Author: Developer

A bottleneck in a business refers to a point in a process or workflow where the flow of work is constrained or slowed down due to a limitation in resources, capacity, or efficiency. It’s like the narrow neck of a bottle that restricts the smooth flow of liquid. Bottlenecks can hinder productivity,  impact overall operational efficiency, affect team culture, and limit your ability to grow your business..

There are two important things to know:  

1. Your business is only ever as good/fast/profitable/effective (pick your word) as your bottleneck.
2. Every business has a bottleneck.

Bottlenecks are most commonly thought of in production and in terms of an assembly line but are just as relevant to your chiropractic practice. Though the same thought process can be applied to all areas, here is one simple example:

Your office has an average of 25 new patients every month, but your overall monthly patient visit average isn’t increasing in accordance.  Somewhere between the first visit and overall patient retention you have a bottleneck.  

Here’s how you can identify a bottleneck in your business:

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s): Monitor various performance metrics related to your processes. Beyond the basic numbers of new patient visits, patient visits, services & collections, there are KPI’s within each process that determine those final numbers. If you notice that certain metrics, such as patient flow, over-the-counter collections, customer service response times, or procedure follow through, are consistently lagging behind or not meeting expectations, it is most likely indicative of a bottleneck.

Workload Imbalance: If you observe that some team members or departments are consistently overloaded with work while others have idle time, it might suggest a bottleneck. A bottleneck often occurs when work isn’t evenly distributed. That being said, remember there is a difference between being busy and looking busy. Unless you have KPI’s in place, it can be hard to identify the difference.

Queues and Delays: Long queues or delays at specific stages of a process can signal a bottleneck. For example, if there is not a clear communication process throughout patient flow, you could have a new patient waiting in an exam room for 15 minutes before being seen by the doctor and/or clinic assistant.

Dependencies: If certain tasks or stages of a process have dependencies on others and one task is consistently causing delays, it could be acting as a bottleneck for the entire process. For example, if patient’s are consistently waiting long periods of time for their turn in therapy you potentially have a bottleneck.

Capacity Analysis: Evaluate the capacity of various resources, such as machinery, personnel, or technology, at different stages of your workflow. If one resource has significantly lower capacity than the others, it might be a bottleneck.

Process Mapping: Create a visual representation of your workflow, including all the steps and handoffs involved. Analyze the map to identify areas where work might be getting stuck or delayed. Determine KPI’s for the tracking of these processes and then re-evaluate every 30-days. Once established, review them every 90-days.

Feedback from Team: Encourage your team members to provide feedback on their experiences with the workflow. They might be able to pinpoint specific areas that are causing frustration or slowdowns, as well as contribute new thoughts and processes to test..

Data Analysis: If you have access to data related to your processes, you can analyze it to identify patterns of slowdowns or inefficiencies. Most commonly you will utilize reports in your software to help with this step.  

Once you’ve identified a bottleneck, it’s important to address it. This might involve reallocating resources, optimizing processes, investing in additional capacity, retraining a team member, redesigning workflows and/or taking an honest hard look in the mirror. Keep in mind that addressing bottlenecks is an ongoing process. As your business needs and dynamics change over time, your practice grows, technology advances, and so on, evaluating your bottlenecks is imperative to maximum success.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com. 

Are you looking to get a step ahead of the competition and GROW YOUR CLINIC? Growing your clinic can be overwhelming and expensive when you don’t know the right place to start. Here are the TOP 3 things you can do to make your chiropractic clinic stand out and gain more business in a competitive marketplace. 

Invest in Your Brand. Investing in your brand can help you get noticed by potential clients. Create a strong, professional, aesthetically pleasing online presence for your business. Make sure to use social media to market your practice while also investing in traditional forms of advertising such as newspaper and radio helps widen your reach and increase your brand awareness. Having an online presence allows potential clients to learn more about your services and even book appointments online. 

Increase your referrals. Growing your client base through referrals is an effective and efficient way to increase your business. Reach out to other like-minded health professionals in the community to share ideas and work on collaborations. Join networking groups and get involved in your community. When you learn more about others and refer business to them, they are likely to reciprocate. Never underestimate the value of a good old-fashioned handwritten Thank You card when a client sends someone new your way. Think about including a gift card to another client’s business and referrals will be flowing in before you know it. 

Stay on Top of Technology. Having access to the latest technologies can give your business a competitive edge. Invest in digital forms, online payments, patient education tools, as well as scheduling and reminder programs for appointments. This ensures clients receive a more efficient, streamlined visit each time. 

Investing in a solid foundation, strong customer service, and staying ahead of the technology curve can help your chiropractic practice GROW and succeed in a competitive landscape. With the right investment and commitment, you can grow your clinic and reverberate around the community and beyond. Utilizing a few of these techniques can help you increase your business and help stand out in a saturated industry. Having a clear plan and understanding that consistent growth within your clinic takes time, will save you time and create less when trying to take your business to the next level.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com. 

When deciding whether to bill cash or insurance in a chiropractic clinic, it is important to consider both the pros and cons. Knowing the differences between billing cash and insurance as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each choice will help to ensure the best possible approach for both the clinic and the patients. 

The pros of billing cash for chiropractic services are numerous:

Faster billing turnaround and the ability to serve more patients with fewer delays. Collecting payment at the time of services eliminates the need for administrative paperwork, reducing costs and basically eliminates the billing process. You simply collect payment at the time of service, post the payment, offer your patient a receipt and repeat the process on their next visit.  

Clinic staff can focus more on providing superior patient care. When you remove the distraction of insurance billing, staff isn’t distracted by filing insurance claims, generating/sending patient statements, or other insurance related matters. This problem can also be solved by outsourcing your billing when billing insurance. This will reduce stress, save you time and money, as well as, give you the other benefits to billing insurance without some of the drawbacks.

Patients are more likely to pay in full due to the lower prices the clinic can offer. Cash typically results in a lower overall cost to the patient due to the elimination of insurance premiums and higher deductibles. 

Patients don’t worry about surprise bills if it isn’t covered by their insurance plan. No one likes a surprise bill and it can cause a lot of stress and ultimately deter people from scheduling an appointment and getting the help they need.

On the other hand, there are a few potential cons to billing cash: 

Clinics lose patients who rely on insurance coverage. Many people who have insurance, want to use their insurance, especially if they have decent coverage.  For good or bad, people tend to rely on their insurance coverage when they are injured or ill. So scheduling an appointment at a clinic where insurance is not used can be overwhelming and cause potential patients to go to another clinic that provides insurance coverage.

Cash-only clinics miss out on referrals from other healthcare providers who deal directly with insurance companies. Having partnerships and referrals from other providers, as well as local companies/schools/hospitals in your area, is a great resource to help your clinic grow. In many cases, being in-network with popular insurances for your area, can be a great way to get new patients. If your clinic misses out on that resource it can hold your clinic back and make you play more in other forms of marketing to keep up with competitors.

Those are the pros and cons to billing cash within your clinic. Take some time to look at your target market, your current clientele, your marketing strengths and limitations, and where some of the bottle-necks are in your clinic. Would your clinic benefit from billing cash?  

Knowing all the ins and outs of how your clinic runs and the potential it can have is beneficial when deciding what systems need to be put in place. So, now let’s take a look at the benefits and drawbacks to billing insurance to see if this is the right move for your clinic.

The pros of billing insurance are numerous as well: 

Clinics have a greater chance for growth. When billing insurance, as outlined above, clinics gain new patients from referral sources which can be beneficial to their bottom line, help with growth and community involvement. 

Clinics can submit multiple claims. In most cases, a patient will commit to more care when they feel their insurance is covering part of that care and/or that they are working toward meeting their deductible. Though we’ve come a long way, a majority of the population still has a “since I pay for it, I want to use it” psychology when it comes to their health insurance.

Along with the pros there are also a few disadvantages to billing insurance:

It takes time and money. If you are billing insurance internally, the amount of time it takes to submit, post and follow up on claims can put stress on your staff. It also costs money for continued training for your staff to be up to date on claims, technology, and other billing information.

Higher level of frustration when it comes to discussing insurance-related matters. Billing insurance can lead to a decrease in overall patient satisfaction due to the need to discuss deductibles and other insurance-related matters, which can lead to longer wait times and a higher level of frustration on both the clinic and patient. 

Those are some of the top pros and cons to billing insurance within your clinic. Take some time to look at your target market, your current clientele, your ability to successfully market a cash practice and where some of the bottle-necks are in your clinic. Would your clinic benefit from billing insurance? If you’re worried about some of the disadvantages to billing insurance, then outsourcing your billing is the right move for your clinic.

When deciding whether to bill cash or insurance in a chiropractic clinic, it is important to understand the pros and cons of both approaches. Knowing which one is right for your clinic can help ensure optimal patient care and satisfaction. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on a variety of factors, such as your clinic’s size, location, marketing strategy, and customer base. 

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com.

A lot has changed in just the last three years with how clinics “see” their patients. Every business struggled to provide their clients with alternative options and for the medical field those alternatives were Telehealth and virtual visits. Telehealth and virtual visits offer a wide range of benefits and potential downsides when applied to chiropractic care. Here is a look at some of the pros and cons that come with these new healthcare technologies, but are they right for your clinic and your current clients base?

PRO’s –

Convenience: Telehealth or virtual visits allow patients to receive care from the comfort of their own home, which eliminates the need to travel and wait in waiting rooms. This can be especially beneficial for elderly or disabled patients who cannot make it to their appointments in person. It can also help chiropractors get an initial assessment so patient can provide a description of their condition and medical history to develop an understanding of the root cause of symptoms and formulate a treatment plan.

Flexibility: Virtual visits offer more flexibility for patients to choose when they visit the doctor, as well as expanding the practitioner’s availability to multiple times throughout the day. With more people working from home they are used to a more flexible schedule while they strive for that work-life balance.

Low Risk: Telehealth allows for a safe way to connect with chiropractors since there is no need to physically be present in the same space for every visit.

Cost Efficiency: Since there is no need to travel for the visits. It can save both the patient and chiropractor time and money in the long run.

CON’s –

Lack Of Physical Diagnosis: Physical diagnostics and exams cannot take place, making it difficult to diagnose patients.

Technology Failing: Patients and chiropractors might experience technical issues due to lack of connection or equipment such as a webcam or computer. You never know what kind of technology or knowledge of technology your patient might have when entering a virtual appointment. This can make getting connected difficult.

Trust: Trust is a key element in the healthcare industry and virtual visits often make it harder to establish trust between the patient and chiropractor as compared to physical visits. If you can’t physically see or feel the problem area you are relying only on what the patient is telling you. This can make it difficult to come up with a treatment plan through only a virtual visit.

Privacy Concerns: There are privacy concerns associated with virtual visits which can potentially put both patients and chiropractor at risk if taken lightly.

Overall, telehealth and virtual visits offer a convenient and cost-efficient way for patients to receive care from chiropractors. Although there are cons associated with virtual visits, patients and clinics can still benefit from these new technologies while working together to navigate and address the challenges that come with them.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com. 

Spring is a time of natural renewal; the trees are starting to bud; tulips are in bloom. It is a time of renewed energy that the freshness of spring provides. It is also the perfect time to review your goals and take a “spring cleaning” approach to your clinic. Since this is a natural time of renewal, and the start of the second quarter, consider inviting your staff to join in the process.  Their involvement will give them ownership as well as a positive signal that there might be a few changes as you update and review your goals and freshen up your clinic.

Below are some ideas for spring cleaning and goal review for you and your clinic:

• Literally review your clinic goals. (If you don’t have goals set, see our goal setting for Chiropractors and Chiropractic Clinics article)  Do a check-in with yourself and your staff to review the goals, what progress you’ve made, and where you may need to pivot. Celebrate the progress or success of goals reached and make plans on how to reach the next goals.
• Review your policies and procedures. So many things can change, between best practices, insurance changes to how to best market to your customers; now is a wonderful time to review.
• Review your business plan. Some business owners never look back at their business plan, but this document is meant to be a living document that evolves as your business changes. While some suggest you review the business plan more often, all business experts agree that at least annually is necessary.
• Check in with your staff. Consider adding stay interviews to your spring to do list. Stay interviews are a terrific opportunity to learn about what you’re doing well as an employer, and areas that you can grow. This also is an opportunity to show your staff that their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions matter to you. Find out what growth opportunities they may be interested in, and how you might support them.
• Reorganize and declutter – Shred those old documents, get rid of outdated equipment, do the full spring clean thing and simply declutter. It will make your clinic more welcoming and more efficient. This is the perfect opportunity to update décor in your clinic as well.
• Update equipment. Fix, update, clean and do whatever maintenance you need to do on your equipment, from top to bottom. Maintenance and new upgrades on a regular basis are the best way to protect your investment in our equipment.
• Clean up! Do the deep cleansing, floor to ceiling. Dust the ceiling vents, shampoo the carpet. There are great local businesses that you can support who can do this task for you for an affordable price. If you do ask your staff to chip in, be prepared to show your leadership by rolling up your sleeves and helping.
• Check your finances. It has been shown that many small clinics don’t pay attention to their bottom line until it is too late. At least quarterly take the time to do the deep dive into your finances. If you don’t have the knowledge to fully understand, hire help to either do an audit or teach you what you need to know to watch your bottom line.
• Review your rates – Wages, supplies, utilities…everything has risen in price. Business owners, especially small to medium size business owners, often find themselves almost feeling guilty when they need to adjust their pricing. You are not doing yourself, your staff, or your patients any favors by bankrupting your business. Stay in tune with your rates to be sure you are where you need to be to run a successful clinic.
• Take care of you. Business owners are highly driven individuals who often run too close to empty. Be sure to remember to take care of you, you deserve it, and we officially give you permission.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com,

We’ve all seen it, the image of the iceberg where the tip of the iceberg shows above ground, but it isn’t until you see the entire iceberg that you realize the true size and scope is massive. Many chiropractors and clinics have been sold a similarly deceiving concept by medical billing software companies.  “If you buy our software your medical billing is as simple as pressing this button.”  For professional medical billing employees and businesses, that assertion is simply so far from the reality of medical billing that they welcome the opportunity to show you the rest of the process, just like the iceberg, the part you can’t see unless you look below the surface. Speaking of below the surface, let us introduce you to the back end of chiropractic billing.

Before any “button can be pushed” to submit your billing, there is a lot of information you need to have available and understand.  You do need a clear and documented plan on how to not only stay on top of medical billing, but also to keep your team educated in constant insurance industry changes, technology or software changes, evaluation code changes, etc. You need to understand the time your staff will need to truly be an effective medical biller and allow for that time. If you outsource your billing to a billing company, you need to make sure they have highly professional and dedicated staff that are invested in and understand these concepts as well. And you must have a firm grasp on the financial health of your clinic. Remember, being able to simply pay your bills is not a good measure of business success.

A few examples of the back end of medical billing are things such as arrears; are you rotating through them and confirming that you were not having any sort of electronic issues? Are the claims erroring out or rejecting? Who is watching at the end of the period? Are you aware of when electronic payments are coming through and What you are getting by paper? Did you get paid for the things you should, and is follow-up needed for anything that didn’t process right? What type of follow-up? Not only do you need to know all of this in general, but you need to know it per insurance company, and per state you work in. How about missing claims? Missing claims simply can’t be avoided.  It isn’t your billing person or billing company, it isn’t a software glitch, it is just a reality in billing. What is the process for evaluating aged claims, claims that are 20-30 days or older? Not a big deal? Timely filing limits are a thing, and those time restraints are important to your bottom line.  Whom do you have available to answer customer claim questions, manage patient statements, payments, and reviewing the account for accuracy? Who is being invested in to continuously go through education to keep up with all the changes?

A common reality for a lot of billing staff, especially in small and medium-sized chiropractic clinics, is that billing is just a part of the job. They are not given the time or space they need to do effective billing. They may be trying to help a customer, answer the phone, and watch the lobby. With all these duties there is never a moment of quiet where serious focus can be given to what is arguably the second most important part of a successful chiropractic clinic.

Being able to pay your bills is great news for you and your clinic, especially in those early years. Whether you are a new clinic or a seasoned expert, your measure of financial success should never be about just paying your bills. Were you able to invest in the clinic, yourself or your staff? What is your patient experience like? Can you do raises or bonuses? Are you growing? Every clinic has its own measure of success, but don’t forget the importance of evaluating what that means for you on a regular basis, and then acting on your findings.

Pushing the submit button truly is the very tip of the iceberg. Understanding and investing in your medical billing system, whether outsourcing or investing in staff, should be considered an integral part of your clinic’s success. We understand that there is a lot to know when it comes to medical billing, and it can feel overwhelming. Sincerely investing in understanding the financial health of your clinic and the role medical billing plays in that financial health means you’ll avoid that hidden back end of billing that lurks below the surface, and you won’t sink your practice.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com,

Investing in staff training or other learning opportunities has the obvious benefit of advancing skills and knowledge. What isn’t so obvious is all the other results and opportunities that come through staff investment. Let’s explore the benefits of creating learning opportunities for your staff as well as some ideas of how to go about providing that added training.

WHY you should invest in your staff:

1. Improved Patient Experience: A well-trained and skilled staff can supply better patient experiences and superior care. This often will lead to higher patient loyalty and patient satisfaction. Patients are much more likely to return to a clinic they trust and where they feel comfortable and well-cared for.
2. Increased Efficiency & Productivity: Investing in staff training can improve the efficiency of your clinic. Staff who are professionally trained in patient management and administrative tasks can help streamline your operations and reduce the time it takes to complete certain tasks. More time allows for more to get done.
3. Increased Revenue: When patients are satisfied with their care, they are more likely to refer all their family and friends to you and your clinic. The new customer base is sure to add to your bottom line.
4. Staff Retention & Satisfaction: Investing in your staff can help improve staff retention rates. Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to stay with a company long-term, reducing the cost and time associated with recruiting and training new staff. Investing in staff creates job satisfaction and empowers your entire team to become recruiters. Happy employees tell happy stories and attract other employees.
5. Competitive advantage: Investing in additional training can give you or your staff a competitive advantage in the job market or within the industry. It can help you stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, and demonstrate your commitment to ongoing professional development.
6. Enhanced innovation: Additional training can help employees develop new ideas and innovative solutions to problems, leading to improved processes and products. Be sure to empower your staff to share ideas.
7. Improved teamwork: Additional training in communication and teamwork can help employees work more effectively together, resulting in improved collaboration and productivity.

HOW to invest in your staff:

1. Training and Development: Investing in staff training and development helps them to grow professionally and improve their skills, which will in turn benefit the organization.
2. Mentorship: Assigning a mentor to a staff member can help them to learn from an experienced professional within the organization. Encourage additional professional mentors outside of your clinic to gain experience and perspective.
3. Communication and Feedback: Regular feedback sessions can help to identify areas for improvement and encourage staff to strive for excellence. Invite and encourage open dialogue which can build trust and assure everyone is working towards a common goal.
4. Career Progression: Creating opportunities for staff to advance within the organization can help with retention and create a culture of growth and advancement.
5. Work-Life Balance: Ensuring a healthy work-life balance can improve staff morale, increase productivity, and help with stress reduction.
6. Recognition and Rewards: Recognizing and rewarding staff for their hard work and achievements can boost morale and create a positive work environment. Genuine appreciation matters.

Investing in your staff is exactly what it sounds like, it takes the investment of time and/or money. While that type of investment can be a little scary, the return on investment will pay for itself and in most cases, it ultimately results in much remarkable success both for the clinic as well as the staff. While making your staff investment plans don’t forget to include yourself in the growth journey!

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com,

When many chiropractors are asked about telehealth, they often can throw up their hands; chiropractic care is hands-on, so telehealth is not for me or our clinic. While telehealth can mean different things depending on who you talk to, the Mayo Clinic puts it nicely, “Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technologies to access health care services remotely and manage your health care.” And while there are actual remote direct patient care services that a chiropractor can do remotely, patients and chiropractors alike will always prefer and demand direct contact with the patient. With that, telehealth is so much more than virtual visits, and if your clinic is not utilizing some form of telehealth, you are already falling behind.

Telehealth and the Patient Portal

One of the most popular uses of technology to communicate with your patients is an online Patient Portal. Patient Portals have been shown to increase patient engagement, and dedication, to their clinic and their overall treatment plan. While patient portals offer countless possibilities, some of the most popular uses of the portal are:

• Ability to communicate directly with your care provider – Patients now expect to be able to get messages directly to their providers. This ability gives the patient the comfort and confidence that they are important and heard.
• Appointment management – Giving your patients the ability to create or cancel appointments online is a fantastic way to engage the patient as well as alleviate some of the incoming phone calls. This feature also allows the patient to view their appointment times, reducing the risk of missed appointments.
  • Check-In online – Some patient portal options allow patients to do a pre-check-in online. This is a helpful tool for staff, but also to prompt the patient to be sure they have all the necessary information you will need.
  • Text options – Text messages are the hottest trend in reaching your patients for appointment reminders and confirmations. This will absolutely reduce missed appointments.
• Refill prescriptions – Your patients can send in refill requests for any prescriptions with ease.
• Bill paying – Many software options offer a “soft” reminder on their portal software for unpaid balances, oftentimes this reminder is the first thing the patient sees when they login. Online payment is necessary for your clinic’s success in collections.
• Receiving test results – Patients can quickly and easily review test results, and doctors and/or staff can add valuable information to those results, so they are not misunderstood.
• Complete forms – Keep patient information up to date by allowing them to fill out forms directly in your portal for health information, medications, etc.
• Referral requests – If you work at all with referrals, the patient can request a referral without calling in.

Telehealth and the Virtual Visit

It is hard to imagine virtual visits with chiropractic care since it is a hands-on type of treatment. Virtual visits are now a permanent part of the healthcare model and a viable way to provide treatment to your patients.

A few virtual visit ideas:

• Check-Ins
• Nutrition coaching
• Stress management
• Sleep coaching
• Ergonomic best practices
• Exercise – physical therapy exercises
• Yoga
• Life or sleep coaching
• Organic pain relief

Telehealth is truly something all chiropractors and clinics should look at to stay in touch with their patients and stay in step with their peers. You can implement all the suggestions here, or cherry pick what would work best for your clinic. Staying in touch with your patients through telehealth is a terrific way to create a well curated journey for your patients.

Don’t navigate telehealth billing alone! Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com.

Surprisingly, it is not unusual for many chiropractors to lose a substantial amount of income due to medical billing mistakes. Some mistakes are easy to fix, and admittedly, others are much more complex. The reality is that clinics generally consider medical billing one department of their business with no real understanding of what goes into it. Let’s investigate some of the common mistakes that are made as well as a few solutions to get your billing back on track. Some of the most common medical billing mistakes made at chiropractic clinics are:

1. Not following up on unpaid claims. Unfortunately, many of the billing mistakes boil down to lack of systematic follow-up and lack of staff who are dedicated to this specific task. With no follow-up those unpaid claims can really hit your bottom line.
2. Not resubmitting rejected claims. Rejected claims can be difficult to navigate through, and it isn’t uncommon for a chiropractic clinic to give up rather than fix the issues and resubmit.
3. They do not learn the software. If this is true for you or your clinic, you should know that not learning the software is common in all businesses. First, the time and effort to fully learn all features of the software are rarely dedicated in the front end. After the expense of the initial software, clinics often don’t invest in the full training and believe they or their staff will learn as they go. This can then lead to a lack of updates, and lack of using strong tools and protections the software may offer. The result is when you don’t know how to use your software you will mess up your account balances. When you mess up your account balances you don’t know what to follow up on and you cannot properly follow up or bill your patients.
4. They don’t watch the bottom line. Most of us are familiar with the phrase, keep your eye on the ball, when it comes to the health of your business someone needs to always have an eye on your fiscal ball. Even with the absolute best intentions, many chiropractors lose focus of their bottom line. (We get it, you’re busy healing people!) But when you drop focus little and big billing errors start to substantially add up. The truth is, by the time many clinics realize that they have dropped the fiscal ball, it is too late.
5. Lack of well-trained and dedicated staff. Even if the staff hired to handle chiropractic billing was well-trained, the reality is that unless the clinic is dedicated to on-going education and equally dedicated to staying on top of never-ending insurance changes, the staff is no longer trained. It is also common that not enough staff are hired to really handle all the billing. One or two office staff are often tasked with more than they could possibly keep up with and the complexity of those tasks is often underrated.
6. Clerical Errors. While true misspellings or number mix ups are an actual huge issue in holding up insurance claims, it runs deeper than just a typo.  Clerical errors can include typos, not updating patient records, not submitting the claim on time, coding errors, or a myriad of other issues.
7. Failure to verify insurance coverage. Before providing care to a patient, it’s critical to verify insurance coverage and benefits to avoid denials or delays of payment.

It is critical to the success of any chiropractor or chiropractic clinic to get a full grasp on their billing, and billing errors. Errors in billing cause payment delays and payment denials. They can also cause recoupments, fines, and audits. Most importantly, they can frustrate your client base. Here are a few suggestions on how to navigate through some of these common errors.

1. Invest in education. Invest in your staff by offering on-going learning opportunities to keep them up to date with current billing trends, policies and procedures. Learn software by working with the provider online or other training venues to make full use of all the software has to offer.
2. Take time to fully understand your financials. It is perfectly understandable that you might not have a firm grasp on your financials, or honestly, even the slightest clue on how to read them. Make sure that you either learn how to understand basic fiscal management of your clinic or hire someone who can (and will) keep their eye on the ball.
3. Look for the weak spots. If you watch your financials, you’ll likely start to see weak spots. Focus on those weak spots first. If you notice a lot of unpaid claims, focus on why and then put systems in place to prevent further claim issues. If you notice your staff is struggling to keep up, consider added staff or training. Take the time to do a deep dive into understanding where your weak spots are.
4. Outsource your medical billing. Outsourcing your medical billing will improve accuracy and compliance, increase your revenue, supply access to technology and resources, reduce administrative burdens and enhance customer satisfaction.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com,

“I am ready to face any challenges that might be foolish enough to face me.” -Dwight from The Office.

Just like personal goals, don’t let the ringing of the new year be the only time you think about your business goals. Any time is the perfect time to review your Chiropractic Clinic goals for the coming weeks, months or year. Unlike your strategic plan, goal setting outlines the specific goals that should inspire you and/or your team to work efficiently, and perhaps towards the broader strategies that you may have in place for your clinic. Goal setting is an important part to running any successful business, they give you clarity, a target to reach for, and they can motivate you and/or your employees. Goal setting can be a challenge, so we’ve compiled some advice to help you through the process.

Goal Setting Prompts:

• Are you happy with the size of the clinic?
• Do you need to increase, decrease, or stay steady with the number of employees you have? 
• Do you have the right employees? 
• Do you continue to stay on top of current best practices and laws medically, as well as human resources, staff training and growth, etc.? 
• Do you like your physical space, equipment, etc.? 
• Do you partner with, or consider partnering with third party vendors to help you focus on what you and/or your team does best? 
• Do you have a coach or mentor that you can rely on to bounce ideas around?
• Are there proficiencies that you can create through better technology or better understanding of technologies available? 
• Are you marketing your clinic, and if you are, is it working for you? 
• Are you profitable? 

You don’t necessarily need to answer all these questions, and there are certainly many more to consider. This is a nice baseline to use to brainstorm. Innovative ideas and concepts will likely grow from there.  

Creating the goal and sticking to it:

• Make sure that your goals are obtainable, even if they are aggressive. 
• Make sure you have measurable goals. 
• Make sure your goals are specific and succinct. 
• If you have a team, invite their input for added buy-in. 
• Make a commitment to the goals you set. 
• Hold yourself and/or your team accountable by implementing deadlines. 
• Schedule regular check-ins and progress reports, even if it is just you.
• Don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate each goal you meet. 
• Add new goals as you check old ones off. 

Many successful businesses of all types know that goal setting and goal achievement is necessary to succeed. They’ll also tell you that it’s important for you to focus on what you know, and then hire experts to do the rest. In the chiropractic clinic setting the most popular areas of outsourcing for day-to-day operations are medical billing, human resources, and virtual receptionist/appointment setters. Outsourcing also can include business coaches, outside training for you or your staff, business strategists, etc. 

There is no time like today to get moving towards setting solid goals for your chiropractic clinic. While it is serious business, have fun and don’t forget to throw a few dreams in for long term goals. Most importantly, don’t lose sight of the very reasons you started on your path of healing others and make sure that is always the focus. You got this.

Money Tree Billing is a chiropractic billing company who removes the distraction of billing from your office so you can focus on changing lives through chiropractic care. Money Tree Billing offers complete billing cycle management through a dedicated and seamless billing process. We empower you and your team with support beyond just billing. Focus on your practice and your passion and we’ll focus on getting you paid. We GUARANTEE our work. Money Tree Billing guarantees if your insurance claim goes unpaid due to our error, that we will credit you the amount you would have been paid on that claim. You won’t find another guarantee like it in the industry. To learn more about Money Tree Billing, and our one-of-a-kind guarantee, visit www.moneytreebilling.com.