General Practice clinics go through a rigorous accreditation process, having to ensure they are following the RACGP standards.
These processes help the clinic run smoothly, efficiently and to a high standard.
At RWS our aim is to create an environment which delivers a sense of calmness, peace, comfort and reassurance so that patients feel they are going to be well cared for. Every minute detail is considered throughout the design process, ensuring the ultimate benefits to both patients and medical professionals.
This environment should reflect a positive work place for the Staff who represent your brand.
Out of pocket fees charged by Specialists continues to be a hot topic in the media in recent times. The ABC Four Corners program conducted a report investigating gap fees being charged by specialists. In addition, The Age ran an article on the 26th May 2018 reporting on the AMA’s National Conference in Canberra recently, with doctors overwhelmingly condemning the practice of some specialists charging exorbitant “out-of-pocket” fees to patients, under the guise of “booking fees” and “bill splitting”.
If you get a chance to see the Winter issue of NAB’s Business View you’ll see Caroline Chaplin smiling at you from page 35.
The article “Why I do what I do” talks to five company heads, including Caroline, about what it is that drives them to do what they do. An interesting read.
A major contributor to practice prosperity is the first impression patients form. What we know from years in this business is that patients report back to their GPs about you! Ensure the experience is a positive one.
Many specialists do not have processes in place to attain and review their monthly data.
As a starting point you need to regularly monitor categories such as those listed below.
This data will help you:
1. Make informed marketing decisions
2. Select and appoint staff appropriately
Are your rankings poor?
Maybe it’s because your competitors are blogging and you are not!
Writing regular posts is not only a great way to communicate with your patient base and referrers, it’s also an effective tool for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and in turn driving traffic to your site. When ranking websites Google favours those which have plenty of well-written relevant content.
Referrals are the lifeblood of your practice. It is of the utmost importance that you have systems in place to monitor and manage your referrer relationships. Appropriate medical marketing is crucial in the competitive environment of private practice.
We see many doctors who are paying the price for taking their eye off the ball, and not paying attention to their medical marketing. It is devastating to find your numbers dropping because others around you are marketing more efficiently. Don’t let this happen to you.
Even if you are a technophobe, you can’t have missed the dramatic growth and use of social media to interact with online communities.
Many doctors are taking advantage of the $20,000 write off – getting Rooms with Style to upgrade the interior design of their rooms. The government recently incentivised small business by stating that $20,000 of assets purchased up until 30th June 2017 can be immediately written off.
This provides a great opportunity for you to upgrade the interior design of your rooms.
It is amazing how new furniture, art and accessories can transform your space.
The introduction of IT within the medical industry over the past 15 years has changed the way practices operate.
One of the biggest mistakes many doctors make when designing their website is to focus solely on making it look great. Many website designers do not understand the medical industry and will sacrifice usability in order to make the design look more appealing.
Most practices would have experienced a “difficult patient”. Unfortunately such patients can rob you of your time, stress your staff and create one big headache at the practice.
This post provides some practical advice and strategies when dealing with difficult patients.
RWS are now creating Medical Podcasts, allowing surgeons and specialists to educate doctors on topics of interest to your referrer base.
A Medical Podcast builds your professional profile by showcasing your specialist expertise, improving communication within the medical industry, and further strengthening relationships with your referrer base.
The 1 July changes that will impact your Practice.
On 1 July 2017, the minimum wage in the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010 increased by 3.3%.
What does this mean to you?
For any practice that has employees covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010, and are paying at or close to the minimum wage under the award, it is important to review and increase the employee’s minimum wages.
It is crucial that practices increase staff pay, if they receive award wages, by the 3.3%, with weekly wages rounded to the nearest 10 cents.
Changes to Privacy Laws March 2014
The Privacy Act now includes a set of 13 new harmonised privacy principles that regulate the handling of personal information by Australian and Norfolk Island Government Health Providers. The principles are called the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). They replace both the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) that applied to Australian Government agencies and the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) that applied to some private sector organisations.
A number of the APPs are significantly different from the existing principles, including APP 7 on the use and disclosure of personal information for the purpose of direct marketing, and APP 8 on cross-border disclosure of personal information.
If you haven’t updated your privacy policy since the March changes, then it’s time to review it.
If you’d like RWS to review your privacy policy, please contact us on 1300 073 239.
A waiting room audit template for your use
Waiting Room Audit Template:
Click here to download.
It is vital for practice success that your waiting room conveys the right message about you. A well thought out space may contribute to the overall satisfaction of patients and staff. The waiting room patient is a captive audience, often for an extended period of time – believe me, they are taking in everything and forming impressions about you – favourable or not!