Primary Care Compensation Survey 2011
Compare your salary, bonus structure, overhead ratio, and career plans with those of your peers, using this exclusive research by ConsultantLive
Cheap Bonus Ideas
Be creative with performance rewards. Give movie tickets to employees who go “above and beyond” the call of duty.
Record, Don’t Ignore, Feedback
Maintain a “murmur log” to record compliments and complaints from your patients.
Simple Quality Check
Assign one clinical staff member to check the expiration dates on all prescription samples once a month, and keep a log of these inspections.
How to “Go Green” With Patient Gowns
I have started asking my female patients to bring their own bathrobes for well-woman examinations.
Set Cycle for 1 Hour
Measure your cycle time from patient entry to patient exit. If you can keep it to less than 1 hour, you will keep more happy patients-and physicians.
Three Days Only!
Remember, time is money. Make sure that your billing office works the electronic claims transmission edit report within 3 days.
When Billers Schedule . . .
Ask your billing staff to place appointment reminder calls to patients who have an account balance.
Get Authorization "Alibis"
For pre-authorizations and referrals, get the name of the person who approves the service, and document the time and date.
Deny Now or Be Denied Later
Make sure you are paid for authorized services.
A to Z Accounting
Always make sure that you work all of your accounts each month.
Kindle Staff Morale With Kindness
I try to practice random acts of kindness with our office staff.
Change for Change
If, when you suggest an improvement, someone in your practice responds, "That's not the way we do things," charge that person 25 cents on the spot.
Praise Goes a Long Way
Giving out money isn't the only way to reward your employees.
Write Down That Wait Time
Have someone write on the charge ticket what time each patient checks in.
Coupon Crazy
If you’ve already bent over backwards to set up a payment plan for self-pay patients, don’t cut further into your cash flow by mailing them a statement every month.
An Appealing Cut-off
Don’t appeal claims worth very little.
One for You; One for You
If you discover a patient changed insurers, take a close look at the effective date of the insurance.
To Uncover Practice Problems, Go Undercover
Consider having a friend or family member evaluate your practice as a “mystery shopper.”
Abstain From Alcohol for Killing Spores
Caring for a patient with diarrhea that may be caused by Clostridium difficile.