How to Handle Bad Press about Your Medical Practice

 

Seeing bad press about your medical practice, whether about the physician(s) or simply about your specialty, can be frightening. But if you know how to respond to it, you can keep it from causing harm to your practice or even turn it into a positive experience. There are two types of bad press you may encounter about your medical practice: Direct and indirect. Direct bad press refers to actual negative reviews about the physician(s) and/or your practice, and indirect encompasses any unfavorable media that can affect your practice, such as "exposé" television shows or even credible medical studies.

With direct bad press, a quick response is key, but the need to respond quickly can create panic in the minds of many practice managers. Be careful not to respond with anger or anything that can be read – or misread – as sarcasm. Whether the individual sent you an email, posted on your Facebook Wall, or submitted a review to a website, keep your temper in check. Begin your response with concern, i.e. "We're sorry you feel that your needs weren't met during your office visit." If you need time to investigate the complaint, say so, i.e. "We're researching your concern now and will respond to you fully as soon as possible." Then be sure to do so – otherwise, other current and potential patients will note your lack of follow-through. Take care to observe HIPAA regulations; you may have to be content with "We've achieved resolution on this issue; please call our office at X for more information. Other patients who have questions can also call this number." Call the patient as well; you'll want to do your best to ensure they don't slip through the cracks and continue to feel badly towards your practice, as well as spread that negative impression among other patients. Conduct a mini-training to ensure that staff responds to questions about the complaint with concern and with the information your physician(s) deem appropriate.

Indirect bad press can be just as hard to handle as direct bad press. One example is a widely-reported potential side effect or complication of an often-utilized medication or treatment. Address the concern quickly and intelligently via social media and patient newsletters to minimize panic. This gives you time to formulate a well-researched response that you can send out and provide to patients in your office using notices in examining rooms and in check-in and check-out areas. In your secondary response, be sure to use facts and figures, where appropriate and available, to support your efforts. Many patients are savvy enough to understand that the media occasionally exploits inconclusive study results and other questionable facts in an effort to gain ratings and readership. Once you objectively and coherently point out the flaws in the report(s), they are likely to once again feel comfortable with the treatment your practice recommends.

When there's no bad press to deal with, you can bank goodwill towards your practice by creating your own good press. Besides managing patients well in your day-to-day efforts and ensuring that your staff does the same, you should post positive press about your practice on the practice's blog, Facebook and Twitter pages, and anywhere else that's available and appropriate. This way bad press won't be the only information about your practice that is easily obtainable if and when it occurs. Patients are also less likely to believe bad press when it conflicts with positive information they've already received. Brand your practice as conscientious, responsible, and concerned with the health of your patients first and foremost, and you'll be handling bad press, whether direct or indirect, before it even starts.

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About the Author

Practice Manager Network is an online community of healthcare practice managers who have come together for purposes of sharing ideas, learning how to balance home and work life, and getting advice from experts on managing their personal and professional lives more effectively. To find out more please visit: http://www.practicemanagernetwork.com or call 877-315-3338 and a representative will be happy to assist you.

Where is Your Medical Practice in a Vertically Integrated Organization?

In today's health care environment, it can be tempting to accept an offer to become part of a vertically integrated organization, primarily due to the financial support that comes with such a move.  However, there are some important considerations to take into account before doing so in order to ensure that your practice doesn't get lost in the parent company.

 

One factor to consider is the size of your medical practice relative to the size of the potential parent organization.  The larger in proportion the company you're considering joining is relative to the size of your existing practice, the greater the chance of your small office becoming lost.  Since smaller practices typically provide less income for the overarching organization compared to larger integrated groups, your practice's negotiating power may be severely restricted if you join a much larger company.  Research the other practices in the corporation as well as its overall size before proceeding with negotiations so you'll know how your practice will fit into the existing structure if a sale takes place.

 

Given that the parent organization will be footing the bill for your practice's expenses, your physician(s) can expect to lose significant power in terms of decision-making once you've been vertically integrated.  This stands to reason – the parent company is taking the risk, so it will have control.  But it's still a good idea to speak to physicians at length who've already been integrated so you're prepared for the new company culture.  It can be very jarring for doctors with an entrepreneurial mindset to work within a bureaucracy.

 

A vertically integrated organization should provide a stable income and offer new opportunities for your office, physician(s), and staff – but you'll need to get details on exactly what those opportunities will be.  Look at the company's existing promotional materials and employee benefits (including time off).  Find out exactly how expenses, such as rent, payroll, an EMR system, etc. will be paid.  Make sure that what the corporation has to offer is really better than what your practice can get on its own.  If the parent company uses an outdated EMR system, for example, your practice's existing efficiency could be severely compromised.

 

The sale of your practice to a parent company will mean the purchase of all of your assets by the company.  After the sale takes place, every piece of equipment in your office, from computers to exam tables to office chairs to telephones, will be owned by the corporation.  You'll no longer decide when additional or upgraded equipment is purchased.  Negotiate the best price you can for your assets, and be sure that your contract includes anticipated replacement dates for your current equipment.  Visit medical offices owned by the company to be sure they aren't suffering from outdated, inefficient or inadequate equipment.

 

Don't allow any changes, such as the installation of new equipment or the hiring of additional staff, to be made while you are in negotiations to become absorbed by a vertically integrated organization.  Be sure you have a complete understanding of all aspects of your purchase contract, including non-compete agreements and how your physical location will be maintained, before signing on the dotted line.  The decision to become part of a vertically integrated organization could be extremely positive for your practice, but it should be made with extreme care.

To comment please visit: http://www.practicemanagernetwork.com/Blog/HC-Trends/Where-is-Your-Medical-Practice-in-a-Vertically-Integrated-Organization.html

 

About the Author

Practice Manager Network is an online community of healthcare practice managers who have come together for purposes of sharing ideas, learning how to balance home and work life, and getting advice from experts on managing their personal and professional lives more effectively. To find out more please visit: http://www.practicemanagernetwork.com/ or call 877-315-3338 and we will be happy to assist you.