Posted by: AtlasMD

February 13, 2015

Business Insider: Why Your Doctor is Always Late.

Twenty minutes goes fast. Really fast.

So fast, in fact, that in the blink of a eye 20 minutes will vanish in the course of an already busy day. It takes a lot to stay on schedule in 20 minute increments, and only a little to throw a string of 20 minute time slots completely off course. (Pee fast!)

Welcome to the life of a physician who begins her day knowing there’s a very high probability her timeliness will derail halfway through the morning.

In a recent article published on Business Insider, “Dr. Tardy” outlines part of her day, giving examples of the types of patients she sees and the time it takes to care for them well. Through the interruptions, mishaps, and even some unexpected generous gaps to make up for lost time, she demonstrates that real patient care can’t be scheduled in 20 minute slots.

Dr. Tardy explains that she tries her hardest to “do the right thing for her patients, tries to take the time to listen without making them feel rushed.” And maybe that’s true. But what if she didn’t have to try so hard? Think how different her day would be if she knew she had 45 minutes (at least!) with each patient. If, when she needed to call a patient to explain the urgency behind an impending trip to the ER, that call wasn’t interfering with her next patient.

Hmmm… Dr. Tardy needs to be introduced to Direct Primary Care, where patient care is put above all else. The thing is, traditional medical practices say that, too – that patients come first. At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words, which is why the DPC business model is built around patient care rather than patients being squeezed into an impossibly tight schedule in a feeble attempt to keep their doors open.

In a world where a patient being 15 minutes late doesn’t derail the day, Dr. Tardy could change her name to Dr. Timely.

Read the full article over here on Business Insider. >

Posted by: AtlasMD

February 9, 2015

Healthcare Informatics: Healthcare Should Be More Like Amazon

David Chou was recently interviewed for a piece at Healthcare Informatics about how the healthcare industry should take a hint from the internet giant Amazon “in order to achieve patient engagement.”

Chou’s reasoning for using analytics to understand patient behavior and patterns is proactive, and indicative of what Direct Care believes should be the standard. He says “We need to project what issues each patient is going to have.”

But to gain the data, technology must be embraced more than it is today – by both patients and healthcare workers. According to the 2014 HIMSS Analytics Mobile Devices Study, it looks like we’re on the right track!

“Interest in telehealth is growing among providers, which could help keep patients out of the hospital. In addition, more than 50 percent of U.S. hospitals are using smartphones and/or tablets and 69 percent of clinicians are using both a desktop/laptop and a smartphone/tablet to access data.”

So how do we continue this trend? Chou says it’s all about changing behavior.

“I think it’s not what they need to know, it’s changing their behavior and how they practice medicine. They do get called for emergencies, but when that [engagement] floodgate opens you know the patient is going to [contact] the doctor anytime they have concerns. It won’t have to be urgent. So it’s a behavior change more than anything. Most of the physicians they know how to use technology. Everyone has text messaging. Everyone knows how to use two-way communications applications. It’s not that they don’t know what they’re doing, it’s just not on a professional manner.”

Click here to read the full interview, which also includes Chou’s thoughts on how patient-generated data can be useful for doctors.

Posted by: AtlasMD

February 3, 2015

An Open Invitation to Be Brilliant.

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To all the docs in a traditional practice who feel trapped. To all the physicians who wrap up each day feeling exhausted, buried behind mountains of paperwork. To all those former med students who thought there would be more patient in patient care.

It’s your turn. 

Your turn to be who you always wanted to be. Provide the kind of patient care you always imagined. Run the practice you always dreamed of. Your turn to be brilliant.

Direct Care is waiting for you, and making the transition isn’t all that difficult. Truth be told, neither is starting your own practice. There are lots of people who want direct care. And lots of people who support it, too.

So before you succumb to the desire to sell tupperware, there are a few things you should know. The way it’s been doesn’t have to be the way it is. Patients want personalized medicine as much as you want to provide it. And finally, change is not only possible, but happening around the country this very minute.

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 28, 2015

Yahoo! Finance: Concierge Model is Good Medicine for Subspecialists and Their Patients

The Direct Care business model is for more than family practice. According to Yahoo! Finance, it’s perfect for subspecialists, too, including cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, pediatrics and OB GYN practices.

Leading cardiologist John R. Levinson, MD, PhD, founder of the country’s first concierge subspecialty practice, AllCare Medical, LLC, in Boston, says: “Those specialties where patients have a longitudinal relationship with their doctor to work on chronic problems are an ideal fit for the concierge model.  If you’re the kind of cardiologist who helps patients work on chronic valve disease, coronary disease, or other areas of preventive cardiology, a concierge practice vastly improves your ability to provide the very best care for each and every patient.”

But it’s more than just a good business plan. It’s a good choice for a better quality of life from a provider’s point of view. Michael Friedlander, Principal at national healthcare consulting firm Specialdocs, even went so far as to say that physicians who have adopted the model have “taken their professional lives back.” Dr. Levinson knows firsthand just how good life can be inside the proverbial walls of Direct Care.

“It’s staggering what a change it has made,” asserts Dr. Levinson. “I’m unbelievably happy doing what I’m doing.”

Read the full article over here on Yahoo! Finance. >

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 27, 2015

The Atlas.md iOS Patient Portal Launched to the Masses

After a successful trial period of the Atlas.md iOS Patient Portal, access to invite patients to the app is now enabled for all accounts.

The portal connects you with your patients, making it easier than ever for them to communicate with you. They can reach out at their convenience, pay their bills and manage other billing details, and set and manage appointments – right from their iPhone or iPod Touch.

For more information about how to invite patients and get them set up with the patient portal app, be sure to jump over to the support section and read all about it. 

 

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 26, 2015

A Rose By Any Other Name…

Call it what you want: concierge medicine, fixed-fee agreements, retainer medicine, membership medicine, or cash-only practice. Direct Care is reducing costs, making more sense for families than ever before – and Michigan is taking steps to keep this business model around.

According to the Michigan Capital Confidential, “Medical retainer agreements between physicians and patients will not be considered “insurance” in Michigan under a recently passed bill signed into law on Jan. 15 by Gov. Rick Snyder. The idea is to ensure that this innovative way for families to obtain routine medical services at lower costs will not be stifled by the extensive state regulatory structure currently imposed on conventional health insurance policies that cover expensive non-routine care.”

The idea that Direct Care results in higher quality medical care is becoming more widely accepted. It works for patients, who enjoy perks like shorter wait times, longer appointments, and actual one-on-one attention as well as physicians. Jack McHugh, legislative analyst with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy agrees everyone wins with this business plan. “What’s not to like about a very inexpensive relationship that covers all your family’s routine health care needs with no burdensome insurance paperwork, copays and bureaucracy? This can be liberating for doctors too, who are freed up to focus purely on patients’ needs rather than insurance company and bureaucrats’ needs.”

Read the full article for more information on Senate Bill 1033, now Public Act 552 of 2014, as well as the guidelines for being considered a “medical retainer agreement.” >

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 22, 2015

The Art of Feedback. Yes, We Said “Art.”

Words are powerful, there’s no doubt about it. As a physician you learn a fair amount about bedside manner in school. And you gain valuable experience through every day application. You may think you have the art of feedback perfected, but as a Direct Care doc you have the ability to connect with patients on a deeper level than you would through a traditional practice. It’s partially why you’re in Direct Care to begin with; you wanted the opportunity to practice patient-centric medicine.

That means providing feedback that will actually be useful and yup, you guessed it, constructive. Providing feedback in a way that opens the doors for honest improvement does more than invigorate someone to better themselves. It builds trust.

“Think about it: is there anything more invigorating than knowing there are people who want to help you become your best self? It starts with how we interact with one another. Words can hit and bounce off people or they can be planted like a seed. Even the raise of an eyebrow or the wrong tone can extinguish a desire to learn, stirring anxiety and a fear of failure.” – HelpScout

Aside from our own interactions with patients, we frequently deal with feedback when handling support for the Atlas.md EMR. We know firsthand how much weight a note carrying an attitude has. Alternatively, kind words and thoughtful suggestions go a long way toward the effort we’re willing to put in to make our users happy.

Believe it or not, there’s formula for constructing feedback, and it’s something we should all keep in mind each time we interact with a patient, a support team, or anyone we’re critiquing. We highly recommend reading this article from HelpScout for more details. After all, when is it ever a bad idea to choose positivity over negativity?

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 21, 2015

Skate Where the Puck’s Going, Not Where it’s Been.

If you know anything at all about hockey, you know that in order to survive in the game, you must think proactively. It’s the same with most sports, actually. To receive the pass, you go where the object you’re receiving is going – not where it’s already been.

It’s the most basic of principles, and it applies to medicine, too. The ACA is around to stay for a while – that’s just the way of it. So to prevent a giant ball from being dropped, Direct Care is taking it upon itself to show patients where the industry should go in order to catch the pass that is healthcare.

It’s this kind of proactive thinking that is leading docs around the country to open up Direct Care practices. These docs are standing in the end zone, frantically waving their arms calling for the pass; they’re wide open! Their rally cry? Patients really can save money while getting the kind of care they forgot even existed. Third party payments become a thing of the past, and people are reminded of how simple the whole thing can be.

Wayne Gretzky is a hockey hall-of-famer; one can only assume that’s partially because of his ability to apply the principle he so eloquently expressed. Skate where the puck is going, not where it’s been.

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 19, 2015

Say No to Cookbook Medicine and Third Party Payments.

A recent Wall Street Journal article by Dr. Gerald Gianoli sheds light on many of the reasons why Direct Care is the logical choice for docs who want to get more out of medicine.

“In 2005, well before ObamaCare, my practice in Louisiana transitioned to one such alternative: Third-party-free. Rather than deal with the hassle of private insurers or government health-insurance providers like Medicare, physicians in our practice work for patients—and no one else. When patients have a problem, they come in for treatment, pay with cash, and are out the door hassle-free. No copays. No insurers. No government.

“These alternative practice models also come with enormous cost-savings potential for physicians and patients. When insurance billing isn’t involved, physicians can save an average of 40% in overhead administrative expenses, according to reporting in this newspaper, and these savings are passed down to patients in lower fees…”

Read the whole article on the Wall Street Journal here. Then when you have time, check out this video of him speaking on the issue.

Keep spreading the word about DPC!

Posted by: AtlasMD

January 12, 2015

What’s New in the Atlas.md EMR?

Some of the new features launched in the latest round of Atlas.md EMR updates include better security, better activity tracking, enhanced custom billing options for labs, and MMS messaging support.

New Inventory Sales & Expense Widget: The new inventory sales and expense widget shows you in plain daylight what you’ve profited vs what you’ve spent during any timeframe you choose. Read more about the widget here.

Two Step Authentication on Login: Now you have the option to enable two step authentication when you log in, during which you’ll enter an SMS code sent to your cell phone for an extra layer of account protection. Read more about that over here.

Better Activity Tracking: Now the app tracks your keyboard strokes, so if you’re typing a long note about a patient you won’t be logged out automatically for inactivity.

In-App Mass Emailing: Now you can send a mass email to multiple patients from right inside the app. Click here for all the details.

Send and Receive Images through SMS: Text isn’t the only hotshot in town anymore. Now images sent and received through MMS are stored inside the app, just like SMS messages.

Custom Labs Billing: Now you can enter custom prices for labs with a simple click. Read more about how it works here.

Open Prescription Alert: Forget to finish a prescription? We’ll help remind you with an alert that shows open prescriptions one week old or more.

Additional User Roles: Now your Atlas.md account can include more than physicians and nurses. New user roles include Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Assistant. Read more about user roles over here.

Money Saving Techniques: In case you’re curious how much money is being saved on prescriptions ordered and filled through the Atlas.md EMR, that magic number is now being displayed on the sales site. The number grows daily so check back often!