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Patient Education
Patients retain approximately 25% of what you (doctors) tell them. Don’t take it personally, it’s probably not your fault (although you go through the heel pain spiel so many times a week, your delivery may begin to resemble Ben Stein’s teaching in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off). So, how do we get our patients to retain more of…
Check Patient Statements
In recent meetings with practices and billers, the need to review patient statements before they are mailed or emailed have become increasingly evident. With insurance companies reimbursing less and rejecting and denying more (for a plethora of absurd reasons), it is imperative that we make sure the balance our patients are seeing as their responsibility, actually is. What…
Bandaids Don’t Fix Bunions
My husband and I just bought a new house (not new, but new to us) and were excited to get settled and make a few cosmetic changes. For those who know me personally you probably guessed that painting was high on my list. For those who don’t, let’s just say that when I sell a home…
Are You (the DPM) Making the Best Use of Your Time?
In busy clinics we often lose sight of the fact that although in theory “everyone’s time is equally as valuable,” the doctor’s time is actually worth the most (financially). If the doctor is not moving and being productive, the practice is not producing. Think about it, how often are you performing tasks that did not require you to go…
Lazy Man Lobster
When your mother visits from Florida and you live on the South Shore of Massachusetts, lobster is a requirement for dinner one night (in addition to Chinese food of course). This time I decided to take the “easy” way out and have it steamed for us before we brought it home (mostly to keep that “fresh cooked lobster”…
Follow Through Matters
Happy Monday! Thank you if you opened this email to read today’s Pro Tip. This one is reflective of one of my pet peeves. I’m guessing however that those who are guilty of what I am about to discuss will not read this. For those who are, let me explain. . . I receive LOTS of…
Designate a “Bad Guy” During your Morning Huddle
During a recent team training session, we reviewed telephone triage techniques, tricks for obtaining the true chief complaint and tips for narrowing down the most pressing issue during evaluation. In most practices, if staff members aren’t properly educated, there is often a discrepancy between what is recorded in the schedule, what the patient relays to the…
Your Protocols May Need Revamping
As you know, I am a big proponent of creating and adhering to protocols. From how the phone is answered, what information is collected upon scheduling and informing patients of monies owed at time of service, to evaluating patients in order to prepare the treatment room according to our treatment protocols, there must be a plan. The…
Download the SoundCloud App and Start Listening!
As has been the case since February of 2024, Pinnacle’s Practice Engagement Program webinars have been available on the SoundCloud App (webinars before this time are available by logging in to the member only section and clicking “past webinars”). What does that mean to you? Well, it means that you can download the app (for…
What Could You Outsource?
Each year it becomes more and more difficult to own and manage private practices. Administrative and compliance burdens have made it virtually impossible for doctors to be doctors. So, what is a private practice physician owner to do? Outsource. Okay, but outsource what? The answer is anything and everything that does not require hands-on action/patient care. Let me give you…
