Understanding is the first step toward health

Since ancient times, the story of medicine has been one of ongoing discovery, pushing the frontiers of science forward to gain a deeper and more holistic understanding of what makes us ill and how we can restore health.

Consumerism in healthcare — the shift from a “patient-centric” to a “customer-centric” mindset — means understanding that patients demand choice, quality, and continued engagement after medical visits. Developing an effective marketing strategy in a competitive market can feel like playing darts blindfolded. But using a broad range of tactics can reach today’s busy consumers and help your practice thrive.

In the right hands, medical data is priceless.

The right hands include authorized providers, for whom access to the most up-to-date patient data is essential for informed decision-making and better and safer medicine. Ensuring patients also enjoy on-demand access to their own medical records is critical for making them full partners in their healthcare. 

Switching EHRs can be time-consuming and expensive, but practices continue to seek better healthcare IT. An EHR should provide comprehensive documentation, the latest interoperability, tools for Patient Engagement and Population Health, in-depth data analytics, tools that promote safety when trying to reduce the number of in-person visits, and effective Revenue Cycle Management.

Given how few EHRs meet all those criteria, it is not surprising that 62% of practices have switched EHRs at least once.

You’ve done your planning, lined up your funding, and worked through the herculean tasks of opening your practice. Staffing may seem like the easy part, but it’s a critical phase that demands you slow down and follow a process for finding the most qualified candidates.

When it comes to selecting a new physician, patients today have quite a few options to choose from. By doing a quick search on the internet, patients will not only find out what is expected from healthcare practices but also find out how an individual practice fares against the competition. Just because a patient initially chooses a practice, doesn’t mean they’ll continue coming back. Read on to learn about four ways that could help you attract new patients and also keep them coming back to receive care.

Telehealth’s new prominence hints at more change ahead

The thing about boundaries is that you never quite reach them. In healthcare, for example, new technology — or a novel application of old technology — always opens new possibilities.

Success begins with finding the right spot

Location is key when setting up or expanding your practice. After all, this is where the magic of merging high-quality patient care and the success of a business come together. Before you make a purchase, here are some tips to help you find the location that will be right for you.

Acquiring new skills during the COVID-19 crisis

With recommendations to stay at home, self-isolate, and sometimes quarantine, the COVID-19 crisis means that many people finally have the time they need to focus on learning something new.

With so much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, safety is on everyone’s mind right now. Providers may wonder about the best ways to continue seeing patients while minimizing the risk of spreading coronavirus and easing the anxiety of patients and staff.

This is the second blog in a five-part series focused on starting your own practice. You’ve considered the pros and cons of starting your own medical practice, and you’re nearly ready to join the small business community — which employs 58 million Americans, or nearly half of the nation’s workforce.

I believe that Chronic Care Management (CCM) is one of the best tools that has ever been given to healthcare providers. I started using CCM in my office in October 2014 — a year before it became a benefit— because I’ve always believed healthcare was a team sport.

The jury is in — paper is out!

More than six months after the first reports of coronavirus began to circulate, medical providers across the nation have largely adjusted to key changes in their workflows. Those changes include the rise of telehealth, stricter sanitation protocols, and prioritizing care to make the best use of resources.

Starting a private medical practice in today’s healthcare ecosystem comes with regulatory, economic, and personal challenges. How do you define success? For some, it’s helping patients achieve better health. For others, success means obtaining more personal independence. Whatever your definition, a new venture is an exciting opportunity to transform your future.

Reclaiming the nation’s medical heritage

For many years, medicine throughout the United States was an intensely local and personal matter. Doctors established long-term relationships with individuals and families, often treating multiple generations, providing cradle-to-grave care that was built on understanding, engagement, and personal knowledge of patients’ needs.