SOS Healthcare Management Solutions

09/25/2023

https://www.ppma.org/blogpost/1943524/492276/Employee-Termination-is-Never-an-Easy-Thing-to-Do

Whether it’s because they fail to meet your expectations…or the position has been eliminated, or due to an internal conflict, firing an employee is never pleasant and it can potentially turn your business upside down. To make matters worse…when all things are considered, it is extremely costly...

02/10/2023

Have you ever wished you could make changes in your practice?
Whether improving your work culture or spending more time with your patients, Homisak at SOS Healthcare Management Solutions has a few tips that do not include rubbing the genie lamp!
Learn more by visiting our website and looking for this article in our following newsletter!
https://www.ppma.org/blogpost/1943524/484835/Three-wishes

09/19/2022

Assistant Attendees proudly show off their SOS "Remember the Golden Rule" wristbands at the Tennessee Podiatric Medical Conference in Franklin, TN

A great group and a wonderful program to be a part of!
and .

03/22/2022

01/07/2022

Because I advised you to "stay tuned", here now is the complete story of our move. Grab a beverage of your choice and a comfy chair; then sit back and enjoy! Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

Hey! How YOU doin’?

Yes, rumors are true. Denis and I pulled the plug, cut the cord, made the move. Bidding farewell to the Pacific Northwest to venture east. Claiming Cape May, NJ, Exit 0, the oldest resort area in the country, as our permanent home! Admittedly, we will miss so much. Breathless views of Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, the majestic evergreens, Cascade and Olympic ranges, and most of all, a great big chunk of family and friends. Being “Down the Shore” has its perks, tho, like cool ocean breezes, amazing sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean, and graceful sunset views over the Delaware Bay. Another big upside? I get to see and spend time with my mom who lives only 4 miles away, guiding us on the ins and outs of Cape May living! Treasured times together. Can’t put a price on that. AND, oh yeah...bonus! Taylor Ham! (For those of you outside of NJ or PA, google it.)

So, why the move? Well, I had been a (north) Jersey Girl most of my life. When I left the Garden State in 2004, I promised family I’d be back in seven years. It seems the math got away from me because seven years quickly turned into sevenTEEN.!

Let me say upfront…moving is hard! Months spent packing home and office (begging the question: HOW and WHY do we have so much stuff??) After every last trace of our existence was packed, sold, donated, given away, or discarded, we filled two 16-ft PODS Containers, an 8-ft U-Haul and bravely (naively) hit the road; traveling 3,000 miles, 64 hours, non-stop, through WA-ID-MT-WY-SD-IA-IL-IN-OH and PA before reaching our NJ destination. Unfortunately, we didn’t exactly SEE much of the U.S. countryside on this road trip - half of our driving was in the dark of night - alternating catnaps and drive times. And wouldn’t you know it? We missed some extraordinary roadside attractions; Potato Museum, World’s Largest Popcorn Ball, Wall Drug, a 2.5 ton ball of Paint, and the Tallest Concrete Garden Gnome… along the way. I mean, c’mon! Bummer. And while also passing up previously visited historic and natural wonders; Mt Rushmore, Devils Tower, Custer’s Last Stand, etc. during daylight we were mesmerized by what truly is “America the Beautiful” – driving through vast plains and over the awesome Cascades, Rockies, Big Horn and Alleghanies.

Sure, it would have been great to take our time and make the trip a scenic adventure, but… cats! And all 5 needed transport. You heard me right. FIVE CATS – get over it. Ehhhhhhhh, fuggetaboutit! (This roughly translates to "Sir/Madam, it is likely best for all parties concerned that you let this matter drop and allow it to trouble you no more.") Frankie, Sammy, Pete, Joey and Bogey, our all-male “CatPack”, (Get it?) are now lovingly referred to as “The Jersey Boyz.” Novel. 😉

We initially decided that driving with our clowder of cats while also pulling a trailer was the best strategy, despite warnings by others (uh, everyone) telling us if we insisted on traumatizing our cats in this way, we’d pay. The price… endless suffering, non-stop, loud and obnoxious yowls and howls from coast to coast.

We started to think it a nightmare ready to unfold; a challenge to be sure. We set up each furry fella with his own separate crate (complete with every feline comfort; bed, scratcher, litter box and water). All strategically arranged in the back of our not-so accommodating Honda Element (aka ‘the toaster’). No room to spare!! We barely left our driveway before realizing how totally insane this (well-thought out??) plan actually was!!! WHAT WERE WE THINKING?! Surprisingly, though, other than a few nervous, chorus-like outbreaks early into the trip, we were spared the predicted cat-howl-serenades. In fact, they were concernedly quiet. We had to, of course, tend to “other” cat duties, so at every stop for fuel, coffee, and respite, cage-cleaning was a necessity. For their sakes…and ours, if you know what I mean. 💩 (ewe, peuw)

On the business side, there remains paperwork necessary to officially change SOS Healthcare Management Solutions from a WA to NJ State entity as well as some revising of the SOS website. I am currently working on that (and unpacking). (Did I mention moving is hard?) I hope to have everything updated soon. In the meantime, can be reached at [email protected] and will post news as it happens. Stay safe and if you find yourself in or around this Cape May paradise …give us a shout!

12/01/2021

Stay tuned....more to come!

09/07/2020

Secrets of Success: The Value of Role Playing by: Lynn Homisak, SOS Healthcare & Management Solutions, LLC - www.soshms.com

Whether you are assessing an employee’s skills or developing them, role playing should have a significant place in both your hiring and training protocols. Unfortunately, this excellent exercise in communication and evaluation remains underutilized and undervalued, resulting in ineffective hiring, staff unmatched for the position they applied for and if that wasn’t enough…frequent turnover which upsets continuity and takes a hit on profitability.

Role playing common scenarios helps reveal many of the soft, interpersonal skills (like time management, working under pressure, composure, compassion, self-motivation, decision making, creativity, adaptability and work ethic) that otherwise go undetected with a typical “face time” interview. It also brings to light some of their problem solving and customer service qualities. Rest assured, your applicant will come prepared. He/she is familiar with the types of questions asked and has spent time rehearsing all the right answers. If they’ve been at this for a while, chances are they’ve perfected acting skills. Just remember, you are the director of this real life screen test and you decide who wins the academy award so enjoy the show!

Here is an example of how a typical interview might go:
• Interviewer: “There are times when our schedule sometimes run late. How would you handle that irritated patient who was waiting longer than she expected?”
Applicant: “Well, I would explain to her that there was an emergency that caused us to run a little late. Then, I’d give her the option of waiting a little longer or offer to reschedule her to another time.”

Perfectly canned response. She practiced it and delivered it with scripted confidence. If you end the questioning there, you’ve really just only seen what the interviewer wants you to see. Was the applicant’s response enough to satisfy the patient? What if it wasn’t and the patient continued the conversation with persistent discontent (as they many times do)?

Here’s what role playing will do with the same question. Only this time, you are asking the applicant to act out, not recite her response:
• Interviewer: “There are times when our schedule sometimes run late. I’m going to pretend to be that irritated patient who was waiting longer than she expected and I’d like you to be my new assistant. Show me how you’d handle this patient’s complaint.” And don’t go easy on her. Be overly-sensitive. Demanding. Critical of not only her, but the practice. Say in an aggressive voice, “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to wait more than 30 minutes! How many times does this have to happen before this practice learns to schedule properly?” Ouch.

As the applicant takes on her new role and begins to respond, observe her body language. Are the words she uses and the tone of her voice satisfying to you? Does she take you seriously? Look you in the eye? Sound genuine? Does she remain composed even though the patient (you) gives her a hard time or does she crack under pressure? Does she get defensive? Make up some flimsy excuse? Or worse yet, promise it will never happen again? Are her words congruent with her actions? Is she convincingly apologetic and empathetic? Is she able to calm the patient by thinking quickly on her feet and offer a satisfying solution? Finally, how would you feel as a patient having interacted with her, face-to-face?

The same role-playing rules can be applied when training. Present various scenarios – in the treatment room, on the phone, responding to clinical questions, etc. Then, don’t just ask how they would handle each situation, but let them show you and look for the same signs as in the interview example.

Another way that role playing can be helpful is in doctor-patient presentations. Do a trial run of how you would assure your patient that they require surgery, or a pair of orthotics, or laser treatments with your staff, partner, associate or even a family member. (Family members usually offer the most honest feedback.) Can you easily influence them? Develop effective and concise answers to questions they might ask. Are you losing them by using layman’s terminology or resonating by hitting on emotions and feelings that matter to them? For example, suggesting surgery will enable them to run a marathon means nothing to this particular bunionectomy candidate; yet, that same patient would dearly love to play golf again – or keep up with their grandchildren. Role playing helps you fine tune and deliver your presentation more influentially.

Of course, role playing is only “Act 1 – Scene 1” of the hiring and training puzzle; however the resulting effort could be a show stopper and… the show must go on. Break a leg.

07/05/2020

We could all use a little of this right now!

Secrets of Success: The Power of “Nice”

By Lynn Homisak, SOS Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC – www.soshms.com

When reflecting on personal qualities, I suspect many of us would consider ourselves nice people.

Unfortunately, waking up each morning and giving serious thought about ways we can be nice is just not something that we typically do. Of course we can choose to face the day with positivity, and that works, for a while, until those irritating daily interactions set us off. We quickly forget our kindness pledge, and Mr. Negative makes an appearance. Maybe it’s as simple as a bad hair day, a messed up coffee order, or something much more provoking like an inconsiderate driver cutting us off (who then offers the ubiquitous hand gesture as if it were somehow our fault). Sadly, it takes much less effort to hit the negativity button than to flip the niceness switch (as in, pushing someone’s buttons!) All this being said, there is still, much more to be gained by being nice.

We could a bit more niceness at times in our work environment. It’s upsetting to see some doctors and staff go out of their way to treat their patients politely, but refrain from saying nice words to each other. Sometimes, there isn’t even a shared “Good morning!” It’s disappointing to see recurring conflict between these key players who ironically hang a static mission statement on their wall promoting themselves as “Your Care Team”, yet fail to live the motto.

In the book, The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, authors Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval speak about life lessons from a customer service perspective that we can use both personally and professionally. They talk about the “Six Principles of Nice” and we could all learn something from them. Here are some key takeaways:

One Nice Deed Can Lead To Another
There is no denying that we live in a “selfie” culture, where even photographs these days revolve around “me, me, me”. Maybe instead of thinking of “ourselfies” for a change, we need to think more about others; i.e., how they feel and how we can help them. There is a lot to be said for “paying it forward” when it comes to our actions, words and thoughts. The consequence of just one nice deed or compliment can actually end up touching or impacting the lives of many others in a very positive way. In fact, what might appear to be a trivial effort on your part to create a brighter day for just one person, can actually “bounce-back” greater than you might imagine. Now multiple that by many people. Being nice is a very small investment to make that often leads to a generous return; an ROI none of us could afford to pass up. Niceness is priceless. Use it lavishly.

Judge Not, Lest Ye BE Judged
Don’t be so quick to judge people before you know more facts or before you’ve actually walked a mile in their shoes. Think before you speak. Understand before you criticize. Preconceived notions almost always lead to misconceptions.

Treat Everyone Equally
Extending kindness should never be based upon a patient’s appearance, race, nationality, sexual preference, job title, financial status, or insurance coverage. All patients should be treated equally and fairly. Fairness is simply the right thing to do.

“Exercise Your Niceness Muscles”
In other words, make niceness an everyday habit. Do nice things that have no immediate payoff for you, like verbal appreciation – saying thank you to others; taking an interest in lives other than your own; donating money to charity; passing along a genuine smile; offering an extra generous tip; complimenting a stranger, a co-worker, an employer or employee. If being nicer to people was a daily exercise, like brushing our teeth or combing our hair, none of us would have to try so hard.

Kaplan and Koval say, “The power of nice is not about running around manically smiling and doing everyone's bidding... It's not about being phony or manipulative. It's about valuing niceness — in yourself and in others.”

What Would _____ Do?
Think of someone you know who fits the “nice” description; someone you admire. Then model yourself after them. Although you may want to re-act in a negative way to an prickly situation, stop and fill in the blank to a common phrase “WW_D?”, by inserting this individual’s name. Or, better yet, take it one step further. Finish this statement: “To be a nicer person, I would …” Then, go ahead and do it.

Remember, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice!”

06/22/2020

Follow the algorithm for management advice. And smile! 🙂

06/08/2020

https://www.facebook.com/121994938447/posts/10159854862833448/

Today's blog is by Lynn Homisak, PRT, "Worthy Footnotes From A Health Coach To Help Doctors Stay Healthy."
https://tinyurl.com/ybmg942x
American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management (AAPPM)

05/20/2020

Spending quarantined time in home office doing TV interview with Dr. Donald Pelto. Now, THIS was fun!

WCCA TV is a public access TV station and community media center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Our programming is produced by and for the people of Worcester. You can watch us online or on Worcester cable channel 194.

05/11/2020

Thank goodness for telehealth during these unprecedented times of quarantine. Not only has it saved some offices from closing completely, it has been the "go-to" answer for patients when when they could not physically be seen. Sounds like it may even be a long-term option in some cases post-COVID-19. After all, it allows patients SOME contact with their physicians in SOME less critical cases and it gets SOME of their questions answered without them ever needing to leave their homes! Still, (and this is just my opinion), while it serves a purpose now, and maybe has a worthwhile place in the future of medicine, there is STILL nothing like the care and relationships built with our patients through "face-to-face" personal eye contact. Your thoughts?

05/01/2020

Hi fellow quarantiners! We may not be thinking much about office management right now, but that shouldn't stop us from learning operational strategies and planning ahead. We WILL be back to work full time - it's just a matter of when. Until that time comes, here is some management food for thought to chew on:

Beware of reverse delegation
Reverse delegation occurs when the physician (or manager) assigns a job to an employee, and for whatever reason (lack of confidence, motivation, skill) ends up taking it back, relieving the employee of any associated responsibility. This isn’t helpful for either party long term. It only increases the delegator’s work load and the employee never learns if they keep getting bailed out. If at first they don’t succeed, praise their efforts and encourage try, try again, using a new approach.

Stay safe everyone!

04/20/2020

04/03/2020

Working Remotely? Work securely.

5 tips to help you work from home safely.
Technology makes it easier than ever to work and learn remotely. However, using personal devices and unsecured connections for work or a child’s education also makes you more vulnerable to cyber threats. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to safeguard you and your family.

Use a VPN to protect your personal info on your home Wi-Fi

Watch out for phishing emails

Regularly change passwords with two-factor identification

Browse with the latest security updates

Use strong, unique passwords

Shared from a McAfee post

03/20/2020

Plan ahead for better patient flow:

Schedule a 5-minute daily team huddle in the AM to review schedule. Participants should include the receptionist (and/or scheduler), physician, manager, and clinical assistant.

This time is spent eliminating potential “glitches”; making sure all necessary paperwork and supplies for patients on the schedule that day has been received and or prepared (i.e., pre-op papers, lab/MRI/biopsy results; referral info, special room needs, orthotics for dispensing, etc.)

Initially, while you are evaluating patient flow, it’s a good idea to have another five-minute huddle at the end of the day to review what worked during clinic hours and what didn’t.

02/27/2020

Can you relate to any of these?

How do you approach a challenging patient?
Lynn Homisak, PRT discusses "Seven Challenging Patients Who Get Under Our Skin" in her latest blog.
https://tinyurl.com/sa9gbgk
American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management (AAPPM)