Thursday, February 27, 2014

OFFER CARECREDIT AS A PAYMENT OPTION FOR PATIENTS


CareCredit is a third party company that provides payment plans with no interest charges for up to 12 months for treatment in excess of $1000.  The company also offers six month payment plans for treatment costs in excess of $200.

CareCredit uses the tagline, “The credit card for your health, beauty, and wellness needs.”  Credit is extended to patients seeking those services in healthcare offices.  Most enrolled healthcare providers allow patients to complete an application in the office so that dental staff can help with questions and submit the data to CareCredit or encourage patients to apply online using their home computer.  In summary, this Card offers shorter financing terms than most other cards with options that range from six to 24 months with no interest charged on amounts of $200 or more as long as the patient/consumer makes minimum monthly payments and pays the full amount due by the end of the contract period.

Over 175,000 healthcare providers nationwide accept the CareCredit healthcare credit card.  CareCredit is part of GE Capital, a financial organization with a reputation for quality service.  Go online to www.carecredit.com for more information as you consider whether to offer your patients this viable financial choice.  It is a payment option that encourages many patients to begin treatment sooner rather than later.

ONE EXAMPLE OF AN OSHA STANDARD THAT MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT CAN BRING A CITATION AND FINE


OSHA inspections are on the rise.  More unannounced OSHA inspectors are arriving at more healthcare offices resulting in increased citations and fines that must be handled expeditiously by the dentist and staff.  Incidentally, the two standards for which citations and fines are most frequently issued are the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard followed by the Hazard Communication Standard.

Let’s look at one standard that may seem relatively insignificant but can bring a citation and fine.  Do you have adequate EXIT signage in your office?  Previously, a posted EXIT map sufficed for EXIT signage.  Now all businesses, healthcare offices included, must have specific details as part of their egress plan.  A posted EXIT sign must include the direction of travel via an arrow.  All office doors, such as Restroom, Lab, Office, etc., must be labeled so that they are not confused with an EXIT door.  Closet doors along an EXIT route should be labeled “Not an Exit”.  Posted evacuation plans/maps must include both primary and secondary routes of escape.
There are scores of safety issues throughout a dental practice involving safety of the staff, the patients, and the facility itself.  An unannounced OSHA inspector may present himself or herself at an office on any given day, and the inspection happens right then and there with every nook and cranny open to the inspector.  The dentist(s) and a key staff member or two should be well versed in OSHA requirements and be prepared to escort the inspector around the facility.  Make notes of his/her critique and take snapshots of items listed that need to be changed.  Pay close attention and respond as quickly as possible to the inspector’s report that lists necessary improvements and changes.  Go to www.OSHA.gov for more information.    

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

CHILDHOOD CARIES---STILL A MENACE


The American Dental  Association defines childhood caries as “the presence of one or more decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a pre-school age child between birth and 71 months of age.”  Further, the ADA states that early childhood caries is found throughout the general population and is an even-more significant problem in high-risk populations including minorities and the less affluent.  Although early childhood caries declined from the early 1970s to the mid-1990s, it has increased since then.  The latest studies show that almost 44% of five year olds have or have had cavities, and 23% of young children have untreated caries.

There are some programs working to fight this epidemic.  A successful example of such programs is the DentaQuest Institute, active since 2008, which developed the Early Childhood Caries Collaborative in conjunction with Boston Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital for Specialty Care in Providence, R.I.  Their efforts have reduced new cavity development by 69%, pain by 50%, and utilization of operating rooms for dental treatment by 55%.  The program has evolved to include five additional health centers across the country plus 40 other sites including private practices.  For additional information about ECC (Early Childhood Caries), go to www.dentaquestinstitute.org or simply Bing or Google “percent of young children with dental caries” to read some interesting studies and articles about ECC.

ANNUAL PLANNING RETREAT, ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE DAYS OF YOUR PRACTICE YEAR


Well planned and enthusiastically presented, a Planning Retreat can pay big dividends for your practice.  A day away from the office involving  all the dentists and the entire staff working to evaluate how the practice is progressing, modify work systems as needed,  and set new goals for the next 6 to 12 months can produce giant strides in increased productivity, cost savings, team cohesiveness, patient service, marketing efforts, on and on.  All systems in the office can benefit from review during a Planning Retreat.

There are several criteria that add to the success of a Retreat.  Choose a venue away from the office.  Doing so makes the Retreat stand out from a routine work day and invites expanded thinking and out-of-the-box ideas.  Involve the entire staff, part-timers too.  Seek input from the team at least a month prior for topics to be included in the day’s discussions and provide a written agenda as the Retreat begins.  Assign time slots to each topic and stick as closely as possible to the plan so that no one issue bogs down the day.  Begin the Retreat with a short, enthusiasm-building session to break the ice and signal an enjoyable, up-beat day.  Doing so can assure that everyone is open-minded, senses the positive ambiance, and is ready to listen, to talk, and to participate fully.  An experienced, knowledgeable third party facilitator can be invaluable, even if brought in for a part of the day, perhaps to work issues that will enhance team communication.  As the team evaluates current work systems and plans new goals, assign tasks to individuals, take notes, and follow up on accomplishments at subsequent General Staff Meetings.
Once you experience the benefits of an annual Planning Retreat, you may decide a semi-annual Retreat is even more advantageous.  One day per year or two, Retreats can be most profitable for your practice.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

AREA MEETINGS---DYNAMIC TOOLS FOR PRACTICE IMPROVEMENT


Two areas of responsibility operate within a dental practice:  the Business Area and the Clinical Area.  Typically, team members participate in one monthly General Staff Meeting per month in which, theoretically,  the activities of each area are discussed and worked---or maybe not!

While a Monthly General Staff Meeting is necessary for overall communications among the team, regular Area Meetings are equally important.  Business Area staff members should meet together while Clinical Area staff members meet together, thereby providing time for each group to focus on details of systems in their area.  The concentration on details of operation in each area is invaluable in improving efficiency and effectiveness.  Area Meetings may be scheduled monthly, quarterly, or on an as-needed basis.

Analyses, decisions, actions, and results from Area Meetings should be reported to the entire group during the next monthly General Staff Meeting so that team members in each work area are aware of activities and/or changes affecting the practice.  The “Front” and the “Back” are, after all, one cohesive team that must work well together to best serve patients.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

EMAIL TO PATIENTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY FINAL HIPAA OMNIBUS RULE


By September 23, 2013 dental practices that use “covered transactions” via electronics, such as filing a claim with a third party or using a clearinghouse for credit charges or billings on behalf of the practice, were to be in compliance with the new HIPAA omnibus rule.  There are many new regulations in this final rule, and dentists would be wise to consult qualified legal counsel for advice about whether the practice is a “covered” entity that must comply with all the minutiae included in the new omnibus ruling.

One far-reaching example of additional regulation involves email with patients.  If a practice is a “covered” entity, a patient requesting an electronic copy of his or her records or other information must be told of the risk that an unencrypted email might be accessed by an unauthorized third party.  In short, patients have a right to be informed of your practice privacy standards and the risks involved in electronic communications. Although the practice would not be responsible for the email once it is en route electronically, the practice is responsible for having informed the patient of risks and for having addressed the patient’s email correctly.

Many other such details in the omnibus ruling make compliance with HIPAA regulations more complicated than ever.  The American Dental Association is offering an updated “Complete HIPAA Compliance Kit (J598) with detailed information on compliance with the new omnibus ruling.  More information is available at adacatalog.org or from the ADA Member Service Center, 1-800-947-4746.

Thursday, February 6, 2014


WANT ONLY TOP QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR YOUR PRACTICE? SO DOES PRACTICON!

Occasionally we receive a question such as, “Why does Practicon’s product cost more than Company X’s product that seems similar?”  Answer:  because we stand our ground about quality, refusing to pick up poor quality items in order to have the lowest price on the market.

Here are a couple of examples of products that have brought such a question.  You can possibly find cheaper saliva ejectors in another supplier’s catalog, but many of the cheapies collapse during use.  And none of them are eco-friendly like Practicon’s EcoTips HVE suction tips.  Another example---some suppliers have reduced the price of their alginates by substituting cheaper raw materials and fillers in the manufacturing process.  Cheaper materials = poorer quality impressions.  Practicon’s Cavex brand maintains top quality to assure you produce the finest impressions by refusing to use fillers or problematic raw materials.

Practicon is price-conscious, seeking always to bring you the lowest possible prices on the quality merchandise you have come to expect from us.  Our Product Selection and Purchasing Team members search constantly for world-class quality items at the least price.  One working slogan: “Bring our customers the BEST products available at the LOWEST prices possible.”
We regard the supplies we sell as our link to your repeat business.  We have and always will provide you the FINEST PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FOR THE LOWEST PRICES POSSIBLE.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

INTERESTING INCOME STATISTICS



A current American Dental Association survey on dentists’ income shows that in 2011, the most recent year for which total figures are available, median annual net income for General Practitioners varied from a low of $140,000 for those entering practice before 1970 to a high of $194,235 for those beginning practice between 1981-1990.  Dentists starting practice between 1991-2000 had reached a median of $180,000, while those in the 2001-2010 start-up years had reported a median annual net income of $160,000.
A similar survey conducted by the ADA in 2012 for 2011 showed median gross billings per hour by three categories:  General Practitioners - $356 per hour; Specialists - $488 per hour; All dentists - $$375 per hour.