Last week I wrote about the problems we are having as a profession in getting paid for the professional services rendered in caring for persons in need of O&P care. That blog generated a lot of interest, I got phone calls, emails and comments posted online. Thank You! It is awesome to get feedback and obviously a lot of people are feeling the same frustration. Most of the questions were asking what we can do.

On February 2, 2024, HCSC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, announced its intention to complete its acquisition of Cigna’s Medicare businesses for $3.3 billion. Let that sink in. How many of you are fighting for increased reimbursements? How many of you are accepting contracts from private payers at rates BELOW Medicare?

Are you concerned about cash flow and frustrated by stingy payers & skyrocketing costs? What if I told you there’s a pile of cash you are probably leaving on the table? Read on to unlock financial freedom and practice peace.

Have you ever felt the raw power of waves crashing against the shore? Each wave, unique in size and force, dances to its rhythm. But there's an analogy here. Your team: where each person, with different roles and expertise, can be a formidable force. Adaptability, like waves adjusting to the shore, is crucial. Synergy, as Stephen Covey notes, isn't compromise; it's finding that third option where the sum is greater than the parts. Dive into the ocean of synergy – is your team riding the wave of common purpose?

Are you constantly running on empty? Or at least constantly running? In this blog, I discuss the importance of recharging and taking time for yourself as a leader. I share my experience of taking a break and enjoying a sunset in the Caribbean, and I encourage you to find your own "Caribbean sunrise" - a moment of serenity that will help you recharge and be a better leader.

In a world obsessed with glitter and gold, true leadership wears an invisible crown: character. Forget flashy resumes, integrity is the secret sauce that turns followers into fanatics. Ready to ditch the charade and lead with substance? Let's dive into the heart of real leadership, where character reigns supreme.

Happy New Year! Have you heard of “the Goldilocks Principle?” How’s your porridge? I ran across an article that reminded me of this principle and made me think about how it can apply to O&P. See what Goldilocks has to say about running a practice!

The December Crunch is on. Patent deductibles are met, and the year-end procrastination is coming due, This is it! So in the hustle and bustle, are you ready for 2024? I encourage you to take some time to think about that before it is 2024. And before that, take a hard look at 2023. This week’s focus is on getting ready for tomorrow while we are dealing with today.

What do you think of when you read that word, Execution? Since this is generally a Business blog, I certainly hope your mind went straight to the meaning of getting things done. But the interesting thing is the flipside…what happens if we don’t get things done?

Are you interested in taking your practice to the next level? Do you want to turn your end-of-year reflections into tangible improvements? In this, my latest blog, I offer a guide to enhancing your practice's value, streamlining processes, and boosting patient care, all while keeping your team engaged and adaptable. Start your journey to operational excellence today. Remember that OPIE is committed to your success.

A year ago, what did you envision for your practice in 2023? What did you see when you conducted your environmental scan a year ago and set your business goals to capitalize on that? If you conducted a scan, were you right? What do you envision for your practice in 2024?

Do you want to discover key strategies for expanding your O&P practice? Optimize patient acquisition with targeted marketing insights and measurable growth tactics. Enhance your professional network and patient retention. Read on to learn more about strategic practice development.

Are you SURE you're HIPAA compliant? The stakes are higher than ever for protecting Patient Health Information (PHI). The Department of Justice’s current stance is that it is committed to tackling corporate crime and will continue to investigate and prosecute companies (and responsible individuals) who engage in such misconduct. What does that mean for you?

Do you have concerns about the labor market? Are you having a hard time staffing your practice? Do you think being a good leader is about bossing people around? Think again! Discover the SECRET to true leadership success and employee retention. Here's a hint: It's not about YOU. Dive in now and transform your leadership style!

In today’s rapidly evolving O&P landscape, it's becoming increasingly evident that leading-edge technologies like 3D scanners and CAD software are not merely "nice-to-haves" but vital instruments shaping our profession’s future. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right?

There are lots of ways to know if your business is profitable and I am sure you have heard all of the jokes, so I will spare you. There is a superficial profitability equation that essentially says revenue minus cost equals profit. Yes, at some level, that is all you need to know. But is it really enough to know only those top-line numbers?

I have talked about incorporating the Gemba walk into your routine to find opportunities to improve. But improve what? And how do you know if it made a difference? I made an assumption, and I’ll bet you did too…that we all agree on the objective. Do we? Does your whole team know what your business objectives are? No really…Not just generic “take care of patients and make money.” Something that vague leaves way too much open to interpretation and you end up in chaos.

We talked about the value and importance of the GEMBA walk and the Weekly WIP meeting. Now, bring the power of data visualization to the meeting, and you will cut the meeting time in half. Or more! Join me this week as we discover how the intuitive WIP: Aim for Success tool, combined with GEMBA insights, can streamline your weekly WIP meeting and transform it into both patient care and financial planning in one!

Do you want to turn the chaos of daily operations into smooth, well-oiled workflows? Last week I talked about the GEMBA walk and this week I will show how combining GEMBA walks with weekly WIP reviews can synergize to not only streamline your practice but also improve the patient experience. Whether it's verifying insurance, ensuring the availability of supplies, or planning for special activities, we'll show you how to be one step ahead, ensuring that each patient visit becomes a meaningful step toward their health goals while still getting paid!

Do you or your team feel like you’re always busy? Do you wish you could do more? We’ve all been there, hustling through the day without getting the time to pause and evaluate how things could be better. This was a topic of discussion several years ago in an OPIE Users discussion and what we learned is that a great tool to use here is the GEMBA walk —turning that sense of frenetic activity into focused, purpose-driven work, all while spurring innovation and best practices.