Organizing your Reporting

“Organizing Your Office Reporting”
It’s what the MD hears that’s the problem

One of the critical components of building relationships with the medical community is your ability to showcase what you do and the results you get.  I spoke with an Internist the other day and we discussed his exposure to chiropractic. He mentioned that he almost NEVER gets a report from the chiropractor, and when his patients come in, he really has no idea that they are under chiropractic care.  Interestingly enough he related to me that he only hears about chiropractic when “It doesn’t work”. I was intrigued by that statement and it actually makes a lot of sense.  All the successful chiropractic cases are resolved and the patient rarely if ever discusses this with the MD.  They are there to discuss concerns and problems, so the success of chiropractic gets left in the dust.  On the other hand, when the patient continues with their problem they discuss their continued lower back pain, the MD will ask what they have tried.  They say “chiropractic” and the MD opens the chart to look at why they may have failed chiropractic care and there is no note.  The patient asks, “Didn’t you get a note from my chiropractor?”  This does not meet the “expectation” of the MD.  You become invisible, and your referrals will reflect that invisibility.  To become visible, you need to report.   Visibility is directly proportional to referrals…you get the idea.  So how do we correct that?  WE REPORT….simple, simple, simple.

Setting up the system to do this is easy and should be driven by your staff.  In the previous Consultation I discussed CC (carbon copying) to everyone involved in the current care of the patient.  In my office I have a wireless printer right at the front desk that I can print to from any treatment room.  I do this with imaging orders/referrals, specialist referrals, work excuses and new/re-evaluation reports.  These are all saved in the EMR and we can go back to reprint anything at any time (any reprints are completed by staff).  I do it ONCE and it meets the needs of everyone.  A wireless printer is very inexpensive and I carry a laptop that I purchased for $450.00.  My EMR connects through the internet so I don’t need a fancy computer.  I then created templates that include the Language of Ordering Tests that is found in the Forms and Communication Materials section of the Members section.  Remember, a MRI prescription pad from the imaging facility is NOT AN ORDER for the test!  “Orders” are a very short but detailed report documenting your clinical rationale for the order, essentially why it is medically necessary.  That covers your butt and allows the imaging facility to be properly reimbursed.  

If your state requires you to refer back to the Primary or specialist you still need to do the order and then fax it to the MD’s office.  You have now created an Order and the MD now knows why the test is necessary.  If you can order imaging in your state DO IT…I talk to too many DCs around the country that don’t write the order themselves they send it to the medical specialist.  Don’t be invisible, take control of ordering and referring and you will grow.  Report properly and efficiently and you with grow FAST!{jcomments on}