April 23rd 2024
Why a report to the NPDB can be bad news for physicians.
March 14th 2024
This is the first product the author has seen that combines both quantitative and qualitative feedback from patients.
January 19th 2024
A practical approach when a patient requests a second opinion.
December 22nd 2023
December 1st 2023
The adage, “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” rings true in healthcare, too.
Defining a Patient-Focused Organization
With the increased emphasis on patient satisfaction and quality of care it is helpful to ask yourself if your practice is a patient-focused organization.
Patient Satisfaction Surveys: Doing More Harm than Good?
With the cost of healthcare rising, is it really wise for hospitals to spend money on services that you'd find at the Ritz Carlton?
Creating a Sustainable Direct Primary Care Practice
Making the jump to direct primary care isn't going to generate changes overnight, but this doctor says it was worth it.
Six Ways to Bring Consumerism to Healthcare
As patients adopt a consumer mindset in purchasing healthcare services, healthcare organizations need to implement a consumerism strategy.
Certified PAs Can Help Fight Child/Adolescent Obesity
PAs can develop screening protocols, share basic nutrition and exercise information, and provide a list of community resources for overweight patients.
The Problems with Direct-to-Consumer Pharma Advertising
While there may be a benefit to pharmaceutical companies advertising to consumers directly, this doctor sees too many problems with it.
5 Things to Know When Your Practice Gets a Nasty Review
If your practice gets a nasty review, here are some legal and practical considerations to note.
How to Diagnose a Patient's Phone Neck
When does your patient have "phone neck" issues from playing too much Pokémon Go? As you can tell from this cartoon, it's easy to tell.
Patient Confidentiality and Pinkie Swears
Here's an interesting way that one patient is trying to ensure his confidentiality is held secret within the walls of the examination room. It's unnecessary.
Introducing a New Physician to Your Practice
Adding a new physician to your practice requires a sound communication plan that encompasses your patients, social media, and staff.
Patient Collection Strategies that Work for New Plans
If your practice is struggling to collect all that it is due from patients, here's how you can stack the deck in your favor.
Innovating to Improve Patient Satisfaction Scores
An innovative nine-year old patient is proof there are outside-the-box ways to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes.
Maintaining a Relationship with Patients in Disagreement
Patients might not always agree with your diagnosis. It's important for docs to maintain a good relationship with them when having a difficult conversation.
Physicians, Address the Obesity Issue with Patients
Many doctors are afraid to address a patient's obesity with them. This is the wrong approach, says one doctor.
Making Your Patient Waiting Room Friendly for All
The Civility CEO lets you know how to ensure your patients' waiting room is friendly for people of all ages and all temperaments.
The Inbox: Offsetting Declining Practice Revenue
In our recurring blog "Inbox" we share comments from physicians and practice administrators telling us what keeps them awake at night.
The Debate over the Placebo Effect
Should doctors be able to freely use placebos to alleviate psychiatric suffering? Dr. Frank weighs the two sides to the debate.
Transparency in Patient Relations Is Best
Patient can be irate when it comes to higher than expected bills. This practice found the best way to address the issue is to be frank.
Three Patterns of Self Reflection from Physicians
In a study, physicians were asked to reflect on their communication with patients. Three themes seemed to emerge.
Practice Rounds: Sharing Dangerous Opioid Medication
One in five family members share pain medications with each other. Also, ACA healthcare premiums predicted to rise dramatically.
Improving Medical Care through Open-Ended Reflections
Researchers recently discovered that physicians can improve care by looking in the metaphorical mirror through "open-ended reflections."
9 Ways to Increase Patient Engagement at Your Practice
Patient engagement is important for practices to ensure better care for the patient. Here are nine ways to improve your patient engagement efforts.
This Doc's on-the-Wall Accolade is Worth Five Stars
Move aside medical degrees and fellowships, this doctor is showing off his Yelp reviews and statistics for his patients to see.
How All Four Seasons are Important for a Doctor
The seasons take on a different meaning for a doctor. There are the literal seasons and the metaphorical seasons of life.
An Open Letter to Patients About Medical Billing
Patients can understand so little about their health plan that the billing department is automatically blamed when something goes wrong.
Stretched Resources Don't Excuse Poor Patient Service
Every physician practice is dealing with stretched resources these days, but that's not an excuse for bad customer service.
Educating Patients on Health Insurance Benefits
Spending a few minutes explaining health insurance benefits to patients prior to the appointment should become a requirement.
Poor Patient Reviews Linked to Bad Customer Service
What is the way to improving poor reviews from patients online? One expert says it comes down to basic customer service.
Why is Physician Autonomy Important for Patient Care?
This doctor says one patient's care plan reemphasized why he has continued to stay independent in the era of consolidation.
Physician Burnout and Round-the-Clock Primary Care
Certainly physicians want to be responsive to their patients. But they shouldn't provide 24/7 "on-demand" services like Amazon.