Elliott Davis VitalSigns Newsletter Fall 2009

The health care industry is bracing itself for the possibility of some drastic changes. Depending on the future of the proposed health care plan, the industry could be facing a large overhaul. Unfortunately, these possible changes and the direction of the proposed plan are both uncertain at this time. So instead of waiting and wondering, it’s best to keep working on the things that you can control.

For instance, though patient complaints can’t be totally controlled, they can be used as a tool for learning and improvement. In this issue, we discuss how to turn negative patient feedback into positive aspects for your practice. We also provide advice about how to manage denials to increase your revenue, discuss the proper steps involved in partnering with a health system and suggest some ways to appropriately manage sample medications.

With so many unknowns thrown into the equation, there may not be a lot you can do to prepare for potential changes to the industry, but you can focus on the internal management of your practice. Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Make sure everything is functioning smoothly so that you’re able to make the most of the opportunity health care changes bring, if and when they occur.