Does a private consultant surgeon really need a website?
Every time I give a presentation to consultants wishing to start a private practice it's pretty much guaranteed, I’ll get asked about having a website. In particular, I’ll be asked – do I need one?...
What market is the private consultant actually entering?
A consultant surgeon came up to me after a recent presentation asking for my opinion on a situation he’d found himself in. Having successfully operated within the NHS for some time he decided to...
Nice bottle of merlot however.
It’s great when a patient pays cash - on the way out he or she produces a roll of £10 notes and pays in full. It happened just before Christmas to an MHM client. Couple of items to remember,...
Change of plan. Change of CCSD code
The response to a recent question. Consider if, during the initial consultation, a patient is advised surgery is required. The patient is therefore given a CCSD code equating to the surgical episode...
Outsourcing – what does a consultant surgeon really want?
MHM sort of cheats when we say we are an outsource company. We don't share premises with our consultant surgeons nor are we next door to the hospital. Neither do we speak to them every single...
Lovely lady – sometimes it’s the obvious things
Lovely lady. She sounded if she was aged between 30 – 40. Called her to clarify one small point on her registration form and pretty much knew what the discrepancy was. I was right. She was born in...
Are you totally undercharging?
Take these examples: ENT Consultant Surgeon A is an ENT consultant surgeon. He performs an E1910 on two different patients. He bills both patient’s insurance company £1,600 each. No problem except...
Who is actually responsible for paying the excess
A question, which was asked recently at a private practice seminar MHM were presenting at. Interestingly the question was asked by a consultant surgeon who had started his/her private practice two...
Backdating a preauthorisation
The patient arrives for the consultation but hasn’t obtained a pre-authorisation from his/her insurance company. Should you see the patient? Yes, of course, you should; patient care must come first....
Using the wrong CCSD code can easily cost £725
It actually happened too. Consider a CCSD code for a follow up consultation = 20310. Now consider the CCSD code for a ECG = 20110. A consultant surgeon couldn’t understand why he was not getting...
Do you invoice quickly enough?
Following on from a recent blog and questions raised at a presentation to consultant surgeons, I was asked to further explain why you must invoice quickly. Unacceptable Delay The obvious one is that...
The usual reason for non-payment of an invoice
Ever thought what is the most often quoted reason for non-payment by a patient of the excess? The same reason is quoted over and over again. It is not ‘I haven’t got the money” nor is it “I didn’t...