Maintaining Margins Despite Nursing Shortages Written by Jeff Tormey on December 22, 2021. Posted in Connect. Nursing shortages—driven by inflation, pandemic-related stress, and a shortfall in new nurses—are the primary impediment to achieving pre-COVID margins. According to a new report from Moody’s, nursing labor pressures are “driving up costs for hospitals and hospital systems and forcing some to limit how often they perform more lucrative elective procedures, resulting in lost revenue. Rising costs will make it difficult for hospitals to rebuild margins to pre-COVID levels.” Attributed in part to halts on elective procedures and exacerbated by the aging out of experienced nurses into retirement, a shrinking pipeline of new nurses, and increased workplace stress, providers are finding it hard to implement effective recruitment and retention strategies. Many providers are turning to travel nurses to fill the gap. Historically, these resources have been leveraged to serve temporary needs. But the higher wages and sign-on bonuses provided by nurse-staffing agencies are adding to the exodus of employed nurses and driving providers to rely on expensive itinerant workers. While nurse salary and benefits significantly contribute to current provider financial woes, downstream impacts increase the risk of penalties and uncompensated care. In one study on nurse staffing levels, adverse events, including administration of the wrong medication and nosocomial events such as pressure ulcers and falls, were attributed to staffing below optimal levels. Other studies point to a lack of treatment continuity, greater risk of medical errors, increased risk of infection, and the higher probability of data security breaches when nurses are overworked and understaffed. In response, providers are looking to different care models to help lower demands and reliance on nurse-staffing agencies. This includes incorporating non-clinical resources that can help facilitate the movement of qualified patients across the episode of care, from initial interaction to follow-up and after-care. These efforts help increase nurse satisfaction and unlock financial resources that can be allocated toward retention efforts—an approach that is more cost-effective than relying on traveling nurses or other temporary staffing models. From physician practices to acute care and post-acute facilities, healthcare providers are looking to turnkey solutions that deliver a single hub for managing the patient care journey, lowering total cost, reducing the risk of avoidable deterioration, and unlocking nursing capacity. Foundational to an effective strategy is an approach tuned to the lowest total cost of performance. Wherever possible, technology, including AI, should be leveraged to help identify patients who have a need, deliver communications to drive appointment adherence including reminders and wayfinding, and leverage established protocols to accelerate the localization of guidance and escalation. Every step in the patient journey should be optimized to increase access, adherence, and navigation using the right combination of levers (technology, trained guides, and established protocols and processes) to drive to the best and most optimal outcome for the patient and the provider. Providers can reduce non-clinical demands on nursing staff while: Increasing access: Increase patient acquisition Improve patient account management Streamline appointment setting Optimize awareness/marketing efforts Increasing adherence: Route patients to the most appropriate site of care Ensure compliance with care plans Lower barriers to care Provide practical education and support where needed Improve navigation: Deliver timely, continuous, simplified patient engagement techniques that are personalized and connected to the patient, the provider, and the clinical encounter Build a peer-patient relationship that helps uncover hidden barriers to care Improve patient satisfaction and retention An Optimized Patient Journey Assistance and Outreach solution serves as a 5x force multiplier for nursing staff. It removes the non-clinical, lower-level tasks and serves as a patient connection front line. Escalations are made based on protocols and with the right level of information for nursing staff to act. This approach helps to move lower level, non-billable activities off nursing and onto the most appropriate human capital and technology resources that are tuned and trained to target outcomes across the patient journey. Staying Profitable Despite Nursing Shortages Healthcare providers can maintain margins by streamlining operations and using tech-driven solutions. Guideway Care helps reduce the strain on clinical staff through smarter patient engagement tools. Partner with Guideway Care contact us today to optimize your workflow and protect your bottom line.
How Long Do I Have to Wait For Medical SEO to Show Results? Written by Jeff Tormey on December 18, 2021. Posted in Connect. You might be wondering how long you should expect it to take before seeing results from your medical SEO strategy. There isn’t a set answer for this since it all depends on what you are trying to achieve, but there are some averages that can help give you an idea of when to expect results. Here’s everything you need to know, straight from Guideway Care, your medical SEO experts. For Most Practices, It Takes Three Months The average timeline for how long it takes to start seeing initial results from medical SEO is around 3 months. This is because it can take a little while to start seeing movement in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and for your website to rank higher for relevant keywords. However, there are things you can do to help speed up this process. If You Want Quick Results, Focus on Content Creation One of the best ways to see quick results from your medical SEO is by focusing on content creation. This means creating high-quality, relevant content that will help you rank higher in the search engines. Promote on Social Media You can also promote your content through social media and other online channels to help it reach a larger audience. By doing this, you can start seeing results in as little as a few weeks. Invest Heavily in Keyword Research If you want to see results even faster, then invest heavily in keyword research. This will help you find the right keywords to target and rank for. By doing this, you can start seeing results in as little as a few days. Maintain Your Google My Business Profile Another way to see results quickly is by maintaining your Google My Business profile. This will help you rank higher in the local search engine results pages and make it easier for the average person to learn more about your business. Target Local Searches Finally, if you are targeting local searches, you can start seeing results in as little as a few hours. This is because local SEO is more competitive and takes less time to rank for relevant keywords. So, how long do you need to wait before seeing results from your medical SEO strategy? As with most things, it depends, but here at Guideway Care, we know the strategies that get results as quickly as possible. For more information, read our Guide to Improving SEO & PPC For Doctors in 2021.
Does Patient Satisfaction Impact Reimbursement? Written by Jeff Tormey on December 13, 2021. Posted in Connect. The concept of patient satisfaction is not new. In fact, it’s been around since the late 1960s when a group of researchers developed the first-ever patient satisfaction questionnaire. It was created to measure how well hospitals were doing in terms of meeting their patients’ needs and expectations. But there are several other factors that play into patient satisfaction which we’ll discuss later on in this post. One thing is for sure, though: patient satisfaction can have an impact on hospital reimbursement! What Is Patient Satisfaction? Put simply, patient satisfaction is a measure of how pleased or happy a patient is with their care. It’s important to note that it’s not just about the quality of care provided (although that’s certainly part of it); patients can be happy with their care even if they don’t feel like they received perfect treatment. There are many different ways to measure patient satisfaction, but there are two common ways: 1. The HCAHPS Survey (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) is how most hospitals track their patients’ satisfaction. It’s a standardized survey that focuses on certain aspects of care like communication with nurses, responsiveness of the hospital staff when you need something, whether your pain was well controlled, and more. 2. The CAHPS survey (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) is similar to the HCAHPS survey, but it’s for use in outpatient clinics, dental offices, pharmacies, and other types of health care facilities. How Can Patient Satisfaction Impact Reimbursement? If your hospital tracks patient satisfaction scores, then the federal government can use those numbers to determine how much Medicare will reimburse for services. The more satisfied patients are with their care at a particular hospital, the better that hospital’s reimbursement rates are. Note: this is not true of all hospitals; some still get reimbursed using fee-for-service. How Can I Improve Patient Satisfaction? Here are some things to focus on when it comes to improving patient satisfaction: 1. Focus on the customer experience. 2. Make sure your staff is friendly, responsive, and helpful. 3. Be open about pricing information so patients can make informed decisions for themselves; avoid any surprise charges or hidden fees that may come up. 4. Institute a standardized system for getting and analyzing patient feedback. Hospital performance rankings are not the only factor that’s taken into account when it comes to reimbursement, but they can definitely play a role in terms of how much you get paid for services rendered. Patient satisfaction is just one part of making sure your hospital gets reimbursed well. Need help understanding your patient experience statistics? Allow Guideway Care to help you. Want more immediate guidance? Read: How to Measure Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare.
What Is the Difference Between Medical Marketing and Medical Advertising? Written by Jeff Tormey on December 10, 2021. Posted in Connect. There are many similarities between medical marketing and medical advertising. They both focus on patients, they can be integrated with each other, and they share the goal of raising awareness about a condition. However, there are some key differences between healthcare marketing and healthcare advertising that set these two tactics apart from one another. In this blog post we will discuss what the difference is between marketing and advertising in the healthcare industry. What Is Medical Marketing? Medical marketing is the process of creating and delivering messages that promote the interests of healthcare organizations and their patients. It involves understanding the needs of both groups and developing strategies to meet those needs. Medical marketers use a variety of tactics, including advertising, public relations, digital marketing, and event planning, to reach their target audiences. What Is Medical Advertising? Medical advertising is a subset of medical marketing that focuses on promoting healthcare services and products to potential patients through advertisements. It can take many forms, including print ads or television commercials. While there are some similarities between what constitutes medical marketing vs. medical advertising, the division comes from how these messages reach their target audiences: via media such as TV/radio/newspaper for advertising or through interpersonal interaction such as doctors and nurses for marketing. The Difference Between Medical Marketing and Advertising Medical marketing is a much broader term that encompasses all forms of communication used to promote the interests of healthcare organizations and their patients. This can include activities like public relations, website design, and event planning. In contrast, medical advertising is an advertising tactic that falls under the category of medical marketing. Medical marketers use various channels to reach their audiences, including print ads and radio commercials. What Is the Relationship Between Marketing and Advertising? Medical marketing can be used as a standalone approach or in conjunction with other tactics like social media, SEO/SEM services, etc., depending on the business goals of the healthcare organization. For example, an orthodontist might use medical digital marketing to promote their services among potential patients who are researching dental care online. Then, once they’ve gained someone’s interest via their website or social media profiles, they can then leverage medical advertising tactics like print ads and television commercials to put a face (and name) to their brand. Medical advertising is one of many tactics that fall under the category of medical marketing, which uses various channels to reach healthcare audiences. However, because it often involves running ads in media like print or TV, there are some key differences between what constitutes medical marketing vs. medical advertising including who they target and how/where these messages are delivered. If you’re still not sure what the difference between medical marketing and advertising is, don’t worry! We’re here to help. Feel free to contact us for more information or chat with one of our healthcare advertising experts. Dig into medical marketing; read The Biggest Challenges in Marketing in the Healthcare Industry.
What Are the Top Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2022? Written by Jeff Tormey on December 7, 2021. Posted in Connect. Healthcare marketing is a constantly changing industry. As new technologies emerge and healthcare laws change, marketers must keep up with the latest developments in order to remain relevant and competitive. In this article, we will take a look at the top healthcare digital marketing trends for 2022. Help your business flourish by using the latest healthcare marketing trends! Emerging Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2022 1) Social media advertising: Social media is a powerful tool for healthcare marketers. In 2022, we can expect to see more social media advertising campaigns aimed at reaching potential patients. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer great opportunities for targeting specific demographics with relevant ads. In addition to traditional social media advertising, we can also expect to see more use of chatbots and other interactive technologies on social media platforms. Chatbots can be used to provide patients with information about specific treatments or conditions, and they can also be used to answer patient questions in real time. 2) Video content production: It is no secret that video content can be extremely engaging with audiences. Healthcare marketers are always looking for ways to engage potential patients, and they know that videos are an effective way of doing it. In 2022, we will see more healthcare companies producing high-quality video content in order to stand out from the competition. 3) Influencer marketing: In healthcare, it is important to build trust with patients. One of the best ways for marketers to do this in 2022 will be by teaming up with influencers who have strong relationships with their audiences. 4) Employee engagement strategies: Healthcare marketing is an ever-changing industry, and healthcare employees must be engaged in order to keep up with the latest developments. In 2022, we can expect more strategies aimed at engaging healthcare employees so that they are better equipped to help market their products or services. 5) Content creation strategies such as infographics and blogs: As we mentioned above, healthcare marketing is constantly changing. In 2022, marketers will be looking for new ways to produce engaging content that their audience wants and needs. One way they can do this in the coming years is by creating infographics and blogs about topics such as trending treatments or innovative technologies in their industry. 6) Data analytics beyond demographics: In order to create effective marketing campaigns, it is important to understand who your target audience is. However, in 2022 healthcare marketers will also be looking at other types of data such as psychographics and behavioral data in order to better understand their patients. These are just a few of the top marketing trends in the healthcare industry for 2022. As new technologies and strategies emerge, we will continue to update you. Stay tuned for more details on healthcare marketing trends from Guideway Care!
What Are Patient Portals and How Can They Enhance Your Medical Practice? Written by Jeff Tormey on December 3, 2021. Posted in Connect. Many medical practices are not taking advantage of patient portals, which is unfortunate. Patient portals are an easy way to keep your patients engaged, and help you build a strong reputation in the community. What are patient portals? Here’s a quick primer on what they are and how they can benefit your business! Patient Portals 101: What Are They? A patient portal in healthcare is basically a website that patients can log into with their own username and password to view lab results, appointment information, access their medical records online, etc. This gives them more control over their health care than ever before! There are many benefits for both the practice as well as the patients themselves that come from implementing these systems. How Patient Portals Benefit Your Practice 1. Easier access to patient medical records; this can save time and money when it comes to providing care. 2. Allows you to track your patients’ health over time, which is beneficial for preventative care. 3. Alerts you of any potential medication interactions – this could potentially save lives! 4. Enables secure online payments from patients. 5. Helps with appointment scheduling and reminders. How Patient Portals Benefit Patients 1. Gives them 24/7 access to their medical records online. No more waiting on faxes or paper copies! 2. Saves them time by allowing them to view lab results and other information electronically. 3. Provides a list of their medications, allergies, and other health information at the click of a button. 4. Allows for easy access to patient portals through smartphones or tablets. 5. Increases the likelihood patients will receive preventive care by encouraging regular checkups – this could potentially stave off illnesses before symptoms occur. 6. Patients have 24/7 access which increases satisfaction levels greatly! This also helps prevent “no shows” at appointments since many people hate missing work or school without having another way to reschedule. 7. Can reduce data entry time, which saves you money! A patient portal can do so much work for your practice automatically. Not to mention that they’re usually easy to implement as well. Medical patient portals are a great way of keeping patients informed and engaged with their healthcare provider! If you haven’t tried one yet, now is the best time to start using this technology. Do you already have a medical patient portal but are struggling to get people to use it? Read: How to Get Patients to Sign Up for Your Medical Patient Portal.
Understanding the Difference Between Patient Satisfaction vs. Patient Experience Written by Jeff Tormey on November 20, 2021. Posted in Connect, Manage. As a medical provider, you know the importance of having happy patients. And when it comes to measuring their happiness, there are two important metrics to evaluate: patient satisfaction vs. patient experience. What exactly do these terms mean? And how are they different? That’s what we’ll be explaining in this blog post. What Is Patient Satisfaction? Patient satisfaction is a quantitative metric that measures the patient’s level of happiness at any given point in time. It asks them to rank their experience from one to five stars, with five being “very satisfied.” During your initial visit with a new patient, you’ll typically document this rating on a form called an HCAHPS survey (Healthcare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems). This data can then be compared against other providers who see similar patients. This allows for comparison between individual physicians as well as across larger groups, such as hospitals or medical practices. In addition to grading overall satisfaction levels, these surveys also ask specific questions about how long it takes before they were seen by someone, how often they were able to get in touch with someone about their questions, and how comfortable they felt discussing sensitive topics. What Is Patient Experience? Patient experience is a qualitative metric that looks at the patient’s actual experiences through a series of surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc. This can be done on an individual level by asking for feedback from every patient who comes into your practice or it could be done via social media sites like Yelp where patients leave reviews without being directly solicited by anyone. How Patient Satisfaction and Patient Experience Differ What’s the difference between patient experience vs. patient satisfaction? While satisfaction measures what people think of providers based on preconceived notions (often formed from marketing materials) and past experiences, experience goes beyond opinions to uncover the “why” behind them. For example: A new family doctor might have a perfect HCAHPS rating, but if they can’t listen to patients’ concerns and rush them in and out of the office without spending any time on treatment options or referrals, then their overall happiness won’t last long. Another example: A dermatologist might have a lower patient satisfaction rate because new patients don’t find it easy to book an appointment online so they call repeatedly only to be told there’s no availability for weeks. But if those same people had access via video chat, this would address their underlying concern (which is convenience) while increasing both satisfaction and experience at the same time. As you can see from these examples above, understanding how your metrics differ will help guide better marketing efforts as well as improve patient experience. For more assistance with how to measure patient satisfaction in healthcare, speak with Guideway Care. We offer patient conversion solutions that will work for you.
How Chronic Care Management Benefits Your Medical Practice Written by Jeff Tormey on November 13, 2021. Posted in Connect, Manage. Chronic care management is the latest buzzword in the medical industry, but what does it mean for your practice? CCM has many benefits for providers and patients alike. This blog post will highlight some of the benefits that a chronic care management program offers for medical practices like yours! Chronic Care Management Offers New Revenue Streams Medical practices are focused on patient care. However, no doctor’s office can survive without sufficient income. This is a reason why CCM is so important to implement. Every patient actively engaged in your chronic care management program opens up a new stream of revenue. In most cases, each patient will help you earn an additional $500+ per year. Depending on how many patients you have enrolled in these programs, that is a lot of new revenue for mostly doing things you were already doing. It Helps Patients Bond With Your Practice While it isn’t a commercial business, branding and patient perceptions matter a lot. Because CCM means working with them more often and more directly, patients enrolled in your chronic care management program will develop a bond with your practice. This means that they are more likely to come back for additional visits and recommend you to their friends and family members. You Better Meet Patients’ Needs The last thing you want as a medical provider is to fall short of meeting the needs of your patients. Those who are actively engaged in a chronic care management program will have physicians and nurses who know their medical history. This means that you can better meet patients’ needs by providing treatment options based on their previous tests, conditions, and treatments. Your Practice Will Be Valued More Highly By offering such an innovative service to your patient population, your practice will be valued more highly. This can help you win a larger portion of the market, as well as receive higher ratings from patients and their loved ones. You Can Improve Your Physician Brand In order to attract new physicians to your practice, having a chronic care management program in place is an absolute necessity. By deploying such a program, you can better improve your physician brand and attract professionals who are passionate about taking care of patients in a holistic manner. Are you uncertain how to get your chronic care management offerings off the ground? Let Guideway Care help you. We will show you why long-term patient engagement tools are worth it.
EMR vs. EHR: How Do These Two Terms Differ? Written by Jeff Tormey on November 9, 2021. Posted in Connect, Manage. The medical field is filled with abbreviations and acronyms, and at times, it gets confusing. Many of these terms are so close in meaning, they seem interchangeable. But even when they are very similar, there are key differences to be aware of. Electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs) are two terms that often get confused. They’re both important pieces of technology that have different functions. This blog post will define these two terms, explore the benefits of each, and explain how they are different from one another so you can make an informed decision about which one is right for your practice! What Is an Electronic Medical Record? An electronic medical record (EMR) is a system used to store and organize data about patient care. EMRs allow healthcare providers such as physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dietitians/nutritionists or therapists to digitize their paper records into an online format and make them more accessible within their practice. What Is Electronic Health Record? What’s the difference between EHR and EMR? Electronic health records (EHRs) are a more specific type of record that includes electronic data from patient encounters, administrative information about the practice, and billing. EHR is also different from an EMR in that it goes beyond just the medical aspects to take a more holistic look at the patient. EHRs are also designed to be shared among providers. This allows for collaborative treatment while still being within the bounds of HIPAA laws. As a result, it is easier for doctors to see things that would otherwise be missed and make important connections that aid in a diagnosis. Which Is Better: EMR or EHR? Both EMRs and EHRs can improve the quality of care patients receive as well as increase a practice’s efficiency. The difference between the two comes down to how they are best utilized for each individual or group. For example, an emergency room would benefit from using an EHR system because it allows every doctor treating a patient to have access to the same information. However, certain types of private practices might not need that level of access to all their patient records and would benefit more from EMR integration with limited sharing capabilities. No matter which is right for you, Guideway Care offers the platforms that will make your medical records work for you. To learn more, schedule your consultation or read about the benefits of an EHR built for innovation.
5 Amazing Ways For Effective Healthcare SEO Written by Jeff Tormey on November 6, 2021. Posted in Connect. As a healthcare provider, you know that it is important to be found on the internet. You also know that there are many different ways for potential patients to find your clinic or practice. Here are five creative ways to be more effective at healthcare SEO. 1. Get Blogging! First, you can create a blog. A blog is an easy way for people to learn more about your practice and the services that you provide. You also do not have to be a blogger or writer by trade in order for it to work well for you! In fact, some of the most successful blogs are written simply with their target audience in mind (plus the right keywords for healthcare). Blogs give potential patients information on what they want and need without feeling like they’re being sold something at every turn-which will help them trust this new source of healthcare information online even more than before! 2. Branch Out into Social Media Second, use social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook effectively. Social networks often times get overlooked when trying to increase exposure through organic search engine results pages (SERPs). However, social media is a great way to get your practice or clinic in front of more people. You can use hashtags and healthcare keywords on different platforms to increase visibility even further! 3. Be Sure Your About Us Is Up to Snuff Third, make sure that you have an amazing About Us section for your website as part of your SEO strategy for medical clinics. It should be easy for potential patients to find out who you are as a healthcare provider, and it should also include everything that they need, from what kind of doctor you are down to how many locations you have throughout the city where their family members will be able to go if necessary. Having this information readily available without forcing them off site with popups or intrusive ads shows credibility, which will help attract new patients using organic search results pages. 4. Embrace Visuals Fourth, optimize images! Use relevant, compelling images that connect with your target audience. This can be done easily by looking at what other people in the healthcare industry are doing and using images similar to theirs if they seem to work well or creating your own unique visuals that help tell a story about who you are as an organization or clinic. 5. Focus on Local Searches Fifth, optimize for local search results pages. Make sure that all of the information on your website is accurate when it comes to location! For example, make sure that both Google+ Local listings and Facebook’s directory listing have the correct address listed so potential patients will know exactly where you are located before even searching for clinics nearby them online. You should also include business hours because this gives users peace of mind knowing that they will be able to come into your clinic or practice when it is convenient for them. If this seems like too much to take on, hire a professional online reputation management company to increase visibility on social media platforms and build up reviews/testimonials across several directories locally. For the very best, turn to Guideway Care. And to learn more, read The Ultimate Guide to Healthcare SEO.