The healthcare industry is predicted to experience an unprecedented level of cyberattacks in 2021. That’s a pretty crazy thing to claim, considering healthcare has already been one of the most heavily targeted industries for decades. However, while healthcare providers and staff have become savvier on how to avoid such tricks over the years, cybercriminals have changed tactics time and time again, finding new ways to compromise data. In response to these ongoing threats, research also predicts the healthcare sector will spend upwards of $125 billion on cybersecurity from 2020-2025.

Oftentimes, when we are struggling to use technology, there is a natural human tendency to blame the application. But there is an old saying that “A good craftsmen never blames his tools.” Why is that? Because a good craftsman has trained diligently to be skilled in his work, so he knows how to use his tools properly. The same also applies to EHR satisfaction. In this blog, we will take a look at the correlation between quality training and EHR satisfaction.

Needless to say, healthcare has seen several drastic changes over the last year or so. A need for more contactless office procedures. A sharp rise in the use of telemedicine. A surge in digital payments. A crackdown on Information Blocking violations. However, another change in the last year that has not received nearly as much attention is increased financial responsibility for patients. And this economic trend has made patient portals more crucial than ever.

Welcome to the second installment of our two-part blog series on building a high performing team. In Part 1, we took a look at the impact psychological safety has on your team and covered methods for building it within your practice. However, creating an environment that fosters psychological safety is only the beginning. In this blog, we will conclude by following up with a discussion of how understanding the values of your practice and setting the right level of expectations can help you create a more effective team.

There is far more to successfully running a practice than just EHR and Practice Management solutions. While there are many management and leadership studies out there, far too few of them actually deal with the nuances that leaders deal with at practices day to day. Your practice is also a business, and like a business it needs an effective team.

Encounters with difficult patients, while often unpleasant, are something providers and staff have to learn to deal with as part of their jobs. And, sadly, they tend to pop up fairly regularly. In fact, one study found that 30 percent of patient encounters were rated as “difficult” by responding physician practices. These sorts of negative interactions can be frustrating and demoralizing for everyone at your practice. However, with the right methods, you can reduce the stress caused by difficult patients and improve the outcomes of these uncomfortable situations.

As many of our readers are already aware, Nextech is going virtual with its Seventh Annual User Conference, EDGE 2021 (registration is now closed). After much preparation, this year's meeting will feature over fifty sessions focused on improving the performance of your specialty practice in an immersive virtual environment. Our experts will discuss ways to improve operational efficiency, increase profitability and grow your business in addition to covering the latest regulatory changes and industry trends.

Inventory management is crucial to the success of any specialty practice. Not having enough items on hand risks losses in sales when your supply fails to meet patient demand for certain items. Of course, having too much inventory in stock can also cost you as unsold items expire on the shelf. If you are not implementing and maintaining best practices for inventory management, you leave your practice vulnerable to financial risk and related inefficiencies.