PROFESSIONALISM IN YOUR PRACTICE Cindy Pezza, PMAC Pinnacle Practice Achievement, LLC Jeffrey D. Lehrman, DPM, FASPS, FACFAS, FAPWH

Your practice’s reputation  From the initial phone call until check-out, there are countless ways to improve or tarnish the reputation of your practice.  You are the front line of defense and the lasting impression that patients’ take home.

SMILE THROUGH THE PHONE

MAKE SURE THEY CAN HEAR YOU

BE POLITE (EVEN IF IT HURTS)

NEVER CHEW ON THE PHONE

KEEP HOLD TIME TO A MINIMUM AND ONLY PLACE THEM ON HOLD ONCE!!

KEEP YOUR WORD

PERSONALIZE AND THANK THEM FOR CALLING (AND SOUND LIKE YOU MEAN IT!)

AESTHETICS  Make your office and your staff visually pleasing!  Clean reception area  New magazines  Educational materials and programming  Spotless treatment rooms  Living plants  Quiet music

What’s my name?  Don’t be the “shoe girl/guy” or  “The one who takes my money”

Answering faq’s  Let’s try some.. Just for fun

IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP MY BANDAGE DRY?

I don’t remember what the doctor said... Do I put ice or heat on my heel?

IS IT OKAY TO LET MY DOG LICK MY ULCER? (DOGS HAVE CLEAN MOUTHS YOU KNOW.. NOT LIKE CATS!)

DO I HAVE TO WEAR THAT HEAVY JACKET WHEN YOU TAKE MY X-RAY? MY PARTS ARE TOO OLD TO PROTECT

CAN THE DOCTOR JUST CALL ME WITH MY MRI RESULTS? I KNOW HE ONLY WANTS TO COLLECT MY COPAY!

Why do I have to fill out all of these papers? Can’t you people look it up on that computer of yours?

Isn’t it your job to call for my referral? I’m busy you know!

I’m diabetic, Is it better to wear white or black socks? What if I have on black shoes??

Why does medicare pay for these shoes once a year? They don’t like to pay for much else?

Deductible... Can’t you just rebill it?

IS A PODIATRIST A REAL DOCTOR?

SCHEDULING CONFLICTS  Every office has them...schedules and conflicts  It’s how we handle them that makes all the difference

PATIENTS THAT ARRIVE EARLY

PATIENTS THAT ARRIVE LATE OR WHENEVER THEY CHOOSE TO...

HOW LATE IS TOO LATE?  Are you sticking to your policies?  For late patients  When collecting copays  With no-shows (cancellation policy) Are your doctors undermining the practice policies?

UNPREPARED PATIENTS

ARE YOU EDUCATING YOUR PATIENTS?  New patient paperwork/intake forms filled out ahead of time via your website  Medication lists/allergy lists  Medical history  Primary Care information including referral in place prior to visit  Copay/deductibles due at time of service  Directions to your office  Arriving early as a new patient

DOCTOR TIME IN TREATMENT ROOMS

TABLE TURNOVER THEORY

WHITE LIES AND STORIES

APPOINTMENT TYPES  Your doctors should review the differences between urgent/non-urgent/emergent visits  All TEAM members should shadow in the treatment room and understand what happens with each common visit type  Scheduling systems/appointments should reflect the amount of time needed to treat the most common visit types

REASON CODES  Assign reason codes for all the most common visit types and stay on time!  If reason codes have not been created, PLEASE go back to your offices and do it!  Conduct a time study to see how long it takes for your patients to move through the office  Calculate how long your patients are in the treatment room, not how long the doctor is in with them.

PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES  Would you be satisfied with your experience as a patient in your office?  Wait times in most offices are exceptionally long  Personal service and professionalism are usually lacking  Make your office stand out by exceeding your patients’ expectations

HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT

WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS A COMMON VISION

WE VALUE YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION Please feel free to contact me with your professional tips and techniques or if you need help implementing any of the concepts discussed