A bi-weekly newsletter from your physician organization
Friday, May 21, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands to younger patients
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently expanded eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to ages 12-15. This now makes the vaccine available to any patient age 12 and older. The CDC provides many education materials to help providers talk to parents and youth about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Many local vaccine clinics are now offering walk-in vaccine options and local health systems are no longer requiring a patient portal account to get a vaccine. Click here to find a vaccine clinic location.
Promote sun safety to patients
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and melanoma rates continue to increase across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A new CDC melanoma dashboard highlights individual states' statistics.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, providing a great opportunity to remind patients about the importance of skin checks and wearing sunscreen. The CDC created evidence-based prevention strategies for providers to put into action. There are many resources, including social media graphics and flyers (in English and Spanish) to help educate patients.
Educate patients on diabetes prevention and management
Diabetes is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention's 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 34.2 million people have diabetes (10.5% of the US population). Just as concerning, 88 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (34.5% of the adult US population), including 24.2 million people aged 65 years or older.

Educating patients on how to manage their diabetes or even lower their risk of diabetes can help improve the health of patient populations.

The Physician Alliance created several patient education forms related to managing diabetes and lowering the risk for diabetes:

  • Patient diabetes self management form
  • Patient diabetes action plan form
  • 6 ways to manage your diabetes poster
  • 6 tips for lowering diabetes risk poster
  • Patient healthy lifestyle self management form (17 years and under)
  • Patient healthy lifestyle self management form (18 years and older)

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also created helpful resources to target those at risk for prediabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a lifestyle change program that can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The program can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by 58% for people with prediabetes (71% for people over 60 years old) when achieving a modest weight loss (5-7% of body weight, about 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person) and 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Diabetes Prevention Program classes are offered in-person and virtual. Click here to find a DPP class in Michigan.
3 ways a medical practice can increase 2021 revenue
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Increasing revenue and improving past due accounts resolution are critical to the success and viability of a practice. Here are three ways to help achieve these goals.
 
1. Send out statements promptly and consistently.
If you do not have a systematic billing system, get one! Many times, the patient has not paid simply because they have not received an invoice or statement. However, given the number of rising delinquencies in the housing market, and the stricter policies for lending, you do not want to be late or inconsistent in asking for payments.
 
2. Use your aging sheet, not your feelings.
Many practices have let an account age beyond the point of reason, believing the patient would eventually pay. While there may be a few exceptions, all patients should be treated in the same manner. Expecting to be paid on time is your right. Try to focus on EVERY account going over 45 days and stick to a systematic plan of follow up.
 
3. Use a third party early in the process.
Once you have pursued your past due accounts for 60-75 days, consider sending them a to a pre-collect third party service which allow you to keep 100% of the money if collected timely.
 
The impact of the ‘third party’ tends to reprioritize the debt and encourages the patient to make the payment. Designed for early intervention, a ‘pre-collect’ service can save practices the internal costs of working accounts beyond the point of reason.

Source: TSI (Transworld Systems) is a medical debt collections agency and one of TPA's Affiliate Partners. For questions concerning automated reminder call and invoice services, Accelerator®, pre-collect services or general collections, contact Michael Glass at (248) 914-0346 or click here.
The latest healthcare news
Ways you can save
Featured Affiliate Partner: TELEPHONE SOLUTIONS & SERVICES - Edge Solutions provides telecommunications products and services at discounted rates to The Physician Alliance members, including discounted monthly services, hardware and rental fees, and on-site service call. Members also receive complimentary evaluation of current telephone systems and equipment.  

Learn more about this partner.