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Family - For Better or For Worse? Certainly, when it comes to the Family, the ties that bind can also fray. What is supposed to be a source of strength is often the cause of stress and anxiety. And maintaining family harmony in the face of workplace challenges can be no small undertaking for any business, particularly dental practices. Consider the situation that “Dr. Mike” faces. His wife “Mary” works in the practice as the business manager. She is also in charge of collections. The couple lives and works in a large metropolitan area and has extended family nearby. Mary’s sister, husband, and two children are patients in Dr. Mike’s practice. It’s a classic situation; Sis and the husband walk all over Dr. Mike and Mary.
Communication and trust are essential, but clearly defined management systems and accountability are absolutely critical. Maybe the doctor’s spouse has been handling new patient calls “that way” since 1999, but asking callers whether they have insurance immediately after they indicate that they would like to schedule a new patient appointment simply isn’t good for the office – no matter how long she’s been doing it “that way.” Perhaps Brother Joe, the financial coordinator, is allowing his friends and neighbors to carry balances indefinitely, sending accounts receivables over the top. And Aunt Carol is habitually late. Joe, Carol, and yes, even the doctor’s spouse, must be professionally trained and held accountable for their systems, their actions, and their results. Bottom line, just because you are the spouse, the sister, the brother, or dear old dad doesn’t mean you can do as you please. The practice is a business first and a family operation second. What’s in the best interest of the business comes before anything else. And that is where things can get complicated. While conflict may seem to be an obvious area for family strain, trying to avoid it can be far worse. Too often family members won’t question one another’s decisions or actions. They won’t address problems. They refuse to buck the status quo and push for necessary change because they are afraid to start an argument within the family. Families that attempt to dodge conflict open the door for much bigger problems because the issues only grow and fester. And if family members won’t confront family members, where does that leave the rest of the staff? Most likely searching for employment elsewhere. Next week, navigating the financial minefield of the family practice.For more information on this topic, visit my blog: The Lighter Side Interested in speaking to me about your practice concerns? Email sallymck@mckenziemgmt.com Forward this article to a friend.
Dental Diagnostic Codes in the Future Dear Belle, Dear Dr. Needtoknow, Dental condition diagnostic codes have been in the International Classification of Disease (ICD) but are now being updated and scheduled for completion by 2015 with the ICD-11 version. Diagnostic codes cover diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes such as injury or disease. Dentistry has only been concerned with supplying treatment codes from the ADA’s Current Dental Terminology (CDT) on insurance claims. ![]() There is no doubt that how the dental practice manages dental records will change very quickly in the future. The current initiative to create electronic health records that can be accessed by all health care providers anywhere in the country through an interoperable system is making headway. According to the ADA: Scheduled for completion in 2015, the National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII) will be a communications system comparable to a network of highways, roads and pathways on which all health information will travel. Its purpose is to enable patients' electronic health records to be accessed and added to by all health care providers electronically (with patient authorization), virtually anywhere in the country, via the network. The electronic health record will include health information entered for a specific patient at a specific point of service. It will travel and be accessible on the NHII, the National Health Information Infrastructure. For updates on this evolving concern, go to the American Dental Association Website, www.ada.org. This initiative is fueling the need for diagnostic codes in dentistry to be completed and used on future claims. Falling under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services, HHS envisions regional collaborations among health care entities, including dentists and other health care practitioners, so that a patient's information can be securely stored in the local community and made electronically accessible to all health care providers involved in treatment of a particular patient. Undoubtedly there will be more information coming out in the next year, including protocols for compliance. The digital age is here to stay, and being prepared is certainly better than sticking your head in the sand and hoping it will go away. If you are currently using a dental software practice management system, call support and ask if there is any news about how their system is being modified to meet the upcoming requirements. For professional business training, call McKenzie Management today and schedule a training session. If you would like more information on McKenzie Management’sTraining Programs to improve the performance of your team, email training@mckenziemgmt.com Forward this article to a friend
Part Timers vs. Full Timers Obamacare indicates that if you are an employer with 50 or more full time employees, it is necessary for you to offer health insurance to your employees and cover a portion of the premium or suffer a penalty. If you have less than 25 full time employees and would like a tax credit, you can also offer health care to your employees to receive the credit. This is it in a nutshell, and I am not an expert. The reason for bringing this subject up is that the question regarding full time vs. part time is more relevant now.
Why do we employ part time employees anyway? Challenges of Working with Part Time Employees
4. Fitting into the circle of employees is difficult since they are not always considered a part of the team. Although not intentional, they may feel left out. “Out of sight - out of mind”. When Does it Make Sense to Hire a Part Time Employee? Be careful when your team says that they are just too busy to get the day-to-day tasks completed in a timely manner and they need more help. I can promise you that they are not considering what it’s going to cost to hire another employee, especially when that employee is not revenue-producing. Reviewing their time management skills and job descriptions would be helpful before you make a decision based on their request. Let’s say that you determine your practice can afford to employ a part time person to manage the insurance claims, eligibilities, submissions and follow-up for claims. Your outstanding claims over 60 days are out of control and your only front desk person just can’t seem to find the time away from the “hot seat” to make these calls. It would make sense to hire someone part time for this position, AND this position will improve the cash flow for the practice. How to Hire a Good Part Time Employee? If you would like more information on how McKenzie's Consulting Coaching Programs can help you IMPLEMENT proven strategies, email info@mckenziemgmt.com |
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