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 Sequence Health. 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 Sequence Health 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, Sequence Health 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.
Google My Business: A Guide for Doctors Written by Jeff Tormey on October 13, 2021. Posted in Connect, Manage. Your practice is just one of hundreds competing for local online visibility. Many doctors are taking advantage of the internet to grow their patient base and generate more revenue, but it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. This blog post will provide you with a guide on how to use Google My Business as a tool for building your healthcare practice’s reputation and search rankings on Google Search and Maps. What Is Google My Business? Google My Business is a free service offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence through the use of a business profile. This profile can include information about your practice, such as service offerings, hours of operation, location details, and more. For instance: Your office’s website should be optimized for local search engine results. Medical SEO on your website will get you far, but Google My Business takes you even further. Google My Business allows users to manage their business profiles on Google Search and Maps, which are two of the most popular search tools today. As more people use mobile devices for internet searches, being found in local results is increasingly important to drive traffic to your website or physical location. What Can I Do With A Google My Business Profile? Google My Business for doctors provides you with a variety of tools that can be used to manage your online presence. Some of these include: Creating or changing business information on Google Search and Maps. Managing & generating the Google review link of your medical website for your customers. Answering questions from people curious about your practice. Uploading photos related to your practice, such as new or services, patient room renovations, or even updates to your waiting room. How Can I Use Google My Business for Local Medical Practice SEO? Claim Your Listing: You must claim any listings related to your business before being able to manage them. Even if a listing is automatically generated, this isn’t very useful until you have ownership of it. Optimize Your Google My Business Profile: Name, address, and phone number are often the most important details to include. Be sure that all information is fully visible on a desktop computer as well as a mobile device. Remember that you can add links from other websites in your Google My Business description section. Enhance Your Presence: Once you claim your business information on Google My Business, most of the work is done for you. However, if your profile does not show up in local search results or has incomplete data, you may want to work on enhancing your presence. Map Optimization: Location, location, location! The physical address of your business is the most important aspect for search engines and potential customers alike. Make sure you include directions from major roads or landmarks if your address alone isn’t enough to get people there without confusion. For more information about GMB for medical practices and how to make it work for yours, speak with Sequence Health. We are a comprehensive medical digital marketing service. For more information on boosting online visibility, read our ultimate guide to healthcare SEO.
Billing Guidelines for Chronic Care Management: Things To Know Written by Jeff Tormey on October 9, 2021. Posted in Manage. If you are a healthcare provider, then there is a good chance that you have patients who need chronic care management. These patients may be on Medicare or Medicaid and require more frequent visits with their specialist to monitor their condition. This post will explain CCM billing guidelines 2021 so that you can get paid for the time and resources that it takes to provide them! What Is Chronic Care Management CPT 99490? The CPT code 99490 is for chronic care management. It was introduced in the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) with its description reading as follows: “Chronic Care Management services delivered via telephone by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional to an established patient within the last 12 months, 30 days prior to service being provided.” What Does That Mean? This chronic care management billing code is intended for physicians who provide ongoing care to a patient with conditions that require more frequent visits and monitoring. For example, if you have patients on dialysis or those requiring chemotherapy, then they may need your help managing their condition over the phone to ensure it remains well controlled between in-person visits. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, and asthma may also benefit from these services. This code is not intended for just any use of the telephone with patients; it must be used in conjunction with one of your other CPT codes that require more frequent visits to justify CCM medical billing. Who Should Bill For This Code? Any physician who is qualified to provide the service and has a patient that they are billing for may bill this code. For example, you could be an internal medicine physician or primary care doctor who specializes in hypertension management and prescribing medication. You would only use this CCM billing code if your practice had developed systems to monitor these patients over the phone between office visits so as not to be wasteful with your resources. How Do You Bill For This Code? According to CCM guidelines, to bill for this code, you will write the CPT 99490 in front of one of your other codes that require more frequent visits (99201-99215). So if you were billing Medicare, you would report 99490 after my E/M visit service. How Often Can You Bill For It? You can only bill for this code once per day. So, if you have a patient who needs multiple check-ins each day, you will want to bill it as a daily service, not per check-in. Can You Bill For It With Any Other CPT Codes? Yes. This code can be reported with any other Medicare or Medicaid-covered service that you provide to your patient. It is not limited to just office visits or any other specific medical services. If you need assistance with your medical practice billing, allow us to help. At Sequence Health, we offer a wide range of solutions that can streamline your practices. Want more assistance with CCM? Read about how practices can implement chronic care management.
Why Reputation Management Matters in Healthcare Written by Jeff Tormey on September 21, 2021. Posted in Manage. Doctors are under a lot of pressure these days. You have to juggle seeing patients, staying up to date on the latest research, and practice within your state’s guidelines. On top of all of that, you have to think about healthcare reputation management. This can be difficult because you’re always being watched by someone who might be a little too critical about what you’re doing wrong or getting right. However, with proper medical reputation management, you can ensure that your overall standing is strong. What Is Reputation Management? Reputation management for medical practices is essentially public relations for your brand. Given you aren’t a celebrity, you don’t really need a PR manager like someone in Hollywood would. However, you do need to exercise a certain level of control over your public image and that of your practice and work to make sure people are saying good things about you. Another way to put this is that it is about building your brand. You want prospective patients to see your name or that of your practice and instantly feel a sense of trust in you. Medical online reputation management goes a long way towards making that happen. Why You Should Care About Your Online Reputation It is easy for doctors to assume that quality results and a kind demeanor are all that is needed to build a strong reputation. And not all that long ago, this was true. But now, your online healthcare reputation will reach prospective patients before you ever do. A sloppy website, lack of information on Google, and just a couple of poor reviews without good ones to balance them can tank a career you’ve spent years trying to build. But, if you engage in medical practice reputation management, you can be seen as a genuine authority in your field, even if you’ve never headlined a conference or published your research. As a medical professional, your reputation matters—and it matters, even more, when people are looking at reviews on Google or Yelp. Our team can help with everything from monitoring what is being said online to helping craft positive content that will endear your patients to you. At Sequence Health, we believe in protecting this most important asset; after all, who wants their livelihood impacted by an angry customer review they never saw coming? So don’t hesitate; contact us today. Interested in patient engagement solutions? We can help you with everything from surveys to healthcare CRM.
What Is the Role of a Medical Insurance Verification Specialist? Written by Jeff Tormey on September 18, 2021. Posted in Manage. As a doctor, you’re always looking for ways to reduce costs and have more time in your day. You work hard, long hours with few breaks. As a result, you need a qualified support team helping with all the tasks you can’t get to on your own—including medical insurance verification. While you can give this task to your receptionist in charge of billing, this could mean paying for more hours or even hiring someone new just for insurance verification. A better solution, in most cases, is to contract with an insurance verification services company. For a fraction of the cost, you’ll have access to top-notch insurance verification specialists, as well as other services that can make your practice run more smoothly. But First, What Is a Medical Insurance Verification Specialist? Medical insurance verification specialists are experts at clearing hurdles by quickly reviewing records, analyzing insurance plans, and verifying whether a patient has coverage or not so doctors can focus on healing instead of paperwork. Medical insurance verification specialists also serve as a second set of eyes when it comes to making sure an insurer is paying benefits correctly, which helps make certain that health care providers get paid fairly for services rendered while protecting them from fraud schemes. What Qualifications Do Medical Insurance Verification Specialists Have? This can vary based on the company employing them. In general, all companies will look for the following qualifications: • A high school diploma or GED. • Previous billing experience. • Knowledge of medical terminology. • Experience with insurance companies. • Clear communication skills and fluency in English. • Detail-oriented focus. Other companies will look for greater qualifications than this, such as a two-year college degree or greater, passing a certification exam, and completing a rigorous training program. For those who are at the supervisor level, there is usually a requirement that they have a degree in healthcare management or business administration. In this post, we’ve highlighted a bit about the role of a medical insurance verification specialist. If you want to learn more about how you can outsource your insurance verification, don’t hesitate to reach out! We offer a wide variety of solutions that can help improve the quality of your practice while boosting your bottom line, including healthcare CRMs and call centers. Not quite ready to outsource this task? Not a problem. Read up on how to verify medical insurance coverage on your own.
Key Elements of Transitional Care Management Written by Jeff Tormey on August 22, 2021. Posted in Manage. What is transitional care management? Transitional care management is the set of services provided to a patient to help them transition from being in a hospital setting to reintegrating into the community. The period for transitional care management is defined as the 30 days following post-discharge. The goal of TCM is to prevent hospital readmission. As of 2013, Medicare allows for billing of 30 days of TCM, this is an opportunity for providers to earn additional income from services they may already offer patients. What is a transitional care unit? A transitional care unit or TCU is a skilled nursing facility. Most TCUs are located either inside a hospital or a nursing home. Patients in a TCU have been discharged from a higher care level unit or a facility such as an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The TCU serves as a bridge between the higher care level unit and going home to a situation where there will likely be less assistance. As part of the TCU services, patients receive a discharge comprehensive plan and at-home follow-up. What does CMS transitional care management look like? To bill Medicare (CMS) for transitional care management, it is important to meet all five of their TCM components. Initial Contact The first step is for the qualified professional to contact the patient or their caregiver within the first two business days following the hospital discharge. The contact must be documented in detail to include the date and time of contact, the name of the person initiating the contact, how the contact was made, and a summary of the contact. Medication Management The qualified professional has the responsibility to document the medication given at discharge and to reconcile it with pre-hospitalization medication. This medication management activity must be documented in detail to include both lists of medication, the qualifications of the reviewer, and the decisions made, if new medications were prescribed that list must also be included. In-Person Visit Within the first 7 days following the discharge, the qualified professional must visit the patient in person. The visit must be documented in detail. Level of Decision-Making TCM requires certain levels of decision-making for the 30 days following discharge. The medical decision-making varies from moderate to high complexity depending on the code. Care Management Services That Do Not Require Face-to-Face Interactions The requirements of this component are not as strict as the other ones, there is no set number of required interactions or a time requirement for giving these TCM services. However, Medicare does have a list of services that must either be fulfilled by the qualified professional or clinical staff unless the services are determined not to be medically necessary. Again, this must be documented in detail. To learn more about TCM, read: A Guide to Transitional Care Management.
How to Measure Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare Written by Jeff Tormey on August 9, 2021. Posted in Connect, Manage. Why is patient satisfaction important? In healthcare, competition for the share of the wallet of patients is increasing, making it even more important to keep patients satisfied with the care they receive. If patients are happy with their experience, they are less likely to switch providers. It is also important to note that patient satisfaction does not equate to the quality of healthcare. While the quality of healthcare your practice provides may be impeccable, patients may not perceive that if the receptionist was rude or they waited a few minutes past their appointment time to be seen and that is the patient satisfaction aspect. Why Is Measuring Patient Satisfaction Important? Knowledge is power and in the case of patient satisfaction in healthcare, the knowledge comes from data. By tracking a set of important metrics, you can formulate a plan to improve or maintain patient satisfaction and continue to keep your patients loyal and happy. Click here to learn more about how to improve the patient experience. What Are the Main Ways to Measure Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare? Request and Monitor Feedback A great way to measure patient satisfaction is simply by asking the patients directly about how they view their interaction with your practice. This can be done in the form of a written survey, a follow-up call, a Facebook post, or even a text. Receiving feedback from patients allows your healthcare practice to be held accountable for the patient’s experience while interacting with your organization. Patients who are not happy with their experience, will not necessarily point it out unless they are asked. For best results, allow the patient the option to remain anonymous, this can be achieved by providing a “patient feedback” box in the reception or by sending out an online survey that does not require a name. The results from the survey, follow-up calls, and other forms of feedback should be tracked and monitored for trends. Turn the results into patient experience statistics that can be analyzed. Once analyzed, develop a plan to maintain or improve the metrics. Follow Your Online Ratings Our world becomes more and more digitalized every day and more people than ever rely on internet research to make healthcare decisions. Google and yelp reviews are two important places to start following to learn about how your patients view their interaction with your practice. You can also use google to find third-party review sites that may name your practice. Many of these third-party websites calculate patient satisfaction statistics in the form of a score assigned to your practice. These scores can be very helpful but it is important to understand how they are calculated to determine how well they align with your goals. For more nuanced guidance, contact Sequence Health.
Best Practices for Healthcare Advertising on Instagram Written by Jeff Tormey on July 15, 2021. Posted in Manage, Other. One of our top 10 healthcare marketing tips in 2020 was to embrace social media. This hasn’t changed in 2021. And one of the best ways to get into social is through healthcare Instagram advertising. Why Instagram? For many healthcare companies, bridging the gap between themselves and prospective patients is difficult. We are in an age where people are quite skeptical of medical providers or jaded based on poor experiences. Success on social media relies on your ability to get past that skepticism and connect with people. Instagram is all about the personal connection. Medical Instagram accounts help people see practices as families, and see healthcare as something warm and welcoming. Of course, your success depends upon doing it right. Tips for Instagram Medical Accounts With any social media effort, you need to engage in best practices. But what are those for Instagram healthcare pages? We suggest the following. Be Personable, Not Personal Your professional Instagram account should read professional, but warm and accessible. This is very different from the tone of a personal page. While you want patients to feel like they are getting to know you, never forget your professionalism. Use Your Profile Info Your Instagram business profile should have all the information a patient might need to work with you. This includes your hours, location, phone number, and services you offer. Be sure to set up the contact button as well. Follow Other Healthcare Accounts You want to become part of the Instagram healthcare community, and part of that is following other accounts. Target those that are in your sphere and don’t be afraid to engage with those accounts. It’s a great way to learn from others. Vary Your Content A lot of medical practices fall into the trap of creating Instagram medical accounts that are just one infographic after the other. You need to switch up your content if you have any hope of garnering engagement. Some types of posts to include are: • Quick videos explaining relevant topics • Before and after treatment photos (get permission) • Inspirational quotes related to healthcare • Commentary on notable medical news • Explanations of new research• Tips and tricks for wellness Figure Out Those Hashtags Finally, one of the only ways to get discovered on Instagram is through hashtags, so make sure you are using the right ones—and verify what they are actually about to avoid embarrassing situations. For more information about the best healthcare advertising practices, contact Sequence Health. Also if you want to know what makes advertising via Instagram so effective. Read on our detailed blog about “Instagram Marketing for Doctors”