"...like, 99% accurate."

Is 99% accurate good enough in a medical business?  Let's see what 99% means.

For every 100 labs filed, one gets lost = 4 per month = 50 per year = out of business

Imagine doing the wrong procedure only 1% of the time.  I'd make this mistake 10 times per year.  This is unimaginable.

In correctly entering 1% of insurance data causes payment problems on 100% of those patients.  So for 1% of 100 patients per week = 1 patient per week = $ 100 per charge on average x 52 weeks = $5200 per year lost. (This is a very conservative estimate.  Would actually be much higher.)

How about recording the callback number wrong on 1% of people who call for test results.  I'd have difficulty calling 2 per week or 100+ per year.

An on and on...

How about in life outside of medical practice?  Is 99% good enough?

Nope.  Not here either.

Examples:

An average drivers puts 12000 miles per year on the car.  If they have an accident 1% of the time, they crash the car every 120 miles.  Not too good.

Would you get on a plane that had a 1% chance of not landing?

So 99% is a good grade on a test or a good GPA.  Otherwise, not so good.

My new book is here.

Suddenly Solo Enhanced: 12 Steps to Acheiving Your Own Totally Independent Health Care Practice

Dedicated to my father.  Miss you.

My new book coming soon!

My new book, Suddenly Solo Enhanced: 12 Steps to Achieving Your Own Totally Independent Health Care Practice, is in the proof stage.  It will be out soon and available where ever fine books are sold.

Actually, will be availaible on Amazon.com.  Or you can order it through me.

Dr Schoor

Like Trudging Through Mud

Sometimes office hours are effortless.   Patients arrive perfectly timed.  They all have insurance cards and co-pays at the ready.  My front desk staff looks like 12 cylinder engine with pistons cranking at full speed--no back fires.  If there are any no-shows at all, they seem to come at opportune times and are followed by a add-on vasectomy or vas reversal patient that fill the holes perfectly.  The phones ring, but with all new patients or established ones wanting to be seen.  The EHR purs like a kitten as all patients fit all templates beautifully and clicks are minimal.  The prescription printer never fails and e-prescribed prescriptions always match the formulary.  The entire office is in the zone.  It happens and when it does, I love it.  

And then there is my last 2 days; like trudging through mud.  Phones never stop, but for billing questions and pre-approval calls, and pharmacy issues.  Patients are calling for results and when I cal back, I get voice mail and cycle goes on and on and on. . .   My front office is functioning but like my '65 Mustang after I neglected to change the oil after $3000 miles.  The EHR--no pateint ever seems to come in with any complaint I have ever seen before.  The prescrition printer must be tired as it goes into sleep mode way too often.  As for e-prescribe, pharmacy issues, formulary issues or both.

Torture.

Things Only Humans Used To Be Able To Do

Times are getting tough for medical office workers who's skills can be replaced by computers:

• Answering Phones
• Patient Check-in
• Filing
• Data Entry

What is next?

The IU

I Am Blue

I am blue today.  A bit sad.  Why?  I am worried about my community and its people.  Can they support themselves?  Can it remain vital?

How are the unskilled workers supposed to support themselves?  We no longer need file clerks and receptionists.  There is now, as we speak, software that can write software.  So even programmers will have to compete with robots.

I am techophile for sure and do not advocate halting technology's progression but I am scared for my friends and family and my children's future.

The past few days I have been interviewing people for a job opening in my practice and I see their desparation.  They are competing with machines and losing.  

Just saying.  This is something I'd have spoken to my dad about but he passed.

My hospital EHR

Docs complain but then again docs will always complain. But I love it. I can make rounds in a jiffy and post-op orders and notes are effortless and error resistant. Pre-op orders the same. Was it worth the $100 million dollar price tag? Yes, especially since I did not pay for it. But joking aside, I think the hospital will see money back in efficiency and error reduction.

Say no to no.

Say yes. Good things happen to people who say yes. Surround yourself with positive people. Not "yes-men", the people that always say yes but never implement anything. I mean people that have a yes attitude, a can do attitude.
Why not as opposed to here is why not.
No is easy but it leads no where.
I want yes.