patient care Archives

May 8, 20190

Why is Healthcare So Expensive?

It’s no secret. The cost of healthcare is rising year after year – at an alarming rate. According to a recent Peterson-Kaiser analysis, the percentage of individual household budgets being devoted to healthcare costs has risen from 5.2% in 1990 to 8.2% in 2017.¹And the country as a whole is also feeling the strain of these rising costs, with U.S. spending on health care rising 3.9% in 2017 to over $3.5 trillion – that’s an average of nearly $11,000 for every person in the country!²

While the vast majority of Americans have some sort of health insurance coverage to help offset the rising costs of medical care, these plans often come with high deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. As a result, nearly 10% of adults report delayed care, or not receiving the needed care at all, simply due to the cost.³ It is certainly a sad state of affairs when those in need of medical care can’t afford it!

Naturally, if we spend the most on healthcare we should be receiving the best healthcare possible, right? Wrong. According to the World Health Organization, the U. S. healthcare system ranked 37^th in the world, and even worse, the Commonwealth Fund ranked the U.S. last among the top 11 industrialized nations in overall healthcare!⁴

So, what’s going on here? There are many logical explanations, from an inadequate and overworked system, to simple greed. Here are a few examples:

Administrative Costs. According to some economists, this is the number one reason for skyrocketing healthcare costs. Our existing system needs an extensive support staff to deal with the cumbersome paperwork and billing requirements imposed by multiple insurance carriers. More administrative responsibilities = higher costs.
Drug Costs. In many other countries the government negotiates the costs of drugs for its population. But here in the U.S., Congress created Medicare Part D, which specifically prevents Medicare from negotiating drug prices on behalf of its patients. Medicaid, on the other hand, is allowed to negotiate prices, and thus they pay much less. No negotiation = higher costs.
Defensive Medicine. Due to fear of litigation, many doctors here in the U.S. will order multiple (and often unnecessary) tests during a patient’s care, even when the diagnosis seems obvious. More tests = higher costs.
Expensive Mix of Treatments. The frequent use of advanced testing such as mammograms and MRIs, which require a continual investment in up-to-date technology and functionality drive up the cost of individual healthcare. And maybe even more so, the desire of patients here in the U.S. to be seen, and treated, by “specialists,” who are paid more than primary care providers. More “advanced medicine” = higher costs.
Wages and Work Rules. As mentioned previously, a large and dedicated staff is needed in many locations to deal with the burdensome paperwork that comes with patient care. Of course, this is passed along to the patient in the form of higher prices. More employees = higher costs.
Branding. Perhaps not as obvious at first glance as some other reasons for rising healthcare costs, but have you ever noticed that many patients want to be seen by the hottest new specialist, or be treated at the biggest hospital in town? More demand = higher costs.

It’s clear that our current healthcare system is broken. Is there a solution on the horizon for patients? While many believe the solution is for our government to take a more active role in negotiating healthcare costs on behalf of patients, there are an equal number of people who believe (and always will) that government is already too involved in our everyday lives. And of course, we can’t forget all of the “special interests” and lobbyists who may be looking for work if we ever get a healthcare system that actually works to the benefit of the people!

Thankfully, there is Medvoucher. We work directly with providers to offer the best healthcare services and products at reasonable, affordable, and transparent prices. Our marketplace provides patients the power to control individual healthcare without jumping through hoops imposed by traditional insurance carriers.

For a few helpful tips that may help you avoid excessive debt from surprise medical bills, click here.

Sources

https://www.healthedeals.com/blog/save/why-is-healthcare-so-expensive/

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080615/6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp

https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/preventing-debt-from-surprise-medical-bills/

¹ https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/indicator/access-affordability/spending-relative-household-budgets/

² https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/nationalhealthexpenddata/nationalhealthaccountshistorical.html

³ https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/cost-affect-access-care/#item-about-1-in-10-adults-report-that-they-delayed-or-did-not-get-care-because-of-its-cost_2017

⁴ https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080615/6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp

Healthcare Industry

October 6, 20180

Why easy access to patient record increases patient care and patient satisfaction

Why easy access to patient records increases patient care and patient satisfaction

There is an ever increasing need for healthcare information in the community. This is why 52% of the patients are using patient portal to access their health records. The importance of a healthier nation has pushed the government to introduce legislations such as the MACRA Act; which specifically focus on the quality of healthcare administered. MACRA has introduced four quality measures through the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program which include the following:

Quality,
Cost,
Improvement activities
And Advancing Care Information measures

Such programs help in improving the overall quality of healthcare delivered.

The entire health architecture is transforming rapidly, bringing along benefits one could only imagine. Let’s go through some of the perks which the patient portal has to offer:

More control over their health:

Patients remain updated with their progress, since they can view their lab results, immunization histories etc. They can take steps to improve on their health, remember the important dates and do so much more. Reviewal of allergy lists enables them to be involved in preemptive care, and take caution of the unexpected triggers by themselves.

Effective engagement:

Research suggests that about 51% of patients use the patient portal to obtain their physician’s opinion on the most concerning health issues. 24 hour access prevents the proliferation of symptoms to something sinister in the longer run. People might send an email or an IM to contact, but that only adds to the confusion. Through the communication channel provided by the patient portal, conversations are more structured and providers have the option to add clinical notes to the messages.

Swift patient registrations:

Before the introduction of the patient portal facility, people had to wait for hours just for registration purposes. Now, easy scheduling of appointments facilitates patients in the entire checkup process. Whenever the need arises, patients can simply use the portal to obtain effective care.

Reduced last time cancellations:
Some of the EHR solutions available in the market allow physicians to send text messages to their patients. Multiple reminders are sent to the patients in the form of messages. This feature prevents patient absences from scheduled checkups.

Secure means of communication:

Patient portal acts a gateway for patient-physician engagement, allowing the sharing of information with different labs, insurance companies and other stakeholders of the industry. Patients can book appointments, ask for physician’s opinion and view clinical notes.

Better Outcomes:

Through the 24/7 access of patient data, people can view health histories and act in accordance with the necessary actions. This helps in adherence to medications and administration of vaccinations, with the option of constant monitoring of health statistics.

Booking an appointment

Getting an appointment hadn’t been this easy. Patients simply have to select the time of their choosing and visit the practice. Now they don’t have to wait as they had to do before.

Integration with EHR systems:

Patient portals go hand in hand with EHR systems, enabling providers to make better decisions due to availability of first hand data. Provider notes are seamlessly shared with patients, pushing them to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Author Bio:

Alex Tate is an expert health care marketing and consultant who specializes in promoting tools and resources so physicians can do better care.

https://www.nursingtimes.net/increasing-access-to-patient-records/5062710.article

https://patientengagementhit.com/features/how-patient-health-data-access-drives-patient-engagement

https://patientengagementhit.com/news/patient-portal-access-use-reach-52-of-healthcare-consumers

Marketing

July 2, 20180

25 Ways to Improve Patient Retention

Patients are what make a practice successful- and you want to ensure that those patients keep coming back and that your patient retention stays high. Here are 25 surefire ways to make sure your patients stick around for the long run.

Phone calls. Make sure your phones are answered, and that missed calls are returned in a timely fashion. Answering when a patient calls or returning their calls quickly gives a good impression and shows you care. Also, make sure the employee answering the phone sounds happy, and knows answers to basic questions people may ask. If the person answering the phone sounds rude, people will not want to come.

Information. Make information available and known before a patient arrives. This saves the patient time so they don’t have to wait as long, and gives you less to worry about. Some examples are pre-approving insurance, informing the patient of the paperwork they will fill out before they arrive, making the paperwork available online so it can be done before arrival, and giving patients an estimate of how much time they should set aside to come in.

Set yourself apart. Patients need to clearly see how you are better than your competitors, otherwise there is nothing stopping them from leaving. The solution is treating your patients like family. This makes more a more enjoyable experience for the patient. It also gives you that edge over the competition that keeps patients coming back.

Simplify things. People get worried when going to the doctor because most people don’t understand what is going on. Going the extra mile to explain test results in a manner patients can understand helps the patient listen more because they can follow what you are saying. Before or during the actual procedure, explaining what you are doing and why you are doing it in terms the patient will understand will help calm a patient’s nerves.

Listen. Listen to the patient. The patient can explain the issues they are having and give you a better understanding for how to treat them. Not letting a patient talk or talking over them is rude and makes a patient think you don’t care about them. If a patient is given the impression they are no different than someone else they’ll find another practice that treats them like they are important.

Survey patients. Send an online survey to your patients after they leave. Getting feedback on the patient experience is critical. It gives insights as to what your practice does well, and what could be improved upon. This allows you work on improvements where needed to improve your practice as a whole, and give patients more of a reason to keep coming back. To incentivize people to take the survey, you could give a small gift or a coupon for their next visit for completing the survey.

Appointment confirmations and reminders. Send appointment confirmations and reminders. People are busy, and tend to forget things. Send a confirmation email when the appointment is made so the patient has it available as a reminder. Once the appointment gets close send an email and/or text message to the patient as a reminder they have an appointment scheduled and the details for it. Sending a reminder for an appointment is quite useful, as the patient doesn’t have to stress as much, and if the appointment was made months in advance can remind the patient they made it.

Be thankful. A patient is not forced to come to your practice, they make that choice. At the end of the appointment, thank the patient for coming to your practice. After a procedure, it means a lot to a patient if you follow up. Depending on the procedure, the patient may be in pain or not feeling well, and getting a call from their doctor shows the doctor cares about them. Patients are more likely to stay with and recommend that doctor if they show that level of care.

Birthdays. Keep track of patients birthdays and wish a Happy Birthday when it comes time. Showing that your office remembers their birthday and cared enough to reach out and say it shows how much you care about your patients. It also allows for a promotion or marketing opportunity.

Extended Hours. People have hectic schedules. Providing extended hours makes it easier for people to come to your practice. Being open late one or two days a week, or being open on one or two Saturdays a month would be ideal. This is more accommodating to patients who can’t leave work or school to come to the doctor, or just have a lot going on in general.

Be informed. Patients will have questions when they visit. Staying up to date on your field keeps you informed of the latest technology and procedures. That way, when patients inevitable have questions about something they say online, you can answer their question and perhaps give a more well-rounded answer than they were expecting. This shows you know what you are talking about, and gives patients confidence in your abilities.

Smells. Humans are sensitive to smell, so be sensitive to smells from your office. Strong cologne, cigarettes, and other strong smells like fish that can be repulsive to some people shouldn’t be present in the office environment. If people smell something they think is unpleasant while in your office, chances are they won’t be back.

Website. It is 2018, most people will look online before going somewhere. If you have an outdated and poorly functioning website, people will not make an appointment at your practice. An easy to use and updated website is great. Being able to easily find information about your practice, make appointments and maybe even have access to the forms they’d need to fill out before they come is a must have.

Parking. Make sure there is ample parking. Patients don’t want to have to search for a parking spot, so make it easy for patients to park when they arrive. If parking can be competitive with surrounding places, consider making some spots available for only patients of your practice.

Flexible payments. The biggest reason people don’t go to the doctor is cost. Strictly limiting payment options limits the customers you can have. Giving patients the option to pay with insurance, credit card, cash, or offering a payment plan can set you ahead of the competition. It allows you to see more patients, and the patients who don’t have insurance, or a highly deductible plan will greatly appreciate it.

Don’t fall far behind. Try and stick to the schedule. The closer appointments start to the scheduled time the better. The worst thing that can happen is patients being forced to wait for a long time because you overestimated what you could handle. Patients are happier if they don’t have to wait long.

Be honest. If there is a reason the appointment won’t start one time, tell the patient. Things such as car trouble for an employee, or the doctor being stuck in traffic are uncontrollable by the practice. Informing the patient of what is happening instead of having them sit there waiting is appreciated. The patient is usually more understanding if you tell them the truth. If the patient has to come ask what is going on it is not good.

Free stuff. People love free stuff. Free amenities will be appreciated by patients. It doesn’t have to be big things, just something small such as a bottle of water or sunglasses for a dental exam. It improves the patient experience at your practice.

Know the patient. First of all, know the name of the patient you are seeing. In addition to that, try and memorize one fact about each patient. Knowing something about the patient shows you care about them because you took the time to get to know them instead of trying to rush them out of the office. It also gives you something to talk about while you are with them.

Sit in your own waiting room. If you spend around a half an hour in your wait room, you can see what it’s like for a patient. This can show you what can be improved for a more enjoyable waiting experience. Whether you need to buy a tv, put in a water feature, add more magazines, paint, or something else, you might get some ideas for how to improve one of the most important aspects of the office through sitting in it yourself.

Be realistic. Don’t over promise results. If you tell the patient they will get a certain result despite it not being possible, it hurts your credibility. The patient won’t want to return as they think you didn’t do a good job since they didn’t get the result they were told they would.

Keep the office updated. Make sure your equipment isn’t out of date, and make sure your computer software is up to date. Replace equipment when it gets old, people can tell when something is out of date, and people want to be treated with the best technology.

Setup a calendar. Having a calendar so you can reach out to patients at regular intervals. This allows you to touch base with them so they know when they should be coming in. This helps the patient so they don’t have to worry about figuring it out while dealing with their busy schedule.

Surprise your patients. Every so often giving your patients a gift or something so they know they are appreciated. A discounted service, or a service free of charge could be ways to thank them for coming to your practice, and gives them continued incentive to stay.

Marketing. Building a sustainable marketing program keeps your practice in the patients mind. Through blogs, mailers, and social media posts amongst other things make sure your patients up to date on your practice, your industry, and remind them they should go to you and not someone else.

Sources:

http://www.practicecafe.com/blog/10-ways-increase-new-patient-retention

https://www.solutionreach.com/blog/5-ways-to-build-patient-loyalty-and-increase-patient-retention

https://www.solutionreach.com/blog/patient-retention-10-things-you-can-do-to-keep-existing-patients-happy

https://www.getweave.com/patient-retention/

https://www.practicebuilders.com/blog/8-proven-patient-retention-strategies-that-work/

https://www.patientpop.com/blog/running-a-practice/patient-experience/patient-retention-strategies/