The decision to use a server or cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) can shape your medical practice for years to come. While server systems offer local control, cloud options provide scalability and reduced maintenance. Modern practices may find that cloud-based systems align best with their efficiency and growth goals. We'll examine both options here to help you determine the best fit for your practice's future.

A quick primer on EHR infrastructure

Your EHR infrastructure forms the backbone of your practice's digital operations. It includes physical or virtual servers that store and process data, cloud resources for computing and your software applications, like your EHR or practice management solutions.

Your software may also connect to application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable information exchange and support interoperability between different healthcare systems.

How server-based EHRs work

Server-based EHRs involve on-site hardware that stores and processes data. This approach offers direct control over your infrastructure, allowing you to customize your system and keep sensitive data entirely on your practice’s physical premises. As a result, these systems require a higher upfront investment and ongoing, hands-on management by information technology (IT) professionals.

While servers can provide fast local network performance, they may face challenges with remote access and interoperability. Practices using server-based systems are responsible for their own data backups, disaster recovery plans and compliance with evolving healthcare regulations.

How cloud-based EHRs work

Cloud-based EHRs use remote servers managed by your EHR provider. These systems deliver computing resources over the internet, reducing the need for on-site hardware and maintenance. The cloud infrastructure typically consists of multiple data centers with redundant systems, ensuring high availability and performance.

EHRs on the cloud receive certain automatic updates so practices can use the latest EHR version with minimal disrputions to operations. These updates may include new features, security patches and compliance updates to meet evolving healthcare regulations. They provide robust data protection, including regular backups and geographically dispersed data storage.

By enabling secure remote access through encrypted connections, cloud EHRs can facilitate telemedicine and support compliant work-from-home scenarios. This remote capability extends to mobile devices, allowing healthcare providers to access patient information securely from smartphones or tablets.

Remote capabilities may be possible with server-based EHRs, too, but they could require more complex setup and maintenance. Cloud-based EHRs are typically designed with remote access in mind, which could make them more flexible and secure.

Growing with cloud EHRs

Cloud-based EHRs scale easily as practices grow, letting you add users, locations and modules without major IT changes. By comparison, server-based systems may require new hardware for expansion, which can be costly and disruptive.

Cloud EHR costs typically grow with your practice, making financial planning easier. Even as you grow, these systems may cost less overall because there’s no need for your own hardware or IT staff.

Subscriptions usually cover support, maintenance and updates, saving you more time and resources. Cloud EHRs also work well with other systems, making it easier to share patient data and join health information exchanges.

How to switch from server to cloud

From a technical perspective, switching to cloud-based EHRs involves data migration and system configuration. Data migration transfers patient records, appointment histories and billing information to the new system. System configuration lets you set up your EHR to match with your practice’s workflow preferences.

An implementation team is key to a smooth transition. This team, which can include project managers, data and integration experts and others, helps manage change, providing role-based training and working to minimize downtime. They also help staff feel comfortable with the new system, allowing your practice to quickly benefit from your cloud-based EHR while maintaining quality patient care.

A successful EHR implementation involves a team of project managers for personalized change management, technical experts for data conversions and integrations, trainers for customized role-based training, and business consultants for optimizing workflows and developing future state plans.

Success story: Capital Digestive Care

Capital Digestive Care, a gastroenterology practice with 60 physicians, 14 mid-level providers, and 28 locations, moved from a server-based EHR to the cloud-based gGastro® system.

"Since switching to the cloud, we've experienced significant improvements, such as increased performance and less downtime, plus issues are quickly addressed,” said Chief Information and Security Officer David Smith. “We've also saved over $200,000 in hardware and software upgrades, so it's been financially strategic for our organization." ¹

The practice, which transitioned to the cloud with only 24 hours of downtime, anticipates ongoing annual savings of approximately $120,000.¹

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

You spend your time providing the best medical care possible for your patients. But when was the last time you thought about checking up on your practice’s financial health? Here are five tips to encourage timely payments, streamline processes, and speed up reimbursements to help make your practice more efficient.

Tip #1: Communicate Patient Financial Responsibility Clearly

You can make it easier for patients to understand the cost of their medical services by providing a clear financial policy as part of your check-in process. Most patients will probably appreciate knowing your co-payment collections process, cancellation and no-show policies, and how your office handles insurance claims upfront to avoid any surprises or confusion later.

Additionally, the implementation of price transparency at hospitals is moving the needle towards greater price transparency throughout the entire healthcare industry. Many practices are adopting this trend and providing cost estimates to patients upfront. This can help underinsured patients budget and plan ahead for medical bills since they have a better idea of what to expect. Timely insurance verification is key to determining a more accurate cost estimate.

Tip #2: Avoid Common Coding Errors

Sometimes providers overlook adding codes for problems that present and are addressed during a visit that could be billed for separately at the time of service, if allowed by the payer. For example, a patient comes in for a routine prenatal visit. They complain of pain during urination, and following an exam, you diagnose a case of bacterial vaginosis. Beyond prenatal codes, you may be eligible to code for ICD-10: N76.0 (Acute vaginitis), as well as CPT: 99213 (office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient), which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and low level of medical decision making or 20 minutes of total time met on the date of the encounter.¹

Another common area where coding issues can arise is when a new physician is hired and starts seeing patients before any credentialing has been completed with applicable payers. This can lead to denied claims as well as out-of-network claims. As a result, the patient might have to pay more out of pocket, or the practice may need to hold claims for that physician until credentialing is complete. In the meantime, the practice might limit the physician's appointments to patients with certain insurance plans during the credentialing process.

Mistakes like these can lead to lower reimbursement rates, so it’s important to keep current on best coding practices. The American Medical Association establishes and publishes the national coding guidelines. Many national specialty associations also have coding resources available such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Dermatology. The Medicare Learning Network also offers booklets, online courses, webinars, and other resources. If you are interested in obtaining a coding certification for yourself or your staff, the two most common certifications are offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders and the American Health Information Management Association.

Tip #3: Improve Claims Scrubbing Before Submission

Clean claims are essential for timely reimbursements from insurance payers. When a claim is denied, the coding is often the first area that’s scrutinized when it comes back to the office. But there are many other reasons a claim could be denied that can be much harder to spot.

For example, incorrect patient demographic information can cause a denial. Because there’s a high level of focus on the patient’s information, it’s possible that the provider’s information is inaccurate and could be overlooked. In addition, submitting a claim outside of the claims submission period for a payer can also lead to problems². Billers need to pay close attention to the details on a claim to ensure it’s clean.

Claim scrubbing tools can create efficiency for your practice by automating certain accuracy checks prior to submitting to clearinghouses or payers. If there are errors, some systems return claims to you with notifications to guide you through corrections.

Tip #4: Generate Clear Statements and Bills

For many medical specialties, diagnostic testing and screening are considered a routine part of many types of visits. But that doesn’t mean the patient understands that they will be charged separately for these services and potentially billed by a different company. In some cases, patient bills go unpaid because there’s confusion about what insurance will cover. Patients may even assume a bill is a mistake.

Communicating a patient's financial responsibility at the start of their visit helps set clear expectations. Providing a final bill that includes details such as insurance coverage, deductibles, and any third-party charges (e.g., pathology or imaging) allows patients to fully understand what they are paying for and why.

Posting this bill to an online patient portal reassures patients that they can securely reach out with any questions and conveniently pay their balance when it's due.

Tip #5: Provide Options for Patient Payments

It’s simple — the more options patients have to pay their bills, the more likely your practice is to collect what you’re owed. Patients are used to paying for goods and services on their phones, computers and tablets. Your practice can take advantage of how patients already prefer to pay by offering Text-to-Pay, portal payments and more.

Follow these tips to refine your billing and coding practices, and take steps toward increasing your practice’s efficiency.

Your medical practice’s data can help you create strategies to improve performance. A quantitative approach lets you establish clear goals, based on key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics, so you can align staff around practice objectives. You can also use your data to inform staffing and other business decisions. Read on to learn tactics to try at your practice.

Set KPIs by job competencies

Tie performance to specific metrics to set measurable expectations for each role or department at your practice. This gives individuals a greater understanding of what you expect, while helping them connect with your practice’s goals and objectives.

For example, if you had a goal of improving collections, you could establish the following KPIs:

• For your front office staff, a KPI could be their point-of-service collection rate, measured by the percentage of patient balances collected at the time of service.
• If you have a call center, their KPIs could be based on accurately capturing demographic information, so that billing is accurate.
• For your clinical team, a KPI could be documentation accuracy rate, determined by the percentage of encounters with complete and accurate documentation for billing purposes.
• For providers, another KPI could be time to finalize documentation, preventing bottlenecks in billing and helping to speed time to payment.

Additionally, regular monitoring and feedback on these KPIs can help individuals fit their actions to your practice’s goals, while objectively identifying areas for improvement.

Improve operational efficiency

Track select metrics to guide operational improvements. The key is choosing which metrics you’ll track based on strategic objectives, so you can connect the dots and understand the relationship between critical data points. Then, take a role-based approach to assign KPIs to individuals or teams.

• In the front office, a KPI might be time spent at check-in to create a more satisfying patient experience.
• For clinical staff, a KPI might be average patient wait times across the visit to prevent bottlenecks.
• For providers, KPIs could relate to patient and procedure volumes by individual providers or by all providers at each location.
• For billing teams, a KPI might be the metrics on back-office productivity
• For front-office staff, a KPI might be your schedule utilization rate, measuring the percentage of available appointment slots that are filled.

Clear, team-specific KPIs around efficiency help practices identify trends and build a culture of continuous improvements. By monitoring progress over time, you can refine tactics and adjust goals as needed.

Manage staff more effectively

You can also use your data to help manage staff, keeping them accountable while establishing teamwork so everyone works in support of the practice as a whole.

One method is to track relative value units (RVUs), connecting them with team performance. Measure how many full-time staff members it takes to support your RVUs and clarify how individual performance contributes to organizational goals.

Sharing this data can help providers and other staff think of themselves as a cohesive team rather than isolated business units. You can also use the information to determine productivity requirements and staffing needs, informing resource allocation across locations.

Start working toward your goals

By setting targeted KPIs, you can use your data to build a strong team, creating opportunities for greater accountability and teamwork. This data-driven approach can open a path to improved outcomes based on metrics that matter to your practice.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Having an effective website lets your medical practice establish an online presence, making it easier for patients to find and connect with you. Today’s patients rely heavily on the internet to search for healthcare providers. Our 2022 Patient Experience Report: What Patients Really Think reveals 69% of respondents place importance on the availability of a modern-looking website.¹

Here, we’ll share 10 steps to help you develop a website that showcases your practice’s unique offerings and expertise. Already have a website? These tips can also help with a content refresh or search engine optimization (SEO). Read on to learn how.

1. Focus on user experience

   User experience refers to the quality and effectiveness of your website when users visit. It’s typically determined by best practices, including a responsive design that works across devices and clear messaging that’s easy to read. Medical websites may also have to comply with ADA accessibility standards for differently abled populations.

   A solid user experience can boost patient engagement and satisfaction by simplifying interactions with your practice. It can also increase the likelihood of accessibility for more patients.

   Questions to consider

   • Is it easy to find information using menus or a search bar?
   • Does our website’s design look good on all devices?
   • Can visitors quickly find our contact information?
   • Do pages load quickly enough to keep people on our site?
   • Does our website comply with relevant regulations?

2. Design for mobile devices

   Take the time to create a mobile version of your website. While your mobile site may not be entirely different from your desktop site — the type of website you usually imagine when starting the process — certain website design elements work better on different screens.

   For example, your web developer may redesign forms or specific sections to make the information easier to consume on smaller screens. As more people use their phones for research, a mobile-friendly website can keep people on your site.

   Questions to consider

   • Are we using responsive design themes that resize for mobile?
   • Do our forms work well on mobile, or are they hard to see or fill out?
   • Can visitors read our content without zooming in or out?
   • Have we checked every page with cross-browser testing tools?

3. Develop targeted content

   Create a content calendar to guide what you post to your website’s blog or other resource section. Producing this kind of content can help spotlight what makes your practice unique and showcase the individual contributions of your staff.

   Use different types of content to inform and educate potential patients, communicate key messages and maintain patient engagement. The amount of content your medical practice needs on its website may vary by specialty, practice size, geography and search engine competition.

   Questions to consider

   • Do we regularly update our content calendar to reflect trends?
   • Do we produce varied content, like blogs, images and videos?
   • Are we addressing our patients’ concerns or just talking about ourselves?
   • How frequently do we feature provider or other staff expertise?

4. Use approachable language

   Your website’s messaging is vital to building a unique brand within your specialty, but some physicians may naturally veer into medical jargon. So-called “medical-ese” can be confusing or off-putting for some patients. Stick to simple language for greater impact across the board.

   Questions to consider

   • Have we reviewed our site for medical jargon or confusing content?
   • How effectively are we translating medical terms into plain language?
   • Are we using relatable examples and analogies for complex health concepts?
   • How often do we involve nonmedical staff in reviewing content for clarity?

5. Optimize for search engines

   There’s no point investing in an amazing website if no one sees it. Search engine optimization is the art and science of boosting your site’s visibility on search engines like Google, Bing and others when users search for terms related to your medical practice. It includes research and analysis and specific creative production and coding techniques. SEO usually requires trained professionals to structure your website and its content for visibility.

   Questions to consider

   • How thorough is our keyword research for our specialty and location?
   • Do our page titles and meta descriptions serve both SEO and readers?
   • What is our strategy for consistently publishing SEO-friendly content?
   • Does our site structure and navigation keep people on our pages?
   • How do we monitor and track our website’s search engine rankings?

6. Strategize for social media

   By connecting your website and social media strategies, you can magnify the impact of your marketing efforts. Provide a steady stream of content to audiences through multiple channels to help build a pipeline of prospective new patients and engage current ones. The traffic your website may receive from social media may also signal to search engines that your site is valuable, supporting your SEO strategy.

   Questions to consider

   • Do we have social media icons linked on our website?
   • Have we connected our social media feeds to our website?
   • How do we share website content on social media?
   • How do we use social media to direct traffic to key web pages?

7. Feature patient reviews

   Patient reviews can be highly convincing to prospective patients. Post patient reviews on your website to leverage your reputation and list your practice on directories, like ZocDoc.. From there, you can monitor and respond to reviews. You can also nurture new reviews through patient engagement methods, like surveys and other feedback requests.

   Then, select the strongest reviews you’ve received and showcase them across your website or create a separate section for them.

   Questions to consider

   • Have we created or claimed practice profiles on major review sites?
   • How can we automate review collection from patients after visits?
   • Do we respond promptly and professionally to all reviews?
   • Where do we showcase our best reviews on our website?
   • How often do we refresh the reviews we show on our website?

8. Make it easy to contact you

   The point of your website is to attract and engage patients. That means you need to make it easy to contact you. Place your address, phone number and email address in obvious places like top navigation headers or footers. If you plan to offer self-scheduling, place clear links to your calendar. Web development professionals may be able to recommend the best placement for important information based on current UX/design trends.

   Questions to consider

   • Is each location’s phone number and address immediately visible on all pages?
   • Can site visitors tap our phone numbers to call us on their smartphones?
   • Are we capturing enough information on forms without overwhelming people?
   • Do we have a chat option on our website that patients can use for two-way conversations?
   • Can patients and prospective patients find our self-scheduling page easily?

9. Consider working with website specialists

   Creating a new medical practice website can be time-consuming and confusing for anyone without the appropriate experience. As the technical and creative skills required for website creation evolve, physicians and their staff can’t be expected to develop and maintain high-performing sites while running a busy medical practice. Outsourcing to website specialists can let you create and maintain a high-quality website without the hassle of doing it yourself.

   Questions to consider

   • How do we find the right website development partners?
   • What criteria do we use to compare proposals and service offers?
   • Have we conducted portfolio reviews or client recommendations?
   • How do we handle content updates, technical issues and other concerns?

10. Take the time to get it right

    Setting up a new website is an exciting milestone for your medical practice. Make the most of this opportunity to highlight your career, your practice, its staff and what makes you special. Getting doctors and staff involved can lead to better engagement in the process, which could create better results for your site and its performance.

    Questions to consider

    • How well-defined are our website goals and objectives?
    • Do we have reasonable timelines for production and launch?
    • Are we including staff and other stakeholders in the process?
    • Have we assigned tasks based on strengths and expertise?
    • How do we acknowledge and celebrate project milestones?
    • How do we evaluate quality and readiness to launch our new website?

Creating your website

By focusing on unique content and a good user experience across all devices, your practice can create a digital presence that attracts and engages patients. Tips like incorporating reviews, getting your team involved and using approachable language can help you build a site that truly represents your practice. Sound like a lot of work? Busy providers can consider outsourcing to website development and marketing specialists to launch or refresh websites more efficiently.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Your blog can be an effective way to attract and engage patients — if you do it well. If you’re not sure how to proceed, you could just end up burning cash without having much to show for it. What’s the key to success? Typically, it’s content marketing know-how. Just like your staff has specialized knowledge, content marketers can craft blog posts based on your specific goals.

In this article, we’ll share some content marketing strategies and tactics to help you launch or revamp your blog and bring your content in line with your medical practice’s objectives. Read on to discover new strategies and get answers to frequently asked questions about blogs for medical practices.

Blog goal #1: I want to convince potential patients to choose my practice

Attract patients with blog content that showcases your medical practice and its expertise. This strategy uses search engine optimization (SEO) to bring visitors to your website and then encourages them to reach out to your practice based on the quality of your content.

How do I do this?

• Choose your keywords, using free or paid keyword research tools (more on this later).
• Create pillar content that addresses broad subjects and high-volume keywords. Posts might focus on phrases like “skin cancer prevention” or “allergy shot types.”
• Plan clusters of supporting articles that delve into specific aspects or questions related to the pillar topic. These articles could, which target longer keyword phrases with lower search volumes and low competition. You might include topics like “sunscreen for different skin types” or “what are rush allergy shots?”
• Craft unique blog posts that keep people reading. Metrics like time on page or scroll depth can indicate engagement and help you consider how useful your content is.
• Include ways for people to get in touch with you, including links to self-schedule appointments.

How does SEO come into play?

On the surface, SEO is simple. You select keywords that potential patients may search and write blog posts that include those keywords and other supporting language.

If you create valuable content, search engines show it to potential patients when they search your targeted keywords. If they like your content, they may consider you the next time they need care.

In reality, there can be high competition for medical keywords, and a single article isn’t the only factor determining whether your content appears when people search. Domain or website authority matters, too. This refers to how valuable search engines determine all of your content is.

The formulas for authority aren’t public knowledge. They may vary by search engine and over time, but most marketers rely on a combination of high-quality content, frequent publishing and backlinks from other sites that have high authority.

Blog goal #2: I want to build community and engage my current patients

Improve patient retention and support positive healthcare outcomes by providing useful information that builds trust. This can also create a sense of rapport or community, especially if you make space for comments and other feedback.

How do I do this?

• Choose a mix of evergreen and timely topics. Evergreen content remains relevant over time, while timely topics address current health concerns and seasonal issues.
• Substantiate facts and claims with citations from reputable medical sources. This reinforces your expertise and provides additional value to your readers.
• Enable comments to encourage discussion on individual posts. You can also drop links to posts in your bio or the comments of social media posts, where people may be more likely to comment on topics.
• Amplify your content to reach more of your patients. Include relevant blog content in patient communications like newsletters or follow-up texts and emails. Consider partnering with local health organizations, patient advocacy groups or other outlets to distribute your content.

Can my blog posts improve patient outcomes?

Blogs aren’t medical advice, and your posts can’t replace your medical decision-making for patients, but it’s possible that your blog could help people better understand their health or get the care or services they need.

Some topics could prompt earlier detection of health issues, encouraging patients to seek care they might not have considered otherwise. Additionally, educational content can reduce anxiety about conditions and procedures, potentially leading to higher patient satisfaction.

Blog goal #3: I want to improve my reputation as a high-quality provider

Frequent, relevant blog posts can position you as a thought leader, strengthening trust with patients and your community. This can lead to easier and less costly patient acquisition over time. It could also increase the likelihood of patient compliance with your orders.

How do I do this?

• Post consistently and frequently. Once or twice a week could show audiences and search engines that you have valuable expertise and insight to share.
• Position your cluster content for breadth and depth. Expand some of your main topics to demonstrate your broader relevance, taking cues from thought leaders in other industries who reflect the sentiments of their audiences even when it’s not strictly on topic. Similarly, drill down into certain topics to highlight your expertise, sharing information readers may not find easily elsewhere.
• Produce content with partners to expand your reach. Work with other providers you admire to cross-post or guest-post on each other’s blogs. Invest in advertiser or sponsored content placement and continue amplifying your top blogs in patient communications.
• Plan and execute a backlink strategy, where other websites link to your blogs. This can benefit your SEO greatly, while also showing new audiences your posts.

How does my blog lower my patient acquisition costs?

There are no guarantees that a blog can lower patient acquisition costs, but it’s possible. One way includes the quality and frequency of your blog posts increasing your website’s search engine rankings so that more potential patients find you organically. If you could increase the share of new patients that find you organically versus more costly marketing, you could lower overall or per-patient average acquisition costs.

Are there any downsides to building my reputation?

If your practice focuses on high-quality patient care, building your reputation should be mostly positive, but it could also result in greater scrutiny and negative feedback from regulatory bodies, patients and people who aren’t patients. This may be more pronounced if you pair your blog strategy with social media efforts.

How long does it take for a blog to increase my reputation?

Realistically, it could take more than a year. If you combine your blog with other content marketing tactics, like social media, advertising and online review strategies, you may have faster results, but it can take time to build authority. Algorithms might favor sites that have been around awhile compared to those that are brand-new.

Blog goal #4: I want to launch or reintroduce my blog

Blogging can serve multiple goals for your medical practice, including demonstrating your expertise to help attract new patients, fostering engagement and building community and reputation.

When you’re ready to start publishing consistently, you may want to consider outsourcing your blog content to a trusted partner. That’s because producing high-quality content that can compete for search engine rankings can take time and specialized expertise.

Partnerships can pay off. By publishing content that speaks to your audience's needs, you may be able to grow your practice while still focusing on patient care.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards.

Nearly half of respondents to a recent patient engagement survey said they check online reviews before choosing a new doctor.¹ That means a strong online presence could help you grow your practice.

How? Straightforward marketing tactics, like online reviews and other content, highlight the level of care your practice offers. When prospective patients search for local providers, this information could convince them to reach out to you — or to look elsewhere.

Keep reading to learn steps to improve your reputation and potentially attract new patients.

Goal: Gain new patients with positive reviews

Reputation strategy

Implement a workflow that requests reviews after visits. Positive reviews can serve as social proof or endorsements, helping prospective patients consider your practice when they search for a new provider. Over time, positive reviews could also expand your reach. If your reviews lead to increased site visitors, search engines may list your practice higher than others in search results.

Tactics to try

• Give patients reasons to feel good about your practice and the care you provide
• Ask for reviews after visits, using automated text messages with links
• Monitor reviews, thank patients for kind words and respond tactfully to issues
• Check competitor reviews for insights and refine your approach based on competitor strengths and weaknesses
• Include your practice on various platforms, lists and directories to help increase your reach

A ModMed survey shows that Google Business Reviews are the most popular place for patients to leave an online review (37%), followed by Facebook business profiles (23%) and Yelp (14%).² Depending on your specialty, there could be up to 40 or more search engines and directories where you could list your practice.

Goal: Retain patients by responding to feedback

Reputation strategy

Send patients surveys to discover new ways to earn positive reviews. Surveys can make people feel valued and give you actionable feedback to inform patient satisfaction strategies. You could also benefit if private responses keep negative feedback out of public reviews. Patients who provide positive feedback should be invited to share their reviews online.

Tactics to try

• Develop a survey and send it to all patients or select groups
• Compile responses and key takeaways to identify trends
• Compare feedback to your competitors’ online reviews
• Define ways your team can improve patient satisfaction
• Communicate appropriately with patients who share issues
• Ask patients who respond positively to share reviews online

Goal: Increase visibility with integrated content

Reputation strategy

Connect your digital marketing tactics to show potential patients — and search engines — that your practice is valuable. Depending on your specialty, certain types of content can keep people on your website for longer durations, signaling to search engines that they should rank your practice higher than before in relevant search results. This increased visibility can compound, getting more eyes on both your website and your reviews and continuing to positively impact your search engine rankings.

Tactics to try

• Publish high-quality content to engage people on a regular basis
• Develop thought-leadership content that showcases your expertise
• Post your reviews on your website to help build trust with your audience
• Use analytics tools to see which content works best for your visibility
• Consider hiring marketing experts to help with search engine optimization and content strategy

Get started with your strategies

Reputation strategies can improve your online presence and visibility, helping you attract new patients while strengthening your position as a trusted healthcare provider. Building your reputation may require consistent effort, but the potential for practice growth can make it a valuable use of your resources. Not sure you have the time to do it all? Consider partnering with healthcare marketing specialists to strategize on reputation management that fits your unique practice.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Nearly every medical practice encounters challenging patient interactions at times. These situations can strain patient care, staff well-being and practice operations.

Here, we offer concrete tactics to manage difficult moments and protect your practice. You’ll learn de-escalation techniques and ways to protect your staff based on insights from experienced healthcare administrators. By implementing these ideas, you can navigate patient conflicts with grace and understanding, while maintaining a professional environment that supports high-quality care.

Communicating when patients are upset

When patients are upset, they need to feel seen and heard. Try a simple approach where you validate their concerns, repeating their words back to them, before recentering the conversation.

Validating patient concerns shows you’re tuned in to their experience. It isn’t about agreeing with everything they say, but rather recognizing their feelings. Something like, “I understand this is frustrating for you” can help defuse tension and build rapport. Then, restate what the patient has said in a calm tone while continuing to move the conversation into neutral territory. This approach can also give you a chance to clarify misunderstandings.

Jim Roth, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of a healthcare group in the Greater Los Angeles area, explains, “Even if you disagree with them, it's important to restate to them what they said. That's how they know that they have been heard. You can say, ‘I get that you feel . . .’ or ‘I hear you saying . . . ’ which are ways to lead into it without assenting to it.”

Transitioning from there to more straightforward information can help you find common ground. For example, if you’re explaining a common procedure or policy, you could say something quick like, “I know you’ve probably heard this before, but . . .”

By using these communication methods, you could turn difficult conversations into productive ones and help your practice run smoothly, even when challenges arise.

De-escalating dramatic scenes

When tensions rise, using de-escalation techniques can mitigate the risk of an explosive scenario. Start by composing yourself, then move the conversation to a private area to uncover the root of the issue.

Medical practice consulting firm founder Susan Childs explains why composing yourself is the first step, “Everything hits your brain emotionally before it goes to the cognitive, commonsense part of your brain. Every single thing. It goes up through your spinal cord, through your brain, through the limbic system, the whole thing. So you literally count to five or 10 and wait before you respond.”

By taking those few seconds, you may be able to approach the situation more calmly and professionally. Moving into a private room can give your patient space to calm themselves, too. The result can be a useful discussion that reveals underlying concerns, like anxiety about long wait times or fears about a diagnosis — and your discovery could allow for a more compassionate response to their needs.

Case study: The patient who feared losing her job

When Childs ran a family practice with an urgent care unit, a typically pleasant patient surprised her by becoming highly upset when another patient was seen first due to a life-threatening emergency. Once in a private room, Childs learned that the first patient wasn’t bothered by someone else going first; she was worried she’d lose her job if she didn’t get back to work on time. Together, they called her employer and resolved the real cause of her distress.

Keeping your staff safe

Some patients may not respond to reason, compassion, or professionalism, which means additional safety measures may be necessary. Consider enhancing security by hiring extra personnel or installing panic buttons at the front desk and in other key areas of your office. These precautions not only provide practical support but also foster confidence and resilience among your staff.

In some states, certain laws may make it your responsibility to shield staff from harassment, regardless of the source. It’s also good business, since staff and patients may be less likely to engage with practices where they don’t feel safe.

Documenting events

Documenting negative interactions can provide a clear record of events. Patients may document events, too, leaving online reviews or communicating with payers about care. If accounts conflict, your records can help inform future interactions or protect your practice, if formal complaints or issues arise.

Being upfront may prevent things from escalating. Joseph Atzenbeck, the founder of a healthcare group in Oregon, shares his strategy, “I always take the time to say, ‘Thank you so much for calling me about this instead of writing it online, because HIPAA laws prevent me from really responding in any meaningful way.’ I think that’s a powerful thing to tell people, ‘You know, it’s wonderful to have a conversation that’s difficult and to see if we can work through it.’”

With documentation to guide conversations like these, patient difficulties can become stepping stones to stronger relationships.

Case study: The patient who filed untrue complaints

During a routine life insurance physical, Childs encountered an unexpected challenge. A patient abruptly refused a key test, accusing the practice of mistreatment and later filing complaints with medical authorities. Childs’ meticulous documentation helped counter the false claims, protecting the practice where she worked at the time.

Patient interaction best practices

Your demeanor with patients can play a crucial role in preventing friction. Prioritize being present and attentive, regardless of the distractions in your practice. This focused engagement demonstrates to patients that they are valued, making it easier to resolve misunderstandings or conflicts.

“We all have a lot going on during the day in a practice,” says Roth. “But it’s important to leave those things outside the door. When you walk into a patient room or bring a patient into your office to have a discussion with them, you need to set anything else that’s bothering you aside so that you can really be present to the situation at hand.”

Setting clear expectations can help, too. When you communicate wait times, payment policies and treatment plans before check-in with automated pre-visit communications, you help patients prepare for their visits, while setting expectations.

Effective communication can help patients feel respected and understood, potentially reducing the likelihood of difficult interactions.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Good communication helps medical practices run smoothly — but it's not always easy, especially if your team is busy dealing with day-to-day demands. Here, we present practical strategies to improve interactions across your practice. Each strategy includes specific tactics you can implement to create a more efficient, supportive environment.

Read on to discover how good communication can reduce stress, increase staff satisfaction and facilitate high-quality patient care.

Setting communication goals

Consider how better communication could improve your practice. For example, at some practices, stress is a concern, so fostering clear dialogue could let people share feedback, while still helping individuals feel valued.¹

You might also develop policies or processes that help reduce conflict. Finding balance and compromise when people have strongly held perspectives can lead to faster resolutions and higher levels of trust.

Shaping communication to your team's needs lets you create a supportive environment where staff feel heard and valued.

Creating a culture of open communication

1. Cultivate respect through teamwork

   Respect fosters a positive work environment, improves collaboration during patient visits and operational tasks, and facilitates conflict resolution. It's essential for maintaining a cohesive and effective healthcare team.

   Tactics to try

   Facilitate regular team meetings to discuss goals, challenges and progress. You can use this time to share experiences and address conflicts promptly. Giving people a dedicated space to share can improve teamwork and prevent issues from creeping into daily operations.

   When assigning work, play into people's strengths and have them collaborate and cross-report to build empathy. For example, one staff member might design strategies based on patient feedback, while another focuses on public relations.

2. Encourage loyalty by showing gratitude

   Recognizing and appreciating your staff's efforts can keep them motivated and increase job satisfaction. Improvements like these could lead to reduced turnover rates, leading to more continuity in patient care and lower total staffing costs over time.

   Tactics to try

   Recognize efforts and show your appreciation often. Small rewards, given frequently, can be more effective than large, infrequent gestures. Provide gift cards, buy lunch for the team, or share personalized messages of thanks over email or in person.

   You could also develop a peer appreciation program that allows individuals to nominate each other for exceptional work. This system can highlight both teamwork and individual contributions, fostering a culture of mutual respect and recognition.

3. Build trust with consistency and integrity

   Helping staff feel included and supported at work can improve confidence and contribute to a sense of job satisfaction that could potentially reduce turnover. Unified messaging leads to unified action, resulting in more effective and efficient operations and consistent patient experiences.

   Tactics to try

   Practice transparency with your staff. Communicate the rationale behind major decisions and policy changes, sharing expected outcomes, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and milestones.

   Enforce policies consistently, ensuring equal treatment for all staff members. Even if leadership disagrees in private discussions, present a united front to your team.

   Consider adding other communications to support your efforts. For example, internal newsletters can provide an official source of information, while team meetings encourage discussion and feedback.

Managing communication in challenging situations

4. Resolve differing physician perspectives

   Addressing diverse perspectives can promote a collaborative environment, encouraging creative problem-solving and increased innovation. Finding common ground or compromise helps maintain a balanced approach to patient care and practice management.

   Tactics to try

   Acknowledge people's expertise while gently presenting alternative viewpoints or solutions. If you can present evidence that supports different approaches, it can help ease resistance and foster open dialogue.

   Consider proposing trial periods for new methods, agreeing to review effectiveness together after a set time. For instance, if there's disagreement on a new scheduling system, agree to try it for a month and then evaluate its impact together.

5. Addressing staff conflicts

   Effectively communicating about conflict can let people stay more focused at work, which can improve team productivity and contribute to more consistent, quality care. It can also reduce stress and potential burnout.

   Tactics to try

   Facilitate direct, private discussions to address issues and review policies as soon as possible. You can also use the time to clarify common goals related to patient care, practice reputation and financial incentives. This helps reconnect staff with their shared purpose.

   Some staff members may benefit from emotional intelligence training, too. Emotional intelligence skills can help them handle conflicts constructively, leading to a quicker resolution of issues and a more positive work environment.

6. Managing after-hours communication

   Setting expectations for after-hours communications can help prevent burnout and provide a way to address urgent matters appropriately. It may also contribute to staff satisfaction and retention by promoting work-life balance.

   Tactics to try

   Set clear guidelines for after-hours communication. For example, some physicians are used to working long shifts or irregular hours. You might set a policy that they use email for non-urgent matters outside of typical business hours. This lets staff address communication when they're back at work.

   Create a clear system for escalating issues when your practice is closed or if certain people aren't available. This gives people options and opportunities to resolve issues that could impact patients or create a bottleneck in practice operations.

Reaching out for help

7. Leverage professional networks

   Professional networks provide access to diverse experiences, best practices and industry trends. They can offer valuable insights and support that may not be available internally, which can improve problem-solving capabilities.

   Tactics to try

   Encourage your staff to get involved in industry associations, conferences, networking events and online forums. Peer-to-peer discussions can help your team uncover solutions to current challenges.

   Remind staff that they still need to comply with privacy and other regulations. Speaking to others outside the practice can be great for perspective, but you may need to limit details.

8. Consult with external experts

   Consultants and other experts can bring specialized knowledge, outside perspectives and proven methodologies, helping your team identify blind spots and find tailored solutions. At some practices, managers and other leaders may benefit from hiring someone to help shape communications or resolve internal conflicts. Outsourcing can help your team reclaim time and energy.

   Tactics to try

   Determine specific projects or objectives, including whether or not you want someone in an ongoing advisory role. When implementing recommendations, use scoring or qualitative measures to monitor and track their impact on your practice.

Supporting your team's communication

Effective communication thrives when teams have the mental space to engage meaningfully. Our specialty-specific EHRs can help create that space by reducing administrative burdens on staff. By centralizing information and streamlining workflows, ModMed® can free up valuable time and keep your team connected.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

Your communication tactics can directly impact your medical practice’s performance. A 2023 study found that communication failures resulted in $1.7 billion in malpractice costs and almost 2,000 preventable deaths.¹ Meanwhile, strong communication correlates with higher patient adherence², reduced stress on clinicians³ and better decision-making for administrators.⁴

That's why we've compiled communication tips and takeaways from our recent webinar, Effective Communication: Tips for Healthcare Leaders. These ideas are backed by personal experiences to help you refine your communications and build trust and collaboration across your practice.

1. Establish clear communication channels

   Define roles and responsibilities

   Identify key decision-makers and create a detailed communication matrix that outlines who to contact for specific situations. Provide clear chains of command and assignments to help prevent information from falling through the cracks.

   Smooth hand-offs: "Designate specific individuals to relay critical patient information during shift changes," advises Dr. Michael B. Rivers, Senior Director of Ophthalmology at ModMed®.

   Determine communication modes

   Develop communication systems for different situations. For example, you might use secure messaging apps for routine updates or color coding for urgency levels. Establish clear escalation protocols.

   Talk, then email: "When I have verbal conversations, I always try to go back and follow up with an email . . ." says Nicole Kasten, former Chief Operating Officer of a multi-location practice based in Chicagoland. "I outline anything that changes because . . . we only remember what we want to remember from those conversations."

   Schedule regular check-ins

   Consider implementing:

   • Daily huddles of approximately 15 minutes for immediate concerns
   • Weekly department meetings of a half-hour or hour for ongoing issues
   • Monthly practice meetings to address broader organizational challenges

   Face time: "I make sure to be visible basically every day,” says Kimbel Hunter, CEO at a Virginia multi-specialty practice. “I begin the morning with my key management folks . . . I communicate honestly and let people know what's going on."

2. Foster a collaborative environment

   Encourage open dialogue

   Implement a comprehensive program that empowers all staff members to voice concerns without fear of reprisal. Programs like this can include:

   • Anonymous reporting channels
   • Clear non-retaliation policies
   • A rapid response team to address safety concerns

   Including everyone: "Every staff member should definitely have a voice," says Susan Childs, founder of a healthcare consulting firm.

   Promote team-building activities

   Go beyond traditional team-building exercises. Assign projects that require collaboration across departments, like interdisciplinary workshops.

   Practice together: "This could include simulations of complex cases that require collaboration between different specialties," advises Hunter.

3. Build and maintain trust

   Encourage accountability

   A culture of accountability makes room for both problem-solving and leadership. Define policies to differentiate human errors, at-risk behaviors, and reckless actions. Set clear expectations and hold individuals accountable for their actions. As people execute on policies, they can also communicate about compliance and opportunities to improve patient care and practice efficiency.

   On ownership: "Actually look for opportunities for individuals to lead," says Hunter.

   Acknowledge mistakes

   Institute an error disclosure policy that includes a thorough explanation of what happened and how to notify patients or their families. Create paths to apply lessons learned.

   Open-door policy: "One CEO I know says, 'Do not hide from me . . . I'm not going to be mad at you. We can work this out,'" shares Childs.

   Address broken trust

   Act quickly and be transparent. Depending on the incident, you could issue team or individual acknowledgments and apologies.

   Patience helps: "I think it's certainly possible to get back to where you were," says Hunter. " . . . You have to be patient with the person and understand that it does take time."

Assess your effectiveness

Conduct communication audits of response times, accuracy and staff satisfaction. Use quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback to drive improvements. Ask staff for long-form answers to discover how your messages land with them.

True impact: "You can say anything you want, but people remember how you make them feel," says Childs.

4. Correct negative behavior

   Develop a code of conduct

   Outline acceptable behavior and communication standards for all team members, and apply enforcement consistently.

   Equal treatment: "Another CEO I know says do not communicate any differently with anyone. [When] you communicate with everybody in the same manner, that shows respect toward everyone," says Childs.

   Provide constructive feedback

   Structure feedback with input from supervisors, colleagues and subordinates. Explain what individuals should do with the feedback. Show staff that you take feedback seriously by actively changing policies and processes, and addressing behavior issues with individuals in a constructive manner when necessary.

   Know thyself: "I'm task oriented. I want to get things done . . .," says Kasten. "I've had to slow down a little bit in my delivery . . . to create that collaborative environment."

   Limit gossip early

   Reduce the likelihood of gossip by providing ways for staff to discuss professional concerns. Clarify that disruptive gossip could lead to disciplinary action.

   Let it go: "A little bit of gossip is not unhealthy . . . It's a natural thing," says Childs, "but when it starts disrupting . . . you've got to take care of it."

   Focus on actions during conflict

   Use objective language focused on specific behaviors and their impact. Avoid generalizations or personal statements.

   Actions, not individuals: "Decrease your own bias of how people are doing certain things . . . ," says Kasten, "[by] looking at the actions and how it's affecting others."

   Use mediators for conflict resolution

   Rebuild trust between staff members and reduce the need for more formal disciplinary measures with a mediation program.

   • Hire or train diverse staff members to mediate
   • Provide a formal process for requesting mediation
   • Make it a standard part of conflict resolution

   Team relief: "If you aren't large enough to have an HR department, usually the practice manager is the one that has to adjudicate between two employees that are disgruntled," says Childs. "In that case, sometimes it's helpful for the practice manager to have some outside help."

5. Support and value your staff

   Recognize and reward efforts

   Highlight staff members who go above and beyond in patient care or teamwork. Reward staff regularly to boost morale.

   Little things, more often: "Think about . . . little surprise communications," says Childs. "That [is] a really good way to positively reflect how . . . a specific person is doing."

   Offer professional development

   Provide training for staff to advance in their careers. Consider the unexpected at a team level, like doctors shadowing nurses or administrators visiting clinical settings. Consider including emotional intelligence in your training programs to help people respond to others with understanding and empathy.

   Growth points: "We can only be so prepared for so many things . . . The more emotional intelligence you have, the better prepared you are," says Childs.

   Address staff concerns

   Conduct satisfaction surveys and create action plans based on the results. Actively listen to staff concerns and take action, especially if they report feeling undervalued.

   Shared experience: "Say something to someone like, 'Help me understand,'" advises Childs. " . . . stepping in their shoes and seeing how they see it."

6. Promote a unified vision

   Align objectives across the team

   Disseminate a clear mission statement and make sure all departmental goals support your mission. Encourage team leaders to reinforce strategic alignment during regular check-ins and foster a culture where team members actively seek opportunities to enhance cross-functional communication.

   Broader conversations: "A lot of times physicians are in their own area talking to their own techs, and it kind of limits their exposure to the rest of the organization. Get out there and say, 'How are you doing?'" suggests Hunter.

   Involve staff in setting goals

   Host strategy workshops so staff can contribute ideas on patient care and operational efficiency. Offer a digital way to submit ideas throughout the year. Creating these opportunities empowers staff to share their insights, which not only drives improvements but also fosters a sense of ownership and respect within the team.

   Staff motivation: “Being able to be someone that's respected within the staff and just someone who is generally a team player, I think, are obvious opportunities,” says Kasten.

   Adjust to remote or hybrid work

   Staff opinions on remote work may vary, but a clear statement from your practice helps avoid confusion and conflict. You can still offer flexibility, though. For example, consider a combination of digital and in-person meetings to connect staff across practice locations. If you offer telehealth, create policies that address when and how providers can work from home or other locations.

   Bringing people together: "Having moments throughout the year . . . so everyone can hear a unified discussion is important," says Kasten. "It might be via Zoom. It might be in person."

   Tailoring communication tips to your practice

   Good communication is an ongoing process. Implement these ideas to build trust and align your team around your practice's mission and goals. By focusing on clarity and collaboration, you can improve efficiency, address challenges head-on and drive improvements to patient care.

   You can also streamline how you exchange information at your practice with help from ModMed. Our all-in-one solution connects the different aspects of your practice, providing a single source of truth for clinical and financial operations.

This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult with your legal counsel and other qualified advisors to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards.