Unlike traditional hospitals, office-based practices work at lower operational costs and due to their size, they are more manageable. Professionals achieve great success with a reduced staff as opposed to large healthcare facilities. However, there’s always room for improvement. Streamlining your processes at the office-based practice means increasing the level of patient satisfaction, boosting revenue and attracting even more patients. In this article, you can find a few tips on how to achieve just that.
Increased Office-Based Practice Patient Satisfaction
When a patient books an appointment with your office, they interact with the person taking their call, or the web system in place to book it online. Once they visit your office, they go to the waiting room, interact with your staff, and, ultimately, you as their healthcare professional. The level of experience a patient has in every stage of their journey in your practice will make up their overall satisfaction.
Patient experience is one of the three tenets of “the Triple Aim” of healthcare:
- Improving the patient experience of care
- Improving the health of populations
- Reducing the per capita cost of healthcare
Ultimately, patient satisfaction provides value for the patient and the office-based practice. In addition, a satisfied patient will not only return, but recommend you, therefore increasing revenue.
A great tool for increasing patient satisfaction is the inclusion of a web-based reporting tool to a practice’s set of processes. It is a comprehensive method of evaluating the efficiency of every step of your practice and the policies in place. Additionally, the feedback-turned-data aids in the decision-making process when time comes to implement new strategies.
Bonus Benefit: No Billing Mix-Ups
Many argue that coding and patient satisfaction are two separate things. Let us challenge that with this simple notion: a coding mistake can deeply impact the medical claim, subsequently impacting patient satisfaction… negatively.
In addition to adopting web-based reporting tools, putting updated coding systems in place is also essential. To do this, practices can incorporate coding experts into their staff or partner up with consulting firms that provide this service.
➡ Related: How Do I Start a Private Practice?
Boosting Revenue through Effective RCM
Revenue cycle management (RCM) is the process of handling the financial aspects of patient care: from verifying patient eligibility and collecting copayments to submitting claims and following up on payments. In the case of office-based practices, this aspect is key to sustainability and growth.
There are several steps that factor into a financially healthy practice:
- Verifying patient eligibility
- Collecting payments and deductibles
- Streamlining billing and claims processing
- Monitoring status of claims
- Following up on outstanding payments
As healthcare providers, dedicating energy into staying atop these aspects can take away from time and dedication to patients. That is where healthcare consulting firms like Peregrine Healthcare come in to make sure that office-based practices are maximizing their capabilities.
➡ Related: How Can a Healthcare Organization Improve Its Revenue Cycle Management?
Make the Most of Your Office-Based Practice
At Peregrine Healthcare, we can help your office-based practice thanks to our world-class expert consulting services. We strive to provide efficiency solutions for health practitioners within office-based environments and thus improve the overall healthcare system for both providers and ultimately, patients. Peregrine Healthcare knows first-hand how much everybody’s time is worth and we foster healthy practices, aid growth and drive patient satisfaction.
Contact us for more information about what we can do for you and how we can tailor our services to your needs.
