By: Tina Bell Director of Marketing, HealthCARE Express When I first moved to the town I now call home six years ago, I didn’t have a doctor. In fact, I didn’t even know where to begin to go if a cold bug bit me that fall. But I knew there was a pharmacy in town on College Drive because I saw their cute little Urkle-Style car proudly displaying their logo as it zipped around town. The only other doctor I knew about was a podiatrist, whose fun yellow convertible with its Austin Power’s design, proudly displaying his logo, was also driven all over town. Later that fall I…

As you begin planning for 2013, set up a budget and timeline for upcoming ICD-10 transition activities. You will want to be sure you continue to plan to ensure a smooth transition to meet the October 1, 2014, deadline. If you are already talking to software vendors about installing a certified electronic health record (EHR) system to qualify for the EHR Incentive Programs, make sure your system will accommodate ICD-10 codes, too. If you have not yet selected an EHR system, be sure to discuss the ICD-10 transition with your vendor. Here are some questions to ask your vendor: • Will the system…

Although the final rule on the proposed ICD-10 deadline change has yet to be published, it is important to continue planning for the transition to ICD-10. The switch to the new code set will affect every aspect of how your organization provides care, but with adequate planning and preparation, you can ensure a smooth transition for your practice. You should consider the following checklist to help keep your efforts on track with your transition: • Educate staff and leadership about ICD-10 … • Appoint an ICD-10 coordination manager and delegate a steering committee to manage the transition … •…

By: Tina Bell … If you have an iPhone 4s or greater, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time playing around with Siri. Designed to be a voice activated personal assistant, Siri helps you send messages, schedule meetings, and much more. One heavily utilized feature on Siri is helping iPhone users find the nearest restaurant, gas station, store, or other nearby place. This feature is critical for healthcare marketers to be aware of. You can simply talk to Siri and find local businesses around you. Have you searched for your Medical Practice business yet on Siri, and if so, do you show…

Assembling an ICD-10 Project Team to oversee your organization's shift to ICD-10 is instrumental to a successful transition. This team will be responsible for overseeing the ICD-10 planning and implementation process. Select Your Team … Since ICD-10 will affect nearly all areas of your practice, project teams should consist of representatives from key areas of your organization, including: • Senior Management … • Health Information Management/Coding … • Billing/Finance … • Compliance … • Revenue Cycle Management … • Information Systems and Technology … This multi-disciplinary team provides…

The deadline for the Version 5010 upgrade was January 1, 2012, and the enforcement discretion period for all HIPAA-covered entities to complete their upgrade to the Version 5010 electronic standards ends on June 30, 2012. The Version 5010 transaction standards have different requirements than those of Version 4010 and 4010A. There are a few things to keep in mind for processing your Version 5010 claims, which should help avoid unnecessary rejections: ZIP Code: You need to include a complete 9-digit ZIP code for the billing provider and service facility location. You should work with your…

By: Tina Bell Director of Marketing, HealthCARE Express So you’ve decided to open your first Medical Practice, or perhaps you’re rebranding after 10 years. Either way, you’re now asking yourself one important question. “What should my logo look like?” After all, designing a logo is one of the most fun parts of creating your marketing plan. Unfortunately, many Medical Practice owners with the best of intentions find themselves making big mistakes in the logo design process. What can you do to make sure you’re not one of them? Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your…

By: Candice Smith Director, HealthCARE Express Billing Converting your accounts receivable into cash is a critical process in the development of healthy cash flow in any business. The business you run, however, makes things a bit more complicated. Why? Let’s see… In the Medical Practice setting, your patients come into your clinic to be seen by a provider. Your billing staff then submits a claim to the patient’s insurance carrier. After payment is rendered by the insurance, you still must collect what is due under the “patient’s responsibility”(i.e.

By: Tina Bell Director of Marketing, HealthCARE Express Good or bad, people like to talk. Before the internet, talking and complaining about a company often fell on deaf ears. Now, "talking" has turned to texting and typing about things on-line - and those things have a way of sticking around for a LONG LONG TIME. You should be monitoring these online conversations to make sure your Medical Practice's reputation isn't at risk. More importantly, you should be using these conversations and listening to them to find out how to improve your business. Below are a few ways you can monitor online…

By: Tina Bell Director of Marketing, HealthCARE Express I remember it like it was yesterday. After giving a presentation two years ago at a conference in Chicago on branding your Medical Practice, one of the audience members and I ended up in the same van back to the airport. For almost 30 minutes I had to defend my presentation to him. Usually I like debates, but this one just went on-and-on. The thing he was arguing over was my statement of something similar to the effect of, “If you want your Medical Practice to grow, I would encourage you to hire a full-time marketer whose sole…