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So far Judy Capko has created 85 blog entries.

13 for 2013 Tip #8: Manager’s report card

Good practice managers understand the importance of regular performance reviews for motivating staff and making them feel appreciated as well as addressing and documenting needed improvements. But sometimes the manager's own review by the managing physician of the practice slips through the cracks -- and, physicians don't always understand the importance of giving structured feedback to their practice managers. If you're a physician who hasn't established a regular schedule for meeting with your manager to provide performance feedback and set goals for the coming year, now's the time to get started. The role of practice manager continues to evolve as the business of medicine does -- is your manager developing the skills he or she needs to keep your practice running smoothly and profitably? Are you supporting your manager to take on important challenges for your practice -- whether in staffing and staff development, reaching out to patients via new channels, or upgrading technology? Is your manager aware of the long-term plans you and your physician partners have for your practice -- so he or she can properly support your goals? An annual meeting to review progress against past goals, and set plans for the coming year's efforts can be an effective way to empower your manager to move your practice's business in the right direction. And, it's essential for retaining and grooming a talented manager as well.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:35-08:00January 29th, 2013|

Will 2013 be better than 2012? It’s up to you!

A new year has already begun! If you are hoping for significant year-over-year improvement you need to act – and sooner rather than later. Here’s how great practices help ensure that each year is better than the last. Examine past performance. Consider what data points are important to review. As a guide, great practices will compare their performance against at least these benchmarks every year: Total revenue per full time equivalent (FTE) physician Total operating expense as a percentage of total medical revenue Total visits/procedures per FTE physician Percentage of total A/R aged 120 days more Bad debt due to fee for service activity per FTE physician Determine what the numbers mean to you. Compare your performance between 2012 and 2011 to evaluate your year-over-year performance. Are you clearly performing better or worse? Then assess why there is a difference. If you did better was it because you were more assertive? Dit you have clearer established goals to guide you? Perhaps changes in performance can be traced to changes in staff or actions taken to improve contract reimbursement? Did you implement a marketing plan or are differences between years merely chance variation? If there was no change in 2012 or you did worse, you will want to take decisive action to make 2013 a better year. Plan for 2013. Of course, given the challenging business environment, leaders of improving practices make planning a priority. I recommend a strategic planning session be scheduled well in advance. Scheduling an off site meeting in early February can minimize interruptions. If you have a skilled communication facilitator on your staff, and your practice isn't facing especially serious challenges, your practice might conduct your meeting without an outside consultant. On the other hand, a consultant can increase the value of strategic planning sessions by facilitating communications on difficult topics, providing an objective overview of your practice’s performance, helping you understand your position in the marketplace, and assisting leadership in determining goals for the upcoming year. Practice leaders it is not too early to think about the steps you can take to protect and guide the practice’s

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:36-08:00January 16th, 2013|

13 for 2013 Tip #5: Review your maintenance contracts

Starting a new year is a great time to review your equipment maintenance contracts and evaluate alternatives. Independent service organizations compete for your business -- if your contract costs keep rising, consider putting your contracts out for bid. In some cases, rising maintenance costs may also mean that replacing outdated medical equipment is more cost-effective than continuing to service older assets. The same thinking applies to office technology assets. If the Geek Squad tech who helps you fix your PCs or your network is on a first-name basis with everyone in the office, you may be better off upgrading. And practice management software that requires costly upgrades may be better replaced with a cloud-based solution that updates automatically.

By Judy Capko|2013-01-15T14:32:54-08:00January 15th, 2013|

Hey coach

When you think coach, you think team. Unfortunately, you might be thinking about a sports team instead of the practice. In reality, every practice needs a coach to guide team performance and come out a winner. The coach might be a high level administrator, manager or a direct supervisor, it might even be the physician in a smaller practice. In a practice with little structure it could be someone that has assumed the role because he or she just has the knack - Someone everyone feels good about and trusts. If the coach is doing a great job the practice runs well and everyone is happy. If you are someone else's boss or responsible for someone else's performance, coaching is your way creating an awesome team. So, hey coach, how are you doing? Let's take a look at what the successful coach really does: 1. Create a constructive, winning climate for your team. 2. Lead your team to improved performance by providing encouragement, feedback and recognition. 3. Take action with people on the team who don't carry their load. 4. Take charge and set the tone for your team to be successful. Coaching is not just dealing with poor performance issues, it's staying in touch with the entire team (including the best performers) and providing them with tools to be even more successful. You have the opportunity to create a positive, winning climate by staying in touch. Concrete things to think about in your role of coach include clarifying goals, brainstorming with the team and providing recognition. If your team feels you value and respect each of the them, they will go to the mat for you - and that's a very big deal. You have the power to make this a reality. You can guide people to go from where they are to where they want to be - and that is powerful!

By Judy Capko|2012-06-27T12:03:50-08:00June 13th, 2012|

Changing trends in compensation for administrators

It is common for successful administrators of medical practices to be paid for their accomplisments. This has been achieved through a combination of a base salary, fringe benefits and an attractive bonus tied to the financial performance of the practice each year. That being said, things are a changin'! With reimbursement trends lowering revenue in many specialties, there is only so much related to financial performance that is under the control of top administrators as their bosses, struggling with their own ability to eek a living, begin to ponder other ways to pay the administrator. We would be interested in hearing from both administrators and physicians on how they are broaching this subject and coming up with new compensation models for administrators, CEO's and COO's. Tell us what you think and what actions you have taken.

By Judy Capko|2012-06-28T15:53:24-08:00May 30th, 2012|

The keys to improving staff performance

Staff members need to feel valued and part of a team. Sometimes in the hustle of getting through the day and taking casre of patients, practice leaders can forget to acknowledge staff and make them feel important. Quite simply, if you make CAM part of your every day thoughts and actions you will win staff over, keep them committed and reduce disenchantment and turnover. The CAM is communication, accountability and motivation. Communicate well. Let your staff know you appreciate their contribution and if there are areas where improvement is needed be willing to discuss it and provide improvement support before performance deteriorates. Accountability. Give employees clear direction and performance standards that define your expectations. Of course, this must be supported by training staff and giving them the tools to succeed, and if they fail to hit the mark hold them accountable by meeting with them and discussing ways to avoid a recurrence. Motivation. Yep, it's management's job to keep staff motivated. It's a matter of giving them an opportunity to grow their skills and remembering the old adage "compliment in public, criticize in private" - and make the criticism constructive. Also invest in your staff by giving them opportunity for continuing education and upward mobility. Help your insurance staff become certified coders, have your nurse and receptionist participate in conducting chart audits. Help your top performers move up the organizational ladder when job openings occur. Delegate tasks to staff to show your confidence in them and give you the opportunity to focus on responsibilities that require your expertise. By doing these simple things you create a great work environment that is a "win-win-win" for physicians, management and staff!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:40-08:00April 28th, 2012|

How to get what you want for the practice in 2012

Almost everyone wants to be more successful and achieve more each year than they did the year before. Here are a few straightforward things you can do to guarantee your success in 2012. First, ignite your passion for the practice. Recognize all the capabilities you have and how you can use those to grow the practice in the direction you want to take it. Your passion can energize everyone in the practice and give them the confidence and desire to help you achieve amazing things. Second, set goals that push your further, but are achievable. This is accomplished by reviewing benchmarks on key performance indicators and how they have trended over the past few years and raising the bar for 2012. Then set goals that stretch performance, but are achievable. This is accomplished by taking a historical look at practice performance trends and setting the bar a bit higher. Know what you want and then you can plan to achieve it. For example, do you want to do more of a particular procedure, do you want 10% more new patients, increase utilization of lucrative ancillary services or promogr a new procedure? You may even want to establish goals related to healthcare reforms push for monitoring quality and improving outcomes. Whatever you want to do, establish goals that are concrete and measurable. Next, develop a well-crafted written strategic plan. This is the beginning of a true commitment and using professional resources is worth the investment. An experience healthcare consultant can guide the process to ensure you develop a powerful plan that yields amazing results and positions the practice longterm success. So what are you waiting for? Contact Capko & Company, www.capko.com, and make 2012 your best year ever.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:41-08:00December 22nd, 2011|

Solving work flow problems

Balancing work flow and eliminating troublesome bottlenecks in a busy medical practice are chronic problems, but if ignored they become a financial drain and compromise patient service. In fact, a decline in profits and patient gripes are often the things that alert the physician or manager that workflow problems have gotten out of hand. But what's the best approach to getting to the root of your problems and finding the best solution? Start with communication. Meet with staff and enlist their support in clearly identifying where the bottlenecks are, what is causing them and what are the most reasonable solutions to pursue. It is leaderships job to be sure staff feels important and comfortable enough to come to you when they have a problem and believe they will get your support. Analyze the processes. Look for where the errors occur and where there are unnecessary steps or duplication of tasks. Even better, are there steps that can be eliminated through technology that save time, reduce errors and improve outcome? Invest in staff. Errors often occur and go undetected when new staff is not properly trained and when existing staff does not get on-going training to stay at the top of their game. This can result in frustration, poor morale and compromised outcomes, as well as causing division among the troops. Everyone needs the support of management; beginning with training and ending with performance evaluation and getting the tools to enhance performance.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:41-08:00October 10th, 2011|

Build Rock-Solid Financial Policies

The foundation for effective management of the revenue cycle is the practice's financial polices - so make yours rock-solid! They need to reflect the practice's culture and payment philosophy. This becomes more critical with the increase in high deductible insurance plans that place more responsibility on the patient. Here are some key factors in developing effective financial policies: Physicians need to agree on what their payment expectations are and let the manager enforce the policies. Include everyone involved in the process in the development of the financial policies and procedures. This often includes the scheduler, receptionist, data entry, coder, billing clerk, collection department and the manager. It is important to get their buy-in to develop policies that will work! Provide consistent training and support. Establish benchmarks for accurate patient registration, charge entry/payment cycle and error ratios, and days in accounts receivable. Provide adequate oversight to recognize when additional support is needed and to hold staff accountable to the standards outlined in the policy. Financial policies unify the practice and improve consistency in collection procedures To be effective, physicians and managers must define their expectations and clarify the processes necessary to achieve those expectations. Capko & Company a leader in medical practice management and marketing consulting. Judy Capko is the author of the runaway best-selling book: Secrets of the Best-Run Practices!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:54-08:00July 23rd, 2011|

The Three A Strategy to Growing Your Practice

Here are three simple strategies your practice can take to attract more referrals, gain visibility and be the doctor of choice in your specialty. Forge Alliances: You can't build your network of referrals by sitting in your office, so get out and meet the other health care providers and potential referral sources. You can maximize the time spent and the gains in this endeavor by hiring a marketing director or consultant to go out and meet people of interest on your behalf. And remember, your competition is not the enemy - So forge relationships with other physicians in your specialty, as well. Build Allegiance: By providing the best service, you can to both the referring sources and the patients that are referred you will strengthen their allegiance to you. Feedback is an important part of the process so it is wise to develop an on-line survey to send to your referring sources to be sure you are on the mark and meeting their needs. It also keeps your name in front of them - and this is a very good thing! Express Appreciation: Honor your referrals by sending a thank you note and offering value add services. For example, you can offer a lunch and learn program at their practice to educate the entire staff about your specialty and your commitment to their patients. It is another opportunity to thank them for their allegiance. You'll want to thank both staff and physicians and this is a good way to do it. The three A's will have a powerful impact on building the kind of practice you want and gaining an enviable reputation as the "go to" doctor in your specialty. Capko & Company - your source for building a practice that shines. www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-07-23T07:29:12-08:00July 7th, 2011|

Go green

Whether you are a academic faculty practice, multi-specialty group or a solo physician, there are some simple things your practice can do to protect the environment and save money while you do it! Cut printing costs by scanning insurance cards and posting internal documents on line such as employee manuals, newsletters and other shared practice information. Also print on both sides of the paper and save a few trees. Save on electricity by switching to Energy Star-rated light bulbs and remember to turn off the lights if you will be out of a room for 15 minutes or longer. Buy green products like both recycled paper and ink cartridges. Checkout biodegradable cleaning products at www.goodguide.com for helpful information. Implement a filtered water system and eliminate the use of individual plastic bottles. Have a green idea contest for staff to get everyone in the green mode and on board with making the practice more eco-friendly. Green is good!

By Judy Capko|2016-08-19T18:11:00-08:00June 27th, 2011|

Get a clear picture of practice performance: Part 2

Our last post talked about some of the key performance indicators a practice can examine to understand how well it is performing. Now we will dig a little deeper and look at other indicators that identify if a practice is above the norm and meeting the expectations the team has set. Managing referrals and the revenue cycle It is important to monitor and compare these additional performance indicators between each physician in the practice from year to year: Top ten CPT codes by utilization: Determines the high demand services and variables between physicians. This report can also be used to track payer reimbursement trends for these top revenue sources. Number of new patient and established patient visits: Monitors practice growth or decline. Referral trends: Tells you who are referring, who is not and how this is changing over time. This is also a good way to evaluate referral management and marketing efforts. Accounts receivable and days in A/R, DAR reveals how well you are doing at bringing in the money. Aged accounts receivable 90 days or more: An important indicator for monitoring internal billing and collection performance. Ideally ,this will be less that 15% of the total A/R. Outstanding claims: If there are variants between physicians there could be contracting issues or differences in physician coding (CPT and ICD) and reporting patterns. The old saying “you cannot manage what you fail to measure” is true. When armed with this data the practice will be able to better understand its position and know what corrective actions and changes need to be made. If this post brings a question to your mind that remains unanswered, contact us by following this link: www.capko.com. We are on your side!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00June 13th, 2011|

Get a clear picture of practice performance: Part 1

To begin your quest to understand how well the practice is performing is to compare last year’s financial performance to the prior year, examine shifting trends and identify the reasons these shifts are occurring. For example, are you doing less of a particular procedure and, if so, is there a reasonable explanation – or if one physician’s production took a dip was it due to more scheduled time out of the office or is it an abnormality that needs to be addressed. Perhaps one urologist’s aged receivable has spiked because of a payer contracting issue. Identifying these types of issues is a good start to managing finances better. It is also important to compare performance to your peers by obtaining the Medical Group Management Associations Cost Survey (if it includes your specialty), www.mgma.com and The annual Joint Statistics Report from the Society of Healthcare Business Consultants, www.nschbc.com. In a group practice it is important to look at the group as a whole, as well as the some specific numbers and benchmarks for each physician. Examine group performance based on the per physician averages to evaluate and manage income and expense trends and staff levels. For example, how does the practice compares to the average practice in your specialty around the country? • Number of full-time equivalent staff • Gross charges • Percentage of contract adjustments • Gross revenue, expenses and net profit • Operating expenses as a percentage of gross revenue If you simply want to know # of FTE (full time equivalent staff) and percentage of operating expenses against revenue let me know: Go to www.capko.com Capko & Company your source for practice improvement

By Judy Capko|2011-06-08T13:22:21-08:00June 8th, 2011|

Be a Lean Machine

Solving work flow problems is among the biggest challenges medical offices face on a daily basis. Work flow issues can be caused by a lack of defined work processes and individual responsibilities or poor training. It may seem like an oxymoron but too little or too much staff can also be a contributor to poor work flow. Regardless, it will result in unhappy patients and diminished profits. It's time to get serious about creating a lean operating machine. Here's some tips to help you get started: Take a critical look at workflow bottlenecks. Map work flow: Examine processes throughout the office to identify and eliminate those that don't provide added value to the customer or the practice. Involve staff in seeking solutions to problem areas of work flow. Everyone needs to give a valid reason for the various steps they go through to complete a task as a first step to eliminate processes that are redundant or duplicated. Examine errors or tasks that are completed to find the cause and develop the right solution. Develop a written plan to implement the best solution, including target dates for incremental progress. Communicate throughout the entire change process. There will be times when you will want to refocus and perhaps change directions. Celebrate your success along the way!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00June 6th, 2011|

Master referrals and build a medical practice that rocks!

Mastering referrals is an art and a powerful tool in helping you create the practice of your dreams! Define your perfect patient, the demographics, the type of cases and the kind of patient you like to treat. Identify how you can reach those people and build a solid referral network. Create a marketing plan that nurtures the ideal referral sources and keeps your name front and center. Train staff on the solid principles of mastering referrals: Probing the patient to ensure you accurately documenting how the patient heard about your practice and tracking it in your practice management system Provide an outstanding patient experience: an aesthetically attractive and comfortable office; well dressed professional staff; staff and physicians that make each patient feel special from the time she or he calls the office until the bill is paid in full and everything in between; and thank the patient for choosing your practice. Conduct patient surveys to be sure you are on the mark with delivering an awesome patient experience. Honor and nurture referral sources. Thank them, ask if they are pleased with your service and find out if there is something else you can do to make sure they are satisfied. Network and be visible throughout your community. Be grateful and give back: giving of time and resosurces to support the community and causes you believe in. Stay constant in your efforts and measure your progress every quarter. This will help you build strategies that work and make your practice shine. You can be the master of your practice and build the practice of your dreams! Capko & Company; experts in medical practice management, strategic planning and medical marketing.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00May 7th, 2011|

Where Accounts Receivable Headaches Begin

Collection problems don't begin with a rejected insurance claim or a patient's failure to make prompt payment. The headache of managing the accounts receivable starts with the patient registration form - data collection. It' s the receptionists and schedulers failure to gather sufficient and accurate financial data when patients first contact the office. Why does this occur? It happens because we fail to train the receptionists and schedulers on billing matters. They need to view the patient registration form and the insurance cards as financial documents - much like a credit application. Spend more time on the upfront training with these staff members and educate them about the consequences of poor data collection: rejected claims, delayed payments and an inability to collect the patient's portion of the bill after the fact. Set up accountability standards for data collection. Establish a reporting mechanism that tracks the reason for rejected claims. Start looking over this information to identify the most common errors that cause claims to be rejected. Then train staff on better data collection techniques to overcome these problems and show them their progress each month. The staff of good intentions. In reality the scheduling and reception staff have good intentions, but if you don't train them and help them understand the details essential to collecting accurate demographic and insurance data, then you are a part of the problem. Help staff's good intentions turn into better performance. You will improve revenue and save time! Capko & Company, experts in medical practice management and marketing.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00April 22nd, 2011|

Practice management tips to stop the shrinking reimbursement

Know how much it really cost you to see a patient. Divide your annual operating costs plus the physicians wages by the number of patients you see each year. That's the number you need to know. Analyze payer performance. Look at your top 10 CPT codes and how the five highest volume payers are reimbursing for those codes. It the average on those top 10 codes does pay above the cost to see a patient you need to negotiate a better deal or drop the contract and see patients out of network. Develop strong relationships with payers: Y our provider relations person can help you get to the go to person for negotiating a contract that works. Understand what a payer wants from you - Better access, getting patients better quicker and patient satisfaction! Capko & Company - We are on your side and will help your medical practice shine!

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:55-08:00April 11th, 2011|

Stop Wasting Energy & Money

Medical practice revenue is tighter than ever. It's time for you to take critical steps to keep costs under control and improve profits. The first step to fixing the bottom line is to look for the waste. Wasted energy results in a loss of potential revenue and lots of frustration. There is waste throughout the typical practice, but most of it is silent and doesn't get the attention it should. Here's some common threads we see in your world: A lack of clearly defined job responsibilities that result in duplication of effort. Accepting poor performance and inferior outcomes Mistakes that one person makes and another one corrects because it seems faster or easier. The good news is all these things are fixable. Make the commitment. Look at the action that needs attention. Is it the scheduling, patient visit or billing and collections, or something else? Then flow chart the processes involved and identify the cause for errors and inefficiency, discuss the possible solutions and pick the one that makes the most sense. Then [and this is important] assign someone the responsibility to see it through, set a reasonable time-line to get each change completed and schedule meetings to review progress along the way. You may need to hire a consultant to get the ball rolling and develop a process improvement plan, but it will be worth the effort. Start thinking lean and reduce the waste! Once you see improvement it's time to celebrate. Your bottom-line will improve, staff will enjoy their work more and patients will be happier. Sounds like a win-win-win. So just do it! Capko & Company, experts in practice management and markeeting - We are here to help make your practice shine. s

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:56-08:00April 5th, 2011|

Fight for your money

Did you know that 30% of the insurance claims submitted for payment of medical services in the United States are denied and of that amount 15% are never resubmitted? According to Medicare, 40% of their claims denials are never resubmitted. These are daunting statistics. Experts state that 70-80% of appealed claims are eventually paid - That's a good reason to fight for your money! It may be time for you to audit your billing practices to make sure you aren't throwing money down the drain. Prepared by The Capko Team- Our missision is to make your practice shine! Sources: Healthcare Business Advisors, LLC, Albany, NY Centers for Mediare and Medicaid Services

By Judy Capko|2011-03-18T14:52:21-08:00March 17th, 2011|

Rate Practice Performance

Does your practice know how well it is performing - and if not, why not? It's important for physicians and managers to examine performance each month by looking at specific Key Performance Indicators, KPIs. This will help you understand your position and is powerful in guiding decisions to improve performance. Medicine is a business and it's time to take this seriously. Here are a few basic KPIs to look at each month: Income and itemized expenses as a total percentage of income. This will tell you where the money goes. The highest expense is likely to be staffing costs. If this shows a jump it may be due to inefficiency that results in staff working overtime or adding another staff member to support the inefficiency. Then again it might be poor morale, resulting in lower productivity. Accounts receivable. The average A/R for physicians runs around 1.5 months of charges, if yours is more than 2 months it is important to examine billing procedures and find out what's causing the problem. Is it becomes someone is on vacation, the computer crashed, claims rejections or a lack of attention to aged accounts? Speaking of aged accounts if the amount 90 days aged of more is above 18% get more assertive with collection pursuit. Productivity reports are included in the month-end management reports typically produced by the practice manager and reveals the total charges, receipts and adjustments for the practice and should also compare each physician's individual production. Keep an eye on fluctuations that need to be explained. Sure, one docs charges will be down if on vacation or ill, but otherwise start looking for the cause. If adjustments are climbing, dig to be sure staff understands legitimate insurance adjustments and fights for your money when insurance plans make errors. Industry expert, Healthcare Business Advisors, states that 30% of claims in the US are denied and of that 15% are never resubmitted, despite the fact that 70-80% of appealed claims eventually get paid. Be proactive and get what you deserve! Missed appointments cost the practice plenty, so track them. More than one or two a day is not okay.

By Judy Capko|2011-03-08T12:36:41-08:00February 26th, 2011|

Be Respectful

Respectful engagement is about real behaviors that make a difference in patient safety, productivity and financial performance - your bottom-line, according to Dr. Mitchell Kusy and Dr. Elizabeth Holloway of Zolo Healthcare Solutions and authors of the fabulous book: Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalites and their Systems of Power. Here are a few tips from these experts. Develop zero tolerance strategies to reduce productivity losses Support staff engagement to uncover bad behaviors Designate an accountability partner for every leader Certainly a blog does not give this topic the attention it deserves. I highly recommend you buy the Kusy-Holloway book as an investment in your permanent library and make it required for every physician and manager. It is your responsibility to keep things civil and protect the workplace environment. Failure to do so will cost you plenty! Capko & Company is a leading healthcare consulting firm.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:56-08:00February 3rd, 2011|

The Way We Look

Get serious about your practice image. First impressions are powerful and your image leaves a lasting impression - so make it positive! The office space See your office from your patients' eyes. Walk in the front door and take a critical look at everything from the paint to the floor, to the lighting to the furnishings, the equipment and even the reading materials. If it's shabby or worn it needs to go! Beyond the space If you think scrubs are the in thing for staff to wear, get a grip. Patients, who are often sick, take time to get dressed for the office visit only to be greeted by employees dressed in scrubs that look like slept-in pajamas. Scrubs are inappropriate for front office and even look shabby in the clinic. A tailored uniform or lab coat with the practice name and logo works nicely for the clinical staff and will make the patient feel they are in good hands. Front office staff might dress in this attire, but nice causal business attire makes a positive impression that separates front office staff from the clinic in the patient's mind. Little things mean a lot The power of image extends to the little things. Set a policy on no gum-chewing, conservative jewelry, and no food at work stations that are visible to patients. These are things we don't often address, but should be part of the dress code that is discussed with each employee during their orientation. Engaging patients Get name tags for everyone - include their name, title and the practice logo - all in a font size big enough for patient to easily read. Then patients will know who they are talking to and who to address when they have a question or need help. Call patients by name and introduce yourself and you will begin to engage patients and build a patient-centered practice.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:56-08:00January 25th, 2011|

Monkey Business

Did you know that American workers spend nearly 20% of their time goofing off on the job? That's what a 2006 survey conducted by Salary.com and AOL revealed. I doubt that medical practices are excluded from this phenomenon. Here's what these employees are doing the most when they should be busy at work: Surfing the net; Socializing; Errands; and Spacing out. Why is this happening and what can you do about it? I believe the primary reasons for monkey business happening on your time are boredom, a lack of direction or people not really liking their jobs very much. Stand up and take notice. Make sure you are clear on your expectations and provide a work environment that makes people feel important and helps them succeed. Employees can make a break your future - you need everyone on the team contributing and feeling valued. Capko & Company experts in healthcare business management and marketing. Call on the Capko consulting team: www.capko.com

By Judy Capko|2011-01-11T17:46:09-08:00January 5th, 2011|

For better or for worse

The economy remains unpredictable. The outcome of health care reform is unknown and health care leaders keep on wondering what the future holds. Young physicians entering the market will proceed with caution when making a decision about their future. Employed physicians may sit on the sideline and watch the ball game, but if you are in private practice and entrenched in the community chances are you'll stick it out - for better or for worse. Take heart, there are steps you can take to make things better. Know your position. Examine practice finances; how well money is being managed in terms of improving revenue, controlling expenses and managing accounts receivable. Are you better off than you were this time last year? If not take strides to make a difference by setting financial goals and establishing methods to attain those goals. Embrace the future. Look at what's happening around you and the changes that are coming down the pike. Read, listen and explore the impact of these changes. Use this information to develop a strategic plan that positions you for the future. Identify what resources you need to accomplish this and turn to experts to help you out It's all about being prepared and responding sensibly. Act, don't react and you'll make better decisions for your future! Capko & Company, a leader in healthcare management and marketing consulting.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00December 29th, 2010|

Dream Teams

Here's seven key points that exist within a Dream Team. Players are motivated toward the same goal. There are effective communication channels between each team member. Criticisim is respectful, honest and constructive. No idea is considered stupid. The culture is deep-seated in team unity. Team is willing to compromise to achieve goal in real time. Ability of team members to face obstacles objectively. With a strong leader you can inspire your staff and work toward creating the Dream Team. It's worth the effort! Capko & Company is one of America's leading healthcare practice management and marketing consulting firms.

By Judy Capko|2010-12-14T17:42:34-08:00December 14th, 2010|

Five Steps to Improve Patient Collections

Here's how you can make patient collections better in 2011: Do your homework upfront. Research patient balances before the patient arrives for his or her appointment and know what the patient owes. Then you are prepared to ask for payment at the time of visit. This is when the patient is the most motivated and when you will get the best result! Establish consistent financial policies. Clarify your expectations of staff and patients. This means the stakeholders agree on the policies and establish methods to support and enforce the policies. Provide tools and training. Part of supporting those policies is providing staff with the tools and training essential to do the job right. The billing department can train reception and scheduling staff on how to review and understand a patient's account. Management can have in-services and role play to give staff the right words and confidence to ask for payment. Define responsibilities. If you want a committed staff that gets results it is important to clarify the processes involved in collections. Determine which staff members will perform those tasks. This includes who does what before the visit, at the time of the visit and following the visit. Establish and meet collection goals. Examine past performance when it comes to collecting at the time of service and set the bar higher. If you have typically collected an average of $1,000 a day from patients that owed $2,000 you have been collecting 50%. Why not set the goal 10% higher each month until you reach 80 or 90%? Then when you reach the goal thank your staff and celebrate your success. Capko and Company is one of America's leading health care management and marketing consulting firms. We are here to serve you.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00November 30th, 2010|

It’s Time to be Grateful

The holiday season has arrived. It's full of hustle and bustle and year-end activities that occupy our time. Despite economic concerns and regulatory issues that continue to impact the way we operate our medical practices, it's still a time to be grateful. Be grateful for the patients that put their trust in you and recognize there are many opportunities to grow the practice and the bottom line in 2011. Here's a few things to consider: Thanking your referring sources still has a lot of power and is a true expression of your appreciation. PQRI, the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, offers an opportunity to be eligible for year-end bonuses if you are reporting on standards of care when submitting claims. To find out more, go to the CMS website. For practices that have more than an occasional missed appointment, you can add an impressive amount of revenue to the bottom-line by managing the schedule better and taking corrective actions to ensure patients are committed to keeping their appointments. Look at your 2010 performance and set the benchmark higher for 2011 in key areas such as increasing the number of new patients, improving collections, and managing or even reducing staff overhead (the highest cost on your income and expense report). If your staff is accumulating over-time hours it's costing you plenty. Find out why and solve it. Honor your patients. In January send your patients an appreciation card for selecting your practice. It's also a good time to remind them to take good care of their health by scheduling annual check-ups and follow up appointments. We are grateful to our clients and the trust they have in us. Here's wishing all of you a prosperous 2011. Capko & Company is one of the nation's leading practice management and marketing consulting firms.

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00November 24th, 2010|

Get patients on your side

By Joe Capko, Senior Consultant Not every patient walks in the door with a smile - and for good reason. Some of them are worried about their health, but others simply aren't convinced you are glad to see them. Once in awhile an employee will get so caught up with what he or she must accomplish during the patient visit that they leave their table manners behind. This doesn't make a patient feel important. When patients think you care they get on your side. This will save time and contribute to making your day run smoother. Here's three easy tips that will get the patient on your side. Get rid of that terrible sign in sheet. It's an excuse to ignore a patient. Greeting a patient is your responsibility and the right thing to do! Introduce yourself and put a smile in your voice. It helps Mr. Nervous feel he has a friend he can depend on. Before you say goodbye always ask the patient if there is anything else you can do for her. She will feel important and know you are on her side. These tips are easy to implement, will improve patient satisfaction, result in a more compliant patient, and make your day at the office more pleasant. Judy Capko is one of America's leading healthcare consultants and author of the now famous book: Secrets of the Best Run Practices. Check out: Capko & Company; http://capko.com/

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00November 18th, 2010|

Shabby isn’t Chic!

When was the last time you looked around your office with a critical eye? It may be time to take down those 1980s drapes and silk flowers, and put on a new vibe with cool paints. It doesn't take much to bring your office up to date, but when you fail to do it you look like you are "Stuck in the Past". Your office reception room should look sharp and up to date, and give the feeling of a comfortable room in your home -- Good lighting, good reading, and a sense of friendliness. Get on board and get with the new generation of color and splash for your office. If you don't, your image will be tarnished and your patients just might see you and your practice as old and out of sync. That doesn't say much for you, does it? Get with it - We are 10 years into the new millennium - does your practice show it?

By Judy Capko|2022-01-01T22:52:57-08:00October 25th, 2010|

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