PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS PRESENTS
Med Monthly MAGAZINE
April 2017
Spring Cleaning Your Online Reviews:
the
Spring Your Cleaning Practice
The Unseen Benefits of Negative Feedback
issue
pg. 20
Spring Cleaning Your Dental Practice: Time to Revisit Your Practice Goals
Your Patients Should Spring Clean, Too! pg. 30
pg. 24
TUNING UP YOUR PRACTICE AND GIVING IT THAT EXTRA SHINE pg. 28
contents
features
20 SPRING CLEANING YOUR ONLINE REVIEWS: The Unseen Benefits of Negative Feedback 24 SPRING CLEANING YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE: Time to Revisit Your Practice Goals
SPRING CLEANING YOUR ONLINE REVIEWS
28 TUNING UP YOUR PRACTICE AND GIVING IT THAT EXTRA SHINE 30 YOUR PATIENTS SHOULD SPRING CLEAN, TOO!
20 practice tips 6
MEDICAL DIRECTORSHIP
10
PURGE, PURGE, PURGE: Why I Am Getting Rid of You
10 MEDICAL DIRECTORSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRECAUTIONS 12 TIPS FOR AN UNCOMPLICATED EHR
More than ever, businesses are being audited by government agencies. OSHA DOL ACA INS HHS IRS ARE YOU PREPARED? l Free Business Evaluations l Free Initial Assessment l Complete Readiness Report
919-772-0233 info@jones-insurance.com www.jones-insurance.com
Physician Solutions, Inc. Medical & Dental Staffing
The fastest way to be $200K in debt is to open your own practice The fastest way to make $100K is to choose
Physician Solutions
THE DECISION IS YOURS Physician Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 98313 Raleigh, NC 27624 Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.
phone: 919-845-0054 fax: 919-845-1947 www.physiciansolutions.com physiciansolutions@gmail.com
Med Monthly April 2017 Publisher Creative Director Contributors
Philip Driver Thomas Hibbard Naren Arulrajah Christine Chen Vishal Gandhi, BSEE, MBA Barbara Hales, M.D. Nick Hernandez Nick Nydegger Denise Price Thomas
contributors Naren Arulrajah is President and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, a complete Internet marketing company which focuses on SEO, social media, marketing education and the online reputations of Dentists and Physicians. If you have questions about marketing your practice online, call Naren direct at 877-249-9666.
Barbara Hales, M.D. is a skilled expert in promoting your health services. As seen on NBC, CBS,ABC and FOX network affiliates as well as Newsweek, Dr. Hales writes all the content you need to promote your medical services. Her latest book is on the best seller list and she can do the same for you. Check out her site at www.TheMedicalStrategist.com. For a free marketing assessment, call 561-325-9664.
Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE
Med Monthly is a national monthly magazine committed to providing insights about the health care profession focusing on practical advice for physicians and practices. We are currently accepting articles to be considered for publication. For more information on writing for Med Monthly, please email us at medmedia9@gmail.com.
P.O. Box 99488 Raleigh, NC 27624 medmedia9@gmail.com Online 24/7 at medmonthly.com
is the CEO and founder of ABISA, a consultancy specializing in solo and small group practice management. He has consulted with clients in multiple countries and has over 20 years of leadership and operations experience. Visit www.abisallc.com for more information.
Nick Nydegger is President of WhiteCoat Designs bringing over 10 years of agency chief executive experience, working with hundreds of clients nationwide. He leads the team with an analytical approach to medical marketing, focusing on physicians’ return on investment as the primary driver of value. Nick received his BA from the University of Florida and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
Denise Price Thomas retired in 2009 as a surgical practice administrator where she was employed for 32 years. She is certified in healthcare management through Pfeiffer College. Speaking invitations have taken her from NC to SC, Georgia, Florida, Chicago, Alaska and more. Website: www.denisepricethomas.com MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE |5
practice tips
Purge Purge Purge Why I Am Getting Rid of You (The Reason to Stop Being a Social Hoarder)
By Barbara Hales, M.D. www.TheMedicalStrategist.com
The whole purpose of being active on social media is to‌well, be social. Your goals are for: l Engagement with your followers and those you follow l Being informed with fresh content l Providing new content for others l Entertainment Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Take a long look at this to see if you are satisfied with the results and meeting your goals. Spend time on the social media channels that your target market or patients are likely to frequent. 22|| DECEMBER 6 APRIL 2017 2013
Clicking on an Instagram account will not only tell you the number of posts that have been made by the account holder, but also the number of followers and the number of people that the account is following. If you see a large number of followers and the posts are minimal to nonexistent, chances are that the followers have been purchased. Again, if you see a huge imbalance between number of followers and a small amount of those being followed, you should be suspicious. (Unless of course you are a celebrity, news agencies like CNN or a sports figure). When you are just starting out, you may want to follow a lot of people that you share common interests with in the hope that they will follow you back, better known as the law of reciprocity. However, if they don’t and you are not getting the content that you hoped for, it is time to unfollow them. There are free applications that you can download that will keep track of this for you. Having a vast disparity between those you follow and the ones that follow you, reflect poorly on you so it is not a good idea. In addition, having images from those you follow on your site which are not in sync with your services or who are dubious in nature, create a negative image of you. Post images and videos that are of high quality. No one wants to look at really amateur photos and can cost you wanted followers. Save those for your family albums. (They don’t want to see them either).
It’s never a good idea to mix your Facebook fans with your business associates and clients. Your friends and family may divulge information about you that you are not willing to share and they may not monitor their language as well as you would like. Instead, you should have a business or practice page on Facebook, separate from your personal life. Use it as an opportunity to highlight news in your practice, treatment modalities or office procedures. Images and videos can be downloaded which garners a great interest. Don’t post too frequently as it will turn off your subscribers and keep your promotions to a minimum. Fans don’t go on your page to be sold. However, if someone is abusive or comes to your site to sell to your group, it is a good idea to cut their access from your page. Needless to say, all those who use your page as a “chain mail” post and plead for everyone to pass it on, has violated their right to stay on your site. (You don’t want the bad luck for not forwarding it)
Twitter Despite the more recent ability to download videos and images on Twitter, it is not meant to be a place to drop your Instagram photos, unless there is ample content linked to them. If someone is retweeting everything they see without adding any creativity or news, unfollow that person. Your Twibe deserves better. When you are using Twitter for business, let go of all those who post personal information or inappropriate information and foul language. Keep away from spreading rumors or depressing news. People want to be uplifted by your site. Unfollow everyone that pleads to get more followers. This detracts from the professionalism of the entries.
LinkedIn LinkedIn is viewed as a business-to-business channel and interacting with those who will be part of your referral system is a great idea. Remember though, you can’t be all things to all people. Narrow your scope to services that you want your referrals to associate with you and restrict your posts to those services to be better known for them. While you may lose some followers while you are focusing on a smaller niche, you will have better quality followers who will be more interested in what you have to say. Followers that you lose reflect a honing down of your site and a strengthening of your brand. Build a community of people who are interested in these services and who will interact with yourself and others. Even a smaller group will encourage engagement among the followers. When people ask questions and reach out to you, respond in a timely fashion. To ignore them will cost you a social business relationship. Who to purge from your connections:
• People who do not share a common interest or are not in sync with your services continued on page 8 MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 7
continued from page 7
• Someone with no network or no following • Salespeople • Recruiters and human resource people (unless you are looking for employment) • Someone with no photo or profile (reeks of a fake account) • People you don’t recognize • Those who hide connections (not very helpful to your group) • Fake accounts Fake accounts
There are a few ways that are highly suspicious for a fake account: • There is no last name in the name field • The photo is absent or a known celebrity • Profiles are incomplete or stuffed with keywords • The location does not list a city of origin • The message is not personal Fake accounts are set up to get your contacts or email connections as well as run advertisements. It’s good to know that LinkedIn actually penalizes accounts when people complain about them by restricting the capacity to invite others to connect.
Why?
Simply, nonreaders or uninterested subscribers ruin your analytical results. Your analytics will inform you of the percent of people that read the articles within your newsletters and which ones garnered the most interest. This is essential so that you know what your market is interested in and the topics you can concentrate your future articles on. Of course, it could be your fault! When you get someone on your contact list that never opens your newsletters, the first thing to check is whether you have the email address correctly. If not, the onus is on you, not them. Let’s say that you find that an extremely low percentage of your readers opened a specific newsletter. How could you tell if it was because it was an uninteresting topic, a poor entry on the subject line or that the number of subscribers was padded? These are all things that should be checked as well as the bounce rate. Three words for nonreaders - Cut Them Loose! Want an infogram on Value-based marketing? Just ask for it at Barbara@TheMedicalStrategist.com
The Write Treatment
Newsletters If it’s a newsletter that you subscribe to rather than one that you are creating, a reason to “un follow” would be • The content is no longer relevant • The content is not fresh • You get too many newsletters in your inbox already If it is a newsletter that you are creating, remember that people could drop the subscription for the same three reasons. It’s not an attack on you personally. The thing is, having subscribers that never open up your Ezine when you send it, is distinctly unhelpful to you. Thus, you should periodically take a look at who is opening the digital newsletters and get rid of those that don’t. Sure, people can be busy or on vacation but if 3 months go by without them at least scanning your newsletter, it is time to cut them loose.
8
| APRIL 2017
Ezines and NewslettersCost Effective Powerful Tools • Drive traffic to your business website • Build relationships between yourself and patients • Get new patients • Announce a new service or product • Give great impact Have you got a newsletter yet or want to spread a message? Contact Barbara Hales, M.D. for a free consultation. Barbara@TheWriteTreatment.com 516-647-3002
THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR PRACTICE?
Medical Practice Listings can help you sell your practice online! Now offering two types of listings to better serve all practice specialties and budgets. For Sale by Owner Listing The For Sale by Owner Listing offers you the opportunity to gain national exposure by posting your listing on our website which is viewed daily by a network of qualified professionals. This option includes a brief practice consultation to explain the benefits of marketing through the Medical Practice Listings website. Our special rate for the For Sale by Owner listing through the end of 2017 is only $29.95 per month.
Professional Listing In addition to the benefits in the standard listing our Professional Listing affords you access to services provided by our expert legal and marketing team and a Bizscore Practice Valuation. This valuation compares your practice with other practices in your area, provides projections and determines what your practice is worth.
Visit us today at www.medicalpracticelistings.com to learn more.
919.848.4202 | medicalpracticelistings.com
practice tips
Medical Directorship Responsibilities and Precautions By Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE CEO and Founder of ABISA
A position as medical director can offer many rewarding opportunities to improve care. The medical director’s time is not meant to be spent on clinical visits or resolving individual problems. Rather, the medical director is expected to take a systems approach to care. On a day-to-day basis, being a medical director requires one to be passionate about excellence, good at meddling, and unafraid to be 10
| APRIL 2017
“under the microscope” and to be political, patient, and persistent. Too often, an excellent physician asked to become a medical director fails because the needed skill set is different. Medical directorship also comes with a myriad of challenges, which any prospective applicant must carefully consider before knocking on the door of opportunity. As healthcare organizations
are continuing to pursue physician champions and place them in positions of leadership, physicians around the country are entering into medical director agreements in a variety of settings. While such an arrangement has advantages for the physician, there are also some potential consequences that physicians should be aware of as they carry out the duties specified in these roles. Government regulators
many requirements, oftentimes including the supervision of various healthcare providers and ancillary personnel. This is part of the agreement for several reasons such as medical staff bylaws, CMS billing regulations, and boards of directors’ oversight stipulations. Failure to provide the appropriate supervision can trigger not only contractual breach notifications, but may also result in allegations of false claims being made to the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Indeed many times governmental regulators seek to hold medical directors accountable for administrative, civil, or criminal damages.
and medical boards aggressively enforce their rules where they perceive a violation. Here are two key items to be aware of before entering into a medical director services agreement: l
Ancillary personnel supervision. In short, know how to do what you offer. Medical directorship encompasses
overlook medical malpractice insurance and indemnification provisions that are either not included in their medical director contracts or contain poorly written provisions. Many physicians enter into medical directorship arrangements hoping to “get rich quick” while unsuspectingly jeopardizing their medical license. In 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a fraud alert regarding physician compensation. The Fraud Alert reveals that the OIG recently reached settlements with twelve physicians who had entered into separate medical directorship agreements, which, according to the alert, were each deficient in some way. The deficiencies highl Professional liability issues. Medical directorship also comes lighted in the Fraud Alert include payments taking into account the with potential issues related to physicians’ volume or value of professional liability and the physician’s medical malpractice referrals, payments being inconsistent with fair market value for coverage. These issues may arise from the execution of du- the services to be performed, and ties which the medical director physicians not actually performing is performing as required by the the services called for in the agreements. The OIG also claimed that agreement. Physicians serving certain arrangements involved an as medical directors are often affiliated health care entity improprequired to review clinical, patient care, and risk management erly paying for the salaries of the policies and procedures as part physicians’ front office staff, which relieved the physicians of a finanof their duties and obligations. cial burden which would otherwise As mentioned above, medical directors are frequently obligat- have been their responsibility. ed to supervise other personnel Medical director services agreements can have unforeseen negative (e.g. other physicians, nurse effects on the physicians who serve practitioners, physician assisin these roles. Understanding the tants, etc.). duties of the medical director as There have been cases where the well as the associated responsibiliplaintiff ’s allegations of negligence ties and liabilities is paramount. are targeted not only at the healthConsequently, those physicians care provider and facility, but also contemplating entering into such at the medical director for failure an arrangement should have a to provide adequate supervision. qualified individual carefully review Therefore, physicians should not the document before signing. MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 11
practice tips
Tips for an Uncomplicated EHR By Vishal Gandhi, BSEE, MBA Founder and CEO
12
| APRIL 2017
Medical practices and hospitals have to tackle the issue of making EHR (electronic health records) more usable and manageable. An easy-to-use EHR can increase efficiency as the providers enter information without glitches, leaving the patient care data unaffected. Common causes of EHR frustration among providers is linked to poorly constructed systems, confusing interface and the time taken to fill out forms. Here are a few tips to help you make a serviceable EHR. 1. A system helping users achieve their goals with ease can be defined as a usable system. Some providers still preferred paper charts over clicks while filling in the information. Perform an analysis on the number of clicks and screens utilized to finish particular tasks. Remove redundant steps for a quicker EHR. 2. Build a logical screen interface. The system should standardize and place the tasks in the
order of usage. Supposing a complicated task, the use of multiple pages would prove beneficial. The placement of the menus and buttons should be carefully selected so that the process is uninterrupted and quickly concluded. 3. Technology systems should maintain its ease of use for allowing users to execute actions as they usually do. For instance, sending orders to nurses or administrative staff from within the EHR module. 4. Minimize the user’s workload while lessening the memory requirements is a vital step to completing tasks quickly. The final output should be clearly understandable, instead of irrational information. Ask vendors for a classified catalog of patient health data, and have it embedded within the system for easier understanding. Applying these steps will not only make EHR less burdensome but also enhance interoperability resulting in improved patient care. 
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 13
What’s your practice worth? When most doctors are asked what their practice is worth, the answer is usually, “I don’t know.” Doctors can tell you what their practices made or lost last year, but few actually know what it’s worth. In today’s world, expenses are rising and profits are being squeezed. A BizScore Performance Review will provide details regarding liquidity, profits & profit margins, sales, borrowing and assets. Our three signature sections include: Performance review Valuation Projections
Scan this QR code with your smart phone to learn more.
919.846.4747 bizscorevaluation.com
U.S. OPTICAL BOARDS Alaska P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK 99811 (907)465-5470 http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/ cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/DispensingOpticians.aspx Arizona 1400 W. Washington, Rm. 230 Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602)542-3095 http://www.do.az.gov Arkansas P.O. Box 627 Helena, AR 72342 (870)572-2847 California 2005 Evergreen St., Ste. 1200 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916)263-2382 http://www.optometry.ca.gov/ Colorado 1560 Broadway St. #1310 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7750 http://www.dora.state.co.us/optometry/ Connecticut 410 Capitol Ave., MS #12APP P.O. Box 340308 Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-7603 ext. 4 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3121&q=427586 Florida 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C08 Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4474 http://www.pof.org/opticianry-board/ Georgia 237 Coliseum Dr. Macon, GA 31217 (478)207-1671 http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/ plb/20 Hawaii P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)586-2704 http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/programs/ dispensingoptician/
Idaho 450 W. State St., 10th Floor Boise , ID 83720 (208)334-5500 http://www.ironforidaho.net/
Oregon 3218 Pringle Rd. SE Ste. 270 Salem, OR 97302 (503)373-7721 http://www.oregonobo.org/optque.htm
Kentucky P.O. Box 1360 Frankfurt, KY 40602 (502)564-3296 http://www.opticiantraining.org/optician-training-kentucky/
Rhode Island 3 Capitol Hill, Rm 104 Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-7883 http://sos.ri.gov/govdirectory/index. php? page=DetailDeptAgency&eid=260
Massachusetts 239 Causeway St. Boston, MA 02114 (617)727-5339 http://1.usa.gov/zbJVt7
South Carolina P.O. Box 11329 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4665 www.llr.state.sc.us
Nevada P.O. Box 70503 Reno, NV 89570 (775)853-1421 http://nvbdo.state.nv.us/
Tennessee Heritage Place Metro Center 227 French Landing, Ste. 300 Nashville, TN 37243 (615)253-6061 http://tn.gov/health
New Hampshire 129 Pleasant St. Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-5590 www.state.nh.us New Jersey P.O. Box 45011 Newark, NJ 07101 (973)504-6435 http://www.njsop.org/aws/NJSOP/pt/sp/ home_page New York 89 Washington Ave., 2nd Floor W. Albany, NY 12234 (518)402-5944 http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/od/ North Carolina P.O. Box 25336 Raleigh, NC 27611 (919)733-9321 http://www.ncoptometry.org/ Ohio 77 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43266 (614)466-9707 http://optical.ohio.gov/
Texas P.O. Box 149347 Austin, TX 78714 (512)834-6661 http://www.tob.state.tx.us/ Vermont National Life Bldg N FL. 2 Montpelier, VT 05620 (802)828-2191 http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/ opticians/ Virginia 3600 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230 (804)367-8500 http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/ HAS-Opticians/ Washington 300 SE Quince P.O. Box 47870 Olympia, WA 98504 (360)236-4947 http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/MedicalCommission. aspx
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 15
U.S. DENTAL BOARDS Alabama Alabama Board of Dental Examiners 5346 Stadium Trace Pkwy., Ste. 112 Hoover, AL 35244 (205) 985-7267 http://www.dentalboard.org/ Alaska P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK 99811-0806 (907)465-2542 https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofDentalExaminers.aspx Arizona 4205 N. 7th Ave. Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85103 (602)242-1492 http://azdentalboard.us/ Arkansas 101 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 111 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)682-2085 http://www.asbde.org/ California 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550Â Sacramento, CA 95815 877-729-7789 http://www.dbc.ca.gov/
Hawaii DCCA-PVL Att: Dental P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)586-3000 http://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/dentist/ Idaho P.O. Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720 (208)334-2369 http://isbd.idaho.gov/ Illinois 320 W. Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786 (217)785-0820 http://www.isds.org/LawsLegislation/ boardOfDentistry.asp Indiana 402 W. Washington St., Room W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317)232-2980 http://www.in.gov/pla/dental.htm
Colorado 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7800 https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dora/ Dental_Board
Iowa 400 SW 8th St. Suite D Des Moines, IA 50309 (515)281-5157 http://www.state.ia.us/dentalboard/
Connecticut 410 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-8000 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3143&q=388884
Kansas 900 SW Jackson Room 564-S Topeka, KS 66612 (785)296-6400 http://www.dental.ks.gov/
Delaware Cannon Building, Suite 203 861 Solver Lake Blvd. Dover, DE 19904 (302)744-4500 http://1.usa.gov/t0mbWZ
Kentucky 312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 101 Louisville, KY 40222 (502)429-7280 http://dentistry.ky.gov/
Florida 4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-08 Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4474 http://floridasdentistry.gov/ 16
Georgia 237 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 (478)207-2440 https://gbd.georgia.gov/
| APRIL 2017
Louisiana 365 Canal St., Suite 2680 New Orleans, LA 70130 (504)568-8574 http://dentistry.ky.gov/
Maine 143 State House Station 161 Capitol St. Augusta, ME 04333 (207)287-3333 http://www.mainedental.org/ Maryland 55 Wade Ave. Catonsville, Maryland 21228 (410)402-8500 http://dhmh.state.md.us/dental/ Massachusetts 1000 Washington St., Suite 710 Boston, MA 02118 (617)727-1944 http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/hcq/dhpl/ dentist/about/ Michigan P.O. Box 30664 Lansing, MI 48909 (517)241-2650 http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7154-72600_72603_27529_27533---,00. html Minnesota 2829 University Ave., SE. Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612)617-2250 http://www.dentalboard.state.mn.us/ Mississippi 600 E. Amite St., Suite 100 Jackson, MS 39201 (601)944-9622 http://bit.ly/uuXKxl Missouri 3605 Missouri Blvd. P.O. Box 1367 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-0040 http://pr.mo.gov/dental.asp Montana P.O. Box 200113 Helena, MT 59620 (406)444-2511 http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_ boards/den_board/board_page.asp
Nebraska 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509 (402)471-3121 http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/ crl_medical_dent_hygiene_board.aspx
Ohio Riffe Center 77 S. High St.,17th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614)466-2580 http://www.dental.ohio.gov/
Nevada 6010 S. Rainbow Blvd. Suite A-1 Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702)486-7044 http://www.nvdentalboard.nv.gov/
Oklahoma 201 N.E. 38th Terr., #2 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405)524-9037 http://www.ok.gov/dentistry/
New Hampshire 2 Industrial Park Dr. Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-4561 http://www.nh.gov/dental/
Oregon 1600 SW 4th Ave. Suite 770 Portland, OR 97201 (971)673-3200 http://www.oregon.gov/Dentistry/
New Jersey P.O Box 45005 Newark, NJ 07101 (973)504-6405 http://njpublicsafety.com/ca/dentistry/
Pennsylvania P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105 (717)783-7162 http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Dentistry/ Pages/default.aspx#.VbkfjPlPVYU
New Mexico Toney Anaya Building 2550 Cerrillos Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505)476-4680 http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Dental_Health_Care.aspx New York 89 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12234 (518)474-3817 http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/dent/ North Carolina 507 Airport Blvd., Suite 105 Morrisville, NC 27560 (919)678-8223 http://www.ncdentalboard.org/ North Dakota P.O. Box 7246 Bismark, ND 58507 (701)258-8600 http://www.nddentalboard.org/
Rhode Island Dept. of Health Three Capitol Hill, Room 104 Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-2828 http://1.usa.gov/u66MaB South Carolina P.O. Box 11329 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4599 http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Dentistry/ South Dakota P.O. Box 1079 105. S. Euclid Ave. Suite C Pierre, SC 57501 (605)224-1282 https://www.sdboardofdentistry.com/ Tennessee 227 French Landing, Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37243 (615)532-3202 http://tn.gov/health
Texas 333 Guadeloupe St. Suite 3-800 Austin, TX 78701 (512)463-6400 http://www.tsbde.state.tx.us/ Utah 160 E. 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801)530-6628 http://1.usa.gov/xMVXWm Vermont National Life Building North FL2 Montpelier, VT 05620 (802)828-1505 http://governor.vermont.gov/boards_ and_commissions/dental_examiners Virginia Perimeter Center 9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233 (804)367-4538 http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/dentistry Washington 310 Israel Rd. SE P.O. Box 47865 Olympia, WA 98504 (360)236-4700 http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/Dentist.aspx West Virginia 1319 Robert C. Byrd Dr. P.O. Box 1447 Crab Orchard, WV 25827 1-877-914-8266 http://www.wvdentalboard.org/ Wisconsin P.O. Box 8935 Madison, WI 53708 1(877)617-1565 http://dsps.wi.gov/Default. aspx?Page=90c5523f-bab0-4a45-ab943d9f699d4eb5 Wyoming 1800 Carey Ave., 4th Floor Cheyenne, WY 82002 (307)777-6529 http://plboards.state.wy.us/dental/index.asp
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 17
U.S. MEDICAL BOARDS Alabama P.O. Box 946 Montgomery, AL 36101 (334)242-4116 http://www.albme.org/ Alaska 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1500 Anchorage, AK 99501 (907)269-8163 http://www.medlicense.com/alaskamedical-license.html Arizona 9545 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (480)551-2700 http://www.azmd.gov Arkansas 1401 West Capitol Ave., Suite 340 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)296-1802 http://www.armedicalboard.org/ California 2005 Evergreen St., Suite 1200 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916)263-2382 http://www.mbc.ca.gov/ Colorado 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80202 (303)894-7690 http://www.docjungle.com/medicalboards/colorado-physician-licensing/ Connecticut 401 Capitol Ave. Hartford, CT 06134 (860)509-8000 http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view. asp?a=3143&q=388902 Delaware Division of Professional Regulation Cannon Building 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite 203 Dover, DE 19904 (302)744-4500 http://dpr.delaware.gov/ District of Columbia 899 North Capitol St., NE Washington, DC 20002 (202)442-5955 http://doh.dc.gov/bomed 18
| APRIL 2017
Florida 2585 Merchants Row Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850)245-4444 http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/ DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=115
Louisiana LSBME P.O. Box 30250 New Orleans, LA 70190 (504)568-6820 http://www.lsbme.la.gov/
Georgia 2 Peachtree Street NW, 36th Floor Atlanta, GA 30303 (404)656-3913 http://bit.ly/vPJQyG
Maine 161 Capitol Street 137 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 (207)287-3601 http://www.maine.gov/md/
Hawaii DCCA-PVL P.O. Box 3469 Honolulu, HI 96801 (808)587-3295 http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/boards/medical/
Maryland 4201 Patterson Ave. Baltimore, MD 21215 (410)764-4777 http://www.mbp.state.md.us/
Idaho Idaho Board of Medicine P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720 (208)327-7000 http://bit.ly/orPmFU
Massachusetts 200 Harvard Mill Sq., Suite 330 Wakefield, MA 01880 (781)876-8200 http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/borim/
Illinois 320 West Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786 (217)785 -0820 http://www.idfpr.com/
Michigan Bureau of Health Professions P.O. Box 30670 Lansing, MI 48909 (517)335-0918 http://michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-15472600_72603_27529_27541-58914--,00. html
Indiana 402 W. Washington St. #W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317)233-0800 http://www.in.gov/pla/ Iowa 400 SW 8th St., Suite C Des Moines, IA 50309 (515)281-6641 http://medicalboard.iowa.gov/ Kansas 800 SW Jackson, Lower Level, Suite A Topeka, KS 66612 (785)296-7413 http://www.ksbha.org/ Kentucky 310 Whittington Pkwy., Suite 1B Louisville, KY 40222 (502)429-7150 http://kbml.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
Minnesota University Park Plaza 2829 University Ave. SE, Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55414 (612)617-2130 http://bit.ly/pAFXGq Mississippi 1867 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite 200-B Jackson, MS 39216 (601)987-3079 http://www.msbml.state.ms.us/ Missouri Missouri Division of Professional Registration 3605 Missouri Blvd. P.O. Box 1335 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573)751-0293 http://pr.mo.gov/healingarts.asp
Montana 301 S. Park Ave. #430 Helena, MT 59601 (406)841-2300 http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_ boards/med_board/board_page.asp Nebraska Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services P.O. Box 95026 Lincoln, NE 68509 (402)471-3121 https://www.nebraska.gov/LISSearch/ search.cgi Nevada Board of Medical Examiners P.O. Box 7238 Reno, NV 89510 (775)688-2559 http://www.medboard.nv.gov/ New Hampshire New Hampshire State Board of Medicine 2 Industrial Park Dr. #8 Concord, NH 03301 (603)271-1203 http://www.nh.gov/medicine/ New Jersey P. O. Box 360 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609)292-7837 http://www.medlicense.com/new-jerseymedical-license.html New Mexico 2055 S. Pacheco St. Building 400 Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505)476-7220 http://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/ New York Office of the Professions State Education Building, 2nd Floor Albany, NY 12234 (518)474-3817 http://www.op.nysed.gov/ North Carolina P.O. Box 20007 Raleigh, NC 27619 (919)326-1100 http://www.ncmedboard.org/
North Dakota 418 E. Broadway Ave., Suite 12 Bismarck, ND 58501 (701)328-6500 http://www.ndbomex.com/
Texas P.O. Box 2018 Austin, TX 78768 (512)305-7010 http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/
Ohio 30 E. Broad St., 3rd Floor Columbus, OH 43215 (614)466-3934 http://med.ohio.gov/
Utah P.O. Box 146741 Salt Lake City, UT 84114 (801)530-6628 http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/physician_surgeon.html
Oklahoma P.O. Box 18256 Oklahoma City, OK 73154 (405)962-1400 http://www.okmedicalboard.org/ Oregon 1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620 Portland, OR 97201 (971)673-2700 http://www.oregon.gov/OMB/ Pennsylvania P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105 (717)787-8503 http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Medicine/ Pages/default.aspx#.Vbkgf_lPVYU Rhode Island 3 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908 (401)222-5960 http://1.usa.gov/xgocXV South Carolina P.O. Box 11289 Columbia, SC 29211 (803)896-4500 http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/medical/ South Dakota 101 N. Main Ave. Suite 301 Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605)367-7781 http://www.sdbmoe.gov/ Tennessee 425 5th Ave. North Cordell Hull Bldg. 3rd Floor Nashville, TN 37243 (615)741-3111 http://tn.gov/health
Vermont P.O. Box 70 Burlington, VT 05402 (802)657-4220 http://1.usa.gov/wMdnxh Virginia Virginia Dept. of Health Professions Perimeter Center 9960 Maryland Dr., Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233 (804)367-4400 http://1.usa.gov/xjfJXK Washington Public Health Systems Development Washington State Department of Health 101 Israel Rd. SE, MS 47890 Tumwater, WA 98501 (360)236-4085 http://www.medlicense.com/washingtonmedicallicense.html West Virginia 101 Dee Dr., Suite 103 Charleston, WV 25311 (304)558-2921 http://www.wvbom.wv.gov/ Wisconsin P.O. Box 8935 Madison, WI 53708 (877)617-1565 http://dsps.wi.gov/Boards-Councils/ Board-Pages/Medical-Examining-BoardMain-Page/ Wyoming 320 W. 25th St., Suite 200 Cheyenne, WY 82002 (307)778-7053 http://wyomedboard.state.wy.us/
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 19
features
SPRING CLEANING YOUR ONLINE REVIEWS:
The Unseen Benefits of Negative Feedback
By Nick Nydegger President of WhiteCoat Designs
If you care about attracting new patients to your practice, then you care about your online reputation. Patients utilize online reviews to form a perception of the value of your practice, and when it comes to marketing, perception is reality. Although it’s near impossible to avoid negative patient reviews online, it doesn’t mean you can’t use them to your benefit. The healthcare industry as a whole is putting more emphasis on value rather than volume, which means the focus is increasingly on patients rather than treatments. Patients understand this model as well. They know they have options and use the internet to research which practices offer them the best value (aka the best experience and outcomes). Although a physician’s office and a local restaurant couldn’t be more different, as businesses they share the same level of obligation to provide outstanding cus20
| APRIL 2017
tomer service. The sooner physicians start to recognize patients as consumers, the sooner their patient retention levels will increase. And keep in mind that it’s much less expensive to retain a current patient than it is to attract a new one; not to mention it decreases your chances of receiving a negative review online. Patients have stepped into their role as empowered consumers by using online reviews to research providers and/or share their experiences. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a 2014 study revealed that 59% of patients said physician rating sites were “somewhat important” or “very important” when choosing a physician, and 37% of patients had avoided a physician because of a bad review.
rectly to the patient’s comments. This can be a slippery slope. Your first instinct might be to fire back with your side of the story. However, that may only damage your reputation further and can actually cause a HIPAA violation if you reveal PHI in the process. Instead, consider a more generic, yet timely, response that doesn’t intend to solve the conflict online, but at least shows patients you are listening. Sometimes, just the fact that you responded at all is more important to patients than the fact that a negative experience occurred in the first place. Most patients are realistic and don’t expect medical practices to be perfect, but they do expect you to care about their experience – just like any other business would.
Tactic: Pick up the phone
How it Adds Value: May convert the patient to a satisfied customer
Ways Negative Reviews Can Add Value Whether positive or negative, online reviews are powerful and patients are definitely paying attention. By managing your online reputation, you can take control of the conversation online and actually use those reviews to your advantage as an effective marketing tool to attract new patients. Below are examples of how negative reviews can not only add value for your patients but also for your practice.
Tactic: Respond directly on the review site How it Adds Value: Shows patients you listen
When a patient leaves you negative feedback online, many of the review sites will allow you to respond di-
Many of the review sites no longer allow patients to post feedback anonymously, which means you can often identify the patient who left the review. So have you ever thought about actually calling the patient who gave you a negative review online? We recently had a client who tried this very tactic and it worked beautifully. The patient had left the physician a harsh review online and we discovered it immediately since we were monitoring the practice’s reviews. We alerted the practice and the physician picked up the phone and personally called the patient. It turns out the patient had left a voicemail for the doctor’s medical assistant about a prescription, and she did not receive the message and therefore never responded. The patient assumed the doctor was just unresponsive. The physician politely explained the scenario to the patient and by the end of the call the patient had been converted to a happy customer; mostly because the patient was so impressed that the doctor would personally call him. The physician asked the patient to remove the review and he took it down that same day. That one negative review could have cost the physician many new patients over the years. Sometimes a 10-minute phone call is all it takes to keep your online reputation intact. It also ensures this patient will speak positively about the physician in the local community as well. continued on page 22
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 21
continued from page 21
Tactic: Use the feedback as constructive criticism How it Adds Value: Improves the patient experience
When you start to notice a trend in the negative feedback you receive from patients, such as patients constantly complaining that wait times are too long, then more likely than not it’s a valid concern. It doesn’t make sense to change your internal processes or turnover staff every time you have an isolated complaint, but it also doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pay attention when you notice a trend. In this scenario, negative feedback from patients can actually be extremely helpful. If you are losing patients to long wait times or because your nursing staff is unfriendly, then it’s time to make a change. Paying attention to patient feedback and adjusting the service you provide accordingly can mean the difference between a thriving practice and a struggling one. The healthcare industry is more competitive than ever and if you aren’t willing to provide the level of customer service patients expect then they are happy to go down the street to your competitor. Not only does this tactic add value to your practice by making the experience better for the next patient through your door, it also cultivates positive reviews which can in turn increase your conversion rate online. Now, not only are you retaining current patients but you are effectively attracting new patients as well. Negative patient reviews can be discouraging and difficult to accept, but with the right attitude and strategy you can use these reviews to your advantage by improving your online reputation and growing your practice. Nick Nydegger is the President of WhiteCoat Designs – a medical marketing agency whose mission is to help physicians stand out in today’s competitive healthcare market. Nick brings to WhiteCoat over 10 years of agency chief executive experience, working with hundreds of clients nationwide. As President of WhiteCoat, Nick leads the team with an analytical approach to medical marketing, focusing on physicians’ return on investment as the primary driver of value. Nick’s career began in traditional marketing with Twentieth Century FOX and quickly grew to managing client digital campaigns across a wide variety of industries. He then founded TargetMarket, a marketing agency tailored to address the specific needs of mid-size firms adjusting to the ever-changing digital landscape. Nick received his BA from the University of Florida and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University. 22 26
NOVEMBER | APRIL 2017 2015
Physician Solutions, Inc. Medical & Dental Staffing
The fastest way to be $200K in debt is to open your own practice The fastest way to make $100K is to choose
Physician Solutions
THE DECISION IS YOURS Physician Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 98313 Raleigh, NC 27624 Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.
phone: 919-845-0054 fax: 919-845-1947 www.physiciansolutions.com physiciansolutions@gmail.com
features
Spring Cleaning Your Dental Practice: Time to Revisit Your Practice Goals By Naren Arulrajah Ekwa Marketing
24
| APRIL 2017
‘‘
“Once you know where you stand on finances, you will be in a better position to plan ahead for the future.”
Come spring and everyone gets in to the spring cleaning mode. After the long cold winter, it is time to let in some fresh air and spruce things up. Whether you are looking at practice changes (big and small), or just tying up loose ends and moving ahead with renewed momentum, this is the perfect time for it. If you have a plan on hand and know exactly what you want to do, great. But if you are not sure where to start, consider the following suggestions to get started with your dental practice spring cleaning.
How did you perform last year? Before you start making plans for the future, you need to know where you stand right now vis-à-vis your short term and long term goals. You need to asses what you did well and where you went wrong. Visit each area of your practice (day to day operations, revenue and expenses, staffing, billing, new patients, changes you made, patient services) and see how you performed. Do you need to implement changes and new processes in each of these areas or if you find positive movement in any of the areas, then analyze what worked and why. If on the other hand you met with problems or issues, then this kind of analysis will allow you to see into problem areas. Once you know what and where you went wrong, you can then start making required changes. Likewise, if you found something worked then focus on how you can continue to do well or even improve further.
Take Stock of your Finances A sagging economy is the biggest challenge to increasing your practice revenue. Couple that with changes to the healthcare system, and you will find that it will get even more difficult to increase revenue. It’s not uncommon for dental practices to have an outstanding accounts receivables (A/R) balance that is carried over each month. Obviously you can’t afford to walk away from this money. You could start by directing your billing staff to focus on these A/R collections. Also go over your operating costs and see where you can cut down and where you need to bulk up on expenditure. Once you know where you stand on finances, you will be in a better position to plan ahead for the future.
Think Smarter Changes Instead of simply increasing the number of patients, look at ways in which you can build the service portfolio continued on page 26
MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 25
continued from page 25
for each patient via new services such as cosmetic dental services. This is a good idea to try especially with patients who simply prefer paying for dental services. Mix up your patient base. Don’t just focus on patients with insurance, look at capturing patients who don’t have insurance but are willing to pay for services. If you can create a premium engaged patient base, then not only will it impact your revenue positively, but you can do so without having to fit in more patients in your schedule. Try to partner with insurance payers with a better turn-around time and those who are easier to work with. If one payer can clear payments in 10 days why partner with someone who does the same work but takes 20 extra days?
Clean up the Clutter both Online and Offline Offline Clutter Look at your office and if you feel that a change is required or if you feel moving things around can improve patient flow from the minute they walk in to when they exit your office, then go for it. If you feel a change of color or scenery, new rugs, seating, window blinds can add a more positive vibe to your office setting, jazz things up. Sometimes even something as small as vase(s) of fresh flowers placed strategically around the office can make a difference to your office setting. You could also consider a change of staff uniform - a different color could also be an improvement. Online Clutter Visit all your digital assets and see how things are moving. Consider
26
| APRIL 2017
auditing your website, blog, social sites for content quality, traffic flow, and design improvements. Refresh your testimonial and reviews pages if you haven’t already done it. Change staff pictures to a more present timeframe, sit with your content person and explore new content features such as more videos or visual elements which can be added to increase patient engagement.
Explore New Services and Technology Changes Audit your patient base. If you have a substantial number of patients who you think will benefit from a new service or treatment option, then explore the idea of integrating it in your services offering. If on the other hand you feel your practice can benefit from bringing in an in-house expert on specific service/ treatment, then consider hiring someone for the position. Look into new technology offerings (dental specific and administration specific) that can help enhance your practice. New dental technology/equipment could lead to better service care. The same goes for
technology used for administrative tasks such as scheduling and billing.
Conclusion Sometimes healthcare practices get so caught up in the day-to-day running of their offices that they forget to stop and take stock of where they are in the present and if they are moving in the right direction towards a better future. Take some time out this spring to redefine present and future goals so you know not only where you are right now, but more importantly, where you will be in the coming years.  About the Author: Naren Arulrajah is President and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, a complete Internet marketing company which focuses on SEO, social media, marketing education and the online reputations of Dentists and Physicians. With a team of 140+ full time marketers, www.ekwa.com helps doctors who know where they want to go get there by dominating their market and growing their business significantly year after year. If you have questions about marketing your practice online, call 855598-3320 to speak one-on-one with Naren.
features
Tuning Up Your Practice and Giving It That Extra SHINE
By Denise Price Thomas Owner, DPT Consulting & Training Speaker, Author & Healthcare Humorist Speak the first greeting Hear what they have to say Inspire others Notice something about them Encourage everyone Spring….I am so ready for spring! On my “to-do list” is to have my car detailed. They just seem to drive better when they are clean, right? Well, let’s compare the carwash to our medical practice… since it’s spring cleaning time! When we drive up to the carwash, we hear things like “Would you like the manager’s special?” We understand the manager’s special cleans the exterior, the interior, includes vacuuming the dirt, throwing away any trash from inside, removing debris from underneath the vehicle, polishing the wheels, receiving personal attention to apply polish…getting 28
| APRIL 2017
your vehicle in the best possible shape. A special manager will do the same for their practice. One of the first things my Daddy taught me about achieving the best possible shine is that the process begins at the top and trickles down….rather than from the bottom up. Once again, this compares to our practice. Just as we enjoy our cars when they shine, the same applies to our practice. Remember, it starts at the top. When our vehicle is sparkling clean, filled with gas and we have happy people inside, we can’t help but enjoy the view. To keep our vehicles running smoothly, a tune-up is necessary and must be scheduled. I’ve noticed practices that focus on training and retraining have the highest morale and employees that shine. Their suggestions are acknowledged and appreciated, their voices are heard and their opinions are addressed.
We must always keep in mind that those employees who go the extra mile will run out of gas if not refueled. They will lose interest and they will begin to sputter. Eventually they will give up and quit trying. Even the very best engine will wear down. To get better mileage, we take care of our cars; to boost morale, we must run premium to expect the best. Spark plugs are known to “light the fire” and keep things running smoothly. We know employees who are “spark plugs.” They cannot keep things running alone though. They need the entire team. One of the responsibilities of our battery is lighting our vehicle, but its main purpose is to start the engine. Once the engine is started, the power is supplied by the alternator. When the battery and / or alternator goes bad, the lights dim and eventually burn out. It’s difficult to see where we are heading. With a dead battery, nothing happens, trust me, I’ve had one and you cannot even blow your own horn! The good news is batteries are rechargeable, in our vehicle as well as our own battery! Do you know how your practice is running? After all, it takes a special manager to acknowledge the manager’s special. My healthcare career began in 1975. Every day has been different. Whether from the desk as the Administrator of a prominent surgical practice or today as an Undercover Patient and Trainer, I have witnessed many healthcare professionals that clearly have a weak battery. Their spark plugs just aren’t firing as they should. Sometimes morale is low which comes with a very high cost. I have witnessed those who begin to lose their passion. Some who come in later and later to the office, and then those who just stop showing up at all. I’ve witnessed “wishee washee” employees; those who kept trying to make a difference but their voices weren’t heard, so they’ve given up. Perhaps we need to hit the brakes and take a look at the entire facility. It may be time for a Spring Clean Up and a Spring Tune Up. Just like our vehicle, if there are parts that are not performing properly, we must replace them. We will not get anywhere with a dead battery. In fact, the more demands placed on weak batteries, the more will be pulled down around them. If we do not address what is not working correctly, nothing else will work. Eventually, everything stops. With a spring tune up, we focus on boosting morale. When we turn our attention to others and focus on serving others, everyone shines. When we pay less at-
tention to what’s in our rear view mirror and more attention to cleaning our windshield and looking ahead, our climate is better controlled. Rather than focus on the “exhaust”, listen to and connect with your employees and healthcare professionals. Recognize those who “go beyond” to make the patient’s journey a much more pleasant experience. Acknowledge these deeds in front of others. So to go along with spring cleaning, perhaps you’d like to share gift certificates for a car wash and gas cards when you spotlight the “manager’s special” recognizing someone who has gone the extra mile. Compare the feeling of driving a clean car full of gas vs. a dirty vehicle, running on empty and apply that same feeling in your life and in your business. Encourage others to be the SPARK that makes the difference. So remember, the batteries to your practice are rechargeable and for a low cost will certainly spark high morale for a professional, friendly medical environment your patients will greatly appreciate. Together, we shine brighter!
“Training Wheels in Heels” Denise Price Thomas Trainer for Health Care Professionals Focusing on Exceptional Customer Service, Effective Communication & Exemplary Compassion 34+ year career in health care and certified in health care management Undercover Patient Providing Insight to Your Practice Through the “Eyes of a Patient” Conference Speaker Presenting also as “Gladys Friday”, Health Care Comedienne
Home Grown/Nationally Known www.denisepricethomas.com denisepricethomas@gmail.com 704-747-8699 MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 29
features
Your Patients Should Spring Clean, Too! By Christine Chen, M.D. So its spring cleaning time again, and you’ve rolled up your sleeves and started to spiffy up your office. This is a great time to remind your patients that they should do some medical spring cleaning of their own. Here are a few suggestions you can give them that will simplify their lives—and yours… l Update contact info.
Nothing makes a doctor’s heart sink faster than trying to call a patient with a critical test result and hearing the distinctive three-note ditty signifying a disconnected phone line. Remind your patients to give you their most recent contact information, along with the phone number of a reliable emergency contact. l Clean out medicine cabinets. Expired medications, old dosages, and empty bottles can be confusing and potentially harmful for patients. Encourage them to keep only fresh medications that they’re actively taking, and toss the rest. 30
| APRIL 2017
l Update medication lists.
While they’re cleaning out their medicine cabinets, patients should update any medication lists that they carry with them on a daily basis. l Also consider creating an “emergency wallet card” containing important past medical history and contacts. On a 3” x 5” index card, have the patient print all doctors’ names and contact information, known allergies, major chronic conditions, past surgeries, names and dosages of medications, and emergency contacts. This information can be printed in a small font and pasted to the card. It may take some time to do properly, but could save the patient’s life. Christine Chen is a family physician and writer who lives in New Jersey. Her article, “One Doctor’s Approach to Better Doctor Patient Communication,” appeared in the August 2015 issue of Med Monthly.
CALLING ALL WRITERS
Are you educated in the medical and healthcare field and looking to showcase your exceptional writing skills? To become a contributing writer in Med Monthly magazine, contact Tom Hibbard at medmedia9@gmail.com
Med Monthly Contact us: 919-845-0054 medmedia9@gmail.com medmonthly.com
Upcoming Editorial Themes May - Checking In & Checking Out l June - Making Your Practice More Valuable l July - Selling Your Practice
Practices for Sale Medical Practices Pediatric Practice Near Raleigh, NC
Location: Minutes South of Raleigh, North Carolina List Price: $145,000 Gross Yearly Income: $350,000 Year Established: 1980(s) Average Patients per Day: 16-22 Total Exam Rooms: 5 Building Owned/Leased: Owned. Will sell or lease. Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Urology Practice near Lake Norman, NC Location: Minutes from Charlotte, NC List Price: $165,000 Gross Yearly Income: $275,000 Year Established: 1980 Average Patients per Day: 12 to 15 Building Owned/Leased: Leased Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Primary Care specializing in Women’s Practice
Family Practice/Primary Care
Location: Hickory, North Carolina List Price: $425,000 Gross Yearly Income: $1,5000,000 Year Established: 2007 Average Patients Per Day: 24-35 Total Exam Rooms: 5 Building Owned/Leased: Lease or Purchase Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Location: Morehead City, N.C. List Price: Just reduced to $20,000 or Best Offer Gross Yearly Income: $540,000 average for past 3 years Year Established: 2005 Average Patients per Day: 12 to 22 Building Owned/Leased: MD owned and can be leased or purchased Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Med Spa
Family Primary Care Practice
Practice Type: Mental Health, Neuropsychological and Psychological
Location: Minutes East of Raleigh, North Carolina List Price: $15,000 or Best Offer Gross Yearly Income: $235,000 Average Patients per Day: 8 to 12 Total Exam Rooms: 6 Physician retiring, Beautiful practice Building Owned/Leased: Owned (For Sale or Lease) Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Location: Coastal North Carolina List Price: $550,000 Gross Yearly Income: $1,600,000.00 Year Established: 2005 Average Patients Per Day: 25 to 30 Total Exam Rooms: 4 Building Owned/Leased: Leased Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Location: Wilmington, NC List Price: $110,000 Gross Yearly Income: $144,000 Year Established: 2000 Average Patients Per Day: 8 Building Owned/Leased/Price: Owned Contact: Philip or Wendy at (919) 848-4202
Special Listings Offer We are offering our “For Sale By Owner” package at a special rate. With a 6 month agreement, you receive 3 months free.
Considering your practice options? Call us today. 32
| APRIL 2017
PEDIATRICIAN
or family medicine doctor needed in
FAYETTEVILLE, NC
NC MedSpa For Sale MedSpa Located in North Carolina We have recently listed a MedSpa in NC This established practice has staff MDs, PAs and nurses to assist patients. Some of the procedures performed include: Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Perian, Juvederm, Radiesse, IPL Photoreju Venation, fractional laser resurfacing as well as customized facials. There are too many procedures to mention in this very upscale practice. The qualified buyer will be impressed with the $900,000 gross revenue. This is a new listing, and we are in the valuation process.
Comfortable seeing children. Needed immediately.
Call 919- 845-0054 or email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com
Contact Medical Practice Listings today to discuss the practice details.
For more information call Medical Practice Listings at 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com
www.medicalpracticelistings.com
PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE East of Raleigh, North Carolina We are offering a well established primary care practice only minutes east of Raleigh North Carolina. The retiring physician maintains a 5 day work week and has a solid base of patients that can easily be expanded. There are 6 fully equipped exam rooms, a large private doctor’s office, spacious business office, and patient friendly check in and out while the patient waiting room is generous overlooking manicured flowered grounds. This family practice is open Monday through Friday and treats 8 to a dozen patients per day. Currently operating on paper charts, there is no EMR in place. The Gross revenue is about $235,000 yearly. We are offering this practice for $50,000 which includes all the medical equipment and furniture. The building is free standing and can be leased or purchased. Contact Philip at 919-848-4202 to receive details and reasonable offers will be presented to the selling physician.
MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202 MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 33
We have several qualified MDs seeking established Urgent Care Practices in North Carolina.
Urgent Care Practices Wanted If you have an urgent care practice and would like to explore your selling options, please contact us. Your call will be handled confidentially and we always put together win-win solutions for the seller and buyer.
Call Medical Practice Listings today and ask for Philip Driver 919-848-4202.
Internal Medicine Practice for Sale Located in the heart of the medical community in Cary, North Carolina, this Internal Medicine practice is accepting most private and government insurance payments. The average patients per day is 20-25+, and the gross yearly income is $555,000. Listing Price: $430,000
Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Eastern North Carolina Family Practice Available Well-appointed Eastern North Carolina Family Practice established in 2000 is for sale in Williamston, NC. This organized practice boasts a wide array of diagnostic equipment including a GE DEXA scanner with a new tube, GE case 8000 stress testing treadmill and controller and back up treadmill, Autoclave and full set of operating equipment, EKG-Ez EKG and much more. The average number of patients seen daily is between 12 to 22. The building is owned by MD and can be purchased or leased. The owning physician is relocating and will assist as needed during the transition period. The gross receipts for the past three years average $650,000 and the list price was just reduced to $185,000. If you are looking to purchase a well equipped primary care practice, please contact us today. 919-848-4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com
34 | APRIL 2017
Located on NC’s Beautiful Coast,
Morehead City
Primary Care Specializing in Women’s Health Practice established in 2005, averaging over $540,000 the past 3 years. Free standing practice building for sale or lease. This practice has 5 well equipped exam rooms and is offered for $20,000. 919.848.4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com
Discounts as big as a house. Or condo. Or apartment. Lindsay Gianni, Agent 12333 Strickland Road Suite 106 Raleigh, NC 27613 Bus: 919-329-2913 lindsay.gianni.f23o@statefarm.com
North Carolina Dentist Opportunities
See just how big your savings could be. Your savings could add up to hundreds of dollars when you put all your policies together under our State Farm roof. GET TO A BETTER STATE. CALL ME TODAY. ®
™
Physician Solutions has immediate opportunities for dentists throughout NC. Top wages, professional liability insurance and accommodations provided.
1103155.1
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL
Call us today if you are available for a few days a month, on-going or for permanent placement. Please contact Physican Solutions at 919-845-0054 or physiciansolutions@gmail.com MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 35
Pediatric Practice Available Near Raleigh, NC
Pediatric practice located minutes south of Raleigh, North Carolina is now listed for sale. Located in an excellent area convenient to Raleigh, Cary, and Durham, it is surrounded by a strong health care community. This is a well established practice with a very solid patient base. The building is equipped with a private doctor’s office, five exam rooms, and an in-house lab.
Established: 1980s l Gross Yearly Income: $350,000 Average Patients per Day: 16 to 22 l List Price: $145,000
Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com
Internal Medicine Practice in the Heart of Raleigh
This is a beautiful practice, well appointed with great street visibility, parking and a very strong patient following. There are 4 exam rooms and a procedure room. The lobby is very comfortable with hardwood floors and tastefully decorated. The gross revenues are over $600,000 with a strong income after expenses.
Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com
PHYSICIANS NEEDED: Mental health facility in Eastern North Carolina seeks: PA/FT ongoing, start immediately Physician Assistant needed to work with physicians to provide primary care for resident patients. FT ongoing 8a-5p. Limited inpatient call is required. The position is responsible for performing history and physicals of patients on admission, annual physicals, dictate discharge summaries, sick call on unit assigned, suture minor lacerations, prescribe medications and order lab work. Works 8 hour shifts Monday through Friday with some extended work on rotating basis required. It is a 24 hour in-patient facility that serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. FT ongoing Medical Director, start immediately The Director of Medical Services is responsible for ensuring all patients receive quality medical care. The director supervises medical physicians and physician extenders. The Director of Medical Services also provides guidance to the following service areas: Dental Clinic, X-Ray Department, Laboratory Services, Infection Control, Speech/Language Services, Employee Health,
Pharmacy Department, Physical Therapy and Telemedicine. The Medical Director reports directly to the Clinical Director. The position will manage and participate in direct patient care as required; maintain and participate in an on-call schedule ensuring that a physician is always available to hospitalized patients; and maintain privileges of medical staff. Permanent Psychiatrist needed FT, start immediately An accredited State Psychiatric Hospital serving the eastern region of North Carolina, is recruiting for permanent full-time Psychiatrist. The 24 hour in-patient facility serves adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. The psychiatrist will serve as a team leader for multi-disciplinary team to ensure quality patient care/treatment. Responsibilities include:
evaluation of patient on admission and development of a comprehensive treatment plan, serve on medical staff committees, complete court papers, documentation of patient progress in medical record, education of patients/families, provision of educational groups for patients.
Send copies of your CV, NC medical license, DEA certificate and NPI certificate with number to Physician Solutions for immediate consideration. Physician Solutions, P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624 PH: (919) 845-0054 | email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com 36
| APRIL 2017
MD STAFFING AGENCY FOR SALE IN NORTH CAROLINA The perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to purchase an established business.
Primary Care Practice For Sale in Wilmington, NC Established primary care on the coast of North Carolina’s beautiful beaches. Fully staffed with MD’s and PA’s to treat both appointment and walk-in patients. Excellent exam room layout, equipment and visibility. Contact Medical Practice Listings for more information.
l One
of the oldest Locums companies client list l Dozens of MDs under contract l Executive office setting l Modern computers and equipment l Revenue over a million per year l Retiring owner l Large
Medical Practice Listings
Please direct all correspondence to driverphilip@gmail.com. Only serious, qualified inquirers.
919.848.4202 | medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 37
Modern Med Spa Available
Located in beautiful coastal North Carolina Modern, well-appointed med spa is available in the eastern part of the state. This Spa specializes in BOTOX, facial therapy and treatments, laser hair removal, eye lash extensions and body waxing as well as a menu of anti-aging options. This impressive practice is perfect as-is and can accommodate additional services like primary health or dermatology. The Gross revenue is over $1,500.000 with consistent high revenue numbers for the past several years. The average number of patients seen daily is between 26 and 32 with room for improvement. You will find this Med Spa to be in a highly visible location with upscale amenities. The building is leased and the lease can be assigned or restructured. Highly profitable and organized, this spa is POISED FOR SUCCESS. 919.848.4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com
Practice for Sale in Raleigh, NC
Urology Practice minutes from Lake Norman, North Carolina
Primary care practice specializing in women’s care Raleigh, North Carolina The owning physician is willing to continue with the practice for a reasonable time to assist with smooth ownership transfer. The patient load is 35 to 40 patients per day, however, that could double with a second provider. Exceptional cash flow and profit will surprise even the most optimistic practice seeker. This is a remarkable opportunity to purchase a well-established woman’s practice. Spacious practice with several well-appointed exam rooms and beautifully decorated throughout. New computers and medical management software add to this modern front desk environment. List price: $435,000
Urology Practice minutes from Lake Norman is now listed for sale. This excellent located practice is convenient to Charlotte, Gastonia, Lincolnton and Hickory. With a solid patient base, procedures currently include; Adult & Pediatric Urology, Kidney Stones, Bladder Problems, Incontinence, Prostate Issues, Urinary Tract Infections, Wetting Problems, Erectile Dysfunction and related issues. Three exam rooms with two electronic tables and one flat exam table. Established: 1980 l Gross Yearly Income: $275,000 Average Patients per Day: 12 to 15 l List Price: $165,000
Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for details and to view our other listings visit www.medicalpracticelistings.com
38 | APRIL 2017
Contact Philip or Danielle at 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com
Pediatrics Practice Wanted
State of Cha-Ching.
Pediatrics Practice Wanted in NC Considering your options regarding your pediatric practice? We can help. Medical Practice Listings has a well qualified buyer for a pediatric practice anywhere in central North Carolina.
Lindsay Gianni, Agent 12333 Strickland Road Suite 106 Raleigh, NC 27613 Bus: 919-329-2913 lindsay.gianni.f23o@statefarm.com
Get discounts up to 35% * Saving money is important. That’s why you can count on me to get you all the discounts you deserve. GET TO A BETTER STATE . CALL ME TODAY. ™
Contact us today to discuss your options confidentially.
Medical Practice Listings Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com
*Discounts and their availability may vary by state and eligibility requirements. For more information, please see or call a State Farm agent. 1101216.1 State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL
PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE - Hickory, North Carolina This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire one of the most organized and profitable primary care practices in the area. Grossing a million and a half yearly, the principal physician enjoys ordinary practice income of over $300,000 annually. Hickory is located in the foot-hills of North Carolina and is surrounded by picturesque mountains, lakes, upscale shopping malls and the school systems are excellent. If you are looking for an established practice that runs like a well oiled machine, request more information. The free standing building that houses this practice is available to purchase or rent with an option. There are 4 exam rooms with a well appointed procedure room. The owning physician works 4 to 5 days per week and there is a full time physician assistant staffed as well. For the well qualified purchasing physician, the owner may consider some owner-financing. Call us today. List price: $425,000 | Year Established: 2007 | Gross Yearly Income: $1,500,000
MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202 MED MONTHLY MAGAZINE
| 39
is now hiring MD’s, PA’s, NP’s and DDS’s, in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
Ongoing and intermittent shifts are available for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and dentists as well as permanent placement. Find out why providers choose Physician Solutions. P.O. Box 98313, Raleigh, NC 27624 Scan this QR code with your smartphone to learn more.
phone: 919.845.0054 fax: 919.845.1947 e-mail: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com