If you’re reading this article and thinking about what sales calls you will be making next week, you’re late. Your planning should have begun several weeks ago. You can plan one or two days in advance, pray that you arrive on time and hope you know what you are going to say. But who can take the chance that all might not go as planned? A two-week call plan program will not only eliminate stress but also ensure successful results. Two weeks is the absolute minimum you should allow for planning the next sales call — a call that may very well be your only opportunity to spend important face-to-face time with a potentially important referral source. It could also be your last if you…

If you missed Dr. Timothy S. Mescon’s rousing presentation at Medtrade last month, you missed a real humdinger. Dean of Kennesaw State University’s Michael J. Coles College of Business, which runs one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurship programs, Dr. Mescon unleashed 45 minutes of enthusiastic motivation for success in business. In the process, he told providers that it is possible not only to survive but to thrive — no matter what their size — in the industry’s unsettled environment. According to Dr. Mescon, the pace of change in business is increasing at an exponential, even a Malthusian, rate. He readily admits that embracing change, much less figuring out how to deal with its consequences, is a daunting challenge. In fact, just thinking about Medicare reform,…

When talking about software, the conversation usually turns to what is on the horizon. As today’s computer users, we have become feature-seekers who expect the applications we use to do wonderful things, because if we can dream it, it can happen. In health care, medical-management software has evolved from simple billing programs to complex data-management applications for a variety of operating platforms, such as Windows, and devices, such as PDAs (personal digital assistants). Barriers to the flow of electronic information between trading partners are coming down, and new uses for information and methods of distribution are being explored. So what’s next for in health care information management technology? It may include making better use of something you’re already familiar with: the Internet. Playing Catch-Up The…

A critical aspect of managing a successful home care business is knowing the quantity and quality of work being performed by your staff. This information is key in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of the employees, and in making informed decisions regarding staffing needs. Your software system can be a primary tool in monitoring and measuring performance, allowing you to collect the data you need to know to meet your goals. Armed with the right information, you can improve productivity, increase cash collections and reduce bad debt. In other words, you can lead your company to greater profitability. Setting Goals In order to obtain maximum results, goals should be established for each employee as well as for individual departments and the company as a whole….