Fire Your Old Business Model and Restructure for Revenue FAQ

Rehab therapy practices are struggling in the current environment—particularly at a time when it can be hard to run an efficient clinic, juggling workflows, schedules, and different tools. The answer isn't to try to continue running your head into the wall to succeed in this current system, but to think about how you can change your business to work within the constraints - and opportunities - available. Here are the answers to the questions we didn't get to during our latest webinar.

What advice do you have for a single practice owner in a rural area that is growing, but is having issues with hiring for front desk, billing, and another therapist?

As Brian mentioned during the webinar, outsourcing is an effective solution whether you want to get more efficient or if you’re just struggling with staffing challenges. There are businesses that offer virtual front desks to take those responsibilities off your plate, and at the risk of self-promotion, WebPT does offer both billing software that simplifies the process and RCM services that handle billing operations entirely.  Hiring another therapist on the other hand, would require a different approach. (May we recommend our webinar on hiring and retention?) 

You mentioned outsourcing admin staff to reduce costs—how do you ensure quality control and patient experience don't suffer in the process?

Handing over control can be difficult when it comes to matters within your own practice. At least when you’re hands-on you can rest easier knowing you can exert influence as needed. Part of outsourcing should be due diligence on any partners you choose to work with, and a review process to ensure they’re meeting your expectations. If your patients have negative feedback on your new front desk, those are concerns that need to be raised with the company you’re partnered with to try and resolve them. If they persist, it could be time to look for help elsewhere.  

What metrics should I prioritize when implementing a pay-for-performance model to align clinician incentives with outcomes?

Setting the right goals requires a balancing act and an understanding of what you’re most valuing in your practice. In addition to actual outcomes data, you want to measure patient satisfaction and net promoter score; after all, your patients are the ultimate judge of performance. Beyond that, you can look at measures like units per visit or visits per week to capture a provider’s productivity and the revenue they’re generating.  

If we’ve historically relied on insurance referrals, how do we begin shifting toward more direct-to-consumer marketing?

You can take a measured approach to marketing if you’re entirely new to the game; in fact, it probably makes more sense to take baby steps at first rather than trying to jump in when you’re not entirely sure what you’re doing. Starting with inexpensive methods like leveraging organic social media or building email lists can help you gain some traction, and when you’ve gotten your feet wet, you can look at things like pay-per-click ads on those same social channels or in Google search results. 

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If you missed our webinar live, you can watch the replay here.