Operations

Do you have patients who always seem to have “just one more thing” to talk about, in addition to the reason for their appointment? We help you solve that and other exam room communication problems.

For a small rural practice, it's time to get busy - or start laying off staff.

Three of our competition's runners-up deserve a tip of the hat. We tell you why.

Another selection from our popular weekly e-mail newsletter. This issue: Five fast ways to boost office efficiency.

This group of young family physicians embraces change, wows patients, cultivates a great staff, and makes a tidy profit. Find out how they blew us away.

Physicians Practice has been helping struggling offices with our Great Practice Makeover for a year now. Here’s one of our toughest challenges yet: This well-meaning but disorganized solo family physician has serious control issues, a stressed-out office manager/wife, and huge staffing problems. Piece of cake.

We’ve got the straight scoop on staff salaries.

Have you heard that aromatherapy cures cancer? Or that wheat grass prevents baldness? At least one of your patients probably has. Keep them focused on what’s proven to help.

How to guard against scheduling too far in advance.

You thought it was tough dealing with pharmaceutical reps? Technology vendors are multiplying quickly - and so are their sales reps. We’re here to help.

Leasing is sometimes the best way to get that expensive piece of equipment you need - especially when you negotiate favorable lease terms. Here's how.

Hurricane Katrina was a stark reminder that the worst thing that can happen sometimes does. Be ready before the clouds darken.

Midlevel providers can be a god-send to a busy practice, but you need to know how to best integrate them into your workflow.

Effectively treating patients requires more than good clinical skills. Just as important is learning how to listen.

Another selection from our popular weekly e-mail newsletter. This month: How to make call duty fair.

Some physician board meetings are bastions of inefficiency, hard feelings, and finger-pointing. Don’t let bad meetings split up a good practice.

Another selection from our popular weekly e-mail newsletter. This issue: dealing with cancellations.

Our weekly e-mail newsletter covers all the bases. Here's a favorite.

It's not clear yet if "concierge medicine" - sometimes called retainer-based practice - is truly the wave of the future, but it's certainly more than just a passing fad. Is this style of practice right for you?

Many practices focus time and money on appealing denied claims - a good strategy, if necessary. But wouldn't you rather avoid denials altogether?

Patient satisfaction surveys are becoming more common in private practice. What do you do when your patients are unhappy?

Too many practices are devising telephone protocols for their convenience rather than that of their patients. Turning off the phones isn't a solution. These tips can help you provide better service without overwhelming your staff.

Karen Stuart, MD, thought she was making her life easier when she quit delivering babies to focus solely on gynecology. Instead, she got a lot poorer. We help her turn it around.

Here's some help for strengthening your methods of verifying patient eligibility - and some startling data on why you shouldn't overlook this practice.

With malpractice lawsuits and pay-for-performance schemes on the rise, it's more important than ever to get patients to follow your advice - but it's also more challenging. We help you sharpen your teaching skills.