Physician Solutions September 2015

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS magazine

SEPTEMBER 2015

The Key to Running a Successful Healthcare Practice pg. 20

WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN A PRACTICE? pg. 24

the

Medical Office S taff issue

Hiring Your Medical Practice Staff pg. 26

contents

THE KEY TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL HEALTHCARE PRACTICE

20

features 20 THE KEY TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL HEALTHCARE PRACTICE 24 WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN A PRACTICE? 26 HIRING YOUR MEDICAL PRACTICE STAFF

ICD-10 LIKELY TO MOVE AHEAD

6

practice tips 6

ICD-10 LIKELY TO MOVE AHEAD

8

OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR!

10 HOW TO USE BALANCE TO BEAT BURNOUT 12 ONLINE PATIENT REVIEWS: 3 Steps to Controlling Your Online Reputation

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

publisher’s letter I am excited to announce the name change of our medical magazine from Med Monthly to Physician Solutions. This is a ‘branding’ move that is more in line with the theme of our message, “Keeping doctors, practices and medical professionals informed on the latest in practice enhancements”. The on-line site will continue to be MedMonthly.com and will feature the new Physician Solutions magazine. You can also access the magazine from www.physiciansolutions.com Thank you writers and readers for your continued support and your comments.

Julia Solooki, MBA, has a very informative article regarding the upcoming deadline for the ICD-10 change that will impact every practice in the USA. Julia tells us “The cost of implementing ICD-10 is turning out to be much lower than previously estimated. The per provider expenditure, according to a survey, will be around $3,400”.

Barbara Hales, MD, provides essential information regarding marketing your practice. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Instagram, and blogs are becoming increasingly popular with doctors, dentists, and practice administrators for sharing important details about their practice. Web designers can easily provide links from your practice website to these different media outlets that allow more patients and potential patients to find you. Barbara is a respected physician that has moved on to informing practices of cutting edge marketing techniques.

Follow Dr. Hales in Physician Solutions and on her site, The Write Treatment.

Starla Fitch, MD, writes “How to Use Balance to Beat Burnout”.

Starla shares her knowledge about finding a balance in your professional life and avoiding burnout that not only affects medical staffers, but every profession in America.

Amanda Kanaan, President of WhiteCoat Designs, has a compelling article entitled “3 Steps to Controlling Your Online Reputation”. This is a must read and I strongly recommend you Google your own name along with your practice name. If you have despairing remarks about you or your practice, there are ways to improve your image, so get on board.

Thank you for reading Physician Solutions Magazine. Please tell a medical friend or colleague about us.

Philip Driver Publisher

4 | SEPTEMBER 2015

Physician Solutions September 2015 Publisher Creative Director Contributors

Philip Driver Thomas Hibbard Naren Arulrajah Starla Fitch, M.D. Barbara Hales, M.D. Amanda Kanaan Julia Solooki, MBA Vikas Vij

contributors Starla Fitch, M.D. is a board certified practicing oculoplastic surgeon in Atlanta and is the creator of lovemedicineagain. com, an online community and other health care professionals who want to reconnect with their passion for the practice. Dr. Fitch’s new book, Remedy for Burnout: 7 Prescriptions Doctors Use to Find Meaning in Medicine, has been named #1 Amazon International Bestseller, #1 Hottest Release, and Amazon Editors’ Best Books for 2014.

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

Amanda Kanaan

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.

is the owner/founder of WhiteCoat Designs – an online marketing agency committed to growing doctors’ practices through cost-effective and powerful online marketing solutions.

Amanda regularly speaks at medical association meetings and conventions and is a published expert in the field of medical marketing.

To learn more or for a free website evaluation, contact her at Amanda@whitecoat-designs.com or http://www. whitecoat-designs.com.

Julia Solooki, MBA

P.O. Box 99488 Raleigh, NC 27624 medmedia9@gmail.com Online 24/7 at medmonthly.com

is a 10 year veteran to the Healthcare IT/Services sector and is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for ClinicSpectrum, Inc., www.clinicspectrum.com a healthcare services company providing outsourcing and back office solutions for medical billing companies, medical offices, hospital billing departments, and hospital medical records departments. Contact Julia at julia@clinicspectrum.com.

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE | 5

practice tips

ICD-10 Likely to Move Ahead

By Julia Solooki, MBA Clinicspectrum

On October 1, after the congressional vote, medical practices will get a clearer picture of where things stand with ICD-10 and its implementation. The following are some key highlights from the latest ICD-10 news.

6

resources to begin preparing.

1. No further delay: Most people think that there will be no further delay on implementation of ICD-10. Over 60% of respondents in a recently conducted survey, say that the October deadline is unlikely to change. Many senators also agree with this.

3. Testing: 81% of the submitted ICD-10 claims were accepted during the first ICD-10 end-to-end testing from 26th January through 3rd February, 2015. The testing included nearly 15,000 claims. Providers, clearinghouses, and billing agencies were all a part of the testing.

Overall, it seems that CMD is ready to accept ICD-10 claims. However, in a recent study, it was found that 84% of respondents did not conduct end-to-end testing as yet.

2. Preparedness: A recent survey indicated that about 21% of practices are on track with preparations for ID-10 while another 23% say that they lack the

4. The impact on revenue: Revenue impact is obviously the biggest concern. Over 60% are concerned about ICD-10’s impact on revenue and cash flow.

| SEPTEMBER 2015

5. Low cost to implement: The cost of implementing ICD-10 is turning out to be much lower than previously estimated.

The per provider expenditure, according to a survey, will be around $3,400.

The overall picture seem positive. The testing is moving forward, the cost of implementation is lower than the estimate and the deadline is likely to remain unchanged.

If you have been waiting to be sure that ICD-10 will move ahead, it most likely is. It is time to go ahead and implement new software or services. The sooner this is done, the more time you will have to implement, train and test for ICD-10. 

Internal Medicine Practice Wilmington, North Carolina Newly listed Internal Medicine practice in the beautiful city of Wilmington, NC. With Gross revenues over $400,000, 18 to 22 patients per day, this practice is ready for the physician that enjoys beach life. The medical office is located in a brick wrapped condo and is highly visible. This well appointed practice has a solid patient base and is offered for $85,000.

Medical Practice Listings l 919-848-4202 l medlisting@gmail.com l medicalpracticelistings.com

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

|7

practice tips

Opportunity to Get in on the Ground Floor!

By Barbara Hales, M.D.

www.thewritetreatment.com

Imagine if you started a website for your medical practice back in 1985?

Records show that the number of online sites reached 600. Without all the noise of your competition, you would be visible merely by virtue of having built a site. If you added information to educate your viewers, you would have been perceived as a guru- the authority in your field.

What if you could get in on the ground floor now?

What if the opportunity mirrored the one in 1985?

Change to a New Channel In the multichannel approach to health marketing a medical practice or healthcare facility, Facebook, 8

| SEPTEMBER 2015

Twitter and Blogging have been the typical places where time and marketing dollars have been spent Yet, surprisingly few have entered the arena of Instagram.

Instagram is Soaring Exponentially Only within the last 6 months, statistics show that Instagram actually surpassed Twitter in the number of active users each month.

Two Active Medical Companies on Instagram Union Square Partners, a venture capital megafirm is taking advantage of this popularity. They invested $4 million in a startup Canadian company targeting

the medical industry, by enabling physicians, nurses and other health professionals to distribute and view medical images between them.

Critical care specialist, Joshua Landy, noticed in 2013 while working at the hospital with patients in the emergency room, “the workflow habits of young physicians on their iPhones”. This prompted him to create “Figure 1”. Medical students and residents were sharing work-related images.

Figure 1 app. is currently available in 19 countries and has more than 150,000 users. As many as onethird of medical students in the United States currently utilize the application.

Security Issues Since data from Figure 1 concerned specific medical data, privacy laws including those of HIPAA and regulations globally, restricted the implementation and usage of Figure 1. Amassing patient waivers for the data on each patient was arduous and overwhelming.

While viewing of images is open to the public, only professionals can enter information and comments. A medical officer and team pour over images to ensure omission of patient names and specific case information.

ReelDx is another young company who capitalizes on uploading videos that are compliant with HIPAA guidelines. The company formed an alliance with education providers, enabling training EMTs to view the educational videos for learning purposes.

The founder of ReelDx, Bill Kelly points out “Having cases on video is superior to simulations created by actors where feedback isn’t possible.

Both companies are thriving because people in the health field relish taking, and sharing both images and video to improve diagnosis and treatment options.

How does Instagram Work?

Instagram works on mobile devices- smartphones and tablets. Photos are taken and uploaded. The real benefit is the amount of space allotted to text, links and hashtags beneath the image.

The name of the person posting the image is listed in the top left corner above the image and the time on the top right corner. On the bottom right, you can link to other users or followers with the @ symbol and their names.

Posting options Prior to hitting the share button, Instagram offers distribution to followers on other social platforms like: • Facebook • Twitter • Flickr • Tumblr • Shortened url for blogs

Benefit With much less competition as opposed to the typical social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube), actively posting on Instagram and amassing a large volume of views and fans, really strengthens your brand, makes you more visible and helps promote you and your services.

There’s never been a better time to launch instagram- and YouTube-inspired services for doctors.

If you need help with medical content, creative ideas and images along with digital strategies, please contact me to discuss your needs at: barbarahalesmd@aol.com #instagramforthehealthmarket Let’s get you started! 

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

|9

practice tips

How to Use

Balance to Beat

BURNOUT

By Starla Fitch, M.D.

Burnout is not just for medical folks. Over sixty percent of the workforce in America reports being frustrated by their jobs. They say their goal every day is just to “show up.” Not in a “I’m here to do my best” sort of way. More in a “swipe the clock” sort of way.

What’s the answer?

Trust me, some days I think the answer is to go to the beach and drink umbrella drinks.

But I know that after a couple weeks, that would get old. And we would run out of sunscreen. :-) So here’s what I think the real answer is: Balance.

Not that work-life balance thing.

Is that really a thing? That’s a story for another day.

No, I mean the balance between the good and the bad.

Ever notice that when you are having the best day ever, the good 10

| SEPTEMBER 2015

things just keep adding up?

Picture when you’re in the good karma zone: you catch all the green lights driving to work, find the perfect parking spot and catch the elevator . . . all before even starting your day. Sweet.

The opposite can sure be true, of course.

How to find the balance?

Picture a teeter-totter. It’s a long narrow board with a pivot in the middle. Usually it’s part of playground equipment, and children will sit on either end, alternating going up and down.

(For those of you wondering why I am describing this, we have so many international readers, I’m not sure that teeter-totters exist worldwide!)

So, back to the answer of finding balance.

For every negative item on your agenda, you need to balance it out

with a positive thing. It doesn’t matter if that negative item is something your assistant does to drive you crazy or a part of your job that you wish you could avoid.

When you write down your pro/ con list, you need to remember to keep both columns equal.

There surely must be pros to your assistant, in addition to the cons. And those really awesome days at work that make you smile to yourself on your drive home? Those need to go on the positive side of the bench.

“At the end of the day, everything is a balancing act.”

No doubt about it.  Dr. Fitch spoke at a TEDx talk in Fargo on “Connect or Die: The Surprising Power of Human Relationships”.

Click here for the link to her presentation. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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

practice tips

Online Patient Reviews: 3 Steps to Controlling Your Online Reputation

By Amanda Kanaan President of WhiteCoat Designs

You can debate the positive or negative affect of patients reviewing doctors online. However, there’s one fact you cannot argue; patient reviews matter.

• 35% percent of patients have selected a physician because of an online review and 37% percent of patients have avoided a physician because of a bad review (Source: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2014).

• Expect a 10% revenue loss as a result of negative reviews online (Harvard study).

• Doctors are the fastest growing segment of online review visits (Industry View Report by Software Advice).

So the question isn’t whether you love or hate online reviews, it’s what you should about them. Patients are going to review you online whether you like it or not (even if the reviews aren’t always fair), but you can at least make an effort to better control your reputation online. The solution can be simplified into 3 steps: monitor, respond, and improve.

Step I: Monitor The first step in better controlling the conversation 12

| SEPTEMBER 2015

online starts with knowing what’s being said about you. It would be near impossible to manually monitor all the review sites that exist today. Companies, like WhiteCoat Designs, simplify that process by offering an automated software that combs the online review sites for you. You can receive a monthly “report card” that scores your cumulative online reviews, as well as immediate email notifications each time a patient posts a new review online (whether negative or positive).

Step II: Respond Once are you consistently monitoring what patients are saying about you online then you can devise a plan to respond. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just deleting negative reviews. Every online review site has a different policy on this. Some will not let you remove negative reviews at all (unless they are slanderous or offensive, etc.) and some will only let you remove them if you pay to be an advertiser (a policy we see as borderline blackmail and do not support).

Some physicians only respond to negative reviews, but ideally you should also respond to positive reviews

as well just to show patients you are listening and care about both forms of feedback. That being said, responding to negative reviews should take priority. Responding promptly to a negative review online is a great way to show off your practice’s exceptional customer service, and sometimes the fact alone that you responded is enough to make potential patients reading the review look past it.

In order to remain HIPAA compliant, never go into any detail when responding to a negative review online. Instead devise a canned response. Something like, “Dear patient, we are very disappointed to learn about your negative experience at our practice. This is certainly not indicative of the care we strive to provide patients on a daily basis. Please contact our Practice Manager at 111-111-1111 at your earliest convenience so we can learn more about your experience and use it as an opportunity to improve.”

Step III: Improve Obviously in a perfect world patients would have such an exceptional experience at your practice that negative reviews wouldn’t be a concern. However, that’s unrealistic given the fact that sometimes no matter what you do, patients just aren’t satisfied. We’ve worked with some of the finest doctors in the country and even they experience negative reviews from time to time. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take each negative review as a learning experience and as an opportunity to improve. If you recognize a pattern of similar complaints, such as long wait times, then you should take those complaints seriously and work on reducing wait times.

The most effective way to improve your online reputation is to bury the negative reviews with positive ones. Some ideas of how to do this include a postcard you hand to patients at the end of their visit with a custom url on it to solicit online reviews, Facebook posts that ask patients to share their experience, a message via your patient portal, an email blast to your patients, or in-office iPads that allow patients to review you while they are still in the office.

Your online reputation is now just as important as your reputation among the local community. Consider implementing the three steps above to better control the conversation online and ensure you don’t lose potential new patients due to poor reviews.  Amanda Kanaan is the President and Founder of WhiteCoat Designs – a medical marketing agency whose mission is to help physicians stand out in today’s competitive healthcare market.

Services include medical website design, internet marketing, online reputation management, social media, branding and physician liaison programs (increase referrals).

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.

Standard Listing The Standard Listing offers you the opportunity to gain national exposure by posting your listing on our website which is viewed daily by our network of professionals.

This option also includes a brief practice consultation to explain the benefits of marketing through the Medical Practice Listings website.

Professional Listing In addtion 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

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

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS 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/

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/

Arkansas 101 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 111 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501)682-2085 http://www.asbde.org/

Illinois 320 W. Washington St. Springfield, IL 62786 (217)785-0820 http://bit.ly/svi6Od

California 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550Â Sacramento, CA 95815 877-729-7789 http://www.dbc.ca.gov/

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 http://www.dora.state.co.us/dental/

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/

| SEPTEMBER 2015

Louisiana 365 Canal St., Suite 2680 New Orleans, LA 70130 (504)568-8574 http://www.lsbd.org/

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

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS 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.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 18 | SEPTEMBER 2015

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://bit.ly/hnrzp

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/profs/info/Physicians.asp

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 http://www.mdpreferredservices.com/ state-licensing-boards/nebraska-boardof-medicine-and-surgery 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/

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 19

features

The Key to Running a Successful Healthcare Practice

By Naren Arulrajah with Vikas Vij Ekwa Marketing

A visit to the doctor’s office can go two ways – it can go good, or it can go bad. How a patient experiences your office can be the difference between a successful healthcare practice and one that is most likely going to receive only one time patients. For this reason alone, you need a savvy medical office staff.

The medical office staff is responsible for various aspects of running a healthcare practice. Their primary role however, pertains to ensuring positive patient interactions. They need to be qualified and trained on telephone etiquette, on how to greet patients and direct them, as well as keeping a track of procedures and scheduling. The medical staff at a healthcare practice needs to run like a well oiled machine follow office standards and protocols to ensure that any error factor is greatly decreased while patient satisfaction is increased.

20

| SEPTEMBER 2015

First Impressions Count – Where Does Your Medical Office Staff Stand?

The medical office staff is usually the first point of contact for your patients. So yes, first impressions can make or break the deal for a patient. When a patient comes to your clinic, he expects the highest quality of care. Big or small, he wants the assurance that your office will be able to help him tide over his medical crisis/issue. This is where your medical office staff comes in – in addition to possessing professional skills and strengths, your medical staff needs to understand that a patient’s well being depends on the quality of their work.

Top 4 Responsibilities of Medical Office Staff • Maintaining excellent patient service.

• Ensuring patient experience satisfaction at all points of contact.

• Ensuring patient safety.

• Adhering to and complying with patient rights.

The medical office staff comprises of both clinical and non-clinical job responsibilities. In addition to administrative roles such as front desk, billers and coders among others, your medical staff can include medical assistants and nurses who take care of the clinical aspects of running a healthcare practice.

Together they are responsible for delivering quality care and maintaining excellent patient service.

Since patients connect with your staff first, the impressions your staff makes is crucial in the patient satisfaction journey.

The capabilities of your medical office staff with respect to communicating and interacting with your

continued on page 22 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 21

continued from page 21

practice patients can go a long way in improving and maintaining a successful healthcare practice.

Is Your Medical Office Staff Delivering Stellar Patient Service?

Regardless of how you look at it, at the end of day, your patients are your customers. They want to feel special and cared for; a little more personal time spent on each patient can help smoothen out chinks in the patient experience cycle. Keep in mind, the patient experience journey starts from the moment they get in touch with your practice. Your practice front desk quite literally is the first point of contact.

It won’t be a stretch to say that these are the people who play a crucial role in winning a patient.

Make your Patients feel Special – A few things to keep in mind: • Patients want to feel genuinely cared for – make sure your staff is trained to give your patients a warm welcome when they enter your office.

• Make sure someone is there to greet them as soon as they enter your office – if a verbal greeting is not possible, even making eye contact can assure them that your office staff is aware of their presence.

• If scheduling or any other issues pertaining to a patient’s visit arise, ensure your staff is on hand to quickly rectify the situation.

• Ensure your staff is trained to answer all (non-medical) questions and queries of patients.

• Work with your staff to streamline and optimize the scheduling and waiting process to

22

| SEPTEMBER 2015

ensure that patients don’t have to wait long hours or suffer from bad scheduling.

A Motivated Medical Staff Can Boost Your Healthcare Practice Success – Here’s What You Can Do: A motivated employee is someone who aligns his objectives with the organization goals and takes pride in his job responsibilities. The key to a highly motivated staff is two-fold: • Recognizing the employee’s capabilities • Respecting and appreciating the value the employee brings to the organization.

Although monetary benefits and incentives can go a long way in driving personal responsibility, you need to reinforce this with delegating appropriate job responsibilities.

This is the key to maximizing your staff performance.

Here are a few more things to keep in mind: • Clearly define job responsibilities for each role – carry out periodical analysis and assessment for each job role and responsibility.

• Strapping a staffer with too many tasks or very few tasks can affect job satisfaction levels – be mindful of the tasks you are delegating at all times.

• Plan and implement a training process – this will allow you to nurture your staff members for future job roles or responsibilities within the practice.

• Keep your staff up-to-date on latest developments – if training for new software or job is required, make sure your staff has access to appropriate resources.

• Carefully decide monetary packages – the kind of monetary compensation as well as other non-financial benefits you offer your staff needs to be carefully planned and implemented if you want to keep your staff happy.

The Practice Manager The practice manager is the person who will be responsible for ensuring the smooth running of all clinical, administrative, and management operations in your office.

This is the person who has to wear many hats and thus you need someone who has business acumen and displays exemplary people skills.

Key Responsibilities of the Practice Manger: • Health Information Management • Revenue Cycle Management • Accounts Receivable Management • Human Resource Management • Process Improvement • Patient Satisfaction The practice manager has the ultimate responsibility for making sure the success factor of the entire staff is high at all times. In addition to delegating work loads, the practice manager is the person responsible for motivating and supervising the medical office staff and is also responsible for the financial performance of the medical office.

Although the practice manager does not actually treat patients, he indirectly helps patients receive quality care by making sure the healthcare office runs at optimal level.

An Efficient Practice Manager possesses the following Skills: • Highly Organized – they are

someone who can multi-task and plan ahead for all contingencies.

• Detail-Oriented – they are aware of the smallest details and tasks that go into ensuring the smooth running of the healthcare practice.

• Excellent Communication Skills – they need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively not only with you, but also with the staff and external specialists, and patients that come to the office.

• Capable of resolving conflicts – quick resolutions of conflicts is one of the most important skills of a good practice manager.

Timely intervention can often help resolve issues that other-

wise might get blown out of proportion.

Conclusion The healthcare office is a hub of human interactions. Patients come to your office with specific expectations and meeting those expectations is the most effective route to a successful healthcare practice. The medical office staff plays a crucial role in providing your healthcare practice with administrative and business building support. The kind of work culture you offer your staff can influence their performance and levels of motivation - two metrics that have a direct impact on the success of your healthcare practice. This is why it is extremely important to first, hire the right

people for the job and second, work towards building a work culture that is positive and supportive for your medical office staff.  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 130+ 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 Naren direct at 877-249-9666.

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 23

features

WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN A PRACTICE?

By Philip Driver CEO, Physician Solutions

24

| SEPTEMBER 2015

Your Front Desk Person Could Very Well Be

YOUR BEST MARKETING ASSET

Every practice is made up of different personalities with diverse skills and responsibilities. Of course the doctor sets the tone for care and procedures and is ultimately responsible for the income of the practice. Arguments can be made that the physician is surely the most important person in any practice. The practice billing person is certainly worthy of consideration as well. If the CPT and ICD-10 codes and modifiers don’t match the medical procedure, the claims are not processed and you must resubmit your corrected medical bills to various insurance companies or clearing houses. Surely your billing professional deserves kudos.

I have owned several practices and managed many others in my working career. During my time in practices as an owner or manager, I have had exceptional physicians, PA’s and nurse practitioners. I have enjoyed the professionalism of nurses, X-Ray techs, and triage staff. There is no denying that it takes a village to make the successful practice.

At the end of the day, the one person that every patient talks to coming and going is your front desk staff. The front desk staff checks patients in, greets every patient and has a kind word and smile to the sick and well patients.

The practice front desk professionals have a tremendous influence on the type patients your practice attracts, the referrals you receive from existing patients and the total organization of your practice. Your front desk person could very well be your best marketing asset. If you are fortunate to hire a front desk person that is attractive, always dresses sharply, has a friendly personality and big smile, you will reap the benefits. Now if you can add marketing skills, keep your practice web site current and respond to your practice emails, you may have identified the most important person in your practice.

When I was in the business of owning practices, I would spend a lot of time interviewing experienced front desk professionals that could multi-task and be crosstrained. Some of the duties that your front desk should can handle are: checking patients in and out, practice web site management, assisting in the triage of patients, phone duties, answering patient emails, keeping the lobby organized and clean, acting as your administrative assistant by sending out letters and correspondence to patients and vendors while acting as the gate-keeper for the doctors or providers.

When a prospective client sees your website and decides to call your practice, the front desk staff holds the key to whether or not they make an appointment to see the

doctor. Therefore it’s essential that your front desk staff is friendly, confident, professional and knowledgeable.

Placing a caller on hold may, on occasion, be unavoidable. But being unwelcoming, not listening carefully or failing to ask for appointments are all avoidable mistakes.

The front desk staff plays a critical role in your practice’s success. They do more than just answer the phone and greet clients; they ‘build relationships’ and represent your practice to both current and prospective patient-clients.

Be sure your staff has the resources it needs to answer questions and to provide clear, concise pricing and policy information. It’s important to educate all staff members so that they can describe the equipment, facilities and medical care you provide that set your practice apart from others in your community.

While your medical village must have several well organized pros, don’t skimp when it comes to your front desk personal, the first and last face your patients see in your practice. 

Urgent Care Practice Wanted We have a qualified MD seeking an established Urgent Care in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill or surrounding area.

If you have a 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.

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 25

features

HIRING YOUR

MEDICAL

PRACTICE

STAFF

By Thomas Hibbard Creative Director Physician Solutions 26

| SEPTEMBER 2015

Hiring Medical Office Staff Hiring medical office staff involves filling positions that aren’t part of a typical business environment and determining which positions are mandatory and which ones are optional. Let’s take a look at some of the most important positions in a medical practice.

In a typical small business, hiring requirements are based on the expertise and work capacity that is required to maintain daily operations and achieve strategic business goals. A medical practice works much the same way, but instead of hiring staff to answer the phones or sell your products, you are hiring dedicated specialists who are responsible for providing the best possible care for your patients.

The number and type of staff you hire will depend on your patient load and area of specialization.

However, most medical practices demand a select few positions to maintain quality care and smooth office procedures.

Essential Medical Office Staff Positions Office Manager:

A good office manager increases efficiency and boosts your practice’s productivity. Office managers are responsible for making sure the practice runs smoothly, and everything from service contracts to marketing falls under their job description. The learning curve is steep, so always look for candidates who have prior office management experience.

Medical Insurance Biller:

In smaller medical practices, the office manager usually handles in-

surance billing directly, but in larger practices, insurance billing could be a separate position. Since you’re putting your practice’s revenue in their hands, it’s critical to make sure your insurance biller is familiar with ICD-10 after October 1, 2015 and the claims process for insurers in your geographic area.

Front Office Receptionist:

Your receptionist is your patients’ first point of contact with your practice. In addition to competency, it helps to orient your search toward individuals who have demographic compatibility with the majority of your patient base.

Nurse/Physician Assistant:

A reliable nurse or physician assistant (PA) is worth their weight in gold. You will rely on them to handle routine medical procedures as well as patient callbacks. While medical knowledge and certification are obvious prerequisites, compassion and interpersonal skills are just as important.

Optional Medical Office Staff Positions These positions are not nearly as common as the medical staffing positions, but can be a valuable asset to any medical practice under the right circumstances.

Records clerk:

These individuals maintain patient records or manage a recordkeeping database. EHR experience is a major plus for this position.

Scheduler:

High-volume practices often employ people who handle scheduling and other office tasks.

Transcriptionist:

If you are averse to the idea of

using a transcription service, you will need to hire either a part-time or full-time transcriptionist.

The Interviewing Process If you are in charge of setting up interviews, make sure to coordinate who will conduct the interviews and how they will be organized.

The senior administrator or nurse should be involved in interviews for positions in their areas, and physicians should be included if they’re likely to have significant contact with a particular position.

If more than one person will be interviewing each candidate, you’ll have to decide whether to do sequential or group interviews.

Although sequential interviews may seem easier, interviewers often obtain more information by interviewing candidates together and observing their responses to all other questions and interpersonal interactions with other interviewers. Either way, the questions to be asked by each interviewer should be coordinated ahead of time.

Choosing the best candidate for your practice depends a lot on selecting the right interview questions. There are two types of interview questions, traditional and behavioral.

Traditional Interview Questions Traditional interview questions allow the interviewee to share their employment history, abilities, salary history, strengthens and weaknesses, and general questions about themselves. The flaw in asking only traditional interview questions is continued on page 28

PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 27

continued from page 27

instead of evaluating applicants on the skills and abilities they need to succeed in your practice, it focuses too much on responses memorized by candidates. As a result, you get canned answers; responses that have been rehearsed over and over again, not getting a true feel for what the applicant is capable of.

Customer service attitude: “Consider the following scenario: An obviously annoyed patient calls to complain that he just waited more than half an hour in the pharmacy only to find out that his refill had not been called in. How would you respond?”

Conflict management: “Describe a conflict you’ve had with other staff members and how you resolved it.”

Some samples of traditional interview questions are:

Respect for patient privacy: “A patient calls in and notes that his General knowledge: “Describe why wife is there at the office seeing the doctor, and he asks how she is you’re qualified for this position and explain why you’d fit within our doing. How would you respond?” practice doing this job.

Motivation: “Tell me about a time when you saw room for improveWork ethic: “How do you feel ment in some area of your work enabout working extra hours or being given extra responsibilities as vironment or a process that could be more efficient. What did you do needed?” to change the status quo?”

Computer competence: “We Priority management: “Describe have a program for [registration, an occasion when you had two billing, lab result retrieval, etc.] doctors or bosses ask you to do called ____. Tell me about your conflicting tasks. How did you experience with that program or handle this dilemma?” programs like it.”

Problem-solving strategies: “Tell Behavioral Interview me about a time when your job Questions required you to perform a task that you didn’t know how to do. How Behavioral interview questions did you respond?” will be more focused than traditional interview questions What’s Off Limits? and responds will require specific A number of personal attributes examples of how the interviewee cannot be legally addressed in an handled various situations in employment interview, including the workplace. This form of interviewing is more conversational age, religion, national origin, marital status and whether the and will allow you to get a deeper candidate has children, among insight into the interviewee and others. how they will fit in your practice’s culture.

After the Interview

Some samples of behavioral interview questions are:

28

| SEPTEMBER 2015

You should write down specific answers and general impressions of each candidate immediately after

the interview. It is amazing how quickly your memories of three or four candidates can run together.

The last question in any interview should always be “May I contact your previous employers for a reference?” If the candidate says they don’t want a current employer contacted, get their permission to contact two or three previous employers or coworkers, and ask the references about the issues that are difficult to assess in an interview. These may include patient service, work habits, enthusiasm or any potential weaknesses that might hinder that person’s performance.

If the references say they cannot share any information, this might be a red flag. A good follow-up question to this response is, “If you had a position open, would you hire this person?” Although this task may be time-consuming, it will give you a more complete picture of the candidate and discussions with references are often more beneficial than interviews.

The interview process is a very important navigating tool on your quest to find the perfect staff member. Taking time to define the attributes and skills desired, prepare questions and check references is an excellent long-term investment in the contentment and quality of your entire medical practice.  Sources: http://www.gaebler.com/HiringMedical-Office-Staff.htm http://www.aafp.org/ fpm/2003/0600/p46.html

is now hiring primary care MD’s and PA’s, DDS’s, dental hygienists, and registered dental assistants in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina

Ongoing and intermittent shifts are available for physicians, mid-levels, DDS, dental hygienists, and registered dental assistants 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

Practices for Sale Medical Practices Primary Care specializing in Women’s Practice 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: Cara or Philip at 919-848-4202

Family Primary Care Practice

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: Cara or Philip 919-848-4202

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: Cara or Philip at 919-848-4202

Med Spa

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: Cara or Philip at 919-848-4202

Practice Type: Mental Health, Neuropsychological and Psychological 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: Cara or Philip at 919-848-4202

Practice Type: Internal Medicine

Location: Wilmington, NC List Price: $85,000 Gross Yearly Income: $469,000 Year Established: 2000 Average Patients per Day: 25 Building Owned/Leased: Owned Contact: Cara or Philip at 919-848-4202

Dental Practices Place Your Ad Here

Optical Practices Place Your Ad Here

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.

30 | SEPTEMBER 2015

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

Medical Practice Listings Selling and buying made easy

MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202

PEDIATRICIAN

or family medicine doctor needed in

FAYETTEVILLE, NC

Wanted: Urgent Care Practice Urgent care practice wanted in North Carolina.

Qualified physician is seeking to purchase an established urgent care within 100 miles of Raleigh, North Carolina.

If you are considering retiring, relocations or closing your practice for personal reasons, contact us for a confidential discussion regarding your urgent care. You will receive cash at closing and not be required to carry a note.

Comfortable seeing children. Needed immediately.

Medical Practice Listings Buying and selling made easy

Call 919- 845-0054 or email: physiciansolutions@gmail.com www.physiciansolutions.com 32 | SEPTEMBER 2015

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

Women’s Health Practice in Morehead City, NC

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.

Medical Practice Listings Buying and selling made easy

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

NC Opportunities DENTISTS AND HYGIENISTS

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

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

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 during 2012 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 POISED FOR SUCCESS. 919.848.4202 medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 33

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

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.

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

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 Please direct all correspondence to driverphilip@gmail.com.

Only serious, qualified inquirers.

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 retiring and will assist as needed during the transition period. The gross receipts for the past three years are $650,000 and the list price was just reduced to $240,000.

If you are looking to purchase a well equipped primary care practice, please contact us today.

Contact: Philip at 919-848-4202

medlisting@gmail.com medicalpracticelistings.com 34 | SEPTEMBER 2015

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.

Medical Practice Listings Selling and buying made easy

MedicalPracticeListings.com | medlisting@gmail.com | 919-848-4202

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

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

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

| 35

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

Med Spa in the Raleigh-Durham, NC Area

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.

Medical Practice Listings 919.848.4202 | medlistings@gmail.com www.medicalpracticelistings.com 36 | SEPTEMBER 2015

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.

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

Adult & pediAtric integrAtive medicine prActice for sAle This Adult and Pediatric Integrative Medicine practice, located in Cary, NC, incorporates the latest conventional and natural therapies for the treatment and prevention of health problems not requiring surgical intervention. It currently provides the following therapeutic modalities: • • • • •

Conventional Medicine Natural and Holistic Medicine Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy Functional Medicine Nutritional Therapy

• • • • • •

Mind-Body Medicine Detoxification Supplements Optimal Weigh Program Preventive Care Wellness Program Diagnostic Testing

There is a Compounding Pharmacy located in the same suites with a consulting pharmacist working with this Integrative practice. Average Patients per Day: 12-20

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

Gross Yearly Income: $335,000+ | List Price: $125,000

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

Primary Care Specializing in Women’s Health

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

Located on NC’s Beautiful Coast, Morehead City

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 PHYSICIAN SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE

| 37

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