access to healthcare, find opportunities to volunteer with nonprofit organizations or other initiatives to meet the healthcare needs of communities that have the most difficulty accessing treatment. This can be a significant and often life-altering way of lessening healthcare inequality.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Why Healthcare Professionals Need to Take Health Advocacy More Seriously

The United States healthcare system is extremely complex. Even people who work in the field might not fully understand all the systems involved with delivering and paying for healthcare. This is a major problem since the average patient might not know how to ensure that they’re getting the care they need or how to make sure their medical bills are paid.

All healthcare providers are busy, but if you’re working in the field of medicine, it’s important to understand what kinds of obstacles patients face and how to address them with health advocacy. Many people simply don’t have the health literacy to navigate the system, which leads to poorer outcomes, lack of access, and other consequences.

People getting substandard care because they don’t know how to submit bills properly or due to a language barrier, for instance, is unacceptable. Healthcare professionals need to fully understand the role of health advocates and take them seriously.

What is Health Advocacy?

Health advocacy is all about helping patients get the healthcare services they need. A health advocate helps people get through any aspect of the healthcare delivery process they have trouble with. Advocates must understand the individual patient’s needs and work to remove obstacles that could affect their health outcomes.

An advocate might perform many tasks on behalf of the patient, which might include:

      •         Taking notes during an appointment
      •         Asking questions on the patient’s behalf.
      •         Calling the patient’s insurance company
      •         Helping patients understand their health conditions and treatment options
      •         Completing difficult administrative tasks
      •         Reminding patients to take their medications and follow their doctors’  instructions.

Who Can Be a Health Advocate?

Essentially, anyone a patient trusts can be their health advocate. Personal advocates are often family members or close friends. A caregiver can also act as a health advocate. As long as a person is trustworthy, has basic health literacy skills, and is able to easily understand written and verbal communications, they should be able to take on the role of a health advocate.

There are also professional health advocates who might be hired by a healthcare organization or individual. Professional advocates do not need special training or licensing, but they usually have a background in the field of healthcare. Because there is no regulation on the healthcare advocacy field, it’s important for patients to choose a professional advocate with appropriate experience and references.

The Benefits of Health Advocacy

The benefits of health advocacy for patients are clear: with an advocate, patients can communicate more effectively with their providers, ensure that they are getting the care they need, and take care of administrative tasks that might be difficult or impossible for them to complete on their own.

There are benefits for healthcare providers, as well as patients. Working with an advocate as a liaison can help reduce misunderstandings. It can also help ensure that patients follow their provider’s directions in managing their health.

Advocates save time on both the patient’s side and the provider’s side. Doctors will need to spend less time explaining health information, allowing them to stay on schedule. Patients will have to wait less for their appointments, making the experience of going to the doctor less frustrating and more efficient.

Patients Who Might Need a Health Advocate

Older people often need the help of a health advocate. They might struggle to use the technology needed to make appointments, view test results, and submit paperwork. They might also struggle with mobility and other obstacles to getting proper care. As people get older, their health needs become increasingly complex and difficult to manage, so a health advocate can be a major asset.

People with complex health needs and those with conditions that affect cognition, communication, mobility, and other functions might also need a health advocate. People who do not speak the same language as their healthcare providers or have trouble navigating the healthcare system due to poor health literacy can benefit greatly from a health advocate.

Public Health Advocacy

Although individual advocates are extremely important for patient outcomes, public health advocacy is another critical activity for improving community health. Public health advocates primarily focus on healthcare access for underserved communities. Not only does this help create healthier communities, but it also helps increase trust in the healthcare system.

How Healthcare Professionals Can Help Boost Advocacy

Health advocacy is a win-win for healthcare professionals and their patients. But how can you, your colleagues, and organizational leaders help increase the role of advocacy within the industry? Here are some examples:

      • Advocate for your patients as much as you can, which might mean confronting family members or calling a social worker
      • Push for hiring professional advocates in your workplace
      • Support social workers
      • Be willing to work with patients’ personal advocates

Taking advocacy seriously isn’t difficult. All you have to do is recognize the challenges patients face and do what you can to help break down those barriers! And if more healthcare professionals start taking advocacy seriously, then we can look forward to a future with improved care and better patient outcomes

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

 

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Your Therapy Practice’s Online Reputation Matters

Is your practice a 5-star facility according to Google, Yelp, Facebook, and so on? If not, here are some ways to help improve your online reputation.

Have you Googled your practice lately? Logged in to Yelp? Dropped in on your Facebook page? You might want to.

Your practice’s online reputation matters now more than ever before. Increasingly, patients are putting their trust in online reviews when determining which healthcare facility and provider to use. In fact, the results of a recent survey by the Binary Fountain found 70% of Americans have been influenced by online ratings and review when selecting a healthcare provider, and 95% of respondents said they find online ratings and reviews “somewhat” to “very” reliable. In addition, according to BrightLocal’s most recent Local Consumer Review Survey, 91% of 18-34 year old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

If your practice is anything less than a 5-star facility online, here are some ways to help improve your reputation.

Build and Own Your Brand: The more of a presence you have online, the more you can control perceptions of your practice. If you haven’t already, build an SEO-optimized website to make your practice easier to find online, and secure accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, YouTube, and so on. Include positive reviews or patient testimonials on your site, and be sure to interact with your patients and the public across social media on a regular basis to show you are a trusted, responsive brand. As the adage goes, the best defense is a good offense, and controlling your brand is a good way to control the conversation about your practice.

Ask for Reviews: We’re more connected than ever. According to Pew Research Center, 81% of Americans now own smartphones, meaning the internet is literally at their fingertips. While you have your patient in front of you, mention online ratings and ask if they’d be willing to write a review. They can even do so right there in the office, while sitting for an ice application or ESTIM. According to recent findings, 70% of consumers will leave a review for a business if asked, so it certainly does not hurt to mention it.

Use the Feedback: Negative reviews happen. Instead of letting them get under your skin, use them to your advantage. Publicly address any concerns made in reviews by responding in a professional manner and commit to improving on any issues you can, giving the public eye a candid look at how seriously you take patient satisfaction. While this won’t get rid of a negative review, it certainly allows people to see it, and your practice, in a different light.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.