It’s the most wonderful time to retool your patient engagement strategies. Everyone knows the best way to achieve more positive patient outcomes and improve quality of care is to be actively engaged with your patients. There are several tools to use to remain engaged with your patients during the holiday season, and MDnetSolutions is your source for increasing patient engagement, streamlining patient management processes and improving outcomes management. Did you send your patients holiday cards this year? This is a great way to maintain the relationship between appointments or procedures. It’s easy to do and really builds chemistry between you and your patients. Be sure to sign the card and say it’s from you and not your practice. Nothing takes the spirit out of the holiday spirit than a generic card addressed from ABC Family Practice. Make it personal just like the care you give to each of your patients. MDnetSolutions can conduct both digital and print campaigns to help grow the visibility of your practice and help you reconnect with those patients who may have lost contact. Our talented and creative communication experts can craft campaigns designed to drive and deliver results. New Toys on Your Wish List Is your digital presence on the Internet not getting the desired increase in foot traffic? MDnetSolutions can retool your existing website, or we can build you a completely new site, showcasing your talents and providing a valuable marketing tool to educate patients about your practice. To enhance the marketability of your website and increase your digital footprint, MDnetSolutions can craft marketing strategies using search engine optimization (SEO) and pay per click (PPC) campaigns customized to fit your needs. By carefully monitoring traffic to your site, MDnetSolutions crafts strategies that get you easily noticed by Google, Bing, Yahoo and other Internet search engines. Do Something for Others It is the season for giving. Why not help your administrative staff by adding some gifts to ease their workload and make your practice run more efficiently? MDnetSolutions has many solutions that fit nicely under the Christmas tree. Is your office staff bombarded by phone calls all day from patients who have questions about their treatment, medication or complaints about a certain health condition? Is the increased call volume keeping you from spending the proper amount of time with patients during in-office visits and hampering them from getting the optimum care? Is your records system out of date and are you shopping for a new electronic medical records system? If you answered yes to any of these questions, MDnetSolutions is the gift for you. We can help you fix those problems and get the new year started with a more efficient and profitable practice. By utilizing our boutique medical call center, your patients remain consistently engaged with your practice. Our call center is more than a medical answering service. Our team members are an extension of your practice. They are sympathetic, use a calming demeanor and take pride in working you’re your patients. Combine the call center with our HIPAA-compliant NurseLine, and your patients have the comfort of knowing answers to their medical questions and concerns are just a phone call away. All About Tracking On Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), have tracked Santa Claus as he makes his way from the North Pole. Luckily for you, you don’t need a government agency to keep track of your patients. With MDnetSolutions’ web-based LeadTracker™, you can keep track of every patient from initial contact through the entire treatment process with a click of the mouse. If your office staff is tired of searching fruitlessly through mounds of patient files, make sure you have LeadTracker™ on your holiday wish list. MDnetSolutions’ LeadTracker™ is 100 percent customizable and seamlessly integrates with any existing patient management system. The easy-to-use system helps your practice manage information that matters most and aids in information intake, appointment scheduling, outreach efforts and many other time-consuming tasks. As we close 2014 let’s continue to transform patient care together in 2015. From all of us at MDnetSolutions, have a joyous holiday season and a festive and prosperous new year.

In the 1973 classic Magnum Force, Inspector Harry Callahan, aka, Dirty Harry, offers a piece of advice to his lieutenant. “A man’s got to know his limitations,” says the maverick cop, played by Clint Eastwood. I realize in my advanced years, Dirty Harry was right. Sometimes you can’t do it on your own. You need help. Unfortunately I am rather hardheaded and have wasted a great deal of time and money trying to accomplish something that would’ve taken significantly less time had I swallowed my pride, admitted my limitations and asked for help. Anytime we purchase a piece of furniture, whether it be a grill, entertainment center, a child’s playset or a rod-hockey game I got for Christmas two years ago that is still in the box, I struggle to put the item together. Call it lack of patience or muscular coordination, but I can turn a simple, five-minute task into an epic, profanity-laced chore highlighted by intense tirades and screw drivers flying across the room. I would like to say construction is my only limitation, but car repair, landscaping and even my golf game have provided ample opportunities for me to showcase my shortcoming in those areas. I tried to remove weeds from my front lawn using a certain weed-killer. The weeds were replaced by bare patches in the sod that lasted for two years. The last time I pruned the hedges, I sliced through the extension cord, nearly electrocuting myself. The hedges also did not display the sharp-angled rectangles I had envisioned. In the automotive arena, I disconnected the battery while changing a headlight. My other epic fail was losing two quarts of oil while changing my car’s oil. I forgot to put the plug back in the oil pan and realized my mistake when oil flooded the driveway. The last time I cleaned out the gutter… OK, that never happened. When it comes to heights, I know my limitations. After these humbling mishaps, I no longer live in denial. When I have a car repair, I take it to the experts at the dealership. I am proud to say my lawn and shrubbery look better than ever thanks to hiring experts at a landscaping company. They were hired shortly after the “Extension Cord Slashing of 2012”. When it comes to building projects, my wife and I usually get it delivered pre-assembled. If that is not an option, my wife will get her purple toolset, conduct an online search, and build the item. She has the temperament for it and tools never sail across the room. In your field, you are the medical expert. Whether specializing in bariatric surgery, orthopedic services, IVF or other specialty, patients come to you when they need your service. Since you are the medical expert, why spend time trying to market your practice or schedule follow-up visits with patients or answer phones in between seeing patients? As Dirty Harry says, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” At Guideway Care, we are the healthcare marketing and patient engagement experts. We can retool or build your organization’s website and enhance your status in Internet searches thanks to our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click strategies. Our boutique, medical call center can handle incoming calls; schedule appointment and provide information for your patients with kindness and compassion. You’re the medical guru. So let our expertise improve your organization. A man’s got to know his limitations, but together we can rise above those limitations. Now, does anyone know an expert who can put together a rod-hockey game? Learn more about the solutions Guideway Care provides by visiting Guideway Care.

This is part two of a series Remember our buddy Jason, the 43-year-old businessman who injured his ankle playing pickup basketball last week? Jason has accepted the fact he is going under the knife. After seeing the x-rays at an urgent care facility and getting a recommendation from a medical professional he needed surgery, Jason, a bit overwhelmed, conducted Google searches for orthopedic surgeons, who specialize in ankle procedures in his area. During his research, Jason found a couple of orthopedic centers that intrigued him. He visited “ABC Ortho” and found only general information: location of practice, list of administrators and office employees and a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding patient rights, privacy notices and HIPAA compliance. Granted websites need to have this legal mumbo-jumbo, but a HIPAA compliance notice ranks near the bottom of a potential patients’ wish list when searching for a place providing the desired medical services. Another website catching Jason’s eye was “XYZ Orthopedic Services”. The website was engaging, and he could view the practice’s website on his laptop or smartphone because it was built by MDnetSolutions.? The website was built using responsive website design technology. The responsive design not only optimized Jason’s experience on the website because he could view it on any digital device, he also benefitted from a plethora of information right at his fingertip. Rather than providing the general who we are and what we do information, XYZ had comprehensive biographies on the staff surgeons, covering their background, education and area of expertise. The site also had patient testimonials praising the staff at the practice. However, the highlight of the website, according to Jason, was a tab at the top of the page titled, “for patients”. Clicking the tab, Jason was propelled to a patient portal with “frequently asked questions” regarding ankle procedures. Not only could he read responses to frequently asked questions, he also could watch a video describing a similar procedure he was going to have. The online seminar was conducted by the lead surgeon of XYZ Orthopedic Services, and Jason felt he needed to watch the online video. He typed his contact information: name, email address and phone number and was granted access to his online video. The video covered how to prepare for the day of surgery, anesthesia and what to expect during the procedure. The second half of the video discussed what to expect post surgery and talked about estimated recovery time and rehabilitation. Jason felt a little better about his upcoming procedure but was still apprehensive about making the final decision of where and when to have the surgery. It wasn’t until the following day when he received a phone call from XYX Orthopedic Services. The professional and courteous operator on the other end of the line informed Jason that she was following up on his visit to the website. She asked if he had any questions and if he would like to schedule a consultation. It was that simple. Jason agreed and was well on his way to getting back on the basketball court. The operator and Jason agreed on a time to see the surgeon. With a little help, Jason’s apprehensiveness was put to rest. He had taken the first steps toward recovery and had found the surgeon and the practice to perform his procedure. Jason’s search was made easier because XYZ orthopedic Services was a client of MDnetSolutions. In addition to having MDnetSolutions build the responsive website, XYZ incorporated MDnetSolutions online registration and LeadTracker to arrange and categorize potential patient information. The operator knew Jason had suffered an ankle injury and was inquiring about ankle surgery. This knowledge made the interaction between the operator and Jason engaging and informative rather than a cold call. There are plenty of Jason’s out there. What is your practice doing to attract those weekend warriors, eager to return to the playing field? Teaming with MDnetSolutions can enhance your digital footprint and get you noticed by those patients needing your services the most. Let our solutions be your solutions. Click to learn more and schedule a demonstration.

Our friends at Fierce Healthcare produced a new article this week regarding three ways hospitals can better improve patient engagement. In the article, three tips are offered:

• Designate a patient engagement advocate
• Build partnerships, and
• Access interoperability opportunities

This is sound advice for any hospital or medical practice, and MDnetSolutions can help boost patient engagement, which leads to better patient outcomes. We also provide solutions to recruit new patients and grow your practice.

1. Designating a patient engagement advocate

At MDnetSolutions, we become an extension of your practice and care for your patients like they are family. Thanks to our cutting-edge technology, we can streamline all processes before, during and after patient care. This saves your practice money and ensures the patient gets the best possible care. MDnetSolutions web-based patient software, LeadTracker, works to track the progress of each patient in the hospital system. From streamlining patient intake to discharge, LeadTracker is easy-to-use, HIPAA-compliant and integrates seamlessly with any existing patient management system, from the small rural practice to the giant Accountable Care Organization (ACO). MDnetSolutions can help inventory and synchronize all processes across departments, within medical teams and among facilities within a healthcare system. Additionally our 24/7, boutique, medical call center, NurseLine and digital marketing strategies aid in each step of patient care. From questions about procedures and certain medications to pre- and post-operative scheduling and reminders, MDnetSolutions is there to provide support, comfort and education to your patients.

2. Build Partnerships

The healthcare landscape has changed and nowhere is this more evident than the doctor/patient relationship. Prior to the growth of the healthcare consumerism movement and patients becoming more proactive about their health and overall lifestyle, doctors would examine the patient, diagnose the problem and prescribe medicine or schedule a procedure to hopefully cure the ailment. This usually involved the physician calling all the shots. Now care is more about collaboration, as patients are becoming consumers of healthcare and educated about their medical condition. This patient-centered care, or relationship-based primary care where physician meets the individual patient and family’s needs, priorities and preferences, has become a partnership between patient and physician. MDnetSolutions believes patient and physician collaboration is vital to successful medical outcomes. We also see educating patients only improves engagement and fosters collaboration with the medical staff. For medication adherence, education is key. MDnetSolutions can help market your education tools and online seminars to illustrate the importance of proper medication. Our medical call center and NurseLine also can provide reminders to take medication properly. MDnet’s patient portal also is a valuable solution in building the patient/physician relationship by storing information in one, secure place. This patient portal also can be housed on your website both you and your patient can view, store and record information, schedule doctor appointments, refill medications and communicate with each other with ease. The patient portal allows access to real-time education for patients and reduces the chance of being overloaded with information. Patients also gain access with a click of the mouse rather than having to leave their home.

3. Access Interoperability Opportunities

With the emergence of ACOs, which comprise doctors, medical groups, hospitals and other healthcare professionals work together to deliver high-quality, coordinated care to the patients they serve, there will be much more collaboration in patient care. Not only will doctors have more conversations with the patient under his or her care, there also will be increased collaboration among medical staffs and specialists in different offices. Is your hospital or medical office ready for this new patient engagement strategy? If not a call to MDnetSolutions is all you need. MDnet has the Solutions to make your hospital stay current with the latest healthcare trends. Our patient portals function correctly on any medical website, and our team designs patient portals to easily integrate with every patient management system. Incorporate the patient portal, with our electronic medical records system and you are ready to take your hospital patient care to the next level. Get engaged with us and get ready to engage the world. Visit www.MDnetSolutions.com or call 888-986-3638 to schedule a demo.

Anytime a person faces a medical procedure, regardless of how minute the risk, the No. 1 question asked when having a weight loss operation, is, could this procedure kill me? “The patient’s most important concern is, am I going to survive this operation,” says Ninh T. Nguyen, a professor of surgery and chief of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Division at the University of California Irvine health, Orange, Calif. Dr. Nguyen co-investigated a study published last week in the newest issue of the Journal of The American College of Surgeons suggesting it was safer for patients to have a bariatric procedure at an accredited bariatric surgery center rather than a non-credited facility. The 10-year study examined the outcomes of 775,040 bariatric surgical patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which is the largest U.S. inpatient care database. The study revealed bariatric patients had fewer post-operative complications and were 2.3 times less likely to die in the hospital following a national movement pushing for accreditation of bariatric surgery centers. “We found that death is very uncommon when the operation takes place at an accredited facility, meaning it has met rigorous standards for high-quality surgical care,” Dr. Nguyen says. “I suggest that patients considering a bariatric operation look for, and go to, an accredited bariatric center. “ The American College of Surgeons and our friends, the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), who is hosting Obesity Week in Boston on Nov. 2-6 where MDnetSolutions will be exhibiting, combined their accreditation programs in March 9, 2012, creating a unified program.  This collaboration produced the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). Since its formation, more than 700 bariatric surgery centers in the United States are accredited or seeking accreditation through the MBSAQIP. Is your bariatric surgical center MBSAQIP-credited? According to Dr. Nguyen the only question a patient needs to ask is if the facility is credited by the MBSAQIP. Are you? You need to promote your valued credentials, and at MDnetSolutions, we are experts in healthcare marketing and can take your practice to new heights. Let our marketing experts help create and design a digital strategy to enhance the visibility of your healthcare practice. In addition to enhancing your digital footprint to engage current patients and attract new ones, MDnetSolutions also is transforming the patient care continuum by providing valuable patient management and outcomes management tools. This helps guide the patient through every step of the bariatric surgery process from pre-surgery preparations to post-op care and continuing online education. By employing MDnetSolutions you better manage your patients through our Lead & Patient Tracking, 24/7, full-service, boutique call center and NurseLine. Your patients are in constant contact with your practice. When your bariatric surgical center teams with MDnet, we become an extension of your practice. We also share the common goal of improving the health of your patients. Let us help better engage and improve the health of your patients. Visit us today at www.MDnetSolutions.com and schedule a demo.