MY BLOG POSTS
What is it to be an American?
For me, being an American goes beyond being a citizen of the United States of America or having permanent residency in the country. Being an…
How to Avoid and Manage Patient No-Show
Everyone talks about patient no-shows. Some practices take for charge and control, some, not so much. I’m dividing the nemesis of no-shows into parts. One,…
Which is the best EMR system?
There are hundreds of EHR systems in the market today. Many of these have been around for about 10 years or more. Thousands of medical…
Practice Management Software and Workflow. What comes first?
Modify the EHR to fit your current workflow or adjust workflow according to the EHR system. What should you do? Wrong question. It is like…
Solving Problems – ask the right questions
How many times have we seen this sign in a public restroom?
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 8 – Possible Embezzlement
This week is a continuation of the high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your collections and related gross…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 7 – Poor patient receivables management (Patient A/R)
This week is a continuation of the high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your collections and related gross…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 6 – Not sending out Patient Statements
This week is a continuation of the high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your collections and related gross…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 5 – Lower collections because of poor claim filings
This week is a continuation of the high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your collections and related gross…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 4 – Front Desk Collections
Front Desk Collections As you know, I have been focusing on a high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 3 – Unpaid Receivables (A/R)
Unpaid insurance receivables (A/R): What causes them, how to address them and what following up can do As you know, I have been focusing on…
Practice financial analysis – part 2 -Decline in Reimbursement Rates
As you know, I have been focusing on a high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your collections and…
Practice Financial Analysis – Part 1 – Shift in Payer Mix
In the next few blogs, I will be focusing on a high-level financial analysis of your practice. Part of this analysis involves looking into your…
Where is the Healthcare Change?
With all the news circling around healthcare these days we are likely to be depressed or frightened. No matter what your party and political…
Everyone Needs a Coach – Even Doctors!
Ted talks have become a phenomenon.I’m sure you all have heard at least one good Ted talk. One of my favorite authors and thinkers in…
Billing Challenges to stay independent
Patti Van Zuuk is VP or Revenue Cycle Management. She manages over 68 practices and has a team of 107 at the time of this…
Patient Engagement – Best Practices – Interview
Ravi Kalidindi is the CEO of Simple Interact Inc. that provides Front Office Automation solution that helps healthcare providers improve profitability and efficiency by enabling…
Billing Services failure – One simple reason
Medical Practices outsource their billing to companies that specialize in providing such services. During my conversations with practices as well as billing service providers, I…
How to say NO as a Leader?
Here are some common places where you learn how to say NO. There are times in life and dealing with your staff when you just…
MACRA, Physician Reimbursement, and Moving beyond MIPS
Dr. Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D has just wrote a thought provoking perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine. (“Will MACRA Improve Physician Reimbursement?” April…
EHR – Hope and Reality
Seth Godin wrote very well about Hope and Reality in our lives. “Sometimes, we don’t sell what we’ve got, we sell what could be.” He…
I Resolve NOT to Resolve!
Every new year I end up making resolutions. I resolve, just like many of you to exercise, to eat better, to live a healthy life,…
Definition of a True Sales Leader
If you Google the definition of a sales leader, you will find so many scholarly articles, books, and other pieces of advice. But it all…
Procrastination – Just One thing to do
I have suffered from Procrastination all my life. I guess who hasn’t – to some extent, some more than others. I am 55 now and…
Best Way to Evaluate any Product – Ask – “And Then What Happens?”
Seth Godin’s blog below got me thinking. This is how we should evaluate software and technology products. A simple dialog can turn opinions into plans…
Obamacare Repeal / Replace – Boehner at HIMSS. Not happening?
So Mr. Boehner, the leading Republican says ‘They’re basically going to fix the flaws and put a more conservative box around it,’ Repeal and replace…
When Clients Don’t Complain: Doesn’t mean they have No Complaints!
Every company knows that the best way to get new clients and leads is through referrals. They go through a very elaborate marketing exercise of…
Apply “SOAP” when buying Health IT / EHR Systems
Patient is not always right – even when they think they have the internet and trusty Google on their side. Patient has strong ideas and…
Best EHR System: None of the Above
Who is the Best Republican Candidate? Who is the Best Democratic Candidate? Hilary Clinton versus Donald Trump? Athena versus Allscripts? eClinicalworks versus Nextgen? Free Practice…
What is the Right Question?
There is a lot going on with one of the fastest changing landscapes – Healthcare. We all have our ‘lists’. But do you have a…
The Next Big Thing
Computers – Mainframes, Desktops, Laptops, Tablets. What is the Next Big thing? Motorola Cellular phone bricks, flip phones, Nokia, Blackberry, iPhone. What is the next Big…
Marketing Effectiveness Measurement
Marketing effectiveness is traditionally measured among other things, by tracking: Twitter followers Search engine positioning for various search terms Hits, clicks, page views on website…
How Small and Solo Medical Practices Can Succeed
An Easier Time for Doctors Solo health care providers and small medical clinics face loads of challenges in a highly competitive marketplace. Some issues facing…
How to have a Happy Vendor? You read it right – vendor, not customer!
Good vendors are hard to find and great vendors are even more so – so when you have a great vendor you do not want…
TRUST IT Act – Establish New Rating System – Compare Health IT (EHR/EMR) Products
According to a press release from Senator Whitehouse and Cassidy: “U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen…
EHR Alert Fatigue – Solution: Workflow
So much as been written about EHR Alert Fatigue. Here is how HealthcareITnews defines it: “Alert fatigue arises when so many different systems – from…
AdvancedMD to be acquired by Marlin Equity Partners (from ADP)
What does EHR merger and acquisition activity mean for providers?
The latest in a series of M&A activity related to EHR companies is AdvancedMD, which is being acquired by Marlin Equity Partners. In other words, ADP is dumping AdvancedMD.
I was surprised when ADP acquired an EHR company and I wrote about it. Before it became AdvancedMD, it was called PracticeOne. What will it be called now?
Lopsided Content Marketing Expectations – Myths and Misconceptions
I was privy to an interesting conversation between heads of Sales and Marketing at a Health IT company. Both had several years of experience and…
EMR Marketing is B2C – not B2B
For most Ambulatory EMR / EHR Vendors that sell to small clinics (less than 10 providers), marketing is geared as if it is a B2B…
Branding, Awareness, Traffic and Lead Generation – which comes first?
We’ve been told Branding and Awareness creation is expensive. Advertising is expensive. Digital Marketing (email, SEO etc.) is not. We look for quick fixes, and…
The Business of Medical Practice – 80/20 Rule – the new Paradigm
Times have changed. Private clinics are under financial pressure with decreasing reimbursements and increasing costs and overheads. Yet, there is a way to float above the rest and not only survive but do well. There is a new paradigm.
Top 4 Questions to ask a Prospect when selling EMR Software
ou’ve done a fantastic job of presenting your Software.. Even before you did the presentation and demonstration, you engaged the provider and his/her team to ask about their practice, including their aspirations and afflictions.
It is the inevitable question that comes at the end of every demonstration and presentation – asking for the order, or finding out what next?
How often should you communicate with your Clients?
I get this question a lot from my clients – how often should I communicate with my clients? The answer is always – as often as they would like. The problem is, how do you know that?
Here’s what I found from my mobile carrier Sprint.
How to Reinvent yourself to use EMR Software?
I read a very interesting article on HBR (Harvard Business Review) – “How to Reinvent Yourself After 50“. An article by Dorie Clark, the author…
Focused Branding
Brand building is often misunderstood by companies that want to increase their visibility, leads and therefore sales. Branding is not about advertising your company or…
They get the leads, We’re better, but They won.
Throughout history we see better products lose, You may have a better product, great people, excellent infrastructure, but the competitor seems to get the most attention and traffic.
Why is that? Why doesn’t the world get it?
When your Leads are down, Nurturing may be the only way to increase Sales
How often do you hear about EHR Companies generating plenty of leads, but closing very few of them? If you are able to generate a lot of leads, that’s a good start though. But it is sadly true that many EHR companies close at a very low ratio.
Whose fault is it – Marketing or Sales? Usually, it is both.
- Marketing department does not qualify leads adequately before giving them to sales.
- Sales people become desperate because their sales are down and pipeline does not look healthy.
What is the solution
Un-Marketing your EHR
EHR Companies hire me to help increase leads, Period.
Isn’t that the goal of marketing?
Leads can be increased in so many different ways. The fundamental aspect of this is to create awareness of your company, brand and product. The challenge of course is to do this with a limited budget, limited resources and existing product.
EMR Failure – Be a Leader
I could not understand why the same software and same vendor was successful with some practices (I should say most practices) whereas others fail?
Single reason for EMR Failure – Lack of Leadership
Classic differences between CRM and Marketing Automation (MA) software
On surface, they seem to be the same, but there are some fundamental differences from a business, departmental, architectural and pricing perspective.
Support is not a cost center, it is a Profit Center
Support is not a cost center, it’s a profit center. Treating customers with urgency and clarity and respect (maintaining the chain) is more urgent than ever. But companies are busy measuring time on the phone or cost per hour of support people instead of even trying to measure customer churn.
EHR Marketing and Social Media
I’ve been asked so many times – We are an EHR company, what should our Social Media strategy be?
My answer is very simple – for an Ambulatory EHR vendor, the impact o your earnings is really nothing. Any amount of activity on Facebook or Twitter does not yield any new revenue.
Every Customer / Client / Patient is a Content Creator and Content Writer
As someone said, the media world is ‘customer-made’s’ coal mine canary. We are seeing a revolution in the world of user-generated content – Pinterest, Youtube etc.
Customers and clients are human beings and have the same afflictions as others. Somehow the business world does not think of them that way.
What can you do?
Hubspot, Marketo, Eloqua: New data shows marketing automation market share in unprecedented detail
A very interesting article published on Venturebeat. A report was published by Datanyze on their website – here. Nothing wrong with the analysis or the…
How to be Personal with Marketing Automation
Marketing Automation is now taking off with small business owners. These sophisticated tools are now within reach of small entrepreneurs.
The biggest barrier to entry is not price, it is psychology. The word Automation is scaring people away.
Mass Marketing – ‘All the same’
Seth Godin has highlighted a very important issue I try to explain when I consult with Healthcare IT marketing folks about Marketing Automation. See his…
Heartbleed Security Vulnerability and EHR Systems
My son sent me a very detailed email that is so important I had to share it.
Those of you who are tech savvy will have read about this, but for those of you haven’t read about it, please pay attention, as this is extremely important.
Search Vs. Discovery – Seth Godin
A very thought provoking blog today from Seth Godin – Search vs. Discovery. “Discovery, on the other hand, is what happens when the universe (or…
Lead Nurturing is more than Just Email marketing
Companies who nurture leads generate a better ROI. In fact, research shows that 20% more opportunities are created by companies that nurture their leads, vs.…
Top 3 Reasons EMR / EHR Sales Needs Marketing Automation
Buying Process and Buyer’s expectations A typical buyer goes through three sages. Awareness Consideration Decision Each of these main stages has three further steps View…
How to Stand out in a Crowded Me-Too EMR and EHR Market?
American spirit and Innovation never ceases to amaze me. I just receive a call from an entrepreneur. The claim – ‘a better EMR that can…
Want more Leads? Tell me what leads you Don’t Want
People think I’m crazy when I ask them to tell me the type of leads they don’t want first. It is not enough to talk…
Reaching for the Healthcare Stars
A thought provoking article by Lucien Engelen – Director Radboud Reshape Center at Radboud University Medical Center. Read Here. A Moonshot – Reaching the Stars, an…
You know Healthcare IT is Lagging when…
Is Healthcare IT Lagging? That’s a rhetorical question. If you disagree, consider this: Doctor’s office has no automated way of knowing what is the patient’s…
Free is Never an Answer for EMR and EHR Software
Lowering your Price – or even making it free – is not the only way to increase market share or revenue. Offering Free trial of…
Creating Content for EHR Companies
So many of my clients ask me about content. They know the importance of good content. But there are two problems. They don’t have in-house…
Viral Marketing
There are many names for viral marketing. Buzz marketing or WOM – word-of-mouth marketing are other names. Its common metric is ‘pass-along’ rate. Viral marketing…
Using Marketing Automation to increase Conversion Rates – part 2
A very important element of moving sales qualified leads down the funnel is ‘engagement’. Marketing must design, create and build professional landing pages, sophisticated email…
Using Marketing Automation to Increase Conversion Rates
Before we talk about conversion rates, it is important to understand the definition of a Lead. When Marketing and Sales work together to create a…
EMR and EHR Companies – Dime a Dozen – How to Compete?
I don’t need to tell you how fierce EMR/EHR competition is. You’ve all felt the pressure. Most vendors I speak with have come to the…
5 Ways to create great content that generates leads
There are so many ways to write content but following are common things to keep in mind that will have a higher likelihood of helping…
Are Physicians ‘Cheap’?
This goes back to the days in 70’s up to early 90’s. Doctors could make good money without having to bother about things that you…
What’s (Facebook) App Disaster
We have all read by now about the impending WhatsApp acquisition for $16 or $19 Billion, whatever the final number. We clearly know what Facebook…
Marketing Performance – Three Requirements
When you scan Marketing Director/VP/CMO Job openings you find the following list of ‘requirements’ – Increase Sales leads Increase Brand awareness Create and Manage Social…
Don’t Fire your Marketing director, Fire Yourself.
I don’t think there is a study out there that shows the average Job life expectancy of a Marketing Director. A quick informal LinkedIn scan…
Social Media is NOT Media
Social Media implies ‘media’. Media means – ‘Push’. Traditionally, media is a way to push your message out through various channels, be it television, newspapers,…
Customer Evangelism is a Goal that Never Happens
You have read about, attended some talks and to a large extent agree with creating Customer Evangelists. I have looked at most EHR Software companies.…
Who are your EMR Software customers?
Read this blog from Seth Godin. A very innocent sounding title. All you need to do is to run a report from your CRM. Who…
Content is no longer King in Healthcare – It is much Bigger
content-is-king Healthcare and content marketing is a heaven made marriage. Good Content creates empathy, strengthens relationships and supports healthcare providers on their journey and quest…
Can’t Ignore Marketing Automation, but beware, it’s non-trivial
Christmas is time to avoid business talk but sometimes you just can’t avoid it when you meet someone that is as passionate as you are…
Predicting EHR Software Buyer Behavior – Lead Generation
EMR and EHR Software Lead Generation has become a hot topic among EMR software marketing companies. The reason is simple – the market is limited…
Sales by Listening
Marketing is about Trust. Never forget that. It starts with a primary seed of credibility. When prospects like what they see, next instinct is to…
You cannot ignore Marketing Automation Systems
Revenues for B2B marketing automation systems will grow 50% to reach $750 million in 2013, according to Raab Associates’ recently released B2B Marketing Automation Vendor…
Small is Beautiful – Really.
It has been a while since I’ve seen a blog post that was so short yet, so powerful that it made me think and I…
Great Customer Experiences are Hard to come by
I was at a Michelin Star Restaurant in Manhattan yesterday with my family. We wanted to go to this place since one year, something or…
How to Increase EMR Website Conversion?
Have you gone to the ONC HIT Website lately – to check how many systems are certified (Both 2011 and 2014) for Ambulatory Practices? I just…
Best EMR Software in the Market – Who is it?
There is probably not one EMR software vendor that truly believes theirs is NOT the Best EMR software in the market. And oh yes,…
Can’t compete with Free? Think again.
Consultants and experts will tell you one of the ways to compete with Free is to make and offer something better; a better product, better…
Don’t Generate Leads – Let Leads find you
The number one question people ask me is, how can you help us generate more leads? While all companies must explore ways to generate more…
Monotonous EMR Software Demos Lose Sales
If your Demo to Sales ratio is less than 14%, you need to read on. Have you wondered why some of your salespeople close better…
Excel in Customer Service by Firing Clients?
An article by Seth Godin was an eye opener. Let me explain. We always say – if there are bad clients, fire them. The problem…
3 Simple Steps to Lead Nurturing
I’ve written about Lead Nurturing before. In very simple terms, it show you how build a relationship with prospects that are not ready to buy…
How to Avoid Commoditization of your EMR Product?
Companies can avoid Commoditization of EMR/EHR software and services by creating value through memorable experiences. This shift cannot happen overnight. Before it filters to sales,…
Why Evangelistic Customer Loyalty Works – Learn How.
Loyal Customers are frequently called ‘Evangelists’ of your business. Not too different from being indoctrinated promoters of your business. This is the most effective method…
All Companies Need to do this
*A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.The store-owner observed and listened…
People are NOT Rational
Love this post from Seth Godin. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/08/your-first-mistake-is-assuming-that-people-are-rational.html Your first mistake might be assuming that people are rational Your second mistake could be assuming that people…
Customer Loyalty – A review
There’s a new book by Author Jackie Huba – Monster Loyalty: How Lady Gaga Turns Followers into Fanatics. There’s lot to learn about EMR Marketing…
Retention versus Loyalty
I have frequently talked about differentiators in the cluttered EMR / EHR Space. I have advocated that your unique differentiators are right under your nose,…
Higher EMR Sales = Increasing Leads + Nurturing
Traditionally, increasing EMR / EHR software sales is equated to increasing total number of leads. The most common question I get asked is, ‘How can…
How to Shine with Customer Service
A Company’s moment to shine is not when everything is good, but when something goes wrong and you fix it. You may have the best…
Branding does not have to be expensive
For Doctors, your EMR Brand is both a shortcut and an insurance policy. It assures them that they can expect certain qualities from your EMR and/or…
Marketing Frequency – Curse? Not Necessarily
This morning’s blog from one of the Marketing Gurus I respect – Seth Godin, is worth reading. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/06/the-curse-of-frequency.html This blog is related to a topic…
Shortcut to more EMR Leads – what’s the plan?
The number one thing people ask me is ‘how can you increase leads’? Everyone wants a shortcut to success, a way to have doctors start…
EMR Marketing Automation and Sales
I just got the results of an automated ‘drip marketing’ campaign I had put in place a while ago. What I found was interesting. When…
Marketing Automation; in Moderation
There are four essential pillars to your EMR sales. Sales Marketing CRM Automation Selling is more complex than ever before. You need more sophisticated tools.…
Can we completely automate E&M Coding in EMR systems?
Another thought provoking article by my friend John – here. E&M Coding guidelines are so old. They’re from 1995 and 1997. If we look at…
Why is your EHR/EMR different?
Doctors, providers ask you this simple question. Do you have an answer? Of course you do – Best Technology, leading edge technology Strong backend Best…
EMR / EHR Marketing Challenges and Best Practices
Best Practices for Marketing your EMR / EHR Product. Listen to my interview with Jim Tate of ‘HitechAnswers‘. Download the Broadcast http://www.healthcarenowradio.com/download/mu-live-may-14-2013/
Onus is on you – Mr. Vendor
My son was talking about how many people are leaving the company he works for. It is clear the management is oblivious to what is…
EMR Benefit – Eliminate Staff – Really?
My friend John has written a very thought provoking blog – http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2013/04/30/ehr-benefit-eliminate-staff/ This is not a new topic. It has been beaten around since the…
Do you have the courage?
The fight is heating up – again. Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as it is called. There are ardent followers and opponents. You may find…
EHR Lead Generation – Create “Tribes”
The number one concern and reason why my EMR/EHR vendor clients talk to me is because they have seen a significant drop in number of…
“Blogging is like Sex”
“The bottom line is that blogging is like sex. You can’t fake it. You can’t fake passion. you can’t fake wanting to engage with the…
Strangers vs Prospects
Strangers vs prospects The dictionary definition of a stranger is “a person unaccustomed or unacquainted with something”, in this instance, your products or services. On…
Do you sell what your clients Want?
There is a very simple formula for success. Yet, it is the biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make. You have to follow a very simple principle…
Mitochon FREE Web based EMR – now EMO?
http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2013/02/27/an-interview-with-mitochon-about-their-recently-launched-emo-electronic-medical-office/ I’m sorry, consider me a Skeptic, but I just don’t see the business model. I’ve run EMR companies, I know the costs of maintaining…
Survey – One-fifth of Physicians may switch EMR Software
http://www.emrandhipaa.com/katherine/2013/02/26/one-fifth-of-physician-practices-might-switch-emrs/comment-page-1/#comment-171759 This is a topic I have been aware of and following since last one year when I have seen a rise in ‘switchers’. The…
Kareo Adds Free EHR (web-based EMR they acquired from Epocrates) with their Billing Software.
I saw this news this past week and was mulling over the implications. http://www.emrandehrnews.com/2013/02/20/kareo-buys-epocrates-ehr/ Is this a game changer? I think the biggest company that…
All EMR’s Are The Same…
Here’s what I keep on hearing. “I’ve looked at so many systems, they’re all the same – just tell me how much is yours…” I…
Marketing Groupthink Trap
Irving Janis, a research psychologist from Yale University published a very influential book in 1972 that provided initial research on groupthink. EHR Companies have fallen…
EMR Software sales – the biggest challenge for Vendors is Leads
2012 is Over. How should we call it for EMR? Was it a good year? From who’s perspective? From Providers’ perspective, it was mixed. The EMR…
Allscripts news – No surprises.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-28/allscripts-said-to-be-exploring-possible-sale “Allscripts said to be exploring possible sales…” Why does this not come as a surprise? To industry watchers and participants; both vendors and providers,…
Is Traditional Marketing Dead?
There was an interesting article on Harvard Business Review – HBR – “Marketing Is Dead“, by Bill Lee on August 9, 2012. I don’t fully…
You may be a great Physician but are you a Leader?
You may not think so, but more people are leaders in the business sense than they realize. You need to understand how you lead…
Top 5 ICD 10 Pitfalls
What are the top 5 ICD-10 challenges? http://www.emrandhipaa.com/emr-and-hipaa/2011/12/30/top-five-icd-10-pitfalls-top-10-health-it-list-series/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EmrAndHipaa+%28EMR+and+HIPAA%29
Meaningful Use Stage 2 Delayed
HHS announced recently that Stage 2 of Meaningful Use has been postponed effectively, to 2014. HHS encourages providers who have been waiting until 2012 to…
EMR Demand not exciting
HHS announced an easing of the timeline for hospitals and eligible providers to meet Stage II of the government EHR incentive program. This makes State…
Free EMR Software
I have been trying for a long time to really understand the dynamics of a free EMR, both from a business perspective as well as…
EMR Marketing and Sales
I was just speaking to a colleague in the EMR / EHR industry about EMR sales. Are doctors buying EMR in the small ambulatory practice…
Steve Jobs, Apple, Leadership, Marketing and everything else…
Since Steve Jobs’ departure as CEO of Apple, the news (internet, print media and TV) is abuzz with views and opinions. The one article that…
Title
My name is Chandresh J. Shah. I help Small Businesses eliminate prospecting and Ad waste with Publicity and Guerilla Marketing. Increasing sales today requires different…