Tip 1: Improving Patient Management
At our office, we have a missed appointment notice posted. “Missed Appointment: The Clinic discourages missed appointments and being late. If you are going to be later than 15 minutes, please call to reschedule your appointment. If a patient misses one appointment without notice, there will be a $25 charge. If a second appointment is missed, there will be a $50 charge. If a third appointment is missed without a cancellation notice, the patient will be asked to seek their skincare elsewhere.”
Here are some pearls staff can employ for improved patient management:
All patients
• Update as much information as you can over the phone when making the appointment
• Send an automated appointment reminder 2 days prior to visit
• Pull charts the day before and attach the superbills and any referral letter
• Check deductibles the day before the appointment
• At check-in:
o Notify patient of charge for no-shows and have policy signed
o Inform patient that cosmetic procedures are not covered by insurance
o Have all referrals in writing or you cannot charge a consultation code
o Copy photo ID (with physical address) on all patients because of collections
o Copy insurance card (front and back)
o Obtain cell phone number and e-mail address for emergencies
New patients
• Get all information on initial phone contact when making first appointment
• Ask new and former (not seen in 3 years) patients to arrive 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork
Returning patients
• Make sure to update information yearly
Tips for improved patient relationship management include:
• Happy birthdays noted at time of check-in
• Check obituaries daily and send sympathy card
• Stay on time
• Remember personal trait
• Make notes in the chart
Margaret Fitch, MD
Aiken, SC
Tip 2: Saline Chaser for Sclerotherapy
For any small bumps of hypertonic saline that form at the injection site, I use normal saline to dilute the sclerosant and reduce (the osmotic lysis effect in the tissue at the entry point) the likelihood of any scabs or blistering. The normal saline is injected in the dermis where the bleb is, carefully so that it does not “rinse” the spider vein being injected. Then comes onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) diffusion. After injecting onabotulinumtoxinA 0.05 to 0.1 cc, I use my thumb to diffuse the resultant intradermal (or deeper) medicine up and away from danger zones. Instead of leaving diffusion up to chance, I guide it as much as possible in the direction I want it to go.
Anna D. Guanche, MD
Calabasas, CA
Tip 3: Clinical Pearl for Irritant Lip Dermatitis
Apply zinc paste, plain petrolatum, ceramide-based lotion, or lip salve (Vanicream Lip Protect,TrueLipids, TrueLips Lip Balm), prior to (and after) brushing teeth. Because applying it after the lips have been exposed to surfactants and flavorants in toothpaste is therapeutic, prevention is needed as well.
Sharon E. Jacob, MD
Alina Goldenberg, MD
Linda Loma, CA
Tip 4: Making Patients Feel Better
When I treat adolescent women with acne, I look for an appropriate opportunity to say, “You are an attractive young women and we really want to get rid of your acne.” Like many young women they often feel unattractive and benefit from a little moral support.
Mark Crowe, MD
Puyallup, WA
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
Tip 1: Improving Patient Management
At our office, we have a missed appointment notice posted. “Missed Appointment: The Clinic discourages missed appointments and being late. If you are going to be later than 15 minutes, please call to reschedule your appointment. If a patient misses one appointment without notice, there will be a $25 charge. If a second appointment is missed, there will be a $50 charge. If a third appointment is missed without a cancellation notice, the patient will be asked to seek their skincare elsewhere.”
Here are some pearls staff can employ for improved patient management:
All patients
• Update as much information as you can over the phone when making the appointment
• Send an automated appointment reminder 2 days prior to visit
• Pull charts the day before and attach the superbills and any referral letter
• Check deductibles the day before the appointment
• At check-in:
o Notify patient of charge for no-shows and have policy signed
o Inform patient that cosmetic procedures are not covered by insurance
o Have all referrals in writing or you cannot charge a consultation code
o Copy photo ID (with physical address) on all patients because of collections
o Copy insurance card (front and back)
o Obtain cell phone number and e-mail address for emergencies
New patients
• Get all information on initial phone contact when making first appointment
• Ask new and former (not seen in 3 years) patients to arrive 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork
Returning patients
• Make sure to update information yearly
Tips for improved patient relationship management include:
• Happy birthdays noted at time of check-in
• Check obituaries daily and send sympathy card
• Stay on time
• Remember personal trait
• Make notes in the chart
Margaret Fitch, MD
Aiken, SC
Tip 2: Saline Chaser for Sclerotherapy
For any small bumps of hypertonic saline that form at the injection site, I use normal saline to dilute the sclerosant and reduce (the osmotic lysis effect in the tissue at the entry point) the likelihood of any scabs or blistering. The normal saline is injected in the dermis where the bleb is, carefully so that it does not “rinse” the spider vein being injected. Then comes onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) diffusion. After injecting onabotulinumtoxinA 0.05 to 0.1 cc, I use my thumb to diffuse the resultant intradermal (or deeper) medicine up and away from danger zones. Instead of leaving diffusion up to chance, I guide it as much as possible in the direction I want it to go.
Anna D. Guanche, MD
Calabasas, CA
Tip 3: Clinical Pearl for Irritant Lip Dermatitis
Apply zinc paste, plain petrolatum, ceramide-based lotion, or lip salve (Vanicream Lip Protect,TrueLipids, TrueLips Lip Balm), prior to (and after) brushing teeth. Because applying it after the lips have been exposed to surfactants and flavorants in toothpaste is therapeutic, prevention is needed as well.
Sharon E. Jacob, MD
Alina Goldenberg, MD
Linda Loma, CA
Tip 4: Making Patients Feel Better
When I treat adolescent women with acne, I look for an appropriate opportunity to say, “You are an attractive young women and we really want to get rid of your acne.” Like many young women they often feel unattractive and benefit from a little moral support.
Mark Crowe, MD
Puyallup, WA
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
Tip 1: Improving Patient Management
At our office, we have a missed appointment notice posted. “Missed Appointment: The Clinic discourages missed appointments and being late. If you are going to be later than 15 minutes, please call to reschedule your appointment. If a patient misses one appointment without notice, there will be a $25 charge. If a second appointment is missed, there will be a $50 charge. If a third appointment is missed without a cancellation notice, the patient will be asked to seek their skincare elsewhere.”
Here are some pearls staff can employ for improved patient management:
All patients
• Update as much information as you can over the phone when making the appointment
• Send an automated appointment reminder 2 days prior to visit
• Pull charts the day before and attach the superbills and any referral letter
• Check deductibles the day before the appointment
• At check-in:
o Notify patient of charge for no-shows and have policy signed
o Inform patient that cosmetic procedures are not covered by insurance
o Have all referrals in writing or you cannot charge a consultation code
o Copy photo ID (with physical address) on all patients because of collections
o Copy insurance card (front and back)
o Obtain cell phone number and e-mail address for emergencies
New patients
• Get all information on initial phone contact when making first appointment
• Ask new and former (not seen in 3 years) patients to arrive 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork
Returning patients
• Make sure to update information yearly
Tips for improved patient relationship management include:
• Happy birthdays noted at time of check-in
• Check obituaries daily and send sympathy card
• Stay on time
• Remember personal trait
• Make notes in the chart
Margaret Fitch, MD
Aiken, SC
Tip 2: Saline Chaser for Sclerotherapy
For any small bumps of hypertonic saline that form at the injection site, I use normal saline to dilute the sclerosant and reduce (the osmotic lysis effect in the tissue at the entry point) the likelihood of any scabs or blistering. The normal saline is injected in the dermis where the bleb is, carefully so that it does not “rinse” the spider vein being injected. Then comes onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) diffusion. After injecting onabotulinumtoxinA 0.05 to 0.1 cc, I use my thumb to diffuse the resultant intradermal (or deeper) medicine up and away from danger zones. Instead of leaving diffusion up to chance, I guide it as much as possible in the direction I want it to go.
Anna D. Guanche, MD
Calabasas, CA
Tip 3: Clinical Pearl for Irritant Lip Dermatitis
Apply zinc paste, plain petrolatum, ceramide-based lotion, or lip salve (Vanicream Lip Protect,TrueLipids, TrueLips Lip Balm), prior to (and after) brushing teeth. Because applying it after the lips have been exposed to surfactants and flavorants in toothpaste is therapeutic, prevention is needed as well.
Sharon E. Jacob, MD
Alina Goldenberg, MD
Linda Loma, CA
Tip 4: Making Patients Feel Better
When I treat adolescent women with acne, I look for an appropriate opportunity to say, “You are an attractive young women and we really want to get rid of your acne.” Like many young women they often feel unattractive and benefit from a little moral support.
Mark Crowe, MD
Puyallup, WA
Dr. Barankin is a dermatologist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is author-editor of 7 books in dermatology and is widely published in the dermatology and humanities literature.
