C hiropractic assistants have many responsibilities and one of them is appropriately managing new patient phone calls. In this day of increased compliance, you need to be prepared to manage these calls in accordance with the laws. Offers of freebies, giveaways, deeply discounted first visits, and free chicken dinners that built huge practices in the '80s are no longer legal. Well, they probably never were legal, but nobody was paying much attention to that in the '80s. This is the new millennium, though, and compliance is the name of the game. So what does that mean for you when you pick up the phone? Clean it up It can mean a lot if you're not prepared. As a medical compliance specialist, I've heard stories about insurance company employees, news reporters, adjusters, and government agents calling and posing as new patients. So now is the time to prepare. First, you must be aware that in many states it is illegal to have a dual-fee schedule or to utilize inducements to bring in patients covered by any federal insurance, including Medicare. Even if it isn't illegal in your state, you should be aware of the perception of how it looks when you charge a significantly higher fee to insurance compared to cash. It simply invites someone to think about how that doesn't seem right. Your practice needs to review your phone scripts and clean up anything that may potentially put you at risk of scrutiny. Talk to your doctor, get on the same page, and take action. To put it simply, don't give away your services and have a single fee schedule. Also, make sure that any time-of-service discounts are within a "reasonable" range and reflective of the actual bookkeeping savings, that typically is in the 5-15% range. If you offer discounts above actual bookkeeping costs, consider doing so under a contractual agreement with a discount medical plan organization (DMPO). A DMPO can truly transform your practice, especially when you're allowed to set your own fee schedule, like with ChiroHeal-thUSA. Most DMPOs make you comply with the fee schedule that they created—take it or leave it. Using a DMPO can allow you to treat uninsured, underinsured, and partially insured patients, such as those with Medicare, at an affordable price to the patient. This can be done while you are still able to maximize every insurance dollar available to you. Be prepared Once you have reviewed your fee schedule, implemented a DMPO, and made sure that your procedures regarding any patient offers are fully compliant, you are ready for the next step. Put everything you want to say in writing. Yes, I'm talking about creating specific scripts for answering the phone in your practice. Take my word for it: scripts will set you free. When something's important and lives are in the balance, a script is required. Think about the last flight you took on a commercial airline. The flight attendant used a script to ensure that all passengers received specific instructions to comply with all of the safety rules and regulations. No matter what airline you choose, the script is the same, unless you fly with Southwest Airlines, where ad-libbing is encouraged and can be quite entertaining. Keep in mind, though, that even Southwest Airlines covers all the specifics that are required with a script, but they elaborate on it for fun. Once your team has created your script, then you may add your "twist" if you want to become the Southwest Airlines of chiropractic. After you have created and memorized the perfect script for your office, simply add heart and joy to personalize it. Sleep peacefully at night When you reach the point when you could be awakened at 3:00 a.m. and role-play your new patient phone script perfectly, then you'll know you have mastered it. Once that's accomplished, it doesn't matter who is on the other end of the phone line, an actual new patient suffering and scared needing your calming and nurturing words, or a government agent or insurance adjuster trying to catch you doing something wrong or illegal. Since you have a script based on your best practices, you are safe. This frees you to grow your practice and love every minute of it. See, I told you—scripts will set you free! Dr. Dianne M Baynes, RN, DC, MCS-P serves as a consultant for ChiroHealthUSA and has been in healthcare all her life. She started as a candy-striper at her local hospital at age fifteen and hasn 't stopped loving healthcare since. Today she works as a Medical Compliance Specialist teaching Chiropractors and Chiropractic Assistants across the country how to thrive in the world of healthcare compliance and still have a passion for Chiropractic! You can contact Dr. Baynes at 888-719-9990 or [email protected]
