Physician Solutions August 2016

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS magazine

August 2016

STRONG MEDICAL PRACTICE LEADERS

UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITION pg. 26

Position Your Practice for Success with a PA or NP pg. 18

the ing Position ctice Your Pra ess For Succ issue

How a Quality Website Can Assist in Your Practice’s Growth pg. 28

How to Position Your Dental Practice for Success pg. 22

contents

features

18 POSITION YOUR PRACTICE FOR SUCCESS WITH A PA OR NP 22 HOW TO POSITION YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE FOR SUCCESS

26

26 STRONG MEDICAL PRACTICE LEADERS UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITION 28 HOW A QUALITY WEBSITE CAN ASSIST IN YOUR PRACTICE’S GROWTH HOW TO POSITION YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE FOR SUCCESS

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STRONG MEDICAL PRACTICE LEADERS UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITION

practice tips 6

TOOLS TO ADD TO YOUR MEDICAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

8

RETENTION OF PATIENT MEDICAL RECORDS: How Long and Which Ones?

10 STAFF YOUR PRACTICE WITH MAGNETIC PERSONALITIES

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Ongoing and intermittent shifts are available for physicians, mid-levels and DDS, 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

PhysicianSolutions August 2016 Publisher Creative Director Contributors

Philip Driver Thomas Hibbard Naren Arulrajah Barbara Hales, M.D. Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE Thomas Hibbard Denise Price Thomas Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C Vikas Vij

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.

TheWriteTreatment.com

Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE

Physician Solutions 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 Physician Solutions, please email us at physiciansolutions@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.

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

Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C is a PA who has practiced in primary care and geriatrics. She enjoys part-time clinical practice and is the President and CEO of Utilization Solutions in Healthcare – a specialty consultant company for physician practices and hospitals, offering services to help implement and improve the utilization of PAs and NPs in the health care system. Contact her with questions at lisa@pushpa.biz PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | 5

practice tips

TOOLS TO ADD TO YOUR MEDICAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

By Barbara Hales, M.D. www.thewritetreatment.com You’ve taken the time to create the best health content and medical information. Now you would like to share it and there are tools to help you easily do just that. Implementing them into your marketing strategy will produce measurable results.

According to a study by Content Marketing Institute this past year, less than one-third of marketers felt effective at content marketing. With these tools, you can confidently step out of the 70% group that gets no marketing results!

Check Out These Tools 1. Klout This tool enables you to track how your content was received. Discovering how many retweets and likes will tell you whether you are on the right track or just spinning your wheels. Remember, sharing content also means content that is relevant and interesting to your viewers. If it is not, there is no point in spending the time creating it. Rather, concentrate on the areas that your fans liked the most.

Klout also suggests the experts you should follow in your area; this is always a good strategy.

2. Curata Content Marketing Platform This platform enables you to analyze the impact of your content, streamline production and build a content supply chain. It features a personalized content calendar and enables data driven insights to be incorporated into your health content.

3. Ahrefs “Track your backlinks, keywords, brand mentions and know what your competitors are doing” according to the company site. Tools incorporated into this site include: • Site Explorer • Positions Explorer • Content Explorer • Position Tracker • Crawl Report • Ahrefs Alert

‘‘

“With these tools, you can confidently step out of the 70% group that gets no marketing results!”

4. BuzzSumo As listed on its own homepage, BuzzSumo analyzes what content performs best for any topic or competitor and finds key influencers to promote your content. Just by entering your keyword, data pops up and allows you to see which content performs the most effectively for this word.

It also has a backlinks tool which displays which websites link to the top 22|| AUGUST DECEMBER 2013 6 2016

content for a given keyword. After posting, you can connect to these websites for feedback and a link.

5. Buffer Buffer allows you to share your informative and relevant content on social media, producing meaningful results. Putting out your content at strategic times does this. Your viewers and fans see your posts more frequently since it’s posted when they are on. This way, you maximize each post. Using Buffer to schedule updates ahead of time is a good plan. Buffer can schedule videos and photos as well.

6. Google Analytics This free tool enables you to track several facets of your content marketing. Information that it provides includes: • Content that is best received • Amount of traffic each piece of content garners • Where the traffic is generated from (driven by website SEO or social media) • Keywords that drive traffic most With this information, you will be able to take positive action.

7. Google Trends This tool supplies you with the top trending stories throughout the day. You can also find topics through the search bar. Not only is this helpful in deciding what to blog about and topics for your content, but also you will be shared. People like to share stories and content on social media when it’s trending.

This is a free tool but trends don’t last long so you have to jump on your ideas.

8. HubSpot This tool focuses on increasing ads and converting them to clients or consumers of your services and products. Features include: • Social media • Website SEO • Blogging • Landing pages • Calls-to-Action • Lead management • Email campaigns • Marketing automation • Analytics

This site is sophisticated, providing a number of helpful features but when mastered, this tool helps you grow along with it.

Add Your Content to Social Media Want to know who is part of your Twitter and Instagram fan group? Check out SocialRank.

SocialRank is a tool that gives you access to ways for identifying and handling your followers by: • Sorting your followers so that your message goes to the right people at a specific time. Filtering is done by location, activity and keywords.

• Separates your followers by most engaged, most followed, most valuable.

Once you have identified the appropriate people, send direct messages and build lists.

Feeling overwhelmed? Just try out one of these tools and master it before moving onto the next one.

Still developing anxiety? No worries. Call for a free consultation and we can discuss it or you can outsource it to us. Call 516-647-3002. 

The Write Treatment

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

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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practice tips

Retention of Patient Medical Records:

How Long and Which Ones?

Medical record retention continues to be a significant issue for health care providers. Having confidence in your ability to determine appropriate eligibility for destruction is key to maintaining a defensible position. Trying to find clarity and direction through state laws can be challenging given the age of some state laws, the limited wording about retention triggers, and their focus on hard copy storage.

Disposition triggers are crucial to effective management of records, yet state laws often contain language that lack clarity about which types of medical records need to be retained, in what format, and specifics on lifespan of a patient’s history. Healthcare providers are often under pressure to reduce volume and storage costs for records. How should state laws be interpreted in order to sustain a defensible disposition?

Ideally a law should clearly stipulate requirements 8

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for retention and disposition of records to avoid uncertainty. The reality, however, is that organizations must make decisions based on current language in the law. In the absence of clarity, some providers retain records cumulatively to reduce risk of premature destruction and loss of valuable data, while others have chosen incremental destruction, which may create gaps in the overall medical history, but reduces shortterm storage costs. Understanding the risks involved in the interpretation of disposition triggers and ensuring consistent compliance becomes a critical issue.

In time, the less-than-clear state laws may be revised for clarity, specify the need to retain cumulatively, and identify procedures for electronic records.

Until then it is recommended that providers take the initiative to define their level of risk over the long term, document its policies and procedures, imple-

ment accordingly, and ensure consistency in disposition practices. Here are factors to consider: • Are there quality of care or legal obligations to retain a medical record cumulatively to ensure the physician has access to the full patient history?

• Have you considered the risks in not having legacy patient information available when a patient returns, if incremental destruction is occurring?

• Do your policies and procedures address the specific types of records that must be retained and identify the disposition trigger for all types of records?

• Are you well-equipped to manage destruction consistently to avoid legal issues and penalties?

These are important questions that impact risk, costs of retaining or destroying, and compliance with

state laws. If your organization has not yet brought together Legal, Compliance/Risk, IT, and HIM groups to develop policy, consider the benefits that can be achieved and begin the process. Identifying a defensible, practical, and achievable strategy that can be implemented consistently over time is paramount.

Local, regional, or national professional associations are a good place to voice issues and share concerns.

Your participation in these forums will increase visibility and leverage our collective knowledge. And, by working with an expert partner, you can leverage their learnings and experience to implement policies that can directly impact your volume and costs, and help achieve consistency in medical record retention.  Source: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/retentionpatient-medical-records-how-long-and-which-ones PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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practice tips

Staff Your Practice with MAGNETIC PERSONALITIES

By Denise Price Thomas The sun was shining, lunch on the patio was great and the waitress was exceptional! She was so attentive and she greeted each person at our table with a smile. She began taking our orders as she listened very carefully to each one of us. It seemed as though she would be preparing each dish personally. And it didn’t stop there. Every order was exactly right as she placed them in front of each person correctly. We didn’t want to leave! It wasn’t just because it was such a nice sunny day, it was her “magnetic personality”. We didn’t want this lunch experience to end.

Recently, I had an appointment to take my car in to be serviced. The young man greeted me as I walked through the door, calling my name. “Good morning, Mrs. Thomas, other than your regular service, is there anything else we can help you with today?” WOW! He was expecting me and he knew my name…I was impressed! It wasn’t just that day, it’s any day I am there.

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Each person is cordial, wearing a smile and dressed in clean and neat clothing. It doesn’t end there, when I return to pick my car up, it was cleaner than when I left it. The service manager once again appeared with that sincere smile and explained in detail what they had done. There’s that magnetic personality again.

When interviewing applicants, what is the #1 characteristic you are looking for in an employee?

I’ve always said, “We can teach the skills, but we can’t teach the attitude.” Each individual must choose their attitude. We cannot choose it for them (unfortunately) and we cannot force it on them. However, we can offer encouragement and provide training for them to be the very best they can be. In business, you reap the benefits of your employees having a positive attitude OR you suffer because of the attitude. That’s why it is so important to hire those “magnetic personalities.”

I remember many examples that have set the stage

for success or failure. While serving on steering committees, it was great to be able to share true stories peer to peer. I think each one of us at one time or another had hired a “warm body” at some point, just because we needed SOMEONE….ANYONE! But when that “warm body” doesn’t look you in the eye, when that “warm body” doesn’t listen to instructions, when that “warm body” doesn’t offer a smile to the patient, when that “warm body” is negative every day, you begin to realize that you are setting yourself up for failure.

Today, I attended a physician’s practice as a patient advocate. The very first employee that we met was on her personal cell phone behind a closed clear window.

After 2 minutes, she slid that closed clear window open (which, by the way, was in desperate need of WD40) and said, “What’s the name!?!” She wasn’t at all glad to see us and we had an appointment. She did not own one of those “magnetic personalities” but, oh, how I wished that waitress or mechanic worked there!

Instead, we were told to have a seat and complete the paperwork. When we were called back to see the physician, we quickly discovered the person who made the appointment (who was also the person behind the closed window on the cell phone) had given incorrect information.

The physician apologized and sent us to another facility for an xray. On the way out, we informed the person behind the clear window that we were given incorrect information and that there was no x-ray on site. She said nothing, no apology, no nothing. The reason I emphasize that it was a clear window is that patients really can see in them. Two and one-half hours later, we had the x-ray. Unfortunately, magnet personalities were missing in action today.

When I am planning a lunch meeting, where do I go? You guessed it, back to that magnetic personality.

When I am taking my car in to be serviced, where do I schedule it? You are right again, back to that magnetic personality.

Would I be comfortable in recommending that physician’s practice to another patient? Why should I be?

There is no magnet there. There was no connection at all.

I’ve also learned a very important lesson. When patients have a good rapport with support staff, when they are happy with their physician, they are loyal to their physician and are less likely to file a claim.

Are all employees happy every day? Of course not,

but to me, it’s their job to tune out their own feelings and tune in to the patient’s feelings. I have personally found that when I am having a bad day and I turn my attention to helping others, my bad day goes away.

Sparkling service is simple. Once again it comes down to treating others the way you would like for your family member to be treated. When I am the patient advocate alongside a family member or a friend, I cannot measure the clinical skills of each person.

However I can measure the way that we feel when we are around them. A sincere smile, eye contact, taking time to listen, caring, offering compassion, they cost nothing and mean everything. It doesn’t stop here, it continues every day. It must be consistent to be successful. Once again, it’s that “magnetic personality” and it’s free!

So when you are interviewing for that “warm body” make certain that warmth isn’t coming from the dragon inside.

As for the waitress, I gave her my business card and told her if she ever decided to pursue a career in healthcare to please let me know. 

“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 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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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

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

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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/ 14

Georgia 237 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 (478)207-2440 https://gbd.georgia.gov/

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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

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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.dora.state.co.us/medical/ 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 16

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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/default.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/

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features

Position Your Practice for Success with a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner

By Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C President/CEO Utilization Solutions in Healthcare, Inc

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| AUGUST 2016

In this time of health reform physician practices are challenged to transition to value based healthcare, without a clear understanding of exactly how to operationally move away from the traditional fee for service model. Shifting to payment systems that reward providers for performance on quality metrics and patient outcomes are relatively new to independent primary care practitioners who are already working at or near capacity. Expanding access to care for a consumer driven patient has become the new normal.

Leveraging and incorporating Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) within the practice team is an effective and high quality solution. PAs make up over 10% of the primary care workforce and play a critical role (along with NPs) delivering care in federally qualified health centers. PAs and NPs are estimated to do about 85% of the work a physician would otherwise provide in the primary care setting. It has been discussed by many sources that the population of patients being managed is sicker and more complex than initially imagined. Nationwide, hospitals and health systems are moving toward using more PAs and NPs and there is a much greater emphasis on team based care. Increasing capacity of the health system to meet the growing numbers of patients seeking care is critical and necessary.

As hospitals and health care systems continue to address quality patient care and improved access for patients to care, team based care is becoming more the norm. It is cost effective and efficient to hire a PA or NP to perform 85% or more of the clinical tasks that were traditionally performed by physicians, and to leverage support staff including care managers to engage patients for improved health outcomes.

Organized medicine is catching on to not only the value for patients but also the return on investment when team based care is used to improve the health of their patients.

PAs are fond of the term delegated autonomy. This is simply defined as the more experience you have clinically, the more independently you will work. There should be a consistent growth pattern to the relationship between the collaborating physician and the PA or NP and with time, this builds more and more trust. Expanding the scope of practice in the clinical setting should occur more and more with time and, in time, the PA or NP should be practicing to the “top of his/her license.”

Especially in primary care, PAs and NPs attract and manage a significant following of patients. In many states, PAs may be designated as primary care providers as part of a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Many third party payers offer enhanced payment incentives for achieving PCMH designation. In these models, the PA or NP will see both walk-in acute care patients as well as those assigned to him/her on a long term basis.

Redesigning teams to include increased numbers of primary care providers, not just physicians but also Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs), is a significant part of the solution to alleviate the well-known shortage in primary care. Now with even greater added financial incentives for quality care delivery, improved utilization of Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) will be an integral part of the primary care delivery solution.  References: http://www.witf.org/news/2014/10/how-pas-are-re-shaping-health-care.php http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/2014/1409TheRoleOfPhysicianAssistants.pdf http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/4-ways-improve-primary-care-delivery/2014-10-02?utm_ campaign=SocialMedia Lisa P. Shock, MHS, PA-C, is a seasoned PA who is the Senior Director of Clinical Operations at WakeMed/ Key Community Care, a large Accountable Care Organization in Raleigh, NC. She enjoys part time clinical practice and is the President and CEO of Utilization Solutions in Healthcare – a specialty consultant company for physician practices and hospitals, offering a wide range of services to help implement and improve upon the utilization of PAs and NPs in the health care system. Contact her at lisa@pushpa.biz PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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Editorial Calendar: Sept. - Social Media and Your Practice Oct. - Income Resources to Consider

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features

How to Position Your Dental Practice for Success

By Naren Arulrajah with Vikas Vij Ekwa Marketing

T

he delivery of excellent oral care is pivotal to running a successful dental practice. Patients after all base their opinion of a practice largely on the kind of service they receive. However, running a healthcare practice is no easy task. Ensuring patients enjoy positive brand impressions while seamlessly managing the day-to-day running of the clinic takes a lot of time and effort.

And it doesn’t stop there; healthcare brands need to continuously focus on expanding their brand presence if they want to attract new patients.

Some brands succeed at this while others find the task of maintain-

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ing and pushing for greater market space in the midst of running the practice difficult.

In the majority of cases, healthcare practices find themselves so caught up in the day-to-day running of the practice that they tend to ignore other vital aspects of running a successful practice.

Positioning your dental practice for success requires careful planning and monitoring of the various aspects of running a practice while also looking for areas that need or can be further improved. The end goal is always patient satisfaction which also is the foundation of running a practice with heart.

What Makes Your Practice Special?

Every brand has its own story, its own set of services and care attributes that provide competitive advantages, and its own unique pitch point. These factors help a brand stand apart from its competitors. However, most brands fail to identify and/or successfully project their unique selling point (USP) thus missing out on huge competitive advantages. The very first step in positioning your practice for success revolves around effectively promoting your distinct brand perspective. This is what provides potential patients with a reason to

connect with your dental brand and helps you retain your current patient volume.

Start by identifying your dental brand USP which could be a specific service you provide or it could be easy payment and scheduling options for patients or even aftercare services that give your brand a distinct perspective. Promote these aspects of your brand in all your patient interactions and in all your dental advertising programs which includes your newsletter and social content. Benefits of such an exercise include greater awareness of your brand, the opportunity to showcase continued on page 24

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what your brand can offer by way of service and care advantages, and easy brand promotion in local markets.

Engagement, Engagement, Engagement

You’ve probably heard or read about the importance of engaging with your patients over and over again. Well, it’s not without reason.

Patient engagement is crucial to building a loyal patient following.

Today’s patients expect brands to engage with them beyond offering of products and services. They expect brands to engage and connect with them on a personal level. So if you are thinking that convenient hours and good service will keep patients coming back to your office, think again.

The nature of digital space is such that patient engagement has not only become interactive but much of it happens in real time so practices have the opportunity to continuously build interest and trust in their brands. Use your social channels, newsletters, and/or email marketing program to connect with patients in their moment of need. Give them reasons to connect with you and tell them what they can gain by coming back to you.

Patient Referrals Are Important to Practice Success

Word-of-mouth advertising has secured a place in both traditional and modern marketing arenas as an effective marketing strategy for pulling in new consumers. A recommendation from trusted sources is one of the leading reasons behind why consumers decide to engage 24

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or buy from a brand. Your patients are no different. They will prefer a healthcare practice that comes recommended from a family or friend or colleague.

However, patient referrals is a two way street. There has to be something of value to be gained on both sides. In short, if you expect your patients to refer you to their contacts, then you need to make it worth their while. A referral rewards program is not only the best but it is also the most effective option for encouraging patient referrals. Another way to encourage referrals is by actually directly asking your patients to refer their contacts. You will be surprised at how responsive patients can actually get when they are asked by their healthcare providers to refer contacts. If you are wondering why, the reason is simple – at its very basic, this is a relationship/trust building action. It makes them feel special and important to you. So go ahead and ask for a referral!

Consider Expanding Your Practice

A vital component in positioning your dental practice for success revolves around expanding your service offerings. If you want your brand to have greater representation in the market, then you need to also consider how or what you can do to expand your services in a way that will improve brand value and further consolidate your market position. Practice expansion can happen in a number of ways – you could actually move into a bigger or new space, think of expanding your current location, include new service offerings, improve or add new technology, or even bring in new service associates.

Regardless of what step you decide to take, it is important that you do so after careful deliberation and planning. Keep in mind functional and financial limitations of any such action. However, if you feel the time is right and your practice can withstand the change and substantially gain in the long run then go ahead by all means. Practice stagnation can eat away at not only your revenue and goodwill, but it also dilutes passion and motivation of not only the service providers but also of the staff.

Few Other Considerations

Success is easy to visualize but much difficult in practice. The above mentioned points highlight some of the bigger aspects of gaining practice success. Now let us look at some of the smaller yet no less vital aspects of positioning your dental practice for success.

Optimize Your Scheduling System A scheduling system is more than just appointment booking.

An optimized scheduling system is crucial to practice productivity as it improves patient flow. It also helps in ensuring the patient, service providers, and the staff move in sync, and is also a great touch point for delivering excellent customer service. You might want to consider upgrading your scheduling software so it is more accessible to patients and easier for your staff to navigate and manage.

Provide Flexible Financial Options With so many dental practices out there, every little reason to attract new patients and hold on to your current patients can be the

difference between a successful and a not-so successful practice. Easy payment options are an important consideration for patients when selecting a dental practice. Also keep in mind that not all patients opt for insurance coverage so you might want to work on better or easy payment options for those patients who come to you without insurance coverage. Dental coverage is not as comprehensive as regular medical coverage so for patients with dental insurance, try and work with insurance providers to come up with payment options that are beneficial to not only your practice but also your patients.

of service delivery you provide. So every step that a patient takes towards your practice right from the first point of contact is an opportunity for building brand impressions.

Ensure patients find it easy and convenient to navigate your digital assets (website, social sites, review and rating sites, blog) and also your physical location. Make sure your staff is professional and courteous to patients and committed to delivering excellent patient interactions. Issue resolutions should be carefully planned for and carried out at all times if you want patients to keep coming back to you.

Build on Your Dental Brand Culture Your dental brand culture is not something that exists only in the digital space. It is emulated in every aspect of your practice and the kind

Positioning your dental practice for success in a competitive market space can be difficult, but not impossible to achieve. The best way to beat competition is by identifying and highlighting those aspects of

Conclusion

your practice that make you a better or smarter choice for patients.

Positioning your practice for success also involves winning the trust of potential and current patients. So brand building and patient engagement need to be as much a practice priority as practice expansion.  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 855-598-3320 to speak one-on-one with Naren.

features

Strong Medical Practice Leaders Understand the Competition

By Nick Hernandez, MBA, FACHE CEO and Founder of ABISA 26

| AUGUST 2016

Physician owners and practice managers must be keenly aware of what competing practices are doing as well as practices outside of their catchment area. Practice management requires a firm focus on the competition; identifying its strengths and vulnerabilities is crucial. Since managing a successful practice requires decision and action based on situational awareness, identification of your competition’s expectations and preparations is extremely important.

Because the healthcare landscape is changing so rapidly, accurate and timely information regarding what competing practices are doing is a prerequisite for success. It is said that Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (an intelligent German WWII commander dubbed the “Desert Fox”) once declared, “It is not that one general is more brilliant or experienced than the other; it is a question of which general has a better appreciation of the battlefield.”

This is why I maintain that knowledge of your competition is a key function of effective practice management. To be clear, practice management is about making and executing decisions, but a market analysis can help support a smart decision-making process.

What is a Market Analysis?

A market analysis is not just a product, but also a process. A market analysis seeks to identify and evaluate existing conditions and capabilities, estimate possible competitive courses of action, and assist in the development of your practice’s course of action.

Gathering Information

Information gathered during the course of managing a practice is essential to the development of a timely and accurate market analysis. Indeed all staff members are involved in information gathering in one way or another and thus their knowledge should be tapped in order to better shape the market picture. Aside from gleaning information from your own staff, turning to your professional colleagues is certainly another great trusted source. Beyond those two avenues, you may want to consider linking up with a qualified consultant. These individuals have access to multiple markets, associations, networks and resources (perhaps even your competition). Additionally, they also can prepare a detailed analysis based on your particular specialty and service line and can more easily pulse the market due to their independent status.

Interpreting the Information

Once you have obtained the information necessary to build a picture of the competitive landscape, you are confronted with other challenges. Most importantly, you must properly interpret the information. Many mistakes in market analyses are not the result of a failure to collect the correct information, but rather a failure to discern the correct meaning from the information collected.

Admittedly, any assessment of the competition’s intentions is ultimately an estimate. While a good market analysis can identify the possibilities and probabilities, there will always be an element of uncertainty in these estimates.

However, when properly focused and given adequate time and resources, a market analysis can come close to meeting these standards. It is important to note though that practices operate in a healthcare environment characterized by uncertainty. Uncertainty is also a fundamental attribute of competition. So, even if the correct information is obtained, there is no guarantee that it will be interpreted correctly or that it will not change.

Gaps in our knowledge of the competition are a natural and unavoidable characteristic of operating within the healthcare industry. We must remember though that a competent market analysis can help reduce some of that uncertainty and help pave the way for strategic planning and business operations within your practice. 

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features

How a Quality Website Can Assist in Your Practice’s Growth

By Thomas Hibbard Creative Director, Physician Solutions

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M

edical practices, in general, are small businesses, and small businesses advertise to grow their enterprises. Therefore, having a website is an important component to any successful advertising campaign. Websites are “the new storefronts” and medical practices should not be missing out on this valuable opportunity.

Acknowledging the fact that doctors are either some of the first or some of the last to adopt new forms of media and marketing to maximize their practice, the world is constantly evolving and patient behaviors are changing.

Patients are spending more time online, searching the internet for answers to their medical questions. Many surfers, between 50 and 90 million, are researching health-related questions. They get their answers from a variety of online resources, and eventually some will seek to establish a patient-physician relationship for specific medical advice and treatment. This is your core audience.

Traditional means of finding a physician are still used (i.e. word-of-mouth, yellow pages), but it is becoming more common for patients to choose or evaluate their physicians from their selection of choices on the internet. This is especially true for prospective patients who have just recently relocated to a new area.

Having a medical practice website that is attractive, concise, well organized, and easy to navigate, can reap many benefits for a practice, including: • Increased marketability to prospective patients, including information about the practice’s mission, location, and medical services to new patients • Improved patient services with downloadable patient forms, and easy directions to the practice • Enhanced professional image among colleagues, an important referral base.

Additionally, adding the web address to marketing material, business cards, and other office letterhead can increase awareness

Website Design Tips Some basic tips to keep in mind when designing any medical practice website are: • Use a good color scheme to enhance readability • Leave white space for the eyes to rest - a crowded page is more difficult to read • Speed is essential. Your homepage should load within 3-5 seconds. Don’t “bloat” pages with too much text or graphics. If copy runs too long, make another page • Use a consistent navigation so the user can easily traverse the site • Limit use of multimedia and animation to appropriate areas. These can slow down a site and frustrate the viewer • Use clear, sharp photos of the office, patients, and medical staff • Keep It Simple - Starting and ending a medical website project can be challenging. Therefore, it’s recommended that practices start with a finite scope, then add to the website after a few months of service. In the world of web, often less is more

6 “Musts” for a Medical Practice Website 1. Bio Page. The most online traffic will be to your bio page of physicians and staff. Make sure all information is current and complete, including any new specialties, certifications and medical associations to keep patients informed.

2. Patient registration and forms. Ensure patients can make appointments, register and access important forms no matter where they are. Putting the continued on page 30

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registration form under “new patient” or “welcome” on one’s site will allow patients to find it easily.

A registration form is okay to have on your website, but avoid posting any forms about patient’s personal medical information because they would not be secure and could be a HIPAA violation.

3. Accessible contact information.

Display contact information clearly on every page. Make sure it shows up on local search results, and include the address on the footer of each page.

4. Services and insurance. List all services and insurance companies your practice accepts. Practices should keep this open-ended, so that if the patient’s insurer is not listed, he or she can call for options.

5. Timely news and updates. Make sure to display recent blogs, news and other alerts or updates to make sure the website looks fresh and timely. This helps patients feel comfortable that their doctor is engaged with the community and current issues. It also makes the practice look fresher, bigger and more sophisticated. Practices will also be rewarded by Google if they show they are constantly updating the site and will rank higher than other practices.

6. Patient education resources.

Patients are relying more and more on the internet for medical information and news, which can often lead to confusion and inaccurate diagnoses. With so many people looking for health information online, it is critical your healthcare practice website include easy to understand educational content and that you direct patients to the information after a diagnosis is made. It also plays an important role in your online marketing efforts. If you provide patient education on your 30

| AUGUST 2016

website and a patient is searching for a particular set of symptoms or conditions, they are much more likely to find you if your content is relevant to their search.

And what better way to find a qualified provider than through the educational content on your website.

Once You Have a Website If your medical practice has a website, it may have been a while since you last updated it, or perhaps you’re not using it to its fullest potential. One option is to include frequently asked questions (FAQs) online. You can also use your website to offer online scheduling for things such as flushot clinics, or to offer downloadable electronic forms. And don’t forget about promotion. If you have a flatscreen TV set in your waiting room, you should have information playing about your website.

Attract With a Low-Risk Offer Another option to attract viewers is to have an irresistible low-risk offer on the practice homepage for a prospective patient enticing them to want to take the next step and learn more about your practice, services and staff. A low-risk or irresistible offer is usually something free for the prospective patient or reader of your website. It can be a coupon, a free pamphlet, a checklist, or a free DVD that engages and entices the reader to want to know more about who you are and what you offer. Just about everyone will give you their email address to get something free. If you make it easy to get ‘something of value’ for free, people inevitably will take you up on the offer. You then have a lead and can start accumulating a clearer message to those now showing interest in your practice.

Increase Your SEO High traffic is important but all your efforts will be for nothing if your visitors can’t find you when using important keywords and phrases.

Realize they’re not going to Google Search the name of your practice.

They’ll most likely search your name, city and services offered.

Don’t Use FLASH You have between 3 and 5 seconds for your web site homepage to load.

Visitors judge the value of your practice and business in a matter of seconds. Bear in mind, the more you add to your site, the longer it takes to load. The amount of visibility you’re losing with a Flash movie on your homepage makes it more likely the viewers will leave your website rather than fight with the hassles of adding a Java download to speed up their viewing. And iPhones and iPads do not support Flash, so you’ll lose some of your potential viewers. Google doesn’t read Flash script either, so it won’t help you climb up the SEO ranks either.

Final Thoughts These tips are only some of the actions you can take to design an attractive, inviting website and to increase the effectiveness of your web presence. A combination of professional web design and regularly updated, relevant content (i.e. stories, articles, blog posts, etc.) are able to make your website more interesting and cause your visitors will stay longer and interact with you more.

Google also gives websites that keep current information recognition with higher rankings in their results pages. As long as your site is dynamic and informative, your patients will keep visiting and you’ve increased the growth potential of your medical practice. 

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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

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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

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| AUGUST 2016

Pediatric Practice Available Near Raleigh, NC

North Carolina Dentist Opportunities

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 Physician Solutions has immediate opportunities for dentists throughout NC. Top wages, professional liability insurance and accommodations provided.

Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

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 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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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

PEDIATRICIAN

or family medicine doctor needed in

FAYETTEVILLE, NC

Comfortable seeing children. Needed immediately.

Call 919- 845-0054 or email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com 34 | AUGUST 2016

Women’s Health Practice in Morehead City, Newly listed Primary Care specializing in Women’s care located in the beautiful coastal city of Morehead City. This spacious practice has 5 exam rooms with one electronic tilting exam table and 4 other Ritter exam tables. Excellent visibility and parking make this an ideal location to market and expand. This practice is fully equipped and is ready for a new owner that is ready to hit the ground running. The owning MD is retiring and will be accommodating during the transition period. This medical building is owned and is offered for sale, lease or lease to own. The gross receipts for the past 3 years exceed $540,000 per year. If you are looking to purchase an excellent practice located in a picturesque setting, please contact us today.

Call 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com

MD STAFFING AGENCY FOR SALE IN NORTH CAROLINA The perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to purchase an established business.

Med Spa in the Raleigh-Durham, NC Area l One

of the oldest Locums companies l Large 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

Beautiful Med Spa located in the Raleigh-Durham is among our newest listings.

This very upscale facility is established and boosts consistent gross revenues of a million plus. Some of the procedures performed are: Botox, Dermal Fillers, Minimal light based treatments, laser hair removal, cool sculpting (external cooling treatment that freezes the hair and the body metabolizes the fat). This practice is ideal for the Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist.

Please direct all correspondence to driverphilip@gmail.com.

Only serious, qualified inquirers.

Established: 2010 l Annual Revenue: $1,000,000 Average Patients per Day: 15 to 25

Call 919-848-4202 or email 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 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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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.

Contact Medical Practice Listings today to discuss the practice details.

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

For more information call Medical Practice Listings at 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com

www.medicalpracticelistings.com

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

36 | AUGUST 2016

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

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Pediatrics Practice Wanted 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.

Contact us today to discuss your options confidentially.

Medical Practice Listings Call 919-848-4202 or e-mail medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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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

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.

Practice for Sale in Raleigh, NC 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

Medical Practice Listings

919.848.4202 | medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com 38 | AUGUST 2016

Call Medical Practice Listings at (919) 848-4202 for details and to view our other listings visit www.medicalpracticelistings.com

We have several qualified MDs seeking established Urgent Care Practices in North Carolina.

Urology Practice minutes from Lake Norman, 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.

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 today and ask for Philip Driver 919-848-4202.

Contact Philip or Danielle at 919-848-4202 or email medlistings@gmail.com

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 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

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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 phone: 919-845-0054 fax: 919-845-1947 www.physiciansolutions.com physiciansolutions@gmail.com

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