The Fine Line at the Front Desk

Your front desk staff are the face, and voice, of your practice. They are the first person your patients see when they arrive and the last when they leave. Are your staff leaving the proper impact on your patients? It's important to have friendly, compassionate people at your front desk, but is there a point where lines can be blurred between patient and friend? Of course there is! And, it can impact your income. When staff form a personal relationship with the patients, it becomes easier for the patient to walk away without paying overdue or high balances, or for the staff to write off certain fees. Here are some tips to combat the problem:

• Patients should be addressed by their preferred names, not terms of endearment or slang.

• Keep all communication professional, whether it be phone calls, emails or letters. Spelling, punctuation and grammar should be correct. And, don't use emoji's!

• Have your staff collect co-payments prior to the patient being seen.

• Have your staff discuss outstanding balances with the patient before they leave. Do not let allow patients to schedule new appointments if the balance is over a set point without putting a payment plan on file.

• Do not allow write offs on no show or late cancellation fees without permission.

Making these practices standard protocol will keep your staff-patient relationships professional. Setting clear expectations for both staff and patients will ensure your private pay A/R stays down.

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