subject: Medical Practice Consultants: Valuable Professional Assistance For Any Healthcare Business [print this page] The typical medical office today is a much more complicated business than it was years ago when the good doctor, with his wife as his secretary/receptionist, operated from an addition built on to their home. Handling government regulations, legalities, insurance coverage, extensive operating expenses, increased staffing and working within a level of profitability are all necessary concerns for a physician, whether just entering the field of private practice or having become an experienced doctor. Medical practice consultants can step in to bridge the gap, offering advice and proven strategies in multiple areas such as design, planning, practice management, benchmarking and physician credentialing.
From the interior decorating design of the office space to the proper traffic flow and appointing the appropriate room for necessary equipment, medical consultants know what works for physician, staff and patients. Space design flows into reality with proper construction management and expense-spending controls. Since a well designed office space both welcomes patients and creates ease of functioning for medical staff, choosing a health consultant to assist with this important aspect is a way to ensure the best results without damaging the budget in the process.
Beyond office design, when it comes to financial planning, a consultant's knowledge and experience can be very beneficial. Whether the doctor is dealing with acquisitions, mergers, buy-ins, or buy-outs, economic feasibility plans clarify the dollars and cents issues involved. Lease negotiations, recruitment, employment and even litigation support may require expertise that most health care professionals did not study in medical school.
Practice management is also a useful area that is often overlooked under the false assumption that everything is working about as well as it can. A health care consultant is trained to work with government requirements such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), inventory and overhead controls, reimbursement and coding practices. Additionally, policies directed towards personnel and office procedures can be part of the operational improvements implemented by a professional consultant. Establishing business objectives may seem simplistic, but becomes necessary for financial stability, growth and profitability. From this framework, the doctor can be advised about cost-cutting techniques that eliminate waste of valuable time and money without sacrificing the quality of patient care. Benchmarking analyzes and improves issues of both doctor and staff productivity through examining statistical results.
Finally, the important process of physician credentialing, a necessary but time-consuming activity can be handled efficiently by medical practice consultants. Verifying and supporting the pertinent information on file for each doctor and staff member is only part of the procedure. Completing, submitting and tracking all this paperwork may be best accomplished by those trained in this field. They can also take care of the re-credentialing process and profile updates, ensuring timely submissions of accurate information.
Medical practice consultants offer a variety of services to start-up practices, solo or group offices, and even to those doctors who are just completing their medical training. They offer expertise and experience in planning, design and operational management for doctors and others in related health care specialty fields. Success for a health-care consultant is seeing a doctor's office operate at peak efficiency and profitability. Success for a doctor is being able to practice his or her profession, treating patients, unhindered by paperwork and office management issues.
by: Christine Harrell
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