Category: VE Blog

Is Your Practice Location Hurting Your Bottom Line?

Posted on by VettersEnt

What is one of the keys to a successful medical practice? It’s all about location, location, location! When you are trying to find the perfect practice location for your office, there are many factors that you must consider to ensure long-term profitability and success. Whether you’ve been in the same location for a decade or are finding space for the first time, here’s what you need to know about choosing the right location. 

Why Does Location Matter?

Three recent studies found a single common factor in what matters to patients—location. 6 out of 10 patients choose a practice primarily based on location. In fact, convenient location is twice as important to patients as your practice’s success rates or outcomes.

Competition Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

In neighborhoods and cities where medical practices are on every street, it might seem like you have no chance to succeed against already-established doctors with a reputation in the community. Don’t be intimidated by competition, as there are many clever ways to differentiate your practice from the crowd. Check the population-to-professional ratio for the area around you. In areas with low numbers of professionals, there won’t be much competition. However, in busy areas marketing, reputation and customer service can make a huge difference.

Demographics Make the Difference

Another key to a great practice location is staying on top of ever-changing demographics. Is the population declining or growing? In many cases, it’s easiest to gain traction in newer communities than tight, well-established locales. Pay attention to numerous demographics including household income averages, age distribution, the types of jobs and population growth.

Look Around You

The most successful practice locations are often those surrounded by other popular things. What else is located within 5 miles of your potential practice location? Are there banks or grocery stores? What traffic patterns are there? In general, a location that is passed by 40,000 or more cars in a 24-hour period is considered to be a retail location. If you set up shop in a smaller town, you might have higher visibility thanks to less roadside clutter, but you also won’t have access to as many potential patients.

Partner with Vetters Enterprises for a Great Practice Location

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

3 Ways to Increase Patient Satisfaction

Posted on by VettersEnt

Maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction isn’t easy, and it can be frustrating hearing negative responses on patient surveys despite your efforts to offer a great experience. Behaviors like empathetic communication can raise patient satisfaction and improve actual clinical outcomes for medical problems including diabetes and the flu. Here are three ways that your practice can increase patient satisfaction.

Improve the Waiting Process Before the Appointment

How can you streamline the waiting process?

  • Provide things to do in the waiting room, like free Wi-Fi or tablets pre-loaded with magazines and books. Unoccupied time will always feel longer than productive wait time.
  • Get patients checked in as quickly as possible, as they are more patient once their basic information has been taken and they feel that they are being taken care of.
  • Always tell patients what amount of time they should expect to wait. Unexplained, uncertain wait times will lead to higher amounts of anxiety and frustration.
  • Provide an excellent amount of quality once patients get into their appointment. Great appointments can offset a long wait.

Spend Time with Your Patients

Most doctors will hear this advice and wonder how they can possibly spend more time with their patients amidst a packed schedule and piles of paperwork. The most satisfied patients have one thing in common—their visit felt like it was long because all of their questions were answered and they didn’t feel rushed. Your practice can make up for lengthy wait times by sitting down and chatting with patients instead of brusquely going through the motions. In one study, 52% of patients preferred a doctor who sat when talking to them, and they perceived that seated visits were 25% longer.

Communicate with Precision

Finally, you should always be clear with patients about their situation. If a patient comes to you with a cold, instead of merely diagnosing it and sending them out the door, go through a timeline of what they should expect from their symptoms. Offer patients an explanation of what they can expect and what to do if things don’t improve. Patients often have an idea of what is wrong and they come to your office for expertise, not just a one-word diagnosis. 

Increase Patient Satisfaction with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Tips for Surviving a Federal HIPAA Audit

Posted on by VettersEnt

Being contacted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for a HIPAA audit can be a very scary situation. The best way to survive a federal HIPAA audit is ensuring that you have the proper procedures in place every single day on the job. A single employee who is non-compliant could cost your practice a lot. 

Make Sure It’s Valid

Unfortunately, some scammers try to take advantage of practices by pretending to be OCR representatives conducting an audit and asking practices to purchase “certification” services. OCR and HHS will only make contact with your practice via email or certified letter. You always have a right to respond to ask for proof of validity, and that will not be held against you during the audit process. There is no certifying body for HIPAA compliance in existence, so any organization that approaches you claiming that they are one is lying.

Educate Your Employees

One of the best prevention strategies is educating your employees of the serious consequences of a HIPAA violation.

  • A HIPAA violation that occurs without knowledge: $100-$25,000 violation
  • A HIPAA violation due to reasonable cause: $1,000-$50,000 violation
  • A HIPAA violation due to willful neglect, but fixed within 30 days: $10,000-$50,000 violation
  • A HIPAA violation due to willful neglect that is uncorrected or corrected after 30 days: $50,000 violation

Reminding employees of the steep cost associated with each violation regularly can help to ensure compliance.

Tips for Survival

When preparing for a federal HIPAA audit, ask yourself the following:

  • Are our HIPAA policies and procedures regularly updated and effective? You should have things like a Breach Notification policy on hand and in effect.
  • Is our HIPAA training regularly updated and effective? How do we know it’s working? Every practice is required to hold HIPAA trainings for employees that are up-to-date, as well as maintain detailed records showing when employees attended the training and tests or surveys showing they understood the content.
  • Has our practice completed a risk assessment? This aspect of HIPAA often lies under the radar, but it’s a requirement as part of the HIPAA security management processes.
  • Have we had HIPAA breaches? If you have had a breach, you should make sure that all documentation has been properly completed.

Keep Your Practice HIPAA-Compliant with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Wound Care After Surgery

Posted on by VettersEnt

Returning home after surgery can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t had to take care of post-surgery wounds before. However, the wound care process is extraordinarily straightforward. As long as you are consistent, you should not encounter any problems with infection or discomfort.

When Should You Remove the Bandage?

Your doctor or nurse should give you precise instructions on when you should remove your bandage and how you should change it. Most surgical wounds will not need bandages for more than a week, but they are commonly used past that point to protect your wound from getting debris in it or being disturbed. Bandages should be changed daily at the minimum.

How Should You Keep the Surgical Wound Clean?

Once the bandage has been removed, you can gently clean the skin around your wound with a sterile gauze pad that has been soaked in soapy water or sterile water and salt. Never use antibacterial soaps, iodine, alcohol or peroxide to clean the wound, as they can do much more harm than good. Do not apply creams or lotions to the wound area without specific instructions from your doctor.

Many surgical wounds also require specific doctor instructions for cleansing, so ask your surgeon or nurse if you are not sure what to do. Always finish the cleaning process by patting the wound and surrounding area dry with more gauze or a clean cloth.

Should a Surgical Wound Stay Dry?

Never allow a surgical wound to get wet the day after surgery. Depending on the severity of your surgery and how the rest of your body is doing, you might be able to take a shower the second day after your surgery. Once you get approval from your surgeon to get clean, you should opt for a shower over a bath. Bathing in a tub will saturate the gauze and wound, which can soften the skin and cause the incision to reopen.

What If Your Wound Bleeds?

If your wound starts to bleed, you should apply pressure to the area for a few minutes with a piece of sterile gauze before re-bandaging it. If it does not stop after a few minutes, call your doctor.

Prioritize Wound Care for Your Patients with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Allergic Reactions and Extrapyramidal Symptoms

Posted on by VettersEnt

Different symptoms, similar treatment.

Some of the most commonly-used and prescribed medications can also cause severe allergic reactions with similar treatments but very different appearances.

Allergic Reactions to Ibuprofen, Naproxen or other NSAIDs

Ibuprofen, naproxen and NSAIDs are all used to reduce inflammation and relieve mild to moderate pain. They are all used to treat and relieve symptoms associated with a variety of ailments including dental pain, muscle aches and strains, arthritis and fever. These medications are produced under a variety of generic and brand names, which can make it difficult for patients with allergies looking to avoid them.

In rare cases, these medications can cause severe allergic reactions almost immediately after consumption. What do the symptoms include?

  • Swelling of the face, lips or tongue
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Accelerated heart rate
  • Tightness or pain in the chest
  • Shortness of breath

Another dangerous reaction to these painkillers and anti-inflammatories can include extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). These symptoms are much more subtle and can be very frightening for patients experiencing them. They can include:

  • Uncontrolled muscle spasms and contractions in the head, neck, torso and limbs
  • Restless energy
  • Tremors
  • Stiff posture
  • Uncontrolled facial movements including blinking or chewing
  • Irregular breathing

How Can These Reactions Be Treated?

Treating these frightening reactions can be done in a few different ways. Of course, once a reaction has been recorded, it’s important for patients to avoid using these medications again until their doctor has time to order testing and make recommendations. If the patient is experiencing extrapyramidal symptoms, drug interactions and tapering will often be considered before stopping the drug entirely. In other cases, diphenhydramine and diazepam can be used to calm extrapyramidal symptoms.

Prepare for Allergic Reactions and Improve Patient Safety with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

The Reemergence of Psychedelics

Posted on by VettersEnt

Recently, there has been renewed interest in psychedelics for treating depression and mental illness. While these were established treatments for mental illness in the mid-1950s, they’ve come a long way since then.

What Happened to Their Medical Use?

While psychedelic drugs were once hailed as the perfect solution for treating a wide range of otherwise-difficult-to-treat disorders, they have not been used to treat anything for quite some time. Research into psychedelic drugs stopped almost entirely in the 1970s due to the backlash against their recreational use. They were labeled as “drugs of abuse” by the federal government, and any medical value was dismissed.

Today’s Psychedelics

Today, research is finally restarting into the medical use of LSD, psilocybin (the compound in magic mushrooms), MDMA and ayahuasca. If these drugs can pass rigorous rounds of scientific testing, they may become the new standard in mental health treatment. So far, researchers have found that controlled administration of psychedelic drugs can foster an extreme flood of positive emotion and major behavioral changes.

The Potential Impact of Psychedelics

Studies of psychedelics have found that:

  • Psilocybin has relieved severe anxiety and treated substance abuse disorders
  • MDMA has assisted many people coping with PTSD
  • These drugs have been effective in patients with eating disorders, OCD, major depression and adults trying to stop smoking

While there is still a long way to go before psychedelics are readily available as common prescriptions for periods of depression and anxiety, if research continues as it has we may see them available in prescription bottles soon. 

Improve the Health and Safety of Your Patients with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

The Exciting Prospects of Pharmacogenomics

Posted on by VettersEnt

One of the newest and most promising developments in genetic testing could also help counteract the opioid epidemic. Pharmacogenomics is the practice of gene testing to determine how a patient’s body will react to specific medications. Pharmacogenomics is now covered by most insurances.

 

Genetics Affect More Than Previously Thought

Every person has thousands of genes that dictate their characteristics, from the color of their eyes to their blood type. As scientific research continues to advance, it is becoming apparent that genetics affect far more than was previously thought. Pharmacogenomics examines a patient’s genes for variations that may show whether or not a medication could be an effective treatment. Aside from helping to determine the efficacy of a drug treatment, this can also help to identify potential allergies before they occur.

The Basics of Pharmacogenomics Testing

The core purpose of pharmacogenomics testing is to determine whether or not a medication is appropriate for a patient. A patient will have a blood or saliva sample taken, and various tests will be performed to determine:

  • If a medication could be an effective treatment for the patient’s condition
  • What the ideal medication dosage should be
  • Whether or not an allergic reaction is likely to occur

Why Pharmacogenomics

Aside from the obvious benefits of the above, pharmacogenomics serves a variety of medical purposes. The study hopes to lead to drugs that are more customized to proteins, enzymes and RNA within each patient’s DNA. These high-powered medicines will do less damage and work more efficiently thanks to their customization.

The dosages for current medications will also become more accurate as height, weight and age will not be the only parameters. Instead, genetics will help customize the medication’s dosage, lower the chances of an overdose and help to reduce the likelihood of drug abuse.

Countless Patients Can Benefit

Depression is an incredibly common condition, and finding the right medication and dosage for patients is notoriously tricky. Pharmacogenomics could greatly assist with finding ideal psychiatric medications for struggling patients without the need for constant adjustments. With over 1 in 20 Americans suffering from depression, many people could stand to benefit.

Increase the Efficacy of Your Practice with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, and private practice business support. We can perform detailed assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Alternatives to Narcotics for Pain

Posted on by VettersEnt

The opioid crisis is affecting every state and every practice across the country. Every day, over 90 Americans die from opioid overdoses. This national crisis is growing in severity by the second, as prescription pain killers, heroin and synthetic opioids grow in popularity and availability. The need for non-narcotic pain killers is becoming more apparent.

The Dangers of Prescription Drugs

Prescription opioids like Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycontin are the leading cause of drug overdoses in the United States, as they account for a whopping 44% of overdose deaths. These drugs were designed to be slowly released in the stomach for extended pain relief, but abusers crush the pills for an immediate and intense high. Even attempts to reduce the crush-ability of Oxycontin by manufacturers did nothing to curtail drug use.

Difficult to Abuse

One of the current priorities of drug companies is creating prescription pain killers that are effective at pain relief, but more difficult to abuse. There are many different ways to treat pain that are harder to abuse. Topical medications are growing in popularity for arm, knee and hand strains. These creams can be applied direction to the skin and have been shown to provide the same level of effective relief without the extreme possibility of abuse.

Compounding pharmacies can custom-produce topical pain killing medications to meet the needs of your patients. These medications are harder to abuse, due to their form, and can provide a great deal of relief for patients with arthritis, who are recovering from surgery and who are recovering from an injury.

In addition to topical medications, you can encourage your patients to explore other pain relief alternatives including:

  • Physical therapy for the treatment of post-surgery pain or chronic pain
  • Acupuncture, particularly for managing chronic pain
  • Regular low-impact exercise like yoga or walking

Increase the Efficacy of Your Practice with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, and private practice business support. We can perform detailed assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Nosocomial Infections and Your Practice

Posted on by VettersEnt

Nosocomial infections are also known as healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or hospital-acquired infections. These infections can range in severity from minor hiccups in treatment to causes of death. Protecting patients and family members from contracting these infections is an essential part of properly managing your practice.

Where Do Nosocomial Infections Occur?

The most common place where nosocomial infections are contracted is the intensive care unit or ICU. Approximately 10% of all hospital patients, at some point during their stay, will contract one of these infections. Technically, nosocomial infections must occur within 48 hours of hospital admission, 72 hours after discharge, 30 days post-operation or inside of a healthcare facility.

The most common types of nosocomial infections include urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, gastroenteritis, meningitis and pneumonia.

What Causes Nosocomial Infections?

These dangerous infections can be caused by the usual culprits—bacteria, fungus and viruses. 90% of nosocomial infections are caused by bacteria. Since many people in healthcare facilities have temporarily or permanently compromised immune systems, they are also at an elevated risk of contracting something.

Bacteria, fungi and viruses all spread through person-to-person contact in the form of unwashed hands and improperly cleaned medical instruments like catheters. If a healthcare facility excessively uses antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria can evolve rapidly and cause greater numbers of nosocomial infections.

How Can You Prevent Nosocomial Infections?

Your practice can prevent nosocomial infections in a wide variety of ways, including:

  • Education, which is your most powerful weapon against them. Make sure patients and their families understand why certain sanitation measures are in place and the risks of not following them.
  • Identify patients in need of isolation as quickly as possible.
  • Always observe proper hand hygiene and regularly brief employees on what that consists of.
  • Provide your healthcare employees with the appropriate tools for the job including proper face protection, gloves and gowns.
  • Ensure that rooms in your facility have proper ventilation.

Improve the Health and Safety of Your Patients with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, and private practice business support. We can perform detailed assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

Cerebral Palsy Patients Can Benefit from Botox Therapy

Posted on by VettersEnt

One of the most common off-label uses for Botox is continuing to gain popularity and helping countless cerebral palsy patients. Botox can be used to help combat spasticity, or the muscle stiffness associated with the condition. Muscles that are spastic make it difficult to move and perform basic tasks. While there are conventional oral medications, Botox can treat spastic muscles at the exact site.

What Is Botox?

Botox is a material created by bacteria. It can be used safely and effectively to treat spastic muscles in patients with cerebral palsy. Botox treats the muscles by blocking the signal between the nerves and the muscles that tighten or contract. As a result, it can give patients major relief from muscle spasms and discomfort.

How Can Botox Help Patients with Cerebral Palsy?

Botox can provide cerebral palsy patients with:

  • A radically improved gait
  • Increased range of motion
  • A decrease in pain in spastic muscles
  • Reduction in spasticity
  • Less discomfort when stretching
  • Increased comfort in braces

How Long Does Botox Help?

Most cerebral palsy patients experience relief from spasticity within 5 days, with maximum relief occurring around 3 weeks after the injections. Patients will typically experience symptom relief for up to 3 months after the injections, and the symptoms and spastic muscles will gradually return until they have another injection. As with any medication or treatment, make sure that parents fully understand the potential benefits and risks to their child. Since Botox is created from the bacteria that causes food poisoning, there are risks involved with treatment.

Reach Your Patients More Effectively with Help from Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, and private practice business support. We can perform detailed assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.