By Caren Baginski
For anyone who hasn't been to an MGMA seminar, here's what you're missing:
- Swanky hotel
- We feed you
- You don't have to be at work
- 85-degree weather
The last one only applies if you attended the Achieving Efficient Practice Operations seminar in Scottsdale, AZ, the past two days. MGMA consultant Rosemarie Nelson is hosting the leadership series to an audience of 67, the perfect intimate setting to make real connections with fellow colleagues. You don't even have to bring a notepad – we have pens and paper here for you, plus you get your seminar materials when you walk in the door.
I'm on site taking the industry's pulse directly from members and non-members alike. Yesterday, attendees cited these reasons as coming:
- How to increase physician satisfaction, with physicians who think there are operational issues in the practice slowing them down (i.e. give me my own X-ray room)
- Ways to maintain or improve efficiency due to an increase of the uninsured or underinsured
- Brainstorming how to deal with increasing government intervention in health care
- Determining why your patients aren't happy and how to improve relations
- Get advice for improving staff morale and internal communication
Sound familiar? Improve and increase – two key words that any practice administrator can relate to. And there's been no shortage of great ideas to solve these problems from Rosemarie and the attendees. Here's just a sampling of ways to increase your practice operations from the seminar.
- Don't ask patients "yes/no" questions when it comes to "Has your insurance changed?" or "Have you moved?" Instead, say "What is your insurance? " and "Where do you live?" to get the most accurate information.
- Print out a patient's electronic medical record and have them edit their information, rather than fill out a new form every year about their health history (which doesn't change).
Or this one for deterring missed appointments and increasing payment:
- Charge $5 if the copay is not paid on the date of service, and $25 for no-shows and missed appointments. Note: All the practice administrators who cited this method have never charged these penalties; the "threat" of having to pay was enough.
As some attendees said, one or two great ideas can make time spent away from the office worthwhile. To plan your next professional development trip, visit MGMA Education for a list of all upcoming seminars and courses.
Caren Baginski is MGMA's Web content writer/editor.
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