Healthcare practices. Uncertain times. Practices are under pressure to accomplish more with fewer resources, while facing new regulatory demands and other changes that compete with the responsibilities of running a practice. How do the most successful medical practices excel in this constantly changing practice environment? The wait is over. The much-anticipated 3rd edition of Secrets of the Best-Run Practices shares practical solutions for medical practices seeking to simplify business processes, maximize efficiency, and improve profitability, all while putting patients first. Fully updated, Secrets of the Best-Run Practices delivers timely solutions for the critical challenges that medical practices face every day from front desk service, to workflow efficiency, to effective billing and collections, to understanding the critical steps required to adapt to a new business model. As in previous editions, author Judy Capko uses case studies from practices large and small to illustrate real-world practice management problems and their solutions. Imagine: A practice where mastering the appointment schedule reduced no-shows by 70% and decreased overtime payroll cost by $60,000 per year. A practice that doubled time-of-service collections within 30-days once staff members once staff learned new collection techniques. A simple formula for determining the hassle factor in dealing with 3rd party payers. An amazingly productive physician generated $600,000 more in revenue than the national benchmark for his specialty. A practice s team approach to get exceptional results from their billing service. By reading Secrets of the Best-Run Practices you will learn how to: Improve time-of-service collections to increase practice profitability Use proven techniques for appointment scheduling, increasing patient satisfaction Discover outsourcing possibilities that improve practice performance Apply the key components of a practice Turnaround Plan to achieve a profitable footing Keep credit card numbers on file, and use virtual cc payments...and how to do it properly Conduct random chart audits, we have tips for you Discharge a non-compliant or difficult patient and protect the practice from liability Leverage your patient portal to smooth out workflow Improve your efforts to secure data with no-nonsense info on the new world of patient data security and HIPAA BONUS The NEW 3rd edition includes 46 downloadable toolbox forms (in Word and in PDF) designed to help you manage your busy practice. These forms can be customized for any practice and cover workflow, business analysis, and human resource management. Just as doctors need to stay up-to-date with the best practices in patient care, their practices need to keep up with the real-life solutions that can keep their practices healthy. The all-new 3rd edition of SECRETS OF THE BEST-RUN PRACTICES is a cost-effective investment in practice success. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Managing Revenue to Maximize Practice Profit Capturing Charges and Maximizing Their Value Patient Registration Charge Reporting Revenue Recovery Monitoring Performance Accounts Receivable Management Payment Estimation And Real-Time Claims Adjudication Whose Practice Is It, Anyway? Don t Be A Target For Embezzlement CHAPTER 2 Mastering the Appointment Schedule Looking at the Indicators Getting to the Root of the Problem The Financial Impact Defining the Objectives Mastering the Schedule Checking Out the Gains CHAPTER 3 The Perfect Receptionist in a High-Deductible World The Game Has Changed But the Complaints Are the Same Everyone (Still) Loves Susan The Illusion Of Multitasking Technology: More Important Than Ever Workload and Productivity Branding at Reception CHAPTER 4 Conquering Workflow Problems What Was Wrong The Challenge The Power of Data The Findings The Remedy Searching for a Champion Making It Happen Reaping the Rewards Adapting to Change CHAPTER 5 Commonsense Management of Today s Risk Could It Happen to You? Start with the Relationship Documentation Develop a Risk Management Plan Discharging Patients Tapping Into Risk Management Resources Attitudes Data Protection CHAPTER 6 Surviving (and Avoiding) a Money Crunch They Grew Too Fast Checking Out the Numbers The Infrastructure The Final Diagnosis No Pain, No Gain Turnaround Strategies The Action Plan The Results The Next Step CHAPTER 7 The Amazingly Productive Doctor Making Time Count The Clinical Flow Everyone Benefits Numbers Talk Lessons Learned CHAPTER 8 Committed Staff and Adoring Patients The Supremely Supportive Physician/Owner A Brilliant Physician Still Has Things to Learn Satisfaction and Prosperity in an Underserved Community Words of Wisdom CHAPTER 9 Making Smart Use of Outsourcing: RCM And Beyond Knowledge, Technology, and Management A Tale of Two Pediatric Billing Services Beyond Billing CHAPTER 10 Going Outside-the-Box: Considering New Models Planning Starts with Introspection Brutally Honest Analysis is Ke