Practice Management Alert

Sometimes all it takes is a new color selection and, instantly, you'll see payments like never before.

The next time a patient who has an outstanding balance comes to your practice, hand her a colored envelope to send the money, says Bo Ng, CHSP, EFPM, a healthcare consultant for nine years. A colored piece of paper is easier for the patient to find and harder to ignore. There's less chance the patient will "forget" to send it in. Consider even stamping the envelope, Ng adds. Granted, the stamps will cost more, but the net outcome is faster payment. Consider even guilt-tripping your patients "in a kind way" to send the check as quickly as possible, Ng says, because otherwise, you can't close the books.

You can use colored paper to help you organize around the office as well. For example, change the color of your patient demographic form each year. That way you can better trace whether the patient chart has been reviewed and updated, Ng says. And if there are no changes to be made, consider using a colored sticker to indicate that the form has been reviewed with the patient, and then initial and date it.