Spotting a Client in Duress
By Laurie Morgan, Capko & Morgan
Does it seem like you never talk to the same person twice at one of your practices – and that no one remembers you, even though the practice was once eager to do business? Have you wondered if you just haven’t tried the right way to keep the momentum going with a physician owner or administrator?
The problem may not be you at all. It may be a symptom of turmoil in the practice’s business. Practices are so busy and have many moving parts, even something as benign and ordinary as, say, the departure of the administrator or a provider can bring on chaos quickly.
We’re sometimes similarly confounded when we’re hired on by a practice with financial or process problems. They ask for help, but then become too distracted and stressed to get started with us. They’re like patients who are too overwhelmed to get to the clinic!
If you see signs of difficulty, patients do, too. And it’s likely there are worse issues that you can’t see – issues that may threaten practice profitability. Turnover in the front office can lead to more uncollectable patient receivables. Turnover in the back office can undermine physician productivity. If a practice ends up with the wrong administrator at the helm, it can be very difficult for physician owners to see the problems, and even harder for them to solve them while also trying to maintain their patient loads.
A helping hand
You may have the opportunity to help a practice that has hit a rough patch – or help a practice with a nascent problem prevent it from growing.
For example, losing an administrator or billing manager can set off a cascade of problems. The physicians may feel other staff can handle the workload, and want to solve the problem fast, and so decide to promote internally to reward key employees. But even if they appreciate the recognition, the promoted employee may not be ready for the job. In some cases, clinical side employees like MAs are field-promoted to business jobs they don’t really want, but are afraid to turn down.
Staffing problems are one of the easiest for friends of the practice to help with. If a long-term administrator retires, physicians may not have any idea where to find a replacement. They may not even know, for example, what recruiting sites are most popular. Outsourcing suggestions may also be valued. Practices that never considered outsourced billing may not realize how much more service they can expect in today’s competitive environment – or how much billing technology has improved. The loss of a key billing manager could have a silver lining if it leads to an outsourced relationship that comes with a technology upgrade, lower costs, and more billing expertise. Other professional tasks that may be outsourceable to relieve pressure on new managers include things like bookkeeping and payroll.
Provide a suggestion that helps a practice avoid a downward spiral (or recover from one), and you’ll be a hero to its owners and administrators. My partners and I know from experience that it’s a great feeling to know you’ve helped a client regain their footing, so that they can focus once more on patient care. And an equally great feeling when they call you several years later for help – and you get the chance to sell them something new.