Patient Relations

The start of the New Year begs that a to-do list be formed. For medical practices, these five items should be at the top.

Rather than disparage walk-in clinics, make an effort to reach out and form a collaborative arrangement. Both your practice and patients could benefit.

With payer complexities so burdensome, I can see why some physicians forgo health plans altogether.

If physician leaders explain the benefits and uses of patient portals as a means of better efficiency, then all will quickly adopt it, including staff.

We seem to always talk about the EHR from the perspectives of healthcare providers. But what do patients think of EHRs?

Our experts at Physicians Practice Pearls have written on a wide variety of practice-management topics, but these eight columns stood out as the gems.

Patient deductibles will continue to rise to record levels in 2015. Here's how to prepare your practice.

Information requests consume significant resources and represent a real area of risk for medical practices. Here are the top five actions you should take.

Despite the less than impressive state of online physician reviews, it is a factor you should consider in your medical practice marketing.

For hospice providers in both acute care and home settings, one item to place on your New Year's resolutions list is CAHPS Survey Implementation.

Here is Physicians Practice's list of the top health apps in 2014, for physicians and their patients. Featuring links to download the apps.

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.

I always seek to provide a therapeutic interaction. However, I often seek it in the certainty of medical knowledge and behind the veneer of science.

Here's how to address and deescalate the situation when family members become disruptive or aggressive, and threaten to hinder patient care.

My medical practice donates to various organizations. Recently, I had an idea about how charitable giving could lead to a happier, more professional staff.

Did you ever call your medical practice to try to understand the first impression patients are getting? If not, you might be placing your reputation at risk.

We have all experienced patients who demand certain tests or treatments and see the physician’s role as rubber-stamping whatever is desired. Here's how to deal.

We know patients feel frustration with their physicians on some level. But, surprisingly, it's not always about the long wait.

Many practices struggle with providing same-day care. But in many cases, offering flexibility may mean the difference between keeping and losing a patient.

Here are a few small changes that I recommend that all physicians begin making to improve care coordination, communication, and follow-up care.

Drug-seeking patients are likely coming to your practice. Here's how to address the situation and, if necessary, end a physician-patient relationship.

As the New Year approaches, it is best to re-verify patients' insurance benefits to avoid a poor customer experience.

At what point should an individual take responsibility for his health, and should there be a financial incentive/disincentive to influence that lifestyle?

As a PA, I routinely help families cope with illness and debilitation of a loved one, but it is much harder to be objective with your own parent.