Going solo? Develop a QA plan.

Quality assurance--QA--represents everything that you do, or do not do, that makes your practice run better: less mistakes, less re-do's, less call-backs, less adverse outcomes, less mistakes, and ultimately less cost.

Quality assurance is process, rather than a one time event. I actually have a written plan that I purchased, then I customized it for my own usage. Here's how the QA plan works:

1. Divide the year into 12 months
2. Each month = a QA activity
3. Document the activities and corrective actions in a book or e-book
4. Follow-up on corrective actions

Here is an example of a QA plan that you may wish to implement:

• January: Chart audit for appropriateness of coding levels
  
• February: Chart audit for labs and studies filed, signed off, and acted upon
• March: Assure that employee documentation is in order
• April: Make sure that all insurances are in-force and up to date
• May: Financial audit
• June: Repeat chart audit for appropriateness of coding levels
• July: Repeat chart audit for labs and studies filed, signed off, and acted upon
• August: Review marketing plan and ROI; adjust accordingly
• September: Check in-office lab reagents for expiration dates
• October: Perform and document equipment maintenance and calibration
• November: Financial audit
• December: Chart audit for labs and studies filed, signed off, and acted upon

When you have this QA plan and document the activity, you'll find that "things" just seem to go better and more smoothly. You'll be doing work once, correctly, rather than re-doing over and over again. You'll also find that your operating costs will decrease and your profits will increase. Finally, you'll just be a better doctor.

Let me know how it goes,

Dr S