Author: VettersEnt

How to Improve Vaccination Rates through Patient Education

Posted on by VettersEnt

The Role of Patient Education

With all of the media coverage on vaccination, it is important for your practice to be a clear voice presenting information and facts about each available vaccine offered at your office. When patients have information and a doctor to consult with, they can make educated and appropriate decisions about their health. Research shows a significant gap between vaccination rates among patients who viewed educational videos and those who did not. Your practice can make your patients and the world healthier just by making vaccination content available in your office.

Videos to Improve Vaccination Rates

A variety of studies have shown that playing vaccination videos in your clinic helps improve vaccination rates by 15%. These short films address the importance of vaccination and the concerns associated with any given vaccine. Viewing this information in the waiting area gives patients the opportunity to discuss vaccines with the doctor. A video is a quick, accessible way to remind patients of the significance of vaccination, as well as to answer many of the common vaccination questions before they go back for their visit.

Personalized Approaches

Patients who were given more information than solely the informational video were 10% more likely to get vaccinated. You have a variety of patients, so make content available to people of all learning styles. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has categorized vaccine information, which you can create into pamphlets or brochures to place on tables around the waiting area. This is also an opportunity to heighten your brand. Helpful vaccine topics may include concerns for pregnant women, advice for chronically ill patients, or potential side effects of a vaccine. Talk with your patients about the vaccines that are options for them and answer questions while giving resources. Foster an environment in which vaccination can be discussed openly in the waiting area and in the office.

In-Clinic Information is Key

Presenting videos in your clinic and making pamphlets available on site will help the patient feel safe and informed about his or her decision. Your office being able to both give information and vaccinate directly on site will motivate many of your patients to get vaccinated that day while in for the appointment. Help improve vaccination rates by making knowledge readily available to patients so they can choose vaccination with convenience and security.

Empower Patients to Improve Vaccination Rates with Help from Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Three Things Every Practice Website Needs

Posted on by VettersEnt

The home page of a website gives the viewer a strong first impression of a business. The Internet is a huge part of all our daily lives on a variety of devices. Both potential and current patients are likely looking up your practice website online for anything from address information to medical advice. It is important to help your patients feel welcome and engaged in your practice by giving your website a usable, professional quality. Read more to discover what every practice website needs to help both your business grow and your patients have the best user experience.

Addressing Patient Experiences and Concerns Through Your Practice Website

It is key to understand that every practice website needs to be molded by what the patient wants and is able to use. When you are designing your site, think like one of the patients at your practice. What kind of questions do people have over the phone and in person? Use these observations as your building blocks as you implement the following three elements of maintaining a website.

  1. Information: Patients will use your site for a variety of information about your practice. Make sure that your site is easy to navigate, with the answers to common questions placed in areas and under links that make sense with the content. Think about the kinds of information that patients would like to know and consider everything from logistical information such as an address, to the specialties of the doctors at the practice. Organize it in a way that is not too heavy with text, as readers’ eyes tend to scroll past large bodies of text.
  2. Usability: Consider that patients are going to have varying ways of getting information. Websites that are perfectly navigable on the computer may not be so on a smartphone. Make sure that your website caters to these devices so that patients can view anywhere.
  3. Blog: Consider creating a blog or other news source that keeps patients informed about the practice or other relevant medical concerns. Keep in mind the types of questions that patients may be asking. What are the most effective strategies for dealing with allergies? Where is the best place to start when developing your own food and wellness plan? With all of the conflicting information out on the Internet, patients will trust your website and the clarity it offers.

Help Your Patients by Giving Them What Every Practice Website Needs

Being mindful of user experience and keeping information flowing on your practice’s website will give your patients security and peace of mind on the Internet and in your office. Build your brand through your site so that patients can send your site to others. Do not forget that that first glimpse of an Internet page is a powerful first impression. Continue to get feedback from your patients and remember what every practice website needs to stay current.

Make Your Practice Website Engaging and Professional with Help from Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

What’s All the Fuss About CBD? What Every Medical Practice Should Know

Posted on by VettersEnt

Even if your practice doesn’t work with many young adult or adult patients, there’s a good chance you’ve been hearing a lot more about CBD. Cannabidiol (CBD) is an old product that is now being incorporated in thousands of personal care, medical and food products as consumers flock to its attractive touted benefits. Here’s what every medical practice needs to know about this trendy and potentially helpful product.

What is Cannabidiol? How Is It Different from Marijuana?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is the second most prevalent active ingredient found in marijuana. While it’s considered to be part of the cannabis plant, it’s technically derived from the hemp plant. Unlike other marijuana components like THC, CBD doesn’t cause a “high.” According to the World Health Organization, CBD does not have any effects that are indicative of a potential for abuse or dependence.

Is It Legal?

All 50 states have laws on the books legalizing CBD with different degrees of restriction. The federal government still classifies CBD in the same class as marijuana but doesn’t actually enforce against it regularly. Since products made with CBD are so trendy right now, many people are able to obtain it online with any licensing required.

Does It Offer Health Benefits?

While CBD is touted as offering a wide range of health benefits, studies are needed to actually confirm many of them before you should go out of your way to promote it at a medical practice. The strongest specific evidence of CBD’s efficacy is currently for treating childhood epilepsy in conditions like Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. In multiple studies, CBD reduced the quantity of seizures and, in some cases, eliminated them entirely. The FDA recently approved the first cannabis-derived medicine, which contains CBD, for use treating those conditions.

Preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD can also be useful for treating anxiety and insomnia. It can also potentially be an option for patients with chronic pain. One study in the European Journal of Pain found that CBD-based salves applied to the skin could reduce inflammation and pain from arthritis.

Grow Your Medical Practice with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

The Role of Every Doctor in Improving the Opioid Crisis

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The opioid crisis is ongoing, and every doctor has a role in providing excellent care for patients and preventing opioid overuse and misuse. While some people seem to think that the solution lies in never prescribing opioids, in reality, some patients are struggling with life-threatening illnesses and in need of palliative care that makes them an appropriate solution. Every physician must now walk a fine line between managing pain and prescribing in a manner that encourages addiction.

Changes in the Opioid Crisis

It’s unsurprising that there is a renewed interest in creating policies to limit prescriptions of opioids in the wake of rising deaths from overdoses. According to the CDC, overdoses from prescription medication are a leading factor in the 16-year increase in opioid overdose deaths. From 1999 to 2010, the amount of prescription opioids sold to hospitals, practices and pharmacies nearly quadrupled without an overall increase in the amount of pain that patients reported.

CDC Guidelines

The CDC released aggressive clinical practice guidelines that suggest limiting initial opioid prescriptions to 3 days unless it is a situation where there is active cancer, a need for palliative care or end-of-life care. The guidelines also caution prescriptions that contain more than 90 morphine milligram equivalents every day due to the increased risk of overdose and lateral efficacy of a stronger prescription.

The CDC’s clinical reminders are a launching point for your practice to serve as a resource for patients and prevent opioid addiction in your community. Some of the reminders include:

  • Start with low dosages
  • When opioids are prescribed for acute pain, prescribe no more than needed
  • Never prescribe extended-release opioids for acute pain
  • Always discuss benefits and risks and availability of non-opioid treatments with patients before prescribing or continuing a prescription

Assessing the Risk and Harm at Your Practice

When you are working with patients who are receiving one prescription for opioids or renewing a prescription, you should always make assessing risk and addressing potential harm a priority. To properly consider risk and harms:

  • Evaluate each patient’s risk factors for opioid-related side effects and hazards
  • Check the prescription drug monitoring program for prescriptions from other providers or high dosages
  • Avoid prescribing benzodiazepine and opioids concurrently
  • Use urine drug testing to identify undisclosed use or the presence of prescribed substances
  • Arrange treatment for opioid use disorder if a patient is in need

Help Impact the Opioid Crisis with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

4 Ways to Overcome Barriers to Chronic Disease Management

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As a doctor and healthcare professional, one of the most frustrating situations you regularly encounter is probably non-compliant patients struggling to adhere to their chronic disease management plans. While it’s easy to assume patients simply don’t care, that’s almost never the case. Understanding the barriers to chronic disease management can help you to circumvent them.

The Barriers of Chronic Disease Management

Chronic disease is both prevalent and expensive in the United States. Approximately half of US adults have at least one chronic disease according to 2012 CDC data. That high volume of chronic illness made up over 85% of healthcare spending in 2010. That cost is driven partially by the 80+% of patients who drop out of chronic disease management programs, thereby putting themselves at increased risk of complications or worsening symptoms.

Barriers and How to Overcome Them

  1. Medication Cost: Medication adherence is typically at the heart of most chronic disease management plans, and patients who cannot take their medications regularly are unable to work towards a better state of health. With rising prescription costs, almost 25% of patients worry that they will be unable to afford medications in the future, and over 14% of patients have avoided filling a prescription solely due to cost. Work with your patients to determine if they are taking medication and if the cost could be prohibitive. Exploring budget-friendly options and coupons is a great way to increase engagement.
  2. Lack of Awareness of Resources: Many patients fail to realize the depth and breadth of resources available through your practice and the government. By educating yourself and your patients about all of the resources available and improving their health literacy, you can empower them to better adhere to their chronic disease management plan.
  3. Communication and Support: When patients don’t feel supported at home or by their healthcare provider, it’s a major barrier to chronic disease management. Emphasize preventative care and follow up regularly with patients coping with chronic illnesses. Include family members and friends in the education process as much as possible, and offer your patients resources to share with them.
  4. Mental Health Issues: Depression and anxiety can be additional burdens on top of existing chronic conditions. Acknowledge that many patient populations need mental health support and prioritize screening for depression and mental illness.  

Learn More About Serving Chronic Disease Patients with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

The Difference Between Patient Portals and Personal Health Records

Posted on by VettersEnt

Two of the most buzzed-about words in healthcare today are patient portals and personal health records (PHRs). Both of them have tremendous potential for boosting patient engagement, and it can be difficult to distinguish the differences between the two due to vague definitions and plenty of overlap. What is the difference between patient portals and personal health records?

Patient Health Records

A tethered PHR is an online interface that is directly tied to an electronic health record (EHR), and it allows patients to view and interact with their health data. For example, a patient would be able to quickly see their immunization history or lab results, or due dates for preventative care screenings, safely online. Whenever a patient health record is connected to a medical record, it is considered protected by HIPAA. Depending on who you ask, that definition of PHRs could look very similar to the definition for patient portals.

Patient Portals

Patient portals are secure websites or apps that allow patients access around the clock to their personal health information over an internet connection. Each patient will have a separate secure username and password, and those can be used to see a wide range of information including:

  • Notes from recent office visits
  • Discharge summaries
  • Medications
  • Immunizations
  • Lab results
  • Allergies

Typically, patient portals also go a step beyond PHRs to facilitate greater communication between patients and their healthcare providers. Many patient portals allow patients to:

  • Check coverage and benefits
  • Update contact information (address, phone number, email, etc.)
  • Exchange secure emails with healthcare providers
  • Request prescription refills
  • Make payments
  • Schedule routine, non-urgent appointments
  • Download and fill out forms
  • Watch educational materials

Patient portals have already been shown to be powerful tools for increasing patient engagement and empowerment. One report from AHIMA found that patients who access health information via portals or PHRs:

  • Had broader knowledge of what health concerns they are currently facing
  • Improved their health literacy
  • Deepened their ability to engage in informed conversations with healthcare providers
  • Initiated changes in their life to be healthier
  • Decreased their utilization of in-office healthcare services

Learn More About Patient Portals and Personal Health Records with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

5 Tips for Negotiating with Payers

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In a smaller medical practice, negotiating with payers can feel like David with a small slingshot against Goliath. However, even tiny medical practices have a lot to bring to the table when conferring. Whether you’re a larger healthcare organization or a smaller one-doctor practice, you have more to offer when negotiating with payers than you realize.

5 Tips for Negotiating with Payers as a Practice

  1. Do your homework before you attempt to negotiate. What concerns might the specific payer have? For example, some insurance companies value keeping hospitalization rates as low as possible. In that case, you should come prepared with data on how your practice works to lower hospitalization rates.
  2. Pay attention to your bottom line before you start the discussion. If you don’t know what your absolute bottom line is, you might end up signing a contract that you can’t afford to uphold. Every payer is not a perfect match for every practice, and walking away has to happen in some situations.
  3. While negotiating for reimbursement rates might be your top priority, don’t forget that there are other things you can negotiate. If you are unable to get any concessions on rates, ask for ways to streamline the prior authorization process or more favorable terms on the window for resubmitting claims. Many payers who are unwilling to budge on reimbursement rates are open to discussing other aspects of the contract.
  4. Know your practice’s value and be prepared to show it. If you are taking part in a quality initiative or accredited by an organization, come prepared with your relevant documentation. Do you practice in a place where there are not many other offices of your type? Do you cater to an underserved patient demographic? Do your patients have a high rate of engagement and preventative care? The many factors that go into making your practice a wonderful place for healthcare all add value to you, even if you have a small patient roster.
  5. If you are able to, show a cost-of-living increase in your reimbursements when it’s time to negotiate with payers. It is much more difficult to argue against a slight increase if you can show that your medical malpractice premium just increased 10%, your rent went up 5% and staff health insurance costs also increased. When there are constant cost-of-living increases, an adjustment to reimbursement rates is appropriate.

Get Help Negotiating with Payers with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Past Due Balances with Vetters Enterprises

How to Collect Past-Due Patient Balances

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There are some problems that universally affect all medical practices, and past-due patient balances is one of them. It’s uncomfortable and unpleasant to ask for payment, especially when you know a patient might be unable to pay in full or you haven’t established collection practices. However, the funds that you collect from patients are essential to keeping your doors open and being able to properly treat patients who do pay on time.

The Impact of Accumulating Past-Due Patient Balances

As deductibles rise, more medical expenses are being shifted from insurer to patient. While the shift takes place, healthcare providers are struggling to maintain high reimbursement levels and collect from patients. One new study found that practices only collect 12% of past-due patient balances at the time of service and collect $0 almost 70% of the time. That alarming statistic shows the need for practices of every size to develop effective strategies for getting past-due patient balances paid.

Establish Your Expectations with Staff and Patients

First, remember that your staff, patients and management need to be all on the same page. If you are going to make payment at the time of service your policy, you should make this clear at every step in the process. When patients schedule an appointment, check with their insurance and let them know how much they should be prepared to pay. Like many hospitals do, you should also ask for payment at the appointment. While you will not collect 100% of the time, you might be surprised how many patients are ready and willing to pay then and there. It takes time and consistency to implement policies, and after a single appointment, many patients will start to expect to pay immediately and prepare.

Offer Multiple Payment Options

If you only accept one or two payment methods, you are hampering your ability to collect past-due patient balances. Offer as many payment methods as possible, including newer options like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Payments. By meeting the patient’s preference, you improve patient experience and increase your chances of getting paid.

Improve Patient Communication

In one survey, over 50% of patients didn’t understand what their medical costs were, and were more likely to have a negative impression of their doctor as a result. By improving the way that you communicate with patients and making their financial obligations clear, you can also improve their perception of your practice.

Get Help Collecting Past-Due Patient Balances with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Social Determinants of Health with Vetters Enterprises

Is Addressing Social Determinants of Health Vital to Patient Success?

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There’s a lot of buzz around the social determinants of health in the healthcare community, and for many good reasons. The social determinants of health have been found to be critical in promoting optimal patient health, limiting disease and improving healthcare quality. 

What Are the Social Determinants of Health?

Social determinants of health are nonmedical things that affect a patient’s health outcomes and overall health. They can include where a patient is born, where someone lives, what job they have, their age and a wide range of other factors that all shape their daily life and health. These social determinants have a serious effect. One analysis of studies measured adult deaths attributed to social factors and discovered that in 2000, over 245,000 deaths could be attributed to low education, 176,000 to racial segregation, 162,000 to low social support, 133,000 to individual-level poverty and 119,000 to income level equality. For comparison, the number of deaths that could be linked to low social support was nearly identical to the number of deaths from lung cancer.  

The Reality in the United States

Currently, the United States is ranked among the 10 richest countries in the world per capita. However, place of birth is more strongly correlated with life expectancy than genetics. There is no one way to improve these statistics without the work of policymakers, physicians, communities and individuals. Community health partnerships are one effective way to address social determinants of health and support your community.

Getting Involved

How can your workers better address needs like transportation or access to healthy food? One family practice in Columbus, OH partnered with the Mid-Ohio Food Bank to pilot a health initiative for patients with diabetes. While the practice thought almost no patients were living with food insecurity, a whopping 43% of patients surveyed had trouble finding healthy food to eat. The practice added a mini food bank inside and offered participating diabetes patients fresh produce (from the food bank), recipes, cutting boards, peelers and a brief nutrition class. In the first 4 months of the program for 40 patients, 12 patients had reduced A1C levels and the majority of patients indicated positive results. Even more promising? Physician satisfaction increased and burnout levels decreased. While this isn’t feasible for every practice, it’s great food for thought for yours.

Address the Social Determinants of Health with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Appointment Scheduling Mistakes

The 4 Most Costly Appointment Scheduling Mistakes

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Your office staff always have their hands full between checking patients in, scheduling appointments, answering the telephone and handling all of the other tasks that help keep your practice running. Unfortunately, appointment scheduling mistakes are very common, and they can be very costly to your reputation and bottom line.  

Not Sending Reminders

How many times do you remind patients of their upcoming appointment? If an appointment card offered at the end of another appointment is the only thing you’re doing, you have plenty of room to improve. You should always send patients both email and SMS reminders when they book the appointment and a day or two beforehand. Patients will appreciate the reminder, and you will increase the likelihood of your patients showing up on time or rescheduling the appointment and freeing up the space for someone else.

Over-Booking Appointments

This common appointment scheduling mistake happens when your receptionists pack too many appointments into a single day, and every patient shows up. Unfortunately, this leads to sky-high wait times and upset patients. You should use a scheduling system that keeps everyone on the same page and prevents overbooking. While it can be tempting to squeeze a few extra patients in, is it worth losing your reputation and goodwill with patients?

Not Asking Enough Screening Questions

How much do you ask patients when scheduling an appointment? Confirming things like insurance coverage in advance is critical to making sure that appointments start on time and coverage is clear when the patient arrives. You should also always ask details about why the patient is scheduling an appointment. A patient coming in only for a flu shot should be allotted a different length of appointment compared to a patient coming in for a comprehensive annual physical and bloodwork. It’s better to ask now and be happy you did later than wait.

Not Maintaining a Waiting List

While last-minute cancellations and no-shows are unfortunately not 100% avoidable, one of the best ways to avoid wasting that time entirely is by keeping a waiting list of patients who are looking for an appointment as quickly as possible. You’ll be able to make the patient getting the last-minute call very happy and not miss out on an opportunity for an appointment.

Avoid Appointment Scheduling Mistakes with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.