Business Insight Presented by Arlington Dermatology Is the patient always right? We see various patients from all demographic ranges and residences, various skin and immune system problems, and various insurance or non- insurance circumstances. Many of our patients come to see us multiple times due to the chronic type of a disease, requiring not only many visits but often life-long treatment. Some visits include procedures some are strictly consultations, with no surgical involvement. Every time we schedule an appointment, we ask the reason for it and we make notes in order to prepare the staff and providers to have sufficient room and time. A large portion of our patients, regardless of age and insurance, do not know the benefits their plans offer. Hardly ever, do we see a patient telling us in advance that they need a referral. In most cases, we find it out when they actually come to the office. Not knowing benefits not only places a question mark on who will pay for the visit. It also questions whether the procedures we might do are covered at all. Patients assume we have that knowledge and, in many cases, we do. Medicare Part B plan is very clear I see it different than my billing staff and, about what and how is covered so we can prepare ahead of time. But even Medicare has restrictions and we might know them but patients do not. Wwhat further complicates the situation is that patients do not want to accept the rules. For compromising my attention and time for instance, surgical procedures must not be done at once, grouped. They have to be separated with a certain amount of time between them. Patients get upset because they do not want to come several times valid: simply, if nobody will pay for some and would prefer to have it all done at can offer something that would resolve this matter? Not really. I said it was complex. So, as a clinician, further, different than any other patient. While I never know who and how much will pay me for what I do because it is a job of my administrators, I do care about each patient equally and I do not like one patient and giving it to the other one. But I also do not like refusing services to patients. And the insurance situation is separated from clinical issues but equally of the services, my clinic will go out of business soon. And, as over 50% of my once. Can we accommodate them? Are they patients are Medicare, we have no choice always right to request that? The answers are complex and depend on situations. First, the insurance will not pay for it all. More than likely, they will pay for the first procedure and not for any others. Secondly, patients will probably refuse to pay out of pocket so we will have some billing issues impossible to resolve. Thirdly, doing multiple procedures at the same time will take much, much longer than a regular visit so other patients will fall behind and we will end up spending partners. And partners compromise. Can less time with them. Can we fix it? Is there any way our staff but to follow their administrative rules, even if patients do not like them. So what can we do? What can I do and how can my staff help? How can we make our patients always happy? This would be my intention to always have them happy but not all the answers we give them will work towards that. The best we can do is to educate and compromise. For well over 20 years of practicing medicine, I have always said that my patients are my we? Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight Presented by Arlington Dermatology Is the patient always right? We see various patients from all demographic ranges and residences, various skin and immune system problems, and various insurance or non- insurance circumstances. Many of our patients come to see us multiple times due to the chronic type of a disease, requiring not only many visits but often life-long treatment. Some visits include procedures some are strictly consultations, with no surgical involvement. Every time we schedule an appointment, we ask the reason for it and we make notes in order to prepare the staff and providers to have sufficient room and time. A large portion of our patients, regardless of age and insurance, do not know the benefits their plans offer. Hardly ever, do we see a patient telling us in advance that they need a referral. In most cases, we find it out when they actually come to the office. Not knowing benefits not only places a question mark on who will pay for the visit. It also questions whether the procedures we might do are covered at all. Patients assume we have that knowledge and, in many cases, we do. Medicare Part B plan is very clear I see it different than my billing staff and, about what and how is covered so we can prepare ahead of time. But even Medicare has restrictions and we might know them but patients do not. Wwhat further complicates the situation is that patients do not want to accept the rules. For compromising my attention and time for instance, surgical procedures must not be done at once, grouped. They have to be separated with a certain amount of time between them. Patients get upset because they do not want to come several times valid: simply, if nobody will pay for some and would prefer to have it all done at can offer something that would resolve this matter? Not really. I said it was complex. So, as a clinician, further, different than any other patient. While I never know who and how much will pay me for what I do because it is a job of my administrators, I do care about each patient equally and I do not like one patient and giving it to the other one. But I also do not like refusing services to patients. And the insurance situation is separated from clinical issues but equally of the services, my clinic will go out of business soon. And, as over 50% of my once. Can we accommodate them? Are they patients are Medicare, we have no choice always right to request that? The answers are complex and depend on situations. First, the insurance will not pay for it all. More than likely, they will pay for the first procedure and not for any others. Secondly, patients will probably refuse to pay out of pocket so we will have some billing issues impossible to resolve. Thirdly, doing multiple procedures at the same time will take much, much longer than a regular visit so other patients will fall behind and we will end up spending partners. And partners compromise. Can less time with them. Can we fix it? Is there any way our staff but to follow their administrative rules, even if patients do not like them. So what can we do? What can I do and how can my staff help? How can we make our patients always happy? This would be my intention to always have them happy but not all the answers we give them will work towards that. The best we can do is to educate and compromise. For well over 20 years of practicing medicine, I have always said that my patients are my we? Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net