I’m not sure really how you got here but I don't know how I got here. I had a practice that was on the outside as successful as it possibly could be. I mean I have full surgery day, I had a full day of patients but I actually was way too busy. I would spend on my weekends charting and I couldn't really stop and have interesting conversations with anybody that was an interesting problem like a runner who was trying to figure out how to maintain all their fitness while they're working out.

I just didn’t really have time to talk to people. Instead I had seven employees, I had all my assistants trying to explain everything for me and don't get me wrong, they’re all great people. I hired all of them. They’re all smart. They're all nice and yet they weren't doctors.

I actually felt guilty when I would have my assistants explain things to patients and that's really why I started to shift. It’s that and several other things but I'll tell you the one exercise that actually changed my life forever and if you do this it will probably change yours too.

I don't know what the solution is for you. I mean I do house calls. I do Skype visits. I do phone consultations with patients. I do lots of different things that are not conventional now in order to take care of patients. But it's very very different.

The other thing is that you may feel like you don't really even have any options because you're locked in to Medicare contracts, Medicaid, all kinds of HMOs, all kinds of insurance company reimbursement rates that are varied from patient to patient. I mean, the chances are, if you had patients, if you had 10 patients come in today that asked you, "How much is it going to cost for my evaluation today?" you can tell them what you're going to charge, but there's almost no chance you can tell them with 100% certainty and accuracy that you know what you're going to get paid on each of those 10 patients because a Medicare patient is going to get paid differently than somebody who has UnitedHealthcare. 

That's going to get reimbursed differently than somebody who has Cigna, and that's probably different than some of your friends and particularly true if they're in other areas of the country, so you may not even have control over how much you're getting paid regardless of how much you actually charge.

In this Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we're talking about how you can make more money in your practice.

He asks, “In your book you say that you take cash and check but on your website now it just says PayPal and credit cards. Are you still taking cash and check as forms of payment?”

That's a great question!

The short answer is yes I still accept cash and checks. But let me explain a little further.

Everyone knows the saying, “Cash is King!” 

And after all the entire name of this podcast is actually the Cash Flow Practice Podcast. 

So yes, although I do accept cash payments, I actually discourage it. 

But if “Cash is really King” why would I do that?  

In this episode of the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we're talking about accepting cash payments from patients. 

The one question that surprised me then, and surprises me even more today, is when a doctor asks me, “Do I need a website for my practice?”

My answer has always been, “You only need a practice for your website if you want to see patients.”

But let me explain...

The closer the match between your website name, your practice name and the actual website (.com) URL, the more likely your website is going to wind up as the choice patients click on and they need your help and want a house call.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how you can come up with the very best website name for your house calls practice.

This episode is based on two questions sent in by a doctor who read the book: House Calls Startup Manual: How to Run a Low-overhead, High-profit Practice and Get Your Life Back.

He asked, “In the age of all digital do you still use the light tracer to view hard films? How do you get the images sent to you from the multitude of facilities you must use?”

Well, yes...and no. Let me explain….

To be completely truthful, 10 years ago or so I had the same question myself when I first started doing house calls. I didn't know if Medicare patients would pay for the service.

Today we're talking about whether or not you can still see Medicare patients for house calls if you opt out of Medicare.

If you are willing to do the simple things most doctors are not willing to do, it can be easy to stand out and makes you a better choice.

Today on the Cashflow Practice podcast we're talking about six ways to be better than the competition.

This episode is based on a question sent in by a doctor who was concerned about the potential for personal safety (and/or lack thereof) when doing house calls. Going into a stranger’s home may seem a little uncomfortable to most doctors because most of us don't do house calls all day. 

But it's pretty easy to figure out whether or not a potential patient is a weirdo, if you can simply actually screen patients on the phone.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice podcast we're talking about house call safety and phone screening. 

When I was a kid and I used to ride my bike down a street called West Brow. There was a huge black German Shepherd named King. Every time I would ride my bike down that street, that dog would come flying around the side of the house, run through the front yard and then leap over the fence and chase me down the street, quite literally nipping at my heels. 

I can still visualize that dog coming over the fence with his teeth showing midair. I was truly terrified of that dog. So when a doctor writes in and asks me a question about dealing with animals when you go into patient’s homes I understand on a deep level the potential fear and trepidation.

Today on the Cashflow Practice podcast we're talking about how you can stay safe and feel secure when your patient has animals at home.

It takes money to make money...or so they say. Whoever "they" may be.

This episode comes from a question sent in by doctor. He wrote in and asked….

”I am looking to find an investor/ investors to help jump start my new venture, the home care podiatry practice. Please advise if their are podiatrist practice investors. I've searched. Can't find specific ones."

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we're talking about getting investors to start a house calls based practice. 

If I have an office, I feel like I have a job. I have a place to go and work. I feel like I have a business. But you have to remember that your office, if you are not in that office every minute seeing patients, that is not a business. Your office is an expense and it's a big one.

Figure out your numbers, and then you can decide whether or not you should really keep your office when you switched to doing house calls.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice podcast, we're talking about keeping your office when you switch to doing the house calls.

What happens when you search your name online and find negative information? Does your online reputation and negative bits of information about you have the power to run patients away and kill your house calls practice? Is there a way to counteract negative reviews and boost your online reputation?

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about what to do if you have worries about negative information affecting your reputation online.

How busy are you? And how much money are you making with all of that busy-ness?

As doctors were trained to be busy. Unfortunately we often correlate "busy" with "Productive."

This is one of the great myths of medicine. If you're just busy the money will follow. But if you're here right now you have probably figured out that is just not true.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we are talking about the right kind of busy.

The key to being found online is to make sure your website specifically appeals to patients looking for housecalls. You do not want your website to look like, or compete with, any other physician in your specialty who has a conventional practice.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we are talking about what you should NOT put on your house call doctor website.

Hey Doc, "It was great speaking with you today. It would be very helpful if you could call the Aetna Provider Services for a pre-certification of the treatment (request is to be expedited)," 1-800-blahblahblah...and he says. "Regardless of the outcome, I still plan to have the laser treatment done. Thank you.”

Should you call the patient’s insurance company?

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we are talking about whether or not you should call a patient's insurance company just to get prior authorization for their house call visit.

If you hate feeling like half of your work is just providing documentation for insurance companies so you can get paid for seeing patients, you may feel like you would be better off ditching all of the Insurance-associated hassles of a standard medical practice and switch to a cash-based practice.

But the truth is, nothing is free! When you switch to a cash-based practice you will have nicer patients, fewer patients and a whole lot more free time. You really can get rid of all of the administrative BS that comes with a standard insurance based practice. You will get paid more for everything you do. But don't be fooled, there is always a trade-off.

But this is really comparing apples to oranges. And you need understand why.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how House Call doctor services are NOT a commodity to compare with standard office visits.

Free time is an interesting concept. But there is one way you may not be thinking about the concept of free time.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how there is no free time.

Should I buy a house call practice?

The idea of buying a practice with a long list of clients who are ready and willing to see you as your their doctor is appealing. But is it realistic? Its it worth it to buy a practice?

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about whether or not you should buy a house call practice. 

In a business that is supposed to be high service, it's very difficult to be low-cost, and do a great job. 

There is a Darkside to offering discounts when your house call doctor.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about why you should not offer a discount on House Calls.

A patient in pain is inherently impulsive. They want and need help...now! You can use the shifting mentality toward instant response and instant results to help book more house-call patients in your practice.

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast, we're talking about how the new Want-It-Now-Mentality can help you see house call patients.

 

So these podcast episodes are short by Design. I figure if you can diagnose and treat a patient and only a few minutes, I ought to be able to give you some useful tips on starting a much simpler and more profitable house-call practice model in the same amount of time or less.

 

Because medical decision making can be very evidence based, much of Medicine can be directed with computer generated algorithms. 

Should you be genuinely concerned that your job as doctor will be replaced by A.I.?

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about whether or not you should be worried that Artificial Intelligence will replace doctor visits.

We market to the same people. Family Practice, Endocrinologists, Rheumatologists, Pediatricians…you get the idea. You think those doctors have your patients. You think they will refer to you. So they get your attention. You pay time and money to market to them. 

But what alternate referral choices can you find where is there no competition? Who gets no attention, but sees your patients? 

Think about who sees your patients, who notices the problems you can solve. Who actually sees the conditions you want to treat.  

That’s who you should market to… 

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how when marketing, its best to have no competition.

1. Future house call patients don't know you.

2. Past house call patients forget you. 

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how obscurity is your only problem. 

“Special pricing?”  

“Rates for seniors?”  

"Programs for students?”  

You may be tempted to use logic. distance, milage, time, to explain your fee schedule. I can speak from experience and promise those will all be wasted words. 

Just say, “No…I can’t.” 

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about how to say NO when a patient asks for a discount. 

Today on the Cash Flow Practice Podcast we're talking about whether or not you should you answer your House Call practice phone at night. 

You have to have a continual flow of patients. 

Today on the Cashflow Practice podcast, we're talking about house call marketing... 

How to get patients today: physician referral sources.