It is astonishing that we’re so close to the end of the year! The Practice-Web team hopes that your practice has been just as busy as we have. Are you wondering what we’ve been up to? We have been developing applications and features that can help you increase revenue, that’s what!
Since we are now in the last quarter of the year it is time to run your Treatment Plan Analyzer. Last year I wrote an article on the Treatment Plan Analyzer and how it can increase your end-of-the-year revenue. Since I wrote that article we have seen a significant increase in the number of customers that have started using that report. For those of you that have not read that article yet, the Treatment Plan Analyzer allows you to find patients that have outstanding treatment plans and it compares those treatment plans to the insurance benefits your patients have remaining. If your patient has enough benefits to cover the treatment then you can contact them to schedule an appointment before their benefits expire. Pretty cool, right! Although we have had more customers call inquiring about the Treatment Plan Analyzer I still see a rather minimally productive routine occurring. What most offices will do is they will generate the list, mail merge the patients to a generic letter letting them know they will lose their benefits, then they will lick and stamp a couple of hundred envelopes and drop them in the mailbox, hoping for a shot in the dark that a number of those patients will call the office to schedule an appointment. Does this routine sound familiar? If you are nodding your head in agreement then continue reading because Practice-Web has the solution for you.
I have developed a list of steps you can take to really help you use the Treatment Plan Analyzer more effectively:
1. Run the Treatment Plan Analyzer report, then preauthorize the patients.
Why? If you preauthorize your patients then you can find out who really is eligible for treatment. Patients neglect to come back to your office for three reasons. The first is that they don’t know they have benefits. The second reason is that they can’t afford their copays. The third reason patients don’t come back for treatment is that they have used their benefits and received treatment somewhere else. Yes, I said that. It is pointless to spend money mailing out letters for people who either won’t come back or don’t have benefits left. One way you can quickly and easily preauthorize your patients is to use ClaimConnect Real-Time Eligibility. With this service, you can find out in real-time, within seconds, if the patient is eligible for treatment. All you have to do is click a button in the edit insurance plan screen.
Once you have determined if they are eligible for treatment now you can send your letters.
2. Change the content of your treatment plan letters and use multiple contact methods.
Most letters that I have read say something along these lines:
Dear John, Our records show that you have an outstanding treatment plan and for your health, it is important for you to come in before the end of the year, blah, blah, blah. There is nothing personal about this type of letter. There is nothing urgent and John has no other information other than you want his money. How likely is it that he is going to call you for an appointment? A few patients may be responsive to this letter but you could have so much more. You can improve your patient response to your letters by making them personal. Take a look at the examples below.
Which of these letters do you think is going to receive a more prompt response from the patient? Ultimately both letters are “asking for money”, but the second letter is now giving John more information so he can make an informed decision to come in for treatment. The second letter was created using the Sheets framework so that the software automatically merges the patient’s personal information. By using Sheets framework you can also email this letter to your patient giving you an additional method of communication with them, increasing your odds for patient response.
3. It’s time for a phone call.
Even though you have sent a convincing letter, there will still be patients that won’t call you. They want your office to call them. Realistically, your staff does not have time to go on a wild goose chase and call every patient that showed up on the Treatment Plan Analyzer, not knowing if they will respond at all. Not only is this a shot in the dark, but it is time-consuming and expensive. So who is going to call all of your patients? Automated reminders. From the Treatment Plan Analyzer screen, a single mouse click will send an automated call to all of your patients on the list.
Once your patients have received the call from your office now you have their attention. You’re probably wondering how PromptCalls will save you money? Check out the return on investment calculator. By allowing PromptCalls to make your outstanding treatment plan calls for you, it will free up valuable time for your staff to manage the incoming calls and make the appointments.
Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. You can generate thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars more before the end of the year by working smarter, not harder! Practice-Web has all the tools that you need to accomplish this. If you have any questions about the Treatment Plan Analyzer or the features mentioned in this article don’t hesitate to call support and we will be happy to help 🙂