Published Communications
Don’t Let the Chart Go Silent
Last week’s Pro Tip(opens in new tab) discussed communicating and documenting general non-compliance. Today let’s specifically discuss what should be happening when high-risk patients miss appointments. Following the “no-show” your staff calls and leaves a message. (Morning no-shows should be called before lunch and afternoons by the end of the clinic day). The patient misses…
When Patients Don’t Follow the Plan
You can recommend the right treatment, prescribe the right medication, order the right testing and schedule the necessary follow-up—but you can’t make the patient comply. What you can do is make sure the patient understands why compliance matters—and document your efforts when they don’t follow through. Make the Consequences Clear Instead of simply saying, “Come back in two weeks,” explain why: “I…
The Power of “Do You Have Any Questions?”
One of the most valuable lessons from Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink has little to do with medicine—and everything to do with how patients feel about their doctor. Research discussed in the book found an interesting difference in the way physicians with fewer malpractice claims communicated with their patients: they tended to spend a little more time with them and created…
Are You Prepared to Prove Your X-Rays Were Actually Taken?
For years, most podiatrists have focused on documenting why an X-ray was medically necessary and ensuring that an interpretation was included in the patient’s medical record. Unfortunately, for some insurance companies, that’s no longer enough. We’re seeing an increasing number of payers request the actual X-ray images as part of pre-payment reviews, post-payment audits, and appeals involving payment recoupments…
AI Is Becoming Your New Referral Source
Patients aren’t just asking friends for recommendations anymore—they’re asking AI. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Siri, Gemini, or other AI-powered assistants, these tools increasingly recommend physicians, restaurants, businesses, and products by analyzing online information, especially patient reviews, ratings, website content, and overall digital reputation. If your practice has few reviews, outdated information, or inconsistent…
Stop Leaving Better Outcomes on the Shelf
With insurance reimbursement continuing to decline while overhead expenses keep climbing, many practices are working harder just to maintain the same level of profitability. The reality is that today’s successful practices can no longer rely solely on insurance reimbursement. One of the most effective ways to strengthen both patient outcomes and practice profitability is to…