Posted by: AtlasMD

September 15, 2017

The Value Proposition You Don’t Value Enough.

Value Proposition for Direct Care PracticesWe talk a lot about value added propositions. Here, here and here for example. As you probably already know, we’re referring to the value you bring to your patients. Your value comes in many shapes and sizes – your flexible schedule and extended appointment times, your ability to open your doors at almost any time, your willingness to answer the phone, email, text, or video call at all hours, not to mention your steadfast devotion to saving your patients money at every turn.

But there’s one piece of value you offer your patients that, whether they say it out loud or not, is actually invaluable to them.

You put the power back in their hands.

It starts at the top. The freedom to opt out of a convoluted healthcare system held together by red tape is liberating in itself, but the benefits just keep coming. Nobody’s telling them what to do. No insurance or third party regulations of which the fine print must be scoured. Your patients do their research, and weigh what Direct Care offers against the alternative. The choice is theirs. They make the decision, and they can feel good about the consequence.

Because after they sign up, they see that the power stays in their hands. Read more

Posted by: AtlasMD

March 28, 2017

Free Practice Management Consulting. Yup, We Do That.

You’re on an adventure. You might be just starting out. Or maybe you’re already into the woods. Your adventure is thrilling, satisfying, and a little bit scary.

The fun parts are fun. Really fun.

But do you ever wish you had a sounding board during the scary parts? Someone to help you weed through the tough stuff until it, too, becomes fun? Someone to bounce ideas off of to make sure you’re headed the right direction? Or get you unstuck from a problem you didn’t even know existed? Someone who knows how to help you reach your goal because they’ve helped other DPC practices do the very same thing?

It’s practice management consulting. It exists. It’s available to you. It’s free. Get all that?

It exists because we’ve done the leg work…and we’ve seen how helpful relying on the experience of those who have gone before you truly is.

It’s available to you because you’re passionate about Direct Care. We are, too.

It’s free because nobody on this end is interested in anything other than your success…and we don’t think you should have to pay for doing things right.

So, let’s talk about what practice management consulting really is, and what makes it so valuable to you. Aside from the fact that others charge hundreds of dollars for this information, and you’re getting it for free…

What’s Practice Management Consulting?

Practice management consulting is exactly what it sounds like – help managing your Direct Care practice. In every way, shape and form. You went to medical school and now you’re running every aspect of a business. It makes perfect sense that you don’t know everything there is to know about everything! It also makes perfect sense that you’ll need or want some help along the way. So whether it’s the accounting part you’re struggling with, or the marketing and sales part, or maybe the HR part, practice management consulting addresses even the smallest aspects of all of it. Read more

Posted by: AtlasMD

March 16, 2016

Bringing Hospitality to Healthcare: An Introduction

Hospitality01

Hospitality. A noun. It means “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.” It’s being nice. It’s treating people with kindness whether you know them or not. It’s going above and beyond to exceed expectations. Make sure people are taken care of. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Literally, who wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that? 

It’s sad how little we actually see hospitality in action, though. We complain about its absence all the time. At the grocery store when the checkout person tosses our goods to the bagger and we’re just sure the pretzels have been crushed into teeny tiny bits. At the drive-through window, when the employee barely looks you in the eye as he hands you your drink… which happens to be dripping down the side… and then all over your hands. On the road when the kid on his cell phone pulls out in front of you without looking twice – or once for that matter. At the Dr.’s office as you’re shuffled in and out the door like you’re just another pretty face.

Think about each of these situations and how they make you feel. The lasting impact they have on you. Your mood. How you treat others as a result. It’s a slippery slope, and it all starts with hospitality. As a DPC doc, you can’t do much about most of those situations… except the last one. That might be the hardest one to remedy, too. The healthcare community isn’t taught how to be nice, so we tend to come off a little rough around the edges. You might also argue that while you didn’t go to school to fill out paperwork, you certainly didn’t go to school to learn how to schmooze and blow smoke, either. Read more