Carol Stryker

Your weekly dose of wisdom from the Physicians Practice experts.

Investing time and attention in the medical practice staff hiring process can reduce costs and boost staff retention.

Seven easy ways to expedite the incoming phone call process at your medical practice.

Some key elements to creating an operating manual at your practice without a huge investment of time or money.

Some small changes at your practice can improve physician productivity, thus improving the environment for everyone.

Three elements of effective staff management that can lead to increased productivity and profitability and happier patients at your practice.

Meeting patient expectations is the surest way to increase their satisfaction with your practice. Telephone management is a good place to start.

Doctors are used to making quick decisions, but when it comes to some tasks, you have to think ahead. Prep time is your friend.

Practitioners are used to applying SOAP notes to clinical problems, but they can be used effectively for business issues as well.

One blogger looks at the problem of a practice being understaffed and how to solve that issue through basic arithmetic.

We’re all willing to sacrifice one principle for another. As a practice leader, you must develop a framework to choose between competing values.

Here are nine good reasons to receive all in-network payer remittances via the Automated Clearing House system.

Being angry at a patient isn’t constructive. Instead, use these tips to manage a patient’s unrealistic expectations

No matter how good your interview process and technique are, you are not likely to make a good hire without really knowing what it is you want.

It makes good business sense to outsource the billing for most medical practices. That said, the outsourcing must be to a competent billing service.

Squabbling among staff members can not only lead to bad morale, but can sour patients on your practice. Here's how to stop it in its tracks.

When it comes to complex payer rules, the most effective course of action is to consult experts for a thorough review of the rules and consequences.

In order to preserve patient trust, when delays snarl the day's schedule always make sure to acknowledge the problem.

Staff-to-patient communication generally reflects what the staff really believes, and that often reflects poorly on a practice.

Giving patients the courtesy and attention they deserve can significantly increase practice productivity, and make everyone happy.

Medicare's new value-based modifiers are complex. Here are the important points your practice should know about getting paid for value.

PQRS is extremely complicated and in a state of flux. These measures are not going away and are already seeing uptake with private payers.

Even though the incentives for meaningful use are winding down, each physician must evaluate the costs vs. benefits of implementing an EHR for himself.

Once your practice has decided to engage an outside resource for a specific project, be sure to make a good selection.

Medical practices are busy places with limited resources - it often makes sense to outsource functions not directly related to the practice of medicine.

One of the primary frustrations for a practice is effective scheduling. Often, the root cause is not acknowledging the different stages of a patient visit.

Mid-December is a great time to celebrate the year's successes and focus on what went right vs. what went wrong at your practice.

The point of this exercise is to ensure both an optimal allocation of resources and meaningful progress during the year.

Waste of supplies and time is the biggest threat to net income in any practice. Put your staff's knowledge about how things really work to your advantage.

Adding ancillary services may seem like a good idea. Before you commit, consider the fit with your practice and the total costs.