Director of Provider Market Solutions at Welltok

2020 was a whirlwind in many ways and changed the delivery of healthcare from both the patient and physician perspectives and accelerated opportunities for collaboration. While consumerism has been a focus in the U.S. for some time, COVID-19 has placed pressure on the healthcare industry to erect a digital front door for patients (telehealth, appointment scheduling, appointment check-in, etc.). In 2021, digital and physical interactions will continue to merge. Consumers are likely to be more actively involved in their care than ever before and will expect experiences that guide them to make the best decisions for themselves and their family to meet them where they are at.

The pandemic has reinforced the idea that the best patient care can be achieved through communication, collaboration, and data sharing. As we create a new normal for how healthcare is delivered, providers need to focus on how to create a personalized experience for patients. How can you know your patient, show them that you know them and anticipate their needs? 

COVID-19 is proving that everyday factors can make a big difference in a person’s current and future risks and needs, along with the type of support and preventive actions that are essential to their total wellbeing. Yet, most providers do not have access to the necessary data. Providers need to look beyond clinical information and leverage consumer data, including 

 (SDoH), which are socioeconomic factors and health behaviors that drive 

 of a patient’s health outcome, to better understand their patients. SDoH data not only reveals a person’s health risks today, but it can also be leveraged to anticipate future needs. For example, our predictive data analysis shows that people who rely on public transportation are less likely to comply with preventative care and are thus at higher risk for high-cost events (i.e. emergency department visits). Domestic sedan owners are less likely to have COPD, whereas people in multi-unit dwellings are at a higher risk for COPD.

Consumers say that providers usually ask them about their physical health (i.e. diet, exercise) and emotional health, but not about SDoH factors like education or social connectedness. On top of this, nearly half (

) of people are unaware of what type of information outside of their medical history they should be sharing with their provider to get better support.

This reinforces the importance of supplementing clinical data with consumer data, so providers can get a full 360-degree view of their patient, which will arm them with the knowledge they need to create a personal and long-lasting patient relationship. Strengthening the physician-patient relationship, leads to increased patient satisfaction and trust that will help providers guide their patients towards the care they need.

The aggregation of individual level data is key to the process. “An urgent digital business priority — enhancing the customer relationship — hinges on optimized and integrated master data,” writes Ilona Hansen, Malcom Hawker, and Varun Agarwal in Gartner Research.

 Once the data is ingested, analyzed and organized, clinical, and consumer data can be combined to create a master patient index, meaning one record for each person providing the 360-degree view of the patient. This can give providers a granular understanding of the individuals in their market, as well as the population as a whole. Again, without this breadth and depth of data, it is really difficult to derive useful insights.

Reducing burnout while delivering virtual care

Here are a few tips for providers looking to improve their patient relationships:

 Patients are more than willing to explore opportunities to improve their quality of care. Understanding patient wants and needs is critical as consumerism remains a focus within the healthcare space. Providers can empower their patients to take charge in their health by personalizing their healthcare experience.

 Show that you know your patient outside of the clinical setting and help them break down the barriers preventing them from achieving their highest wellbeing. For example, a patient experiencing food insecurity could be connected to a local community food bank.

Listen to the patient… and keep listening!

 Patients want to be engaged in a particular way. By using advanced analytics and consumer insights, providers can reach them with the right message at the right time via the right communication channel. This can include email, direct mail, text email or phone calls depending on individual preference.

2021 is the year to create a long-lasting relationship with patients by showing them you know them and meeting them where they are at.

1. Gartner: CRM Success Requires Data Management Integration. Published 19 November 2020. 

Articles

The pandemic has reinforced the idea that the best patient care can be achieved through communication, collaboration, and data integration 

Creating a personalized experience for patients

, JD, MBA, advises clients on compliance and transactions in healthcare, cybersecurity, corporate and securities law, while representing plaintiffs in False Claims Act and Dodd-Frank whistleblower cases. She also teaches bioethics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Rachel can be reached through her website, 

Government agencies continue to warm about cybersecurity and fraud schemes.

By now, it’s no secret that the healthcare sector is a major target for cybersecurity attacks in various forms and fraudulent activity. 

, three federal agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (collectively “Agencies”) issued another warning about emerging fraud schemes and the related methods of attack. This warning was released in connection with COVID-19 and cyber threats and fraud in all forms.

Specifically, these Agencies alerted the public to the following items, among others:

Requests asking you to pay out of pocket to obtain the vaccine or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list

Offers to undergo additional medical testing or procedures when obtaining a vaccine

Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or personal contact from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company, or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal and/or medical information to determine recipients’ eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine trials or obtain the vaccine

Advertisements for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources

Individuals contacting you in person, by phone, or by email to tell you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine

Don’t share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and trusted medical professionals.

Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites, and email addresses that look trustworthy but may be imitations of legitimate websites.

Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.

Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.

Do not enable macros on documents downloaded from an email unless necessary and after ensuring the file is not malicious.

Do not communicate with or open emails, attachments, or links from unknown individuals.

Never provide personal information of any sort via email; be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate.

 is the use of cybercriminals attempting to “trick users into opening a ‘LinkedIn Private Shared Document’ and entering their login credentials into a fake LinkedIn login page, security researcher JB Bowers warms.” This message is delivered through LinkedIn; however, users who have their email attached to LinkedIn may also see it appear there. Proceed with extreme caution because the “LinkedIn Private Shared Document” literally does not exist and it should trigger alarm bells for the user.

In sum, cyberthreats are not going away and cybercriminals are becoming more crafty. Stay alert even during these overwhelming times. 

, JD, MBA, advises clients on compliance and transactions in healthcare, cybersecurity, corporate and securities law, while representing plaintiffs in False Claims Act and Dodd-Frank whistleblower cases. She also teaches bioethics at

in Houston. Rachel can be reached through her website,

Cyberthreats are not going away and cybercriminals are becoming more crafty. 

Providers must remain vigilant about cybersecurity and fraud schemes

is the Educational Program Director and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM at MEDIQUS Asset Advisors, Inc. He specializes in wealth management solutions

As we welcome 2021 and try to put 2020 far into the rear view, it is always a good idea to put plans in place to succeed financially throughout the year. Here are eight areas we believe require your thought and attention at the beginning of the year to provide a kickstart to success during the remainder.

Whether you want to be debt free in ten years or own a home in three, you are more inclined to save if you have specific goals. Factor these goals into a budget and figure out where you can squeeze the extra money from to make these goals realities.

Every effective financial plan starts with a budget. Identify necessary spending and savings items. Give yourself a little leeway but try to stay disciplined to your budget.

These can be a financial lifesaver! A sudden job loss, major surprise expense, or unexpected health issue can change your financial picture quickly. The general rule of thumb is to maintain an emergency fund equal to 3 times your monthly living expenses if you are a dual income household, and 6 months if you are a single income household or one person’s income is relied upon to provide for the family’s standard of living. During the COVID-19 pandemic it is a good idea to bolster these funds with an extra month or two of savings.

Tips to Better Manage Incoming Calls at Your Medical Practice

Look to see if there is some high interest debt—like credit cards—that can be paid off. With interest rates near record lows, putting extra money towards low interest debt may not be the best idea. If you think you can earn a higher rate of return than the interest being charged on your debt by investing that extra money, in the long run you should come out ahead. Some forms of debt such as a mortgage on a house may also be acceptable due to the tax deductibility of the interest.

If you already contribute to an employer plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b), keep it going. The IRS left the maximum contribution amount unchanged from 2020 at $19,500 ($26,000 if over age 50). 401(k)s and 403(b)s should be maxed out before utilizing other tax-advantaged retirement accounts because they are protected by federal law if you are ever sued and have a judgement against you. If you own your practice, determine if you are utilizing the best type of retirement plan for your specific situation.

If you are already maxing out employer provided retirement accounts and wish to save additional amounts towards retirement, consider contributing to a Traditional or Roth IRA. These accounts also offer excellent tax-advantaged growth and are protected in most states from lawsuits. The contribution limit remained unchained at $6,000 per year for 2021 ($7,000 if over age 50). Please note: deductibility and the ability to contribute are determined by your income so it is important to be aware of the limitations.

Engaging Adolescent Patients, Part 1: Key communication strategies

Often overlooked, disability and life insurance are actually very important components of financial security. Disability insurance supplements a portion of your income in the event you are sick or disabled and unable to work. In the event of a long-term disability, it could ensure you stay in your home and/or are still able to save for financial goals like retirement. All eligible physicians should have comprehensive disability coverage that provides at least 60% of their pre-disability income. Life insurance is slightly more situational, but if you own a home with a mortgage or have any other debts that would not be absolved at your death, have children whose college educations you would want to guarantee, and/or have an individual or organization you would want to provide for in the event of your death, then life insurance should be considered.

The complexity of an estate plan may vary based on your assets and needs, but having basic estate planning strategies in place is important. Work with an estate planning attorney to review whether you need wills, powers of attorney, trusts, etc. 

Having these eight important issues well in hand will give you a good foundation to start moving towards a financially secure future. We recommend speaking with your financial advisor about other areas of your financial plan that could use improvement.

Effective June 21, 2005, newly issued Internal Revenue Service regulations require that certain types of written advice include a disclaimer. To the extent the preceding message contains written advice relating to a Federal tax issue, the written advice is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used by the recipient or any other taxpayer, for the purposes of avoiding Federal tax penalties, and was not written to support the promotion or marketing of the transaction or matters discussed herein.

The information contained in this report is for informational purposes only. Any calculations have been made using techniques we consider reliable but are not guaranteed. Please contact your tax advisor to review this information and to consult with them regarding any questions you may have with respect to this communication.

MEDIQUS Asset Advisors, Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

Eight areas that require your thought and attention at the beginning of the year. 

Don’t get behind the financial eight ball

Having recognized World Cancer Day earlier this month (February 4), it’s a good time to bring attention to the fact that 

screenings for breast, colon, prostate, and lung cancer dropped dramatically

—by 85%, 75%, 74% and 56%, respectively—at the peak of the pandemic in April 2020 compared with 2019. Experts worry this decrease will lead to higher mortality, as cancers will be diagnosed and treated at later stages.

While preventive care before the pandemic was already substantially 

, we’re looking at a further decline due to fear around COVID-19 and patients’ preference to avoid (or delay) non-emergency medical care.

We’ve seen this shift up close. A recent look at our data across multiple health systems found a sharp drop-off in colonoscopies in April of last year compared to the months prior. While we’ve seen some volume recover recently, others have not. Understanding the consequences of missed screenings like these – a possible delay in catching issues early, and when they’re treatable – means it’s critical to find ways to engage and educate patients about the importance of consistent, proactive, and preventive care. 

Bedside manner remains vitally important during the pandemic

Data-driven engagement strategies should align to business and patient outcome goals

When used effectively, data can play a key role in engaging patients, as it enables health systems and clinics to better understand and communicate with their unique patient community. Achieving this purposefully is critical to building a trusting and long-term relationship with the community; too much irrelevant information and a person will tune out, too little and they’ll look elsewhere for the information they seek.

Identifying and understanding the larger goals, both from a revenue and patient outcomes perspective, need to be the starting point for any data-driven patient strategy. This will ensure a tighter focus on how to achieve those goals and avoid one-off activities that distract and detract from the overall purpose, risking an inconsistent experience for patients.

For example, rather than running a one-off campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer and drive mammogram screenings, organizations should identify where priority service lines and their patient community’s health risks and capacity intersect, and develop an engagement strategy accordingly. For some health systems, that might mean heart health is a top priority because of their strong cardiology service line and a high-risk patient community.

The majority of people know that preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies, is good for the management of their health. But knowledge is very different from action. As humans, we are very good at finding reasons 

 to take healthcare-related actions: we’re too busy, we don’t want to, we assume the risk pertains to other people, we don’t know where to go. The list goes on. We have shown, however, that a strategy that leverages an organization’s data effectively can change our human tendency towards inaction (or avoidance), as it removes some of the burden from patients.

Like Amazon’s “Buy Now” button, healthcare organizations need to make the process of taking action as frictionless as possible. When communicating to patients, like any consumer, it’s important that the call to action is hyper-relevant and timely, which should tie to the aforementioned ultimate strategy.

For example, we worked with an East Coast-based health system to design and execute a breast cancer campaign that targeted patients at high risk for the disease. We began with a propensity model to identify which patients within the community were at high risk of developing breast cancer based on well-established risk factors and previous health records.

The approach was to educate those patients about the risk of breast cancer, the importance of early and consistent screening, and opportunities to protect themselves through lifestyle and nutrition choices. As part of those communications, the health system would suggest the next best actions a patient could take; for example, a call to schedule a mammogram screening appointment or a check-up with their doctor. On the system side, they had mapped out which possible actions they wanted patients to take, all intended to drive improved health outcomes, to get them in for care and keep them engaged on their care journey.

What you need to know about medical board complaints

When we look back at health system data from the past year, we see a dramatic increase in proactive patient engagement. For example, when a health system sent a text message containing general information related to COVID-19, we saw a 50-70% increase in open rates. Email open rates hovered between 40-50% (the industry average is 

What this means: there’s a large appetite amongst healthcare consumers for valuable healthcare information; they want to hear from their providers. The way to deliver that value, especially as it relates to increasing access and improving revenue from preventive care, is through effective data-driven patient engagement strategies. Only when the healthcare system can demonstrate it understands its patients’ health priorities, concerns and preferences, can we drive improved outcomes.

How data enables health systems and clinics to better understand and communicate with their unique patient community.

Data-driven patient engagement strategies in preventive care

Before physicians can successfully transition their practices to value-driven care, they must first enlist the help of one of their greatest assets: the patient. Even with the right technologies and care management programs in place, practices won't be able to positively impact outcomes or influence costs without an involved and engaged patient population.

Engaged patients are more likely to receive recommended screenings, follow treatment guidelines, and lead a healthy lifestyle. They are more loyal as well. A patient base that is both loyal and engaged is a major advantage for practices.

So what does an engaged patient look like? Simply put, engaged patients are ones that:

Understand the treatment and what it will do for them; and

Believe the treatment will make a difference in their lives.

The last point is of particular interest: When a patient trusts that a treatment will be effective, there's a much higher chance it will work for them and produce the desired results.

Involving patients in their care is essential to improving outcomes and lowering costs. But where should a practice begin?

Here are five strategies physicians can employ to jumpstart their engagement efforts:

Strategies for empowering your patients

Practices can put their accountable care goals within reach and provide more patient-centered care by encouraging patients and their families to be active members of their care team. It starts with meeting patients where they are. Easy-to-use, tailored, and convenient options empower patients to be more involved and engaged.

By working together and taking advantage of the latest health management, wellness, and communication tools, patients and physicians can drive better outcomes, lower costs, and create a more positive care experience.

, is the president of Jim Cowan Consulting, LLC..

More engaged patients are more likely to follow your advice. Here are five ways to jumpstart your practice's efforts.

I was recently contacted by a physician regarding his desire to do succession planning. He has two sons that are physicians who currently work at the practice and he is looking to start the arrangements to eventually hand off the reigns. In my experience, succession planning with family members is 

Conversations around the next generation of leadership are inherently more complicated and emotional due to family dynamics, individual expectations, and financial concerns. In the end, there are several major reasons that transitions from the founding physician to the succeeding son or daughter tend to fail:

: the founding physician simply doesn’t want to give up control

: the practice is so dependent on the founding physician that it cannot operate without his or her continued, active participation

: the successors aren't prepared, trained or experienced enough to take over management of the practice

So, how then should you start the succession planning process and transitioning of the practice to your children? Consider these key focus areas:

Understanding Management Services Organizations (MSOs)

A lot of uncertainty and confusion can arise from the assumptions when family dynamics mix with business operations. As such, the first step to developing a robust succession plan for your medical practice as a family business should be to sit down and have a candid conversation with the physicians that are family members of the practice. It’s important to have a clear sense of who would like to take over the reins, and who would not. 

Working with family is rarely easy, and some degree of conflict is bound to arise. Just because you are family doesn’t mean you all have an identical set of core values; having a core set of values that everyone agrees on can help guide you through these challenges. Remember that any decision your practice makes should be in support of its values and mission. That way, even if there are disagreements in style and process, all family members will be working in the same direction towards shared goals.

Once you have a sense of who is interested in taking on leadership of the practice, it can be helpful to provide some structure around a path for onboarding into the practice. This process can help to clarify the expectations for each family member who joins the group. If you have more than one child who is a physician, then identifying the right successor is one of the most significant steps in succession planning. The primary successor should be identified by competence, not by any other considerations and compulsions.

One way to do so is to first identify the qualities or attributes a successor must possess to succeed in the practice. The family member who possesses the maximum of so identified attributes should be selected for succeeding you. If you are handing off the practice to two children, then setting up clear governance will be extremely important.

Formalize the succession process; prepare an exit plan

Having a talent development plan in place for onboarding family members into the practice is important, but it is not sufficient for ensuring a successful transition of power from one generation to the next. Adding structure and accountability to this plan by having a formal succession plan in place is key as it also communicates your plan for the future to all staff members of the medical practice. Bringing in an external consultant who has experience with physician group succession planning is a great way to add some objectivity to this process, thereby increasing the perceptions of fairness around how you make various decisions.

Clarify in advance under what circumstances the succession plan will take effect: whether on retirement or unplanned departure or changing financial situations. These questions help determine what the succession plan should detail most. Keep in mind that an early or late exit of the physician owner can have advantages as well as disadvantages for this medical practice as a family business.

Groom the successor; respect the transition of power

Once you are prepared to have your son/daughter succeed you, he/she needs to be groomed and developed to assume the helm of the business. It can be done through various ways like giving on-the-job training, working under mentors and advisors, and delegating some authority to the successor much before the actual passing on of the baton takes place. Of course, grooming more than one member to become the successor of business is not a bad idea, but at times it may create confusions and complexities leading to strenuous succession battles; therefore, if you are handing the practice off to two children at once, clear governance will be paramount.

The last step in handing over control to the next generation is respecting the process. This means taking a step back when necessary, and letting the new leadership take over. It can be difficult for some to let go of a practice where they have spent most of their medical career, or perhaps even built from the ground up. If you have followed the steps of a formal succession plan, and spent a good deal of time gradually making this transition, you can leave confident that your successor has the skills and expertise necessary to move the practice into this next phase.

Digital care management transforms the healthcare process

I cannot stress enough the importance of clear communication and the cooperation and commitment of everyone involved. This includes key staff members such as your administrator, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, but also trusted advisors such as your accountant.

For those contemplating succession planning, remember it’s never too soon to start. Succession planning helps you balance both personal and business interests and helps ensure that your family-run medical practice gets through the transition successfully. Without formal succession planning, these practices run the risk of not being sustainable. Some physician owners regard succession planning as simply a question of informally handing over the practice from one generation to the next. They do not want to plan or think about their withdrawal from the business. This reluctance typically arises from a strong sense of attachment to the practice, an aversion to letting go of control and power, fear of retirement, and also the inability to make succession choices between their children. Financial factors often also play a part. Just remember, if you want your practice to survive and your patients to continue to be cared for, you will eventually have to hand off the reigns.

, a consultancy specializing in strategic healthcare initiatives for physician practices. His firm helps devise and implement strategies that will allow practices to remain competitive and solvent. E-mail him

How you can begin transitioning your practice to your children.

Practice Succession: Transferring to Your Children

David Lareau is the chief executive officer of 

, which provides physician-driven, point-of-care solutions that fix EHRs.

 as CMS Administrator, Seema Verma noted that her agency’s record on interoperability under her leadership “reveals an unsurpassed record of accomplishment.” Thanks to Verma’s vision and direction over the past four years, the country has made great strides, most notably:

The launch of Blue Button 2.0, a developer-friendly FHIR-based API that gives Medicare beneficiaries secure access to their claims data on their phones or other devices.

Passage of the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access final rule, which includes a requirement for all health plans doing business with the federal government to deliver something like Blue Button 2.0 for patients in CMS-regulated health plans. The rule also requires hospitals to send admission, discharge, and transfer notifications to patients’ doctors to improve care coordination.

The start of the Data at the Point of Care pilot, which gives providers direct access to patient Medicare claims data within existing workflows.

The promotion of FHIR APIs to support interoperability initiatives.

These efforts have led to improved patient access to clinical information, especially claims data. Yet as Verma admits, “there is more work to be done” including improvements that deliver more usable clinical data to clinicians to drive better patient care.

As the Biden team builds on previous administrations’ efforts to advance interoperability, policy makers must prioritize initiatives that facilitate data sharing between providers and give clinicians easily accessible information that substantially improves patient care.

5 questions to ask about wRVU compensation

Consider the current state of interoperability. Despite good progress in recent years, the lack of interoperability between clinical systems and provider organizations continues to impede patient care. In a recent 

, for example, just 44% of providers reported being able to automatically access and easily locate clinical data in their EHRs. In addition, just 15% said that the retrieved data had an impact on patient care.

One reason healthcare still lacks deep interoperability is because shared information is often incomplete or includes an overabundance of irrelevant data. For instance, claims data includes procedure and diagnosis codes, but lacks specifics about a patient’s overall health, treatment plan, test results, etc. In addition, to preserve their competitive edge in the market, some health IT vendors and providers engage in data blocking and share only the bare minimum required by state or federal law. If the exchanged information includes too few details, the recipient may not have an adequate overview of a patient’s health.

Alternatively, a sender may dump too much information into continuity of care documents (CCDs). If a CCD includes every bit of information on a patient, a clinician may need to wade through an unwieldly amount of data to find specific information that is meaningful for the current encounter.

In short, persistent interoperability gaps make it difficult for clinicians to access the information they need for clinical decision making.

Interoperability that serves the needs of clinicians

To make a substantial impact on patient care, clinicians require deep interoperability that is bidirectional and supports the automatic parsing of data so that users can easily locate meaningful information. From a policy perspective, this will require rules that authorize significant incentives to encourage data sharing and levy substantial penalties for organizations that fail to comply.

Rather than wait for mandated changes, healthcare organizations can advance interoperability now by embracing solutions that work with existing EHRs. By adopting FHIR APIs or other technologies, providers can enhance the integration and usability of shared data and facilitate the transfer and exchange of clinical information.

Reducing clinician burnout by getting rid of “stupid stuff” in EHRs

Organizations can further enhance the usability of data and facilitate clinician-friendly workflows with the integration of clinically intelligent mapping tools that link relevant concepts within an EHR. Such solutions give clinicians ready-access to patient- and problem-specific diagnoses, medications, and other critical information, regardless of where the concept originated. Instead of jumping from screen to screen to find relevant details, clinicians have immediate access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the patient in front of them.

As we transition to a new administration, interoperability must remain a top priority for CMS leaders because there is more work to be done. With deep interoperability as the goal, we can empower clinicians with more complete patient information and cleaner workflows that optimize the delivery of patient care.

As we transition to a new administration, interoperability must remain a top priority for CMS leaders. 

Advancing Interoperability: More work to be done

In this clip from our discussion, hear what Scott LaRoque, CEO of MPOWERHealth, says is the differentiating factor in the payment models of value-based healthcare.

Videos

The differentiating factor in the payment models of value-based healthcare.

The difference in a value-based care payment model

Over seventy percent of the U.S. is experiencing severe winter weather conditions and the catastrophe in Texas caused by freezing temperatures and blackouts is still unfolding. With hurricane still ahead, we examine some important basics on how to document your losses and make an effective insurance claim.

Texas residents and business owners whose homes and businesses were damaged can begin applying for FEMA online at

It’s vital that you are adequately insured for both 

, including property damage, contents, and business interruption, among others. Make sure you understand vital policy details like the difference between being covered for 

 (the dollar amount needed to replace a damaged item with one of similar kind and quality, 

 (which pays only the amount needed to replace the item at its current market value 

7 Financial Reports Your Practice Needs to Run

Most polices require you to take reasonable measures to prevent further damage to your property like covering a hole in a roof with temporary shelter, calling 

a qualified and licensed restoration contractor

 for water damage, etc. Your insurance policy may exclude further damage to your property if you have not taken reasonable steps to do so and will generally reimburse you for reasonable costs incurred to protect your property.

As is reasonably possible, document the damage to your home and/or office with an inventory of any damaged items you can immediately spot, including personal property in your home, damage to vehicles and medical equipment, fixtures, signage, and office equipment, as well as documenting any appointments that had to be cancelled and other loss of revenue related to the damage. Record it at the time so your recollection is fresh and accurate, and support that writing with pictures, video, etc. Your smart phone gives you the best ability to do this at all times. If it doesn’t present a health, fire, or other safety hazard, consider preserving damaged items for inspection by the adjuster before they are thrown away.

Report damage to your insurance company by phone to start the claim process or do so online or using their app on your phone. Get a claim number issued immediately so you are in the system and have something to refer to on all future calls and correspondence; your claim does not exist without a claim number. Report the damage you’ve been able to see, any remediation you’ve had to perform, and request help you need with further remediation. Inform them you’ve documented the claim with a list and photos. Keep a written log of all phone calls and correspondence, including the names of the people you spoke to, when you spoke to them, their telephone extensions and e-mail addresses, and keep copies of all correspondence sent to or received from your insurance company (having one notebook for all this is an efficient way to manage it). Some insurance carriers provide an endless maze of dead-end fax and phone numbers, in an effort to delay timely processing of claims and paperwork you into giving up.

Your insurance company may use a “proof of loss” form and will often have you make a formal statement by phone that will be recorded. You’re not a contractor, so don’t give 

 on the scope of the damage, costs, and etc. as it will likely be used against you later if you do, just tell them what you can see and actually 

The adjuster should perform a thorough evaluation of the damage, so check their inspection report against your own list to make sure they haven’t omitted any damage. If the adjuster is unable to complete a thorough inspection due to time constraints he may be forced to “scope the loss.” This is a brief inspection of the damage with a second visit necessary to complete the inspection.

If your carrier gives you the run around on any issues, does not timely respond, or most likely, fails to make you an adequate settlement offer, report the issue to a claims manager and support your case with documentation, estimates, and the photos you took. Your state’s department of insurance website will spell out your rights and the carrier’s legal obligations in plain English.

, JD, has practiced law exclusively in the areas of asset protection, risk management and wealth preservation for the last 16 years. He helps protect a national client base with more than $5 billion in personal assets, including several thousand physicians. He is a contributing author to multiple books for physicians and a frequent medical conference speaker and CME presenter. Learn more at

We examine some important basics on how to document your losses and make an effective insurance claim.

How to make winter storm damage insurance claims

Amid the stresses of running a medical practice, it’s sometimes hard to remember the reasons you went into medicine, let alone expend the extra energy to keep your patients happy. But keeping your patients smiling is good for your wallet and your psyche. Happy patients keep coming back and will recommend you to friends and family, and don’t underestimate the power that cheerful patients have to make your day and the atmosphere of your office more pleasant.

The good news is that you don’t have to don a clown suit to make them smile. Mostly it comes down to respecting your patients as people with names and schedules and worries.

Here are seven small but mighty ways you can make your patients happy they chose your practice:

Tips to Make Your Patients Smile

Amid the stresses of running a medical practice, it’s sometimes hard to find the time to keep your patients happy. But keeping your patients smiling is good for your wallet and your psyche.